Nowadays, it’s nearly impossible to use a smartphone with just one hand most of the time. Screens just seem to keep getting bigger and bigger with each new device that’s released. While there are some tricks of the trade to help you out in this area, they apply more to conventional daily use. When it comes to playing games, everything gets much more complicated. Although there are plenty of automated MMORPGs where your interaction is reduced to looking through menus, the idea of playing games that require any amount of skill with only one hand is little more than a dream. Well, that was before we discovered Archero, the latest hit game on Android and iOS.
Released in early April without much hype, Archero has slowly climbed its way up the most-downloaded lists. This is all thanks to a great marketing campaign and, more importantly, its extreme simplicity. What we have here is a videogame where the sole tool of direct interaction is based on a virtual joystick you use to control your character. But don’t let the simplicity of its controls fool you: Archero is a complete roguelike that’s much more complex than it appears at first glance.
Your hero has two movements, although you only directly control one of them: move and shoot. When you stop moving your character, it will automatically shoot its arrows at the enemies in each level. The goal in each level in Archero is typical: to destroy all the enemies. Once you complete your mission, you’ll move on to a new screen with more enemies to defeat. And so on, and so on … until you bite the dust.
The cool thing about this game is how you get skills as you complete screens and level up. It’s a concept taken from two of the games main inspirations: The Binding of Isaac and Nuclear Throne. When your character levels up, you’ll be able to choose one of three random abilities that the game gives you. The great thing about Archero is that you’ll find absolutely endless abilities: ones that let you shoot more arrows, ones that give you shields, ones that make your enemies explode, arrows that will give you back your health… we could be here listing abilities all day, but you probably get the idea already.
Surviving each new level won’t be easy, since the enemies also get stronger as you go. And after each 10 levels, you’ll have to face a final boss that will make your life even harder. But don’t worry too much about being defeated: it’s a given in Archero. After each failure, you’ll have a better understanding of how the game works, along with experience fighting your enemies so you can defeat them the next time you face them. Plus, you can improve your unique skills that won’t disappear after you’re defeated. It’s a concept that new roguelikes are adopting more and more in this genre.
Every round is different in Archero, so you’ll have a hard time getting bored between shooting your arrows. It’s an outstanding game that’s managed to wisely combine a precise gameplay with the motivation to play more and more due to its immense customization options. It’s one of those games that’ll make you say “just one more game” over and over again until you lose all track of time. Without a doubt, it’s definitely one of the best games of the year.
Archero for Android [APK] | Download
