Don’t Change That Channel!
HIGH The world is incredibly fleshed out.
LOW Some overly tight timing on puzzles grated on my nerves.
WTF The whole story is one giant WTF moment after another.
One day, Trevor Mills is living another day in his rather boring, but comfortable existence. The next, he’s running for his life. How did he get in this mess? By being the most unpopular resident of the city of Arcadia… Or, more accurately, by being the most unpopular character in the American Arcadia television and streaming program.
For his entire life, Trevor has been living a life constructed, not just for him, but for the millions of viewers of the titular program. Now, in this 2.5D puzzle-platformer, he has to flee an execution squad determined to bring him down. Along the way, he’ll have help from a mysterious benefactor going by the alias of “Kovacs”. As he flees, Trevor has to navigate obstacles, with Kovacs often intervening from afar by controlling electronics and machinery to assist Trevor.
At certain points, players control Kovacs to navigate the behind the scenes, while avoiding detection from Walton Media, the business that broadcasts “American Arcadia”. The company has basically created a legal groundwork to keep the citizens of Arcadia ensnared in the city, while broadcasting every moment of their lives to viewers around the world. It’s the reality TV show from hell.
The worldbuilding, writing, and commentary are all excellent, and the contrasting viewpoints of Trevor and Kovacs give a sense of what was going in both “worlds”. The ’70s aesthetic of Arcadia really pops and gives the dystopian nature of the program its citizens are enslaved in some weight — they live in a gilded cage while having every human right destroyed, all for the entertainment of people they will never see or meet.
The story and gameplay were compelling, and I wanted to know more and more about this world. At times, I almost felt like a viewer of the show. This was definitely helped by smart action sections that required me to think about both Trevor and Kovacs. One excellent scene was when I had to guide Trevor through a stealth section, while also playing as Kovacs getting interrogated by Walton security. It was moments like this when the genius of American Arcadia shines through.
The commentary about the parasocial relationships that the viewers of the program have with the Arcadians was also well-thought-out. Especially later, during the climax, when viewers begin to watch Trevor in droves. Most are still driven by the need to be entertained, even though they know Trevor’s pain and suffering is real. Only a few begin to realize that the show may not be as benign as they thought, and cheer on Trevor’s escape. However, regardless of which side of the fence they’re on, they all continue to watch.
While American Arcadia shines in many parts, there are a couple of bits of static in the feed.
On the PS5 version, there were some shimmering effects that looked a bit ugly. This always happened during the cutscenes, so at least it was limited. However, it was still distracting. There are also a few puzzles and chase scenes that have strict timing — they were difficult to figure out at first, and the time limits led to numerous (and annoying) restarts.
American Arcadia manages to tell an incredibly compelling story that makes its world feel a bit too close to our own, accompanied by smart gameplay and an incredibly well-written story, along with a stellar cast of characters. Trevor’s wild and suspenseful escape from Arcadia is guaranteed to give him (and the show) a much-needed ratings boost.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Buy American Arcadia – Steam – PlayStation – Xbox – Nintendo
Disclosures: This game is developed by Out of the Blue Games S.L. and published by Raw Fury AB. It is currently available on XBO/X/S, PS4, PS5, Switch, and PC. This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on PS5. Approximately 8 hours was devoted to the game, and it was completed. There is no multiplayer mode.
Parents: This game has an ESRB rating of M for Strong Language and Violence. Throughout his adventure, characters will swear. Trevor can also be shot by drones, as well as by his pursuers. At one point, Kovacs, another playable character, will shoot an NPC with a stun gun.
Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind options.
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: The game offers subtitles. Subtitles can be resized with three levels of font size, and a black background can be added to subtitles. In addition, closed captioning is available for sound effects from characters and environmental effects. This game is fully accessible.
Remappable Controls: Yes, this game’s controls are remappable.
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