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This Final Fantasy Tactics-inspired RPG presents both sides of war - Arcadian Atlas Quick Review

2K View2023-07-28

Arcadian Atlas

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PLAY IT OR SKIP IT?
Play it if you’re a fan of retro strategy titles like Tactics Ogre or Final Fantasy Tactics. Arcadian Atlas is a pixelated tactical RPG that feels like it could be a forgotten PlayStation title. It takes place in Arcadia, a kingdom trapped in a bloody civil war. The story revolves around Vashti and Desmond, two lovers who find themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. As I played, I had the chance to see the war from different perspectives, which gave the story additional depth. The old-school battle mechanics might feel dated to some players, but die-hard tactics fans will definitely want to check this one out.

TIME PLAYED
I played over seven hours of Arcadian Atlas, which got me to the second chapter of the main story. Along the way, I picked up lots of side missions at my local tavern and spent tons of time recruiting new units and upgrading my characters. According to the devs, the main story is somewhere between twenty-five and thirty hours long, so there’s still plenty for me to see and do. I wasn't completely sold on the game during my playtime, but there are some awesome-sounding features I didn’t have a chance to test out, like the class promotion system, so I’m psyched to see more of what this game has to offer.

• Deep class customization. Arcadian Atlas starts players off with just four classes. That might sound limiting, but thanks to a complex skill tree, there are tons of ways to make each class feel unique. Every time a character leveled up, I earned skill points that I could spend on class specializations, new skills, and other upgrades and abilities. I had one of my Rangers focus on crossbows and had the other specialized in one-handed bows, giving each character access to a unique pool of moves.

I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a way to change character classes, but thanks to the level of customization available through the skill tree, I could still switch up a character's play style. At some point, base classes can also be promoted to one of two advanced classes, opening up the skill tree even further. I didn’t get a chance to try any promoted classes out, but every one of the available classes feels useful and unique.

• Solid strategy gameplay. The maps in Arcadian Atlas are on the small side, but they’re filled with details that add complexity to battles. I loved sending my archers up mountains so that they could rain down arrows on enemies below. If a character was low on health, I could have them hide in shallow water until an Apothecary could toss a healing potion their way. Character turn order is visible at the bottom of the map, which made it easier for me to plot out future moves. The grid-based battles in Arcadian Atlas definitely feel familiar, but since the games it takes inspiration from are classics, I didn’t mind the recognizable mechanics at all.

• Branching storyline. Every so often, Arcadian Atlas let me make choices that had a lasting impact on the narrative. These weren’t minor decisions—most of the choices I made had life-or-death consequences. Early on, I chose to spare a lawbreaker from execution and had him exiled instead. He connected with another exile, and when I last saw the pair, they seemed deeply in love. I’m psyched to see more of the fallout from my decisions, and I’m very curious to see how the story might change in future playthroughs.

WHAT SUCKS

• Repetitive battle music. There are some killer songs on the Arcadian Atlas soundtrack, but I wasn’t able to hear much of them. Instead, I had to listen to the same battle theme over and over again. There’s nothing wrong with the battle music, but after my first few fights, I was pretty sick of it. The default battle music even plays during pivotal plot battles, which feels like a waste. Adding a few more battle tracks to the soundtrack could make major fights a lot more intense.

• It’s missing a lot of modern features. Arcadian Atlas doesn’t have voice acting, auto-saves, or any of the other present-day amenities I’ve gotten used to. I appreciate the game’s commitment to its retro aesthetic, but there were times when it felt dated or clunky. If I wanted to change a character’s equipment, I had to open up the menu, choose a character, select equipment, and then click on “change” to equip my character with better armor. It’s a few too many steps for such a basic task, especially since I had to repeat this process for every character in my squad.

These issues are also present during battle. There’s no line-of-sight arc for ranged attacks, so I frequently had to reposition my characters to set up attacks. I couldn’t rotate the camera during battle, which sometimes made it hard to click on enemies I wanted to attack. Enemy skills aren't displayed during battle, and I couldn't see the locations of enemies before I placed my units, which made it harder to develop a solid strategy. I like that Arcadian Atlas feels like a retro game, but I wish it had a little more modern polish.

💬 Will you fight against your loved ones in Arcadian Atlas, or will you avoid this civil war? Tell us more in the comments!