I finished my first playthrough and I'm very satisfied! I romanced Domino, of course. I can't turn down a cynical man wearing a crop top (or pizza on a bagel!).
I replayed the first Arcade Spirits right before New Challengers, and here are my takeaways. (No real spoilers).
- I LOVED seeing the original characters make guest appearances. I *geeked* when QueenBee and Hamza showed up. I also did not expect to see our original character show up, too. The crossovers made this game very special for me.
- I really enjoyed the FoD2 mini-game! It was great addition to New Challengers.
- All of the new characters were endearing, the art improved so much, and the voice acting was amazing! But I don't think the characters hit my heart as hard as the original crew did. I look forward to getting to know their stories better with more playthroughs. Although I appreciated the attention given to mental health. There is a real issue with the lack of concern for mental health in the gaming community, and it's often overlooked. Thanks for showing the spotlight!
- The ability to create your own character's appearance was a nice addition! However, having the ordinary-looking PC on screen next to the beautifully drawn NPCs was a little strange at first, but I got used to it.
All in all, I give the game a solid 9/10. The Arcade Spirits universe makes me very happy, and I hope that we get a third game!