American Arcadia
Release Date: November 15, 2023
Adventure, FPP, platformers, dystopia, indie games, 2.5D, side-scroll, alternative history, 60s and 70s, singleplayer
OpenCritic
A cross between a first-person adventure game and an action platformer. American Arcadia is set in the titular metropolis, its people unknowingly participating in a reality show, where losing popularity among the audience gets them killed.
Videos and Screens
[1:08] American Arcadia American Arcadia - Accolades Trailer
[1:29] American Arcadia launch trailer
Digital Trends: 4 / 5 by Giovanni Colantonio
American Arcadia turns The Truman Show into an interactive indie thriller you don't want to miss.
GameSpew: 8 / 10 by Kim Snaith
Taking six to eight hours to complete, I’ve blasted through American Arcadia in just two sittings, being utterly gripped the whole time. The side-scrolling platforming and first-person puzzle gameplay blend together seamlessly, with the story here being king. Despite a few small presentation issues that need ironing out, the gameplay here is flawless – and jumping from Angela’s first-person viewpoint to being in control of a side-scrolling Trevor via her computer monitor is nothing short of genius. If you enjoy adventure and puzzles, and like the sound of a story that’s reminiscent of The Truman Show, this is a game not to be missed.
Gert Lush Gaming: 8.2 / 10 by Jim Smale
American Arcadia is a must-play game that offers a unique blend of gameplay styles, stunning visuals, and an engaging story.
American Arcadia Description
American Arcadia is a creative cross between an adventure game and an aciton platformer. It was developed by Out of the Blue, also known for Call of the Sea.
Plot
American Arcadia is set in the alternate 1970s, in Arcadia, a retrofuturistic, seemingly idyllic metropolis. Unbeknownst to its citizens, though, they're all unwilling contestants in the most popular reality show in the world, their lives broadcast on TV 24/7. To make matters more, losing popularity among the audience results in death. Both of our playable characters must learn the truth about Arcadia and find a way out.
Mechanics
American Arcadia could be considered two games in one. When playing as the first character, the game is first-person, tasking us with exploring different areas, hacking devices and gathering intel. As the second character, the game is a side-scroller, tasking us with jumping on platforms, avoiding traps and escaping pursuers. There are numerous puzzles to solve and stealth segments to get through.
The story is conveyed through documentary-like cutscenes, which show interviews and interrogations.
Technical aspects
American Arcadia features cartoonish visuals, the bright color palette during the day contrasting dark areas traversed during the night. The game features an all-star voice cast, starring Yuri Lowenthal (Marvel's Spider-Man, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time), Krizia Bajos (Cyberpunk 2077) and Cissy Jones (Firewatch, Life is Strange).
American Arcadia Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows
Developer: Out of the Blue
Publisher: Raw Fury Games
Age restrictions: 16+
American Arcadia System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core i5-4670K 3.4 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 4 GB GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or better, 20 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit
Recommended: Intel Core i7-6700 3.4 GHz, 16 GB RAM, graphic card 8 GB GeForce RTX 2070 or better, 20 GB HDD, Windows 10 64-bit