Arco Review
Fighting Back on the Frontiers
Panic’s Arco brings plenty of fresh ideas and inspirations to the gaming sphere. With its fantasy take on the American frontier drawing inspiration from Mesoamerican cultures and “Newcomer” expansion providing a distinct setting, while a fascinating blending of turn-based elements with simultaneous actions gives players a welcomely different experience that enriches the tactical sub-genre. Its tale of revenge is decently paced and doesn’t run too long, meaning that despite some unfortunate technical issues, it’s easy to overlook them in favour of what the game does well.
Arco’s tale is split across five acts. The introduction chapter follows young boy Teco from a tribe in the arid North American-inspired region the game is set in, eventually running afoul of the Newcomers looking to expand into a frontier of promised riches. It then moves into three arcs, following their own main characters as they go about missions. All of these journeys congregate into the same place and the same revenge-driven goal ahead of the final arc where the story meets its conclusion.
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While not without its weaknesses, Arco is thoroughly welcome addition to this year’s slate of releases. The game’s setting does a fine job bringing in an underutilised inspiration and putting its own stamp on it, while the gameplay offers something refreshingly different. As an enjoyably condensed package, it’s well worth the time.
Score: 3.5/5
