Developer: Mas
Platform: PC (Reviewed)
Genre: Adventure, RPG
Publisher: Feuxon
Artis Impact is a turn-based RPG. This game was developed by Mas and published by Feuxon. Artis Impact sets itself apart from other RPG games with its stunning visuals and compelling story. Artis Impact is currently available only for Windows.
Artis Impact begins with a striking introduction that sets the tone for the adventure ahead. Upon starting the game, players are presented with resolution options and an initial warning that the story includes strong language and adult humour. To make the experience more accessible, the developers included a “super safe mode” that tones down sensitive content (a great touch to broaden the audience). Before diving in, you also get to choose between story mode and normal mode, tailoring the combat difficulty to your preference.
The story itself opens with Akane, the protagonist, being suddenly awoken alongside their trusty companion, Bot, after a tremor shakes the ground. The game is set in a futuristic world where you are surrounded by humans and AI. As you follow the tremor noise, you make your way to a subway and initiate your first fight, which leads you to greater exploration. From there, you are led on a journey to take on several battlers and enjoy the presence of this world filled with mystery, humour and charm.
Controls in Artis Impact are refreshingly simple and intuitive. Movement is handled with straightforward directional keys, paired with just two additional action/cancel keys, making it easy for anyone to pick up. When new mechanics or items appear, the game provides detailed pop-up explanations to guide the player. The ease of control allows you to focus more on the world, the characters and the battles instead of fumbling between overcomplicated mechanics.
Visually, Artis Impact is a treat. Its core art style is a beautifully detailed pixel-sprite world, bursting with colour and vibrant animations that bring every scene to life. Small details, like the way a door opens or a character’s subtle expression, add layers of charm. At certain key moments, the style shifts into pencil sketch visuals, reminiscent of manga illustrations, which add drama and depth to special events. This mixing of retro pixel aesthetics with expressive hand-drawn artistry makes the game stand out. Audio design matches the visuals in quality. The soundtrack is mellow, extravagant yet subtle, with instrumental pieces that adapt to the area you are in. Sound effects such as buzzing robots, flowing water, or chatter from NPCs further enhance immersion, making the world feel truly alive.
The gameplay premise blends narrative-driven progression with engaging exploration and turn-based combat. Dialogue plays a huge role, often witty and comedic, with charming character icons displayed during conversations. Sometimes the narrative even challenges you to recall past details, like when questioned by police about an AI’s serial number, which makes the storytelling interactive and immersive. Beyond the main storyline, there are side quests ranging from simple fetch missions to cooking tasks, which add variety and charm to the experience. Exploration is rewarding and rich, especially with features like piloting a small ship to travel between locations or upgrading your house to feel more personal and cosy. Combat, while resembling traditional turn-based systems, stands out through its atmosphere: battle music, fluid animations of Akane’s sword swings, and vivid attack visuals make each encounter exciting. Players can use items or “Arts,” a form of special attack, to strategise during fights. Victories are rewarding, giving players plentiful resources like money, XP, gears and a motherboard, topped off with a delightful victory dance. However, some battles feel unbalanced, and progression sometimes demands more grinding than necessary, which may test the patience of certain players. That said, the option to retry a lost battle by paying money or relying on the Bot’s healing support helps balance frustration with accessibility.
When it came to my own experience of playing Artis Impact, I found that this game delivered an adventure packed with so much charm, creativity and humour. The visuals are breathtaking, the soundtrack is memorable, and the narrative keeps you engaged with both heartfelt and comedic moments. While I did feel the ending did not live up to the eventful moments throughout the beginning of the story, it was still fun to play. The major issue I had was that some areas, locations, got me to die a lot quicker than I believed. The occasional grind-heavy combat and difficulty spikes might turn some players away, but the game’s strengths in atmosphere, storytelling and visual artistry more than make up for its flaws. I do wish that there was a bit more variety in the combat and that levelling and resourcing was more efficient than it is cut out to be. If these mechanics were more balanced, the game would flow much better, as some areas almost made me quit the game.
Overall, Artis Impact is a heartfelt game that deserves recognition for its compelling creativity. With its mix of cosy, exploration, expressive art styles, immersive sound design and playful dialogue, it is a title that players will enjoy. If you are looking for a fun turn-based RPG, then be sure to check out Artis Impact!
Overall: 8/10
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