ARC SEED, a turn-based strategy mech game, just hit full release on Steam today—and I’m torn on it.
ARC SEED, a turn-based strategy mech game, just hit full release on Steam today—and I’m torn on it.
cross-posted from: https://atomicpoet.org/objects/7b625df1-29fe-492c-9945-1c0bd9e3ed9f
ARC SEED, a turn-based strategy mech game, just hit full release on Steam today—and I’m torn on it.
So what is this? You’re piloting hulking mechs against the interstellar Archangels in a tactical roguelite. Battles play out on an isometric city grid, where every skyscraper and block can either save you or sink you. It’s deckbuilding meets mech combat: draw the right hand, fire missiles, unleash artillery, collapse buildings, and pray your civilians are evacuated before the entire city becomes rubble.
Building your mech is important, but you also manage cards, weapons, and upgrades, while juggling city defenses. The tension is always there: do you spend resources saving lives, or do you turn that tower block into an improvised weapon to crush an Archangel? Clever stuff, at least in theory.
Visually, tremendous at first glance. Anime portraits, gorgeous pixel cities, even some cyberpunk flair. The problem is the isometric view. Buildings get in the way. You can’t always see your units clearly, and placing mechs feels awkward. Screenshots look slick, but in practice the map is cluttered and confusing.
The music is good enough—deep, ambient electronica with a futuristic pulse. Sound effects are brisk and sharp. Nothing groundbreaking, but it fits.
Controls are where frustration sets in. Yes, keyboard and mouse works. Yes, Xbox and PlayStation controllers are supported. But troop placement—getting the exact tile right—feels clumsy. In a tactical game, that’s a big strike against it.
I don’t want to make it sound awful, because it isn’t. The card system inside a mech game? That’s genuinely fun, and it sets ARC SEED apart from other Into the Breach-style tactics games. Add in destructible environments and evacuation mechanics, and there’s meat on the bones.
Specs are mercifully modest: a Core 2 Duo or Athlon 64, 4GB of RAM, 200MB of space. Even integrated graphics will do. Windows only, but Steam Deck Verified, which also means Proton plays nice on Linux.
Developer is Massive Galaxy Studios—the same folks behind For the Warp (adequate reviews) and Lakeside (mixed reviews). ARC SEED has already picked up awards and sits at “Mostly Positive” on Steam. But players note issues: crashes, bugs, UI quirks. And I’ve already mentioned the clunky perspective and fiddly controls.
Price at launch is C$12.66. Is it worth it? If you’re a tactics junkie, you’ll probably forgive the jank and get hooked on the mech-deck combo. If not, you may bounce off the awkward interface.
For me? ARC SEED isn’t terrible. It’s just a game where your enjoyment depends entirely on how much clumsiness you can tolerate.