Arc of Alchemist

It's been some time since I last sat down with an RPG by Compile Heart and played it through until the end. I gave Death End re;Quest about a dozen hours before I grew tired of their signature turn-based combat. When I heard that their latest game, Arc of Alchemist, was going to opt for a hack-and-slash combat style, my interest perked up. However, as I learned after the first few hours, sometimes a new combat system isn't enough. I played through Arc of Alchemist not once but twice to bring you this full review, based upon the PlayStation 4 Pro version.

Compile Heart has a substantial library of memorable adventures so let's see if their action-packed Arc of Alchemist is a worthy RPG.

Originally a 2019 PS4 and Switch release in Japan, Arc of Alchemist has made it to Western audiences with this localization from Compile Heart and Idea Factory International. Has this short RPG been worth the wait? Time to find out in our Arc of Alchemist review.

Idea Factory’s attempt at creating a hack and slash leaves Arc of Alchemist as a middle of the road RPG with some charm and plenty of untapped potential.

With a running time of around ten hours, it speaks volumes that Arc of Alchemist still manages to outstay its welcome. Chances are you’ll be bored of it within two. Even its bosses aren’t noteworthy. If you do somehow manage to find yourself fond of the game, there’s New Game + so you can start again and maybe try a different party, but god knows why you’d want to. Arc of Alchemist isn’t the worst action RPG I’ve ever played, but it’s crushingly dire, and not worthy of your time or money.

Hardcore JRPG fans will likely enjoy customizing the base, upgrading the facilities, and perhaps even the simplicity of the combat. However, for anyone looking for a worthwhile RPG experience, Arc of Alchemist is not it.

Like the series which developer Compile Heart is known for, Hyperdimension Neptunia, Arc of Alchemist is a tactical action RPG with a roster full of cutesy anime characters. It’s pretty much the developer’s bread and butter, but if that makes you think that’s a good sign about the Arc of Alchemist’s quality, think again. It was first released in Japan back in 2019, but hasn’t hit the West until now. This version has been updated with new features both in combat and out, but unfortun...

After focusing primarily on tactical and turn-based releases, Compile Heart tries its hand at an action RPG with Arc of Alchemist. The endeavour can not be called a success, but hopefully there are useful lessons to be learned from it.

Idea Factory's latest release stretches the limits of what can be called a playable videogame.