I didn’t get to live it too long because of age, but the rooms full of arcade machines were an absolutely magical place during my childhood. Huge rooms in which machines larger than me displayed impressive graphics and had peripherals that were practically toys in my hands.

Arcadegeddon was born with a similar context , Illfonic’s work that was presented during the last State of Play and is now available in Early Access format through PS5 and the Epic Games Store . A bet that must find its place in a market taken over by multiplayer experiences and at a time when the investment of leisure time is more valued than ever. This is what I have found.

Single coin fun: We Play Arcadegeddon: IllFonic’s arcade shooter is solid, but only time will tell if its retro proposition is worth diving into

Obviously, for everything we do to make a minimum of sense, there is a story. We are in a futuristic time, in which the clothing and technologies of the place are reminders of those 80’s so transgressive. A megacorporation called Fun Fun Co. has taken control of everything around us . Everything? Do not! Gilly’s Recreation Room resists the invader today and forever.

Under this pretext we will present ourselves with our character to the good of the owner of the premises and from that moment the party will begin . We will have to enter the machines themselves to remove the viruses that try to take over all the games.

Arcadegeddon is an arcade shooter and as such, we will never repeat the same game. We have access to three different scenarios, among which we find a jungle, ultra-futuristic enclosures and a city that has lived better times while the vegetation covers it.

Here we will find two branches: weapons and enemies . The first are varied, starting from the initial kit consisting of a baseball bat and a pistol with infinite ammunition and leading to rocket launchers, snipers and even an ingenious device that inflates the opponents until they explode (without bloody results).

On the other hand we have the main nuisance, that legion of villains who will not give up in their efforts to harass us and prevent us from being able to eliminate the virus. Earthly soldiers and walking bombs are the most common, with modified and improved versions that will make it a little more difficult for us. Although they all end up falling with a good bullet in the head.

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We have not yet laid out all the cards on the table. Here it is not only a question of surviving hostile waves, but that we can and must go through all these scenarios fulfilling different objectives . Activating different mechanisms to break through, endure sieges and destroy small objects are some of the skirmishes in which we will be involved. All this with very agile movement possibilities, reminiscent of Vanquish when we slide across the floor.

Of course, there will be side missions with different rewards, ordered by the rest of the characters that populate the arcade. There are many, although for now we can only access a few due to the stage in which Arcadegeddon is .

Whether or not we meet these secondary objectives, each game we play will be a run. Like that coin that we squeezed to infinity, the challenge here will be to hold out for as long as possible . Of course, in the middle of the stage we will find a rest area, with a store to buy equipment or increase the difficulty.

Undoubtedly, one of the key bets of the study is the possibility of customizing our avatar . There are multiple options when it comes to achieving a satisfactory result and the truth is that with practically any outfit you will be the masters of the room. Getting more accessories, clothes and hairstyles is one of the attractions when it comes to advancing and increasing our levels.

The future will dictate sentence

The single- player experience fulfills without fanfare , presenting a scheme in which we can open chests with power-ups, ammunition or more weapons (is it you, Fortnite ?). That is why much of the meat on the grill is seasoned with multiplayer. And this is where the table limps.

In all my playing time, it has been practically impossible for me to cross paths with another user . Waiting times are really long, taking several minutes to find another combatant. Bad luck has struck me when they have joined me with them, failing the connection or simply my new companions did not move from their position.

Where it has pleasantly surprised me is in the technical aspect. The PS5 version is very stable , without FPS drops, with a lot of action on the screen and maintaining fluidity. Special mention deserves the good use of the DualSense, with adaptive triggers and very successful haptic vibration for each of the weapons we use.

Some may find it a disadvantage that Arcadegeddon is fully translated into English. Although it may be an inconvenience for some, it is not a title that is characterized by being forced to read a lot. Of course, it would be greatly appreciated to be able to increase the size of the text font , since sometimes you have to approach the screen to see exactly if the weapon that we are going to take is better or worse than the one we already have.

Regarding the soundtrack, it honors its visual aesthetics, with dubstep, techno and electronic themes . Aaron Rutherford, Jimmy Blythe (AFK), Mark Rutherford, Ray Volpe, Getter, UZ, Thook, Halogenix, Milano, South and Swrly are some of the creators and artists who have participated in lending themes for the game.

All in all, there is a drag that Arcadegeddon is likely to drag on for quite some time. You need that sudden explosion of success or more differentiating elements in your formula. We can use powers, such as throwing fireballs or hacking devices, but everything is too reminiscent of a medley of other titles.

That spark needed to stick our head out of the tide of video games that overwhelms us on a daily basis is what Illfonic’s work lacks . Time will decide if future content will be compelling enough to build and grow from a community.