itch.io

I cannot even begin to tell you how highly I hold this game, and that's not just because there's a severe lack of games where you can choose to go by non-binary pronouns. I've been waiting since it fully came out to get it, and was happily surprised to see that it was in the bundle I recently purchased. I was expecting a cute arcade driven dating sim visual novel (which was enough for me, because there's nothing I love more than arcades and dating sims), but frankly I got so much more than that. I got characters (not just love interests) with depth who I grew to be emotionally connected with, a game showcasing a mental health journey with highs and lows similar to my own (something I've never had before), a game built around my choices and personality, a game where I was never shamed for my choices- where I didn't feel like one wrong dialogue option would destroy everything I had worked for, and an amazing, surprising found family trope. Arcade Spirits is more than I ever thought I could ask for in a game in an experience, and honestly I can't recommend it enough. If you're on the edge about buying this because you're not that into dating sims or because you think it'll be too cliche, please do buy it, because it's far more than either of those things. It's far more, even, than the sum of its parts.