A short story-driven game about two inquisitors, Arun and Quila, investigating a murder. During the game you'll control both, each having their own set of skills you'll need to solve the mystery.
A short story-driven game about two Inquisitors, Arun and Quila, investigating a murder. During the game you'll control both, each having their own set of skills you'll need to solve the mystery. Inquisitor Arun. His skill set includes herbalism, necropsy, enduring odors, and high perception. Inquisitor Quila. Her skill set includes lockpicking, sneaking, and her small frame which allows her to squeeze into tight spaces.
Positive
7 Steam reviews
| LANGUAGE | AUDIO | SUBTITLES | INTERFACE |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | — | Y | Y |
yes
It is a point and click adventure the characters can be moved with 'w-a-s-d' and then there is mouse to point and click. The experience could have been better if there was an option to press a key when the character is near the object to know about the object.
I initially ignored this game because I was disappointed that this came out before [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1292860/For_Evelyn/][b]For Evelyn[/b][/url], and I thought its release got pushed back in favour of this game. I revisited this when I saw that it has a demo and decided to at least try the demo out.
I was very confused about how I got this game. At first, I thought I purchased this after playing the demo, but apparently, [url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/1402400/discussions/0/3108016147992930413/]this was given to those who previously purchased[/url] [url=https://steamcommunity.com/id/merrychristmasknight/recommended/1131540/][b]Light In The Dark[/b][/url], which is now a free game. [i](I purchased [b]Light In The Dark[/b] back in July 2020 during a sale. I paid 0.52 USD instead of 0.99 USD. [b]Arcanbreak[/b] is now showing up on my receipt as part of that purchase, even though it was released in October 2020.)[/i]
[b]Arcanbreak[/b] is a very short game. I got to where the demo ended around 21 minutes in, and I got to the end credits in 56 minutes. After going back to get the rest of the achievements, I finished in just a bit over an hour.
I liked the investigation aspect of the game. I particularly liked the mechanic of how choosing which inquisitor to play as also affected what can or cannot be observed and interacted with within the surroundings. This mechanic admittedly caused me to take more time playing because I tried to see how the characters differed in their comments for the objects they observed. I also enjoyed the minigames that didn't try to explain too much, so I had the freedom to figure things out myself.
Storywise, there seemed to be many things that hinted at a much larger narrative. I read the lore carefully in case I needed them in my investigations. It did add some nuance to the setting, and I noticed some background details and decoration that I probably wouldn't have before reading it. I think it's too much information for a game this short, but if this game is to be treated as a side story connected to a much larger game universe, then it works in that sense.
Regarding whether to recommend this game, given the game's length and its current price [i](50% off for 2.99 USD)[/i], I think it's worth a try. If you're someone who would like to get more gameplay for the full price [i](5.99 USD)[/i] but would still like to try this, I recommend waiting for a sale.
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This is a bit off-topic, but I will discuss [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1292860/For_Evelyn/][b]For Evelyn[/b][/url] here, because it is a big reason why I even tried this game in the first place. The developer, [b]Kisuarts[/b], was not on my radar until after they released the first version of the [b]For Evelyn[/b] demo. I really, [i]really[/i] liked that initial demo and even purchased their [url=https://steamcommunity.com/id/merrychristmasknight/recommended/1131540/][b]Light In The Dark[/b][/url] game while I was waiting for the full version's release.
The [b]For Evelyn[/b] demo has been updated since then. There were significant changes made: the playable character was switched and the story was overhauled, which made a huge difference in tone. The gameplay (at least in the second version) also mirrored some of the sneak tactics here in [b]Arcanbreak[/b]. While I do appreciate some of the new additions, such as the reference to [url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1377710/Lawmage_Academy/][b]Lawmage Academy[/b][/url], some of the casual, lighthearted, and humorous elements which drew me to the game were removed, and I feel like the game lost its charm for me. Unfortunately, based on the second version of the [b]For Evelyn[/b] demo that I played, I removed it from my wishlist.
However, since the developer has been very considerate by giving [b]Arcanbreak[/b] for free to those who previously purchased [b]Light In The Dark[/b], I'm reconsidering checking out [b]For Evelyn[/b]. I enjoy supporting developers who listen to feedback, provide consistent updates, and care about their supporters. For that, I am sincerely grateful to [b]Kisuarts[/b] and I hope all the best for them as they continue to develop the game!
A great and nice fantasy game, waiting for 'For Evelyn'!
An interesting investigative mystery game that looks and feels like an RPGMaker game but is done on Unity.
This is a short prologue and I look forward to playing the rest of the series.
Excellent game and way to introduce us to the game world for the dev's other upcoming game. I had some issues with classic point and click 'pixel hunting' but overall, it was worth the price for good story, characters, and voice acting (Intro and outro of the game, at least)
It's a strange feeling, being first to review a Steam title.
Arcanbreak is a fantastical thriller and adventure game about abuse of power. It's a short adventure that'll take about 1-2 hours of your time to fully complete.
PROS:
[list]
[*]The atmosphere is dreary. The dark lighting and ominous music provokes the sense that something dark is brewing in town, and that's one motivator to keep on the case.
[*]The character designs are nice enough. There's a Kingdom Hearts meets Bloodborne aesthetic here, which I'm all for. [spoiler]Comrade Alexandria is a hardened fighter.[/spoiler] Little movements, like the way characters will bob their heads around every here and then as a lookout, are nice touches. The banter takes a dark, but quirky approach, and it's nice to read. Arun and Quila make neat protagonists.
[*]Descriptions are brief and easy to understand. This game's tasks are to fantastical investigation what Among Us's duties are to a technician's job: short and satisfying to pull off. It's not Umineko, but it doesn't need to be.
[*]The game loads quickly, despite its size.
[/list]
NEUTRAL
[list]
[*]When the game shows, it shows nicely. But it can sometimes -tell you- something interesting is happening instead of displaying it, which may or may not work.
[*]The overall graphics are fine. Nothing to write home about.
[*]Could benefit from one or two more save files, and some graphics optimization. The ~2gb file size won't kill most computers, but is hard to justify.
[*]The game has a loooot of lore, particularly about the local legends and the faith structures. It's nice to see represented in-universe when you do.
[/list]
CONS:
[list]
[*]U.I. can be somewhat frustrating. Navigating to inspect an object vs. activating it takes a hover that may sometimes shift off. The controls require you to press F1, which you can miss in the introduction if you blink.
[*]The writing suffers plot holes. [spoiler]The game, at one point, requires the synthesis of a highly noxious compound. He dunks on himself with it. I refuse to believe a High Inquisitor would read an alchemical formula, see 'NOXIOUS COMPOUND, WEAR A FACEMASK IDIOT,' then proceed to -not- do that before Cosby'ing himself. There are a few moments like this in Arcanbreak, and they can take you out of the plot.[/spoiler]
[*]On the ending: [spoiler]You aren't really protagonists. A job title like 'Inquisitor' might well imply that. However, the game's structure doesn't benefit the lore it sets up, and you may feel that it's moved *too* fast for its plot threads to conclude in a satisfying manner. Characters come and go. Worldbuilding is introduced and broken down before (or after) we get to see why it'd matter. We don't know enough about our Inquisitor duties, or Alexandria's pro-magic faction, to really support a side. It's confusing, and if I had to describe it, it'd be a parallel to Star Wars: Rogue One if it were actually released before A New Hope. You get a big important task for a huge world, but instead of concluding a story audiences already know, it presents a plot that remains to be seen. The way it's presented suggests there's multiple directions the plot could go, though I'd argue this should be expanded - even if there's
a clear ending[/spoiler]
[*]There's some minor tonal dissonance in sprites used. Some characters would benefit from some variances in expression; [spoiler]I'm not sure I'd have a smug face after getting clonked by magic.[/spoiler]
[/list]
OVERALL: Arcanbreak's positives often contend with its flaws. I don't know if I would pay more than the current sale price for it (5.39). It's a fun romp, but will leave you wanting.
I'll keep an eye on what this dev's working on in the future, since it seems the main writer has a team and a thread set up for Aura.
