I’ve stated it many times before, but I’ve truly become a believer in the concept of trying to apply roguelike elements to just about anything in the hopes that the result is a refreshingly different experience. Sure, top-down shooters and deckbuilders have been among the most dominant subgenres to fully embrace the challenge, but there have obviously been other successes (and plenty of failures) applying it elsewhere. One subgenre I’ve been surprised not to see it paired with often to this point has been first-person shooting, and that’s where a game like ArcRunner comes in.

Set in a neon-drenched and very futuristic setting, the game’s visuals are likely the first thing that will catch your attention. It undoubtedly has a brash visual style, and with so many colors it’s also one that really pops on the OLED screen if you’ve got the means. Thankfully, at least if you’re looking for high-intensity and pretty twitchy play it should also serve you quite well. The areas you’ll find yourself in aren’t terribly big, and you’ll be facing a pretty steady stream of enemies porting in from just about every direction, so you’ll need to be smart, think quickly, and take full advantage of every skill your class offers. 

I think that may actually be one of the more surprisingly strong aspects of the game too, simply switching between the default soldier and ninja character types results in a completely different flow, and once you’re able to take the other classes on a test drive you’ll find they each have something worthwhile about them. Throw in the fact that you’re able to pair up with others online (while the window lasts), and the class diversity can be even more crucial if everyone chooses something different, allowing you to stomp enemies even more effectively.

All that said, it also falls into a trap that most roguelikes struggle with, and that’s its general lack of real personality. Sure, it has a very cool aesthetic, but there’s nothing really backing that up, so that leaves the full weight of your enjoyment on the core play without much in the way of greater depth. I can see where people who are thirsting for quick and intense shooting could have a good time with it. All the same, even with a fair amount of unpredictability concerning the weapons and perks you’ll get on any given run, if you’re not completely sold on that concept, your engagement may run out of steam fairly quickly. Outside of switching between classes, repetition can set in fairly quickly, even if the stages and what you’ll face may vary. In the end I’d say it’s good junk food gaming, but it may not suffice as a meal.