Arrog Critic Reviews

Ultimately, this is an artistic game first and foremost, and the puzzles are the medium in which players participate in the story. It is bittersweet and real, rooted in cultural significance. I fully expect this game to be snapped up by trophy collectors looking for an easy platinum, but I sincerely hope that everyone who purchases Arrog appreciates the experience as much as I. If you have a few dollars burning a hole in your PSN wallet, consider using them to pick up Arrog. I really want to see more from Hermanos Magia in the future.

An enjoyable game with a clearly defined style, pleasing audio and satisfying puzzles. However, it's also incredibly short and offers no incentive to replay. Sitting very firmly in a niche category, Arrog will appeal to few, but if this kind of game is your bag then give it a go, if only once.

I know this is a concise review by HPP’s standards, but to say much more would spoil what’s already a very bite-sized offering. What I can say with certainty, though, is that I’ve been playing video games for about 35 years, and until now, I’d never played anything quite like Arrog. It may be easy and short – very short. But despite its brevity, I very much enjoyed this tantalizing tour of Peruvian funerary traditions and culture. If you’re fascinated by this kind of stuff, or just really like games with big stonkin capybaras, I think you will too."

Arrog is refreshing in its approach and themes, and is a visual marvel for its short length. Is it for everyone? Certainly not, but it achieves what it sets out to do, and has a genuine impact that most games can't lay claim to.

A symbolic exploration of the afterlife steeped in Peruvian culture, Arrog doesn’t do enough to put its story in the context it needed. It’s certainly pretty at times and there’s an interesting message about life and death buried deep in the figurative imagery for those that go looking for it, but compared to its peers, it struggles to tell its tale effectively.

If you're coming at this from the perspective of a Trophy hunter rather than seeking out a unique experience, Arrog will serve you well, too. You can attain a super simple Platinum comfortably inside an hour, if that's what you're after. However, that feels a little reductive given the game's tone. If you're looking for a truly one-of-a-kind adventure, don't mind a short runtime, and want to meet some ethereal capybaras, this ticks all those very specific boxes.

Sure, it's a tricky one to review and recommend 'as a videogame' because it's not strictly one per se. It can have the descriptive, but it is also a bit more artsy, more personal, more meditative. It almost seems like it'd be perfect for a rainy Sunday morning with nothing else going on to just soak in. Definitely there is room for a lot more for this kind of thing to be incorporated into the medium and it'd be nice to see it become more of a norm rather than an exception, but it does stand out for that reason. Admittedly, it will likely appeal to a certain kind of person, one that is more contemplative, but it is also worth the price of admission to find out if thee is that certain kind of person.