UK-based publisher PQube Ltd. announced on the 27th of June 2023 that it will be responsible for the English localization of Archetype Arcadia, a dark sci-fi visual novel produced by Kemco Corporation & Water Phoenix. The release date for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 & 5 versions is set to be the 24th of October 2023.
Archetype Arcadia was first released in Japan on the 21st October 2021 for PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch. A Windows PC version followed a few months later in January 2021. Since then, the game has also received a mobile port, which for some reason sports an 18+ rating despite a lack of explicit material. The game utilizes the Unity engine.
R is responsible for the scenario and art. While Archetype Arcadia is a fairly new title, it’s not the one most anticipated by fans of Kemco & Water Phoenix. Their earlier 2018 game Saiaku Naru Saiyaku Ningen ni Sasagu (Sasasagu/My Dearest Direst Disaster) garnered a remarkable following.
Update: A PC version release by PQube might be possible!
Story
Rust doesn’t suffer from the disease, but when his stricken sister becomes unresponsive one day, he must enter Archetype Arcadia to find a cure. Within the game is a new world full of people and monsters, a world in which players utilize powerful memories and avatars to battle each other. While this virtual existence supposedly delays the progression of Original Sin, it also carries severe consequences.
Archetype Arcadia is a dark, sci-fi visual novel set in a post-apocalyptic world. A mysterious disease called Original Sin has wiped out most of humanity, and so Rust and his sister must roam empty lands and search desperately for other living humans. The victims of Original Sin suffer from insanity, sensory illusions, and uncontrollable self-destructive urges. The only way to control these symptoms is to spend time inside a virtual game, Archetype Arcadia.
As Rust battles his way through this strange world for a cure, he meets other people with unexpected identities and origins, forges unbreakable friendships, and encounters enemies along the way. Archetype Arcadia’s story unfolds beautifully and shockingly, taking the player on a journey of mystery, heartbreak, friendship and salvation.
Original Synopsis on the PQube Website
Characters
Features
- Hours of rich story in eight chapters
- Many choices to make, but be aware of the bad endings
- Key milestones, bosses, and vivid moments drive the story forward
- Dynamic, bold art, exciting scenes that capture vital moments
- Flashbacks, see the past as it once was, and how memories control a character’s future
- Perspectives, have the chance to see other characters ideas and emotions
Localization
The game’s localization team is led by PQube’s highly experienced Head of Localization, Andrew Hodgson. Other team members include seasoned veterans TheZackZeal and Blickwinkel, known for their work on BUSTAFELLOWS among others.
Trailer
Screenshots
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