Arco: Everything We Know

Indie game publisher Panic's journey into publishing video games has been interesting. The former app developer recently announced five upcoming quirky titles in their first games showcase. Nour: Play with your Food, Thank Goodness You're Here, Despelote, Time Flies, and Arco. The concept behind all titles is unique, reflecting the studio's commitment to unforgettable indie experiences. 

The showcase, a curtain raiser for PAX West scheduled for September 1-4, highlighted the publisher's plans and what they have in store for the weekend. 

So before you grab your ticket for PAX West, we're breaking down the nitty-gritty of one of the studio's upcoming games. Will this also be a breakout indie hit like Untitled Goose Game and Firewatch? Let's find out below in Arco- Everything we know. 

What is Arco?

Arco is a pixelated adventure game with a new approach to turn-based combat. The game combines magic realism with a Western genre. 

During the Panic showcase, Game lead developer Franek had this to say about the game, “Arco isn't just about every character that you play as, but rather about the world itself.”  

Story

The game's storyline follows characters from different tribes who soon join hands to fight a common company, the Red Company. The company, a somewhat mining corporation, is siphoning the life out of the land and also killing its inhabitants. 

The game's Steam page reads:

“Enter the breathtakingly beautiful world of Arco, a unique tactical action game where your decisions shape the story. Journey through lush forests, sweeping plains, and scorching deserts as you guide four unlikely heroes in their vendetta against the Red Company gang. Battle warriors of different nations, fend off greedy colonizers, and slay monstrous creatures as you voyage across this enchanted land. Change your fate, one move at a time.”

Gameplay

Arco is a top-down adventure game with a complex archery technique as its combat system. From the game's description, your decisions will affect its outcome. The game will provide you with various choices without obvious answers. It's up to you to choose how the game takes shape. 

To add to the pot, there is a moral inclination where players' decisions will border on the extent they'd go to achieve their objectives. Whether it's for revenge, glory, or the greater good. For instance, if you need an item, you can either complete a task from a character or pick the easy way out: kill them. 

But you should note that your decisions feed into the game's guilt system, which later impacts your character's mental and emotional well-being. Selecting an evil path, such as killing or betraying characters, results in guilt accumulation. This later haunts you in the form of angry spirits during combat. It is somewhat a diluted version of the guilt system in Blasphemous. But instead of atoning for your sins, you'll pay for it in combat. 

Moreover, the pixelated world comprises various biomes that players will venture into to battle ferocious enemies. You'll also be exploring winding dungeons and making deals with demons. 

Furthermore, there's a hint of mystic powers in the gameplay, as the trailer reveals the player summoning a dark circle and spewing two fighters. This means players will have to learn powerful magic as a combat technique. 

Finally, as a turn-based tactic game, players can see the enemy's moves, allowing them to plan their attack accordingly. The actions occur in real time, giving you a resting period to recoup and plan your next strategy. 

Development

Arco's unique journey to existence is not through a fully-fledged studio, as with most games. It is the product of four individuals:

• Australian game developer Max Cahill
• Polish pixel artist Franek Nowotniak
• Mexican developer Antonio “Fayer” Uribe
• Sound designer Jose Ramon Garcia, “Bibiki” 

Max has been involved in a series of murder mystery games known as Cold Case Murder Mystery. On the other hand, GaGarcia's passion for stunning soundtracks has won him various accolades, including the MálagaJam – Best Sound Field Award.

In video game creation, a team's creativity and talent are the magic ingredients that turn a dream into reality. Like every player on a soccer team plays a vital role, each member's unique skills contribute to making the game come to life.

That being said, the game's impeccable pixelation results from Franek's handiwork. “The pixel art has also been a huge undertaking. Every location has its own canvas. Every encounter is its own canvas. All painstakingly detailed by Franek”, noted Max during the showcase. Franek's enthusiasm for developing the game was very visible as he described the game. He mentions, “Making the little guy run on the screen was a dream come true.” 

Furthermore, the game's rich original soundtrack is a product of Jose's ingenious musical abilities. Franek describes it as ”… it's more extensive than any title I've worked on.”. The resounding excellence of the soundtrack acted as a catalyst. It inspired the other developers to ensure the visual quality complements the music. And I must say, the result so far is outstanding.

Trailer

Arco's beautiful pixelated art style and rich soundtrack come to life in their announcement trailer. The one-minute 20-second video showcases the well-detailed biomes with lush fauna. It also showcases part of the gameplay (the turn-based combat).

Moreover, you can also see elements of magic in the game, which we assume the developers will reveal more details about before the game's launch. 

You can view the trailer in the embedded video above. 

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Arco will be released on PC early next year. That's right, it's only months away before you experience the beautiful mastery this indie game has in store. Moreover, you can wishlist the game on Steam.

As far as editions are concerned, there's no news about any special releases. But given the game's impressive looks, it is our assumption that it may offer limited editions with added perks.

You can keep tabs on the game by following the publisher's official social media handle here. Stay tuned for any exciting news, which we'll be sure to share right here on gaming.net.

So, what's your take on Arco? Are you excited to experience this pixelated marvel? Let us know your thoughts on our socials here