Arc of Alchemist Reviews
Arc of Alchemist features repetitive combat, tired tropes, an empty world, and a poorly thought out and written story. There is nothing interesting in this package, just skip it.
At only ten hours long, Arc of Alchemist won't waste much of your time. This wasteland has seen better days and couldn't come as recommended to any but the most ardent of Idea Factory fans.
Arc of Alchemist is not technically broken, which is the best thing I can say about it. Combining the most basic combat, the most complicated menu system, the weirdest economy, some pretty poor PS2-era graphics, and the densest, most indecipherable tips section, Arc of Alchemist is indeed reminiscent of a work of alchemy – if said alchemist was attempting to turn your valuable time into dust. Avoid at all costs.
In sum, Arc of Alchemist is not worth your time.
Arc of Alchemist is an RPG that most people who play will forget about it shortly after finishing it. Given an average finish time of 6-8 hours (without new game plus), the journey is over before it really feels like it's begun. What's here isn't really impressive to look at, either. The Lunagear concept is slightly interesting, but mixed with the blandness of the rest of the game it doesn't make this a must-have release. If you really like building bases, you may have some fun with Arc of Alchemist. The rest of us can wait on a meatier RPG to take up our time with.
Thanks to the choppy framerate, horrible combat, and forgettable characters and story, Arc of Alchemist fails to elicit anything more than a shrug and a sigh. Unless you're a hardcore Idea Factory and Compile Heart fan, stay far, far away from this one.
The premise behind Arc of Alchemist’s world and its story is a good one. The implementation, however, could be better and the game feels incomplete due to its uneven combat as well as its awkward interface and systems. Given my affinity for old-school JRPGs and cute character designs, Arc of Alchemist should be a game that I absolutely love. Instead, I now find myself wondering what could have been.
Arc of Alchemist on the Nintendo Switch may look pretty and attractive when looked at its still pictures but that should not deceive anyone: this game has a poor performance, its plot and characters are completely uninspiring and the overall gameplay mechanics fail to compel and to entice the players. Add to that a steep launch price and there are very few reasons why anyone would want to spend too much time around this effort.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Fun or not, there are a lot of flaws and there are plenty of better options for those looking for mindless violence.
Idea Factory's latest release stretches the limits of what can be called a playable videogame.
Arc of Alchemist could have been a fun tactical RPG. Trouble is, it’s squashed between outdated exploration, a half-formed battle system, and a general lack of polish that altogether makes the game’s flaws impossible to look past. Within the context of the many fantastic JRPGs that are out there, I can’t pretend Arc of Alchemist is worth your time.
Arc of Alchemist is a short, boring game that is as dry as the desert it takes place in.
Arc of Alchemist is a flawed, but fun experience.
Avoid this game. I cannot put it more simply than that.
If you are thinking about getting Arc of Alchemist, here is a bit of advice about playing it: Don’t.
Hardcore JRPG fans will likely enjoy customizing the base, upgrading the facilities, and perhaps even the simplicity of the combat. However, for anyone looking for a worthwhile RPG experience, Arc of Alchemist is not it.
It's creative, different, and interesting, and respects your time so don't feel like you've made some epic commitment just to play through it. I love it.
Compile Heart and Idea Factory's games usually stand out somehow while having other weaker aspects. Arc of Alchemist is probably their most well-balanced title in terms of quality. Unfortunately, what stands out here is the lack of quality.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Arc of Alchemist isn’t the worst action RPG I’ve ever played, but it’s crushingly dire, and not worthy of your time or money.
There are far better JRPGs out there to play than this so avoid it unless you can find it on a deep, deep sale.