I've been hungry to play this game since I played the demo at the PAX Indie Megabooth last year. It's like 5x as good as I could have possibly hoped. I laughed, I cried, I got really horny, the things all good media should do. Thank you for introducing me to my one true love, QueenBee. I also really love how inclusive this game is. I wish I had my own Iris, cause I could really use and AI that would help me get my dream job and also help me get laid. It made me believe, even if only for a couple of hours, that I could make a difference.
When I started playing this game, I didn't expect the emotions I would have from it. I love the characters and the story. I loved seeing human nonbinary characters (plural!) just casually accepted. I enjoyed the art and the music. I have already recommended it to several of my friends. Thank you for this wonderful experience!
Just finished doing every route (and may go back to do every route again with Flirty First Impressions turned on. I'm a timid soul! I decided to go slow burn on my first playthrough! But Flirty seemed like the way to go with Teo, whom I saved for last, and DANG.)
This game was delightful. Both as a fun witty workplace romance, and as a call to stop coasting and try to live for something more than survival. Which... sounds like a lot to read into a romantic comedy. But the protagonist's depression lethargy and desperate need for a kick in the pants towards something better... hit uncomfortably close to home at the moment.
ASIDE FROM A TIMELY LIFE MESSAGE, the character designs are gorgeous, the UI aesthetic is delightful, and I loved how much you could customize your experience. Not only in terms of the MC's appearance and pronouns, but also in things like the aforementioned Flirty First Impressions toggle. I can play through the game breathlessly ogling and flirting, or play it cool slow burn, or play it pure platonic! I love that I can tailor it to my comfort levels this way (or play it every which way to see all the different ways dialogue can play out).
I got this in the bundle, like so many others, but I am one hundred percent ready to pay full price for the sequel when it comes out. Quarter up!
Great cast of characters, great plot, great art, great music, great voice acting, literally everything about this game is awesome! I really like all the choices you have and how impactful they feel when you're making them. Thanks for making this game!
I cannot even begin to tell you how highly I hold this game, and that's not just because there's a severe lack of games where you can choose to go by non-binary pronouns. I've been waiting since it fully came out to get it, and was happily surprised to see that it was in the bundle I recently purchased. I was expecting a cute arcade driven dating sim visual novel (which was enough for me, because there's nothing I love more than arcades and dating sims), but frankly I got so much more than that. I got characters (not just love interests) with depth who I grew to be emotionally connected with, a game showcasing a mental health journey with highs and lows similar to my own (something I've never had before), a game built around my choices and personality, a game where I was never shamed for my choices- where I didn't feel like one wrong dialogue option would destroy everything I had worked for, and an amazing, surprising found family trope. Arcade Spirits is more than I ever thought I could ask for in a game in an experience, and honestly I can't recommend it enough. If you're on the edge about buying this because you're not that into dating sims or because you think it'll be too cliche, please do buy it, because it's far more than either of those things. It's far more, even, than the sum of its parts.
The art and voice acting are stellar, the characters and overall story are compelling and worth of your time. Plus, the protagonist is well defined, and their experience also adresses mental health issues, in a way that hit way too close to home is very interesting, and personally comforted and helped me.
10/10 would recommend this 8 hours experience if you only do one route, but if you want to experience all the characters to their fullest, and the story in different ways you can easily double (maybe triple ? I dunno math) this length.
This game is incredible and very very worth playing. It's a decently long game, it took me around 8 hours to finish (and I've only gotten one ending so far). There are many different romance options and choices through out the game. This gives it a lot of variety and I think helps make the experience very customizable fulfilling for the different people who play it.
What I enjoyed most about Arcade Spirits was that it balanced romance and the story very well. I found the story to be very well written and engaging. The romance took a secondary role to the story, but I found the romance to also be fulfilling. You had many opportunities to go on dates and spend time with your person and the dialogue was well written and had a lot of heart.
Here are some other things I liked about the game
I loved that there was a character creator AND that I got to choose my own pronouns. The character you create is even included in illustrations throughout the game!
I liked the focus on friendship. Regardless of who you decided to romance (or if you decided to romance anyone at all), you're friends with everyone and they're all friends with each other. The game encourages you to spend time with all the character and this doesn't hurt your romance chances. All the main characters are very lovable and well written and I enjoyed that positivity,
The game wasn't cruel to the player. It's very easy to be clear about what you wanted and to get it. At he start it asks you directly if you are interested in romance or friendship and it doesn't pressure you in either direction. It's also very forgiving, You don't have to spend every second with someone to have a good relationship with that character and not every conversation has to go perfectly. You can change your mind about who you want to be with halfway through and that's okay. It's very fun, engaging, and has many choices but it isn't cruel and gives you all the opportunities to get what you want out of the game.
The story had very hopeful and heartfelt themes about overcoming your fears and relying on others.
All and all a very good game, it's clear how much heart and work went into it and it's a very special game that's worth playing.
oooh i loved that Naomi *sigh*, i loved the references to things like Gallagher and The Warriors too XD and i liked being able to 'play' POLYBIUS lol... my only real qualm was with the character creation, more hairstyle and clothing options would have been nice, but in all fairness i guess with a lot of these types of games you're just given a character you can't customize... otherwise a refreshing retro-futurist romance VS :)
Haven't played a visual novel in ages, this was definitely a good one to start with again! Love the aesthetic, interesting setup, & engaging storyline. You choose who you want to be: empathetic, gutsy, funny, ambitious, level-headed... Pretty inclusive game with representation of BIPOC, non-binary persons, aromantics.. I also like that for a romance game, the climax of the game wasn't just getting your partner! But actually riding out life together and facing life's challenges. It brought more depth into the relationship & to the characters as well. Also appreciate how it captured the heaviness of depression/hopelessness ~ & also the importance of support of loved ones in reaching your dreams.
I was surprised I got to romance Gavin, was initially really into Naomi & she was my highest ranked throughout? but somehow she wasn't into me T_T Gavin's such a sweetheart though, he won me over.
This is one of the best dating sims I've ever played. I especially liked that it allows you to pick your pronouns and could also be a friend sim for aromantic players. It's fully worth the 20$ and is one of my favorite games of the genre.
This is an amazing VN with a great, funny, and meaningful story. As part of the Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality, it's amazing, and if you missed that and enjoy visual novels, especially ones that give you lots of choices and have amazing, complex storylines, I'd say it's worth the full $20 as well.
I've never gotten into dating sims before but I got this in a bundle and was playing along with my friend and we got so into the story and fell hard for Teo. I love this game so much, it's now one of the top games I ever played. The story, the art, the characters, everything was so well done and just drew me in. I enjoyed every second of this and I'm excited to see what other games will come out from you guys.
I came to this game looking for a good time, and I got a game and a romance that triggered every. single. emotion. and while it is phenomenal writing, Teo had both every and no right. I am both very glad and very embarrased that I flat fell in love with a video game character on this level. Quite literally the best visual novel I've ever experienced.
Speaking as someone who has historically had trouble getting into Visual Novel type games, I absolutely LOVE this game!
The game's world and characters are absolutely adorable and it's so easy to get drawn into it. The tutorial was exactly the gentle emotional assurance I needed that I wasn't going to horribly screw all the choices up. I also adore the way the dialogue (and everything in this game) is written, especially my character's own choice dialogue, I don't think I can recall ever feeling like my intentions behind picking a dialogue option completely went off the mark. I also really liked that I was able to pick my own name and pronouns.
My only "complaints" about the game: the site makes it sound like you'll have a lot more character customization than just three hairstyles (though I know that these things take time to draw n such). Also I wish I could wear something besides the Dysphoria HoodieTM.
All in all an amazing and charming game that I'd recommend anyone (especially if you got this from the Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality)
There seems to be a minor bug with hovering over the score. The clickable area is too small. It doesn't highlight and let you click it to view your stats, unless you click the very right-hand side of it.
Caveat: I have only played four romance routes so far (Percy, QB, Ashley, and Juniper), so can't speak to the others. But I've really enjoyed the game so far- it's super fun and lighthearted! The writing is fun, I love all the little details, and I just had a super great time playing. I actually want to replay for all the different character stories, despite the main story remaining pretty similar.
I will say I agree with a comment down below about Naomi. It did strike me as a little hmm to make the only East Asian character an IT girl, but I'm not East Asian so I don't want to speak too much on that
As a game that obviously champions diversity, I'm a bit offended about how your Asian diversity plays out...using Naomi as an "IT girl" and half her quotes are about her experiences in Japan. I mean, I know it's anime-styled artwork (the artwork is fantastic)- but I can't get over the fact that your only Asian representation is an IT girl who talks about living in Japan all the time.
I loved other aspects of this game, the writing was great, the voice acting was fun, and the little dialogue trees were very unique. I clocked in about 10-15 hours, replayed a few sections, but at the end of the day, Naomi really bugged me. It's clear you guys were going for a diverse angle, which is thoroughly appreciated as a WOC, but if you're doing so, please try to do Asians a little better. You don't have to make her an IT girl, I swear. Even an esports player would be slightly less annoying.
Honestly it didn't even click for me that Naomi was Japanese until Chapter 5, whoooops. There's also a female Korean (one of the choices in the last chapter) who's not in a stereotypical role - just FYI! :)
To me, it was a little obvious but it might be because I was waiting for Asian representation as an Asian gal. Nonetheless, what is her name? She must've slipped my mind. I did Gavin and Percy's routes, and can't recall a Korean character. Maybe I'm just oblivious and my "anger" is misplaced.
Just finished playing through for the first time, Sat down and did it in one long session and hoo boy was it worth it. It would be really cool to get an expansion/sequel at some point. Thanks for this! Really made me smile.
I'll admit, I initially decided to start this because of the customization promises, which did leave me disappointed, but I was quickly drawn in by the overflowing charm in other areas.
Played through the entire game in one long 12 hour session, got closest with Naomi, with a bit of QB and Ashley as well, largely leaning on being Kindly with a bit of Steady.
I'd love to replay in the future and potentially see more of Ashley's character especially, curious if identity stuff comes up more. Honestly, there's lots of paths I'd like to explore more but commitment can be hard sometimes.
All in all the characters were enjoyable, there were a shocking amount of quirky references, and some great messages woven in.
Hard for me to stick with a coherent message, but ultimately I just wanted to say thanks for this game! It was great.
Absolutely fantastic. I started playing it because I wanted to play a good Visual Novel, as I haven't in a while, and this hooked me immediately! I can't wait to see more from you... especially an expansion/sequel perhaps? Regardless, I'd highly recommend this to anyone and everyone.
I am in love with this game! As someone who adores old school 198X's arcade games, this brought back a lot of childhood memories of going into arcades and playing for hours and hours getting lost in the lights and sounds.
I love the inclusiveness of allowing people to use They/Them pronouns.
The story is amazing, never a boring moment keeps you playing and wanting to know what's gonna happen next. :)
I'm so excited to see what happens next in "Arcade Spirits II Turbo." Thank you for putting your game in the "Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality" I'm always glad to see game devs helping out other communities and organizations.
(I would love to see more clothing options than just a t-shirt/sweatshirt. But that's just me. XD)
Thank you so much for including this in the bundle. It was awesome to watch LRR play this game and it's even better now I get to get to play it myself!
Got to Ep. 2, then all my save data got deleted. Remade my character 3 times. Every time I attempted to save a game after this, the following error message would come up. Otherwise, I was sincerely enjoying my playthrough:
[code] I'm sorry, but an uncaught exception occurred.
While running game code: File "renpy/common/00gamemenu.rpy", line 173, in script $ ui.interact() File "renpy/common/00gamemenu.rpy", line 173, in <module> $ ui.interact() File "renpy/common/00action_file.rpy", line 372, in __call__ renpy.save(fn, extra_info=save_name) Exception: Not saved - no valid save locations.
-- Full Traceback ------------------------------------------------------------
Full traceback: File "renpy/common/00gamemenu.rpy", line 173, in script $ ui.interact() File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/ast.py", line 914, in execute renpy.python.py_exec_bytecode(self.code.bytecode, self.hide, store=self.store) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/python.py", line 2028, in py_exec_bytecode exec bytecode in globals, locals File "renpy/common/00gamemenu.rpy", line 173, in <module> $ ui.interact() File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/ui.py", line 297, in interact rv = renpy.game.interface.interact(roll_forward=roll_forward, **kwargs) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/core.py", line 2702, in interact repeat, rv = self.interact_core(preloads=preloads, trans_pause=trans_pause, **kwargs) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/core.py", line 3518, in interact_core rv = root_widget.event(ev, x, y, 0) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 998, in event rv = i.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, cst) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/transition.py", line 47, in event return self.new_widget.event(ev, x, y, st) # E1101 File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 998, in event rv = i.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, cst) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 998, in event rv = i.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, cst) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/screen.py", line 714, in event rv = self.child.event(ev, x, y, st) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 998, in event rv = i.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, cst) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 244, in event rv = d.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, st) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 998, in event rv = i.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, cst) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 244, in event rv = d.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, st) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 998, in event rv = i.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, cst) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 244, in event rv = d.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, st) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/behavior.py", line 962, in event return handle_click(self.clicked) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/behavior.py", line 897, in handle_click rv = run(action) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/behavior.py", line 320, in run return action(*args, **kwargs) File "renpy/common/00action_file.rpy", line 372, in __call__ renpy.save(fn, extra_info=save_name) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/loadsave.py", line 437, in save location.save(slotname, sr) File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/savelocation.py", line 429, in save raise Exception("Not saved - no valid save locations.") Exception: Not saved - no valid save locations.
An absolutely amazing game! It's not often I find well made, LGBT friendly visual novels and this met all my expectations and so much more! The story is captivating, causing me to complete it within a day. The choices really feel like they matter and the characters are well crafted and easy to befriend!
Now that is a Visual Novel that grabs me. The characters and world building immediately starts off on a strong foot, painting a version of the world where the 80s video game crash never happened (what could that mean?) in an arcade backdrop with a lot of videogame history lingo. The aesthetic and soundtrack are baller, the identity system makes me actually ponder my choices and the pacing is great. 4/5
Completed level one and had a blast so far. Shooting for Naomi but making Gavin disappointed I didn't handle everything right made me feel terrible lol. Looking forward to finishing the game soon! Beautiful work
It's...so good. It's so good. I love the amount of choice, the ability to be anyone you want to be, the message, the sprites, the witty internal monologue, the wonderful painted backgrounds! The neon bordered UI! Juniper!!!! Not gonna lie, I really wanted to romance Juniper.
This game is absolutely amazing! I had no idea it would make me as emotional as it has. The characters all feel so real and the storyline is golden. If I'm not careful, this game is gonna make me want to start working at an arcade lmao. I have one question, though: where can I find the song that plays during the (spoiler alert, I suppose) ballroom dance lessons? It absolutely slaps!
I got this game through the bundle and I love it so much! The characters are super fleshed-out, the plot is compelling, and the art and soundtrack are gorgeous.
I do have one really weird question though...is Floatsam Beach (or at least the art reference) based off of Hampton Beach, NH? "Stink's Fry Dogs" is kind of unmistakable. :)
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I'm getting "There are no keys available at this time, try again later" when I try to redeem my Steam key :/
I've been hungry to play this game since I played the demo at the PAX Indie Megabooth last year. It's like 5x as good as I could have possibly hoped. I laughed, I cried, I got really horny, the things all good media should do. Thank you for introducing me to my one true love, QueenBee. I also really love how inclusive this game is. I wish I had my own Iris, cause I could really use and AI that would help me get my dream job and also help me get laid. It made me believe, even if only for a couple of hours, that I could make a difference.
I only played it once through - planning on doing every route at some point - and I love the game!
When I started playing this game, I didn't expect the emotions I would have from it. I love the characters and the story. I loved seeing human nonbinary characters (plural!) just casually accepted. I enjoyed the art and the music. I have already recommended it to several of my friends. Thank you for this wonderful experience!
Just finished doing every route (and may go back to do every route again with Flirty First Impressions turned on. I'm a timid soul! I decided to go slow burn on my first playthrough! But Flirty seemed like the way to go with Teo, whom I saved for last, and DANG.)
This game was delightful. Both as a fun witty workplace romance, and as a call to stop coasting and try to live for something more than survival. Which... sounds like a lot to read into a romantic comedy. But the protagonist's depression lethargy and desperate need for a kick in the pants towards something better... hit uncomfortably close to home at the moment.
ASIDE FROM A TIMELY LIFE MESSAGE, the character designs are gorgeous, the UI aesthetic is delightful, and I loved how much you could customize your experience. Not only in terms of the MC's appearance and pronouns, but also in things like the aforementioned Flirty First Impressions toggle. I can play through the game breathlessly ogling and flirting, or play it cool slow burn, or play it pure platonic! I love that I can tailor it to my comfort levels this way (or play it every which way to see all the different ways dialogue can play out).
I got this in the bundle, like so many others, but I am one hundred percent ready to pay full price for the sequel when it comes out. Quarter up!
Great cast of characters, great plot, great art, great music, great voice acting, literally everything about this game is awesome! I really like all the choices you have and how impactful they feel when you're making them. Thanks for making this game!
I cannot even begin to tell you how highly I hold this game
, and that's not just because there's a severe lack of games where you can choose to go by non-binary pronouns. I've been waiting since it fully came out to get it, and was happily surprised to see that it was in the bundle I recently purchased. I was expecting a cute arcade driven dating sim visual novel (which was enough for me, because there's nothing I love more than arcades and dating sims), but frankly I got so much more than that. I got characters (not just love interests) with depth who I grew to be emotionally connected with, a game showcasing a mental health journey with highs and lows similar to my own (something I've never had before), a game built around my choices and personality, a game where I was never shamed for my choices- where I didn't feel like one wrong dialogue option would destroy everything I had worked for, and an amazing, surprising found family trope. Arcade Spirits is more than I ever thought I could ask for in a gamein an experience, and honestly I can't recommend it enough. If you're on the edge about buying this because you're not that into dating sims or because you think it'll be too cliche, please do buy it, because it's far more than either of those things. It's far more, even, than the sum of its parts.Thank you for this beautiful experience.
The art and voice acting are stellar, the characters and overall story are compelling and worth of your time. Plus, the protagonist is well defined, and their experience also adresses mental health issues, in a way that
hit way too close to homeis very interesting,and personally comforted and helped me.10/10 would recommend this 8 hours experience if you only do one route, but if you want to experience all the characters to their fullest, and the story in different ways you can easily double (maybe triple ? I dunno math) this length.
This game is incredible and very very worth playing. It's a decently long game, it took me around 8 hours to finish (and I've only gotten one ending so far). There are many different romance options and choices through out the game. This gives it a lot of variety and I think helps make the experience very customizable fulfilling for the different people who play it.
What I enjoyed most about Arcade Spirits was that it balanced romance and the story very well. I found the story to be very well written and engaging. The romance took a secondary role to the story, but I found the romance to also be fulfilling. You had many opportunities to go on dates and spend time with your person and the dialogue was well written and had a lot of heart.
Here are some other things I liked about the game
All and all a very good game, it's clear how much heart and work went into it and it's a very special game that's worth playing.
I'm obsessed with this game!
Absolutely love the game!
Nice game, but would be good if have some real arcades to play.
oooh i loved that Naomi *sigh*, i loved the references to things like Gallagher and The Warriors too XD and i liked being able to 'play' POLYBIUS lol... my only real qualm was with the character creation, more hairstyle and clothing options would have been nice, but in all fairness i guess with a lot of these types of games you're just given a character you can't customize... otherwise a refreshing retro-futurist romance VS :)
All I've ever wanted to do was simp for an arcade technician. This game let me realize my dream ;)
Haven't played a visual novel in ages, this was definitely a good one to start with again! Love the aesthetic, interesting setup, & engaging storyline. You choose who you want to be: empathetic, gutsy, funny, ambitious, level-headed... Pretty inclusive game with representation of BIPOC, non-binary persons, aromantics.. I also like that for a romance game, the climax of the game wasn't just getting your partner! But actually riding out life together and facing life's challenges. It brought more depth into the relationship & to the characters as well. Also appreciate how it captured the heaviness of depression/hopelessness ~ & also the importance of support of loved ones in reaching your dreams.
I was surprised I got to romance Gavin, was initially really into Naomi & she was my highest ranked throughout? but somehow she wasn't into me T_T Gavin's such a sweetheart though, he won me over.
This is one of the best dating sims I've ever played. I especially liked that it allows you to pick your pronouns and could also be a friend sim for aromantic players. It's fully worth the 20$ and is one of my favorite games of the genre.
This is an amazing VN with a great, funny, and meaningful story. As part of the Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality, it's amazing, and if you missed that and enjoy visual novels, especially ones that give you lots of choices and have amazing, complex storylines, I'd say it's worth the full $20 as well.
I've never gotten into dating sims before but I got this in a bundle and was playing along with my friend and we got so into the story and fell hard for Teo. I love this game so much, it's now one of the top games I ever played. The story, the art, the characters, everything was so well done and just drew me in. I enjoyed every second of this and I'm excited to see what other games will come out from you guys.
I came to this game looking for a good time, and I got a game and a romance that triggered every. single. emotion. and while it is phenomenal writing, Teo had both every and no right. I am both very glad and very embarrased that I flat fell in love with a video game character on this level. Quite literally the best visual novel I've ever experienced.
Speaking as someone who has historically had trouble getting into Visual Novel type games, I absolutely LOVE this game!
The game's world and characters are absolutely adorable and it's so easy to get drawn into it. The tutorial was exactly the gentle emotional assurance I needed that I wasn't going to horribly screw all the choices up. I also adore the way the dialogue (and everything in this game) is written, especially my character's own choice dialogue, I don't think I can recall ever feeling like my intentions behind picking a dialogue option completely went off the mark. I also really liked that I was able to pick my own name and pronouns.
My only "complaints" about the game: the site makes it sound like you'll have a lot more character customization than just three hairstyles (though I know that these things take time to draw n such). Also I wish I could wear something besides the Dysphoria HoodieTM.
All in all an amazing and charming game that I'd recommend anyone (especially if you got this from the Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality)
There seems to be a minor bug with hovering over the score. The clickable area is too small. It doesn't highlight and let you click it to view your stats, unless you click the very right-hand side of it.
Caveat: I have only played four romance routes so far (Percy, QB, Ashley, and Juniper), so can't speak to the others. But I've really enjoyed the game so far- it's super fun and lighthearted! The writing is fun, I love all the little details, and I just had a super great time playing. I actually want to replay for all the different character stories, despite the main story remaining pretty similar.
I will say I agree with a comment down below about Naomi. It did strike me as a little hmm to make the only East Asian character an IT girl, but I'm not East Asian so I don't want to speak too much on that
I´ve played oly the first chapter so far but this game is so much fun!
I enjoyed this game a lot! It's just so delightful. All the characters are well done and I loved romancing everyone. Percy is my precious bean
As a game that obviously champions diversity, I'm a bit offended about how your Asian diversity plays out...using Naomi as an "IT girl" and half her quotes are about her experiences in Japan. I mean, I know it's anime-styled artwork (the artwork is fantastic)- but I can't get over the fact that your only Asian representation is an IT girl who talks about living in Japan all the time.
I loved other aspects of this game, the writing was great, the voice acting was fun, and the little dialogue trees were very unique. I clocked in about 10-15 hours, replayed a few sections, but at the end of the day, Naomi really bugged me. It's clear you guys were going for a diverse angle, which is thoroughly appreciated as a WOC, but if you're doing so, please try to do Asians a little better. You don't have to make her an IT girl, I swear. Even an esports player would be slightly less annoying.
Unique dialogue + interesting concept, 3/5
Honestly it didn't even click for me that Naomi was Japanese until Chapter 5, whoooops. There's also a female Korean (one of the choices in the last chapter) who's not in a stereotypical role - just FYI! :)
To me, it was a little obvious but it might be because I was waiting for Asian representation as an Asian gal. Nonetheless, what is her name? She must've slipped my mind. I did Gavin and Percy's routes, and can't recall a Korean character. Maybe I'm just oblivious and my "anger" is misplaced.
Yeah, choosing Gavin and Teo - Cho ji woo, Dee's gf :) I'm also an Asian girl hahah thanks for keeping a lookout for our representation :)
I just discovered Naomi was japanese. I'm a disaster.
This game is an absolute delight and one of the few video games I actually finished, and want to play again to see the other results! Well done!!
first playthrough and I didn't stop til I was done! Really loved this game, made me grin throughtout. Looking forward to my next playthrough!
Just finished playing through for the first time, Sat down and did it in one long session and hoo boy was it worth it. It would be really cool to get an expansion/sequel at some point. Thanks for this! Really made me smile.
I'll admit, I initially decided to start this because of the customization promises, which did leave me disappointed, but I was quickly drawn in by the overflowing charm in other areas.
Played through the entire game in one long 12 hour session, got closest with Naomi, with a bit of QB and Ashley as well, largely leaning on being Kindly with a bit of Steady.
I'd love to replay in the future and potentially see more of Ashley's character especially, curious if identity stuff comes up more. Honestly, there's lots of paths I'd like to explore more but commitment can be hard sometimes.
All in all the characters were enjoyable, there were a shocking amount of quirky references, and some great messages woven in.
Hard for me to stick with a coherent message, but ultimately I just wanted to say thanks for this game! It was great.
> I'd love to replay in the future and potentially see more of Ashley's character especially, curious if identity stuff comes up more.
No spoilers but you should 100% do this
Absolutely fantastic. I started playing it because I wanted to play a good Visual Novel, as I haven't in a while, and this hooked me immediately! I can't wait to see more from you... especially an expansion/sequel perhaps? Regardless, I'd highly recommend this to anyone and everyone.
I am in love with this game! As someone who adores old school 198X's arcade games, this brought back a lot of childhood memories of going into arcades and playing for hours and hours getting lost in the lights and sounds.
I love the inclusiveness of allowing people to use They/Them pronouns.
The story is amazing, never a boring moment keeps you playing and wanting to know what's gonna happen next. :)
I'm so excited to see what happens next in "Arcade Spirits II Turbo." Thank you for putting your game in the "Bundle for Racial Justice and Equality" I'm always glad to see game devs helping out other communities and organizations.
(I would love to see more clothing options than just a t-shirt/sweatshirt. But that's just me. XD)Thank you so much for including this in the bundle. It was awesome to watch LRR play this game and it's even better now I get to get to play it myself!
Got to Ep. 2, then all my save data got deleted. Remade my character 3 times. Every time I attempted to save a game after this, the following error message would come up. Otherwise, I was sincerely enjoying my playthrough:
[code]
I'm sorry, but an uncaught exception occurred.
While running game code:
File "renpy/common/00gamemenu.rpy", line 173, in script
$ ui.interact()
File "renpy/common/00gamemenu.rpy", line 173, in <module>
$ ui.interact()
File "renpy/common/00action_file.rpy", line 372, in __call__
renpy.save(fn, extra_info=save_name)
Exception: Not saved - no valid save locations.
-- Full Traceback ------------------------------------------------------------
Full traceback:
File "renpy/common/00gamemenu.rpy", line 173, in script
$ ui.interact()
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/ast.py", line 914, in execute
renpy.python.py_exec_bytecode(self.code.bytecode, self.hide, store=self.store)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/python.py", line 2028, in py_exec_bytecode
exec bytecode in globals, locals
File "renpy/common/00gamemenu.rpy", line 173, in <module>
$ ui.interact()
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/ui.py", line 297, in interact
rv = renpy.game.interface.interact(roll_forward=roll_forward, **kwargs)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/core.py", line 2702, in interact
repeat, rv = self.interact_core(preloads=preloads, trans_pause=trans_pause, **kwargs)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/core.py", line 3518, in interact_core
rv = root_widget.event(ev, x, y, 0)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 998, in event
rv = i.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, cst)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/transition.py", line 47, in event
return self.new_widget.event(ev, x, y, st) # E1101
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 998, in event
rv = i.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, cst)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 998, in event
rv = i.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, cst)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/screen.py", line 714, in event
rv = self.child.event(ev, x, y, st)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 998, in event
rv = i.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, cst)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 244, in event
rv = d.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, st)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 998, in event
rv = i.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, cst)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 244, in event
rv = d.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, st)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 998, in event
rv = i.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, cst)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/layout.py", line 244, in event
rv = d.event(ev, x - xo, y - yo, st)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/behavior.py", line 962, in event
return handle_click(self.clicked)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/behavior.py", line 897, in handle_click
rv = run(action)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/display/behavior.py", line 320, in run
return action(*args, **kwargs)
File "renpy/common/00action_file.rpy", line 372, in __call__
renpy.save(fn, extra_info=save_name)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/loadsave.py", line 437, in save
location.save(slotname, sr)
File "/Users/RubyMikeRez/Library/Application Support/itch/apps/arcade-spirits/ArcadeSpirits.app/Contents/Resources/autorun/renpy/savelocation.py", line 429, in save
raise Exception("Not saved - no valid save locations.")
Exception: Not saved - no valid save locations.
Darwin-19.5.0-x86_64-i386-64bit
Ren'Py 7.3.5.606
Arcade Spirits 1.53
Wed Jun 17 00:49:00 2020
[/code]
I'm really enjoying this game. A thought I had is that it would be cool if there was a way to insert custom art and sprites into the game for the MC?
An absolutely amazing game! It's not often I find well made, LGBT friendly visual novels and this met all my expectations and so much more! The story is captivating, causing me to complete it within a day. The choices really feel like they matter and the characters are well crafted and easy to befriend!
Now that is a Visual Novel that grabs me. The characters and world building immediately starts off on a strong foot, painting a version of the world where the 80s video game crash never happened (what could that mean?) in an arcade backdrop with a lot of videogame history lingo. The aesthetic and soundtrack are baller, the identity system makes me actually ponder my choices and the pacing is great. 4/5
More Racial Justice bundle impressions and ranking: https://itch.io/c/915453/quick-impressions-bundle-for-racial-justice
Completed level one and had a blast so far. Shooting for Naomi but making Gavin disappointed I didn't handle everything right made me feel terrible lol. Looking forward to finishing the game soon! Beautiful work
It's...so good. It's so good. I love the amount of choice, the ability to be anyone you want to be, the message, the sprites, the witty internal monologue, the wonderful painted backgrounds! The neon bordered UI! Juniper!!!! Not gonna lie, I really wanted to romance Juniper.
I've heard there's a secret romance for her! Haven't checked for myself but you should try for it!
I totally romanced Juniper!
This game is absolutely amazing! I had no idea it would make me as emotional as it has. The characters all feel so real and the storyline is golden. If I'm not careful, this game is gonna make me want to start working at an arcade lmao. I have one question, though: where can I find the song that plays during the (spoiler alert, I suppose) ballroom dance lessons? It absolutely slaps!
I got this game through the bundle and I love it so much! The characters are super fleshed-out, the plot is compelling, and the art and soundtrack are gorgeous.
I do have one really weird question though...is Floatsam Beach (or at least the art reference) based off of Hampton Beach, NH? "Stink's Fry Dogs" is kind of unmistakable. :)