American Arcadia review – a charming but simplistic spin on the Truman Show

I worried a bit about American Arcadia because of how much of a departure it seemed to be from Call of the Sea, Out of the Blue’s first game, which I really liked. Why ditch a template that seemed to work so well? Why leave first-person mystery adventuring behind for a platformer set in the 1970s? Like I said, I worried.

American Arcadia reviewDeveloper: Out of the BluePublisher: Raw FuryPlatform: Played on PCAvailability: Released 15th November on Steam

I shouldn’t have. American Arcadia a departure from Call of the Sea, but now that I’ve played it, I’m happy to say the hallmarks of Call of the Sea are absolutely still there. There first-person puzzling and adventuring, it’s just not immediately apparent, and there is a compelling mystery running through the game. And while 1970s America isn’t as eye-catching as the tropical island of Call of the Sea, American Arcadia does manage to turn a look, and there’s plenty about it to recommend.

Let’s cover the basics. American Arcadia is a game about a man escaping from inside a TV show, which has thus far been his whole life, a bit like The Truman Show – with one crucial difference. This is not a TV show about only his life, but everyones’ lives who live in the utopia known as American Arcadia.

You begin by playing as Trevor, who’s as overwhelmingly average and forgettable as a name like Trevor suggests. Sorry to any Trevors out there. He’s 28 going on 40, comfortable in his unremarkable job and tank top, and seems to have a life that involves no excitement but a lot of work. Trevor is a no-one. No one notices him and, more importantly, no one watches him on the American Arcadia TV show. But one day, things begin to change. A good friend disappears – where did they go? Strange sounds start blurting out from speakers – what do they mean? Quickly, the facade of Trevor’s world begins to slip.