What Archvale is
Archvale is a top-down action RPG built around twin-stick bullet-hell combat. You move with one stick and aim with the other, dodging dense patterns of enemy fire while landing your own shots. The game leans on skill and timing rather than soaking up damage, so fights reward positioning and quick reactions. Your character grows through loot and crafting: you gather materials from the environment and from enemies you kill, then craft over 200 weapons and armor to reach the gear that suits how you play. Badges augment your character, letting you shape a build around your preferred weapon and approach instead of following one fixed path. The world is split into diverse regions with classic-inspired dungeons, and the map changes as you push forward, with unique resources tucked into each area.
Playing it with friends
The Steam features list Remote Play Together, which lets people join your session over a connection rather than needing their own copy. The tags also include Local Co-Op and Co-op, so there is a cooperative way to run dungeons side by side. In practice that means one person hosts, friends drop in, and you clear rooms together while each of you picks up your own loot and crafts your own gear. Combat stays a bullet-hell either way, so coordinating who focuses which enemy and watching the screen for stray projectiles matters more than splitting up. Everyone benefits from the shared world progress, since dungeons and regions you clear are cleared for the group.
Before you start
Expect a steep difficulty curve. The tags list Difficult and Souls-like, and the combat is described as skill-based, requiring precision and speed, so early deaths are normal and part of learning enemy patterns. Plan to spend time gathering and crafting rather than pushing straight ahead with starting equipment; upgrades are what let you stand a chance against later enemies. Controller support is listed, so you can use a pad if you prefer twin-stick aiming with sticks over mouse and keyboard. The story is told through the world itself — you are hunting the Undying, beings cursed with immortality by a cruel king, and uncovering the truth behind the mythic arch to Archvale as you explore, so reading item descriptions and environment details fills in the lore.