Arms Reviews
Stretching your limbs across the battlefield to stop an impending throw is good fun, but there's absolute anarchy when you throw in an extra body. The mediocre mini-games, and antiquated single-player further block the punch of Arms.
ARMS is a charming and unique game but the gameplay is tedious and there is a serious lack of content.
While it may lack modes to keep your attention for long at launch, Arms’ base gameplay is solid and, more importantly, fun. If Nintendo can support Arms like it previously supported Splatoon, then this could be the next big franchise for Nintendo.
I can see people who enjoy the aesthetic and the intensity of the battles spending a lot of time in playing this one, and it will sit with Splatoon as Nintendo's quirky, creative, fundamentally different take on competitive gaming. I just don't think I'll ever play it again, having now wrapped up the review.
ARMS is an interesting concept that unfortunately doesn't play as well as it should, and doesn't have enough content to justify a full priced title.
'Arms' brings back the fun of the Nintendo Wii, but it's most fun if you don't take it too seriously.
Arms is a really weird game. At its core it's a simple, accessible fighting game with a really strong gameplay loop and room for player growth competitively, but a pair of fundamentally flawed control schemes, a lack of decent modes and a glacially slow random unlock system for items that fundamentally change how characters can function make it a really tough package to recommend.
ARMS is without doubt a mixed bag, but its laundry list of upside and paid-off risk-taking do render it worthwhile if you crave creative and purely fun local multiplayer on Switch. You'll want to convince your friends to go motion or button-only across the board of course, and while ARMS' online modes seem stable, somehow I suspect the Ranked Match will seed more frustration than enjoyment for most players. That is, if the formidable challenge of Grand Prix at higher difficulty is any indication.
Arms has a lot to love, and unfortunately, a lot to forget too. After a year of planned updates, I imagine the Arms we see a year from now will be a drastically different game. A more fuller one, at that. In the meantime though, while it has potential with its layers of depth, the core game simply doesn't have enough variety among its many arms and fighters to keep the experience feeling fresh for long.
Nintendo's newest IP delivers on tone and fleeting fun, but struggles to sink its hooks in.
ARMS has potential, but Nintendo's done its best to bury it under neon colours and a catchy theme tune.
Part crazy fighting game, part pachinko machine, ARMS could be the distraction you want in your life, if you can be bothered to learn the many intricacies by yourself through experimentation.
I had a great time with ARMS, but I can’t shake the feeling that it’s not quite there yet.
"Knees are weak, arms are heavy."
Review in Finnish | Read full review
ARMS tries to do several things at once and only barely manages. There's a great foundation with the gameplay that makes it great for both casual parties and fighting game junkies looking for something new. But the shallow mini-games and lack of customization options leave a lot to be desired for those looking for some quick fun and the competitive meta can do with some needed balance tweaks. On top of other questionable creative decisions, the final product is a lot like the franchise mascot Spring Man: a gangly yet spry pile of energy that has it where it counts but could use a bit more meat on its bones.
ARMS feels more like a technical demo than a full game — with a lack of content and simple gameplay mechanics there's nothing to do after a few hours. But for a party game ARMS is really, really fun to play.
Review in Russian | Read full review
Overall, ARMS is delightfully quirky, surprisingly deep and, most importantly, strikingly self-confident. Whilst its vibrant and over-the-top aesthetic might have some expecting a shallow and simplistic experience, persevering with and embracing the game's sharp initial learning curve reveals a strong-willed and very detailed gameplay core. Nintendo made the right choice in highlighting the motion controls, which is by far the best way to play. Thankfully, it also showed a more practical side in allowing room for the other traditional control methods, too - an additional set of Joy-Con is expensive, after all. As with the original Splatoon, it is slightly disappointing that single-player content seems like an after-thought to the multiplayer. However, considering how that game was supported and expanded during its life-span, something Nintendo is likewise committed to here, there's no doubt there's plenty more to come from this instalment, and (presumably) from this refreshing new series.
I had a lot of fun playing the game in small bursts at a time, but it's hard to keep invested when all I'm doing is beating someone up for each and every round. Let's hope that ARMS will continue the path that Splatoon laid before it by giving players new content and new things to do via free game updates. I really hope so, because I really want to see this game in a more fleshed out form!
ARMS is an original fighting game in the genre. Casuals will appreciate simple gameplay mechanics and more experienced players won't have it easy to master it.
Review in Polish | Read full review
There's something to be said about Nintendo throwing curve balls to keep players from becoming complacent.