ARMS Early Impressions
If you picked up a Nintendo Switch (or if you’ve been able to find one, that is) then the upcoming release, ARMS is likely on your radar. The ARMS Global test-punch is this weekend! Have you checked it out yet? Well, we have, and our early impressions suggest that it’s super fun! Mostly…
ARMS is Nintendo’s newest IP, a bizarre world wherein you can be gifted with springy, stretchy limbs. The possible applications are practically endless, but never mind those! We’re in this for the punches. Depending on your preferences, you can either duke it out using the motion controls or with traditional ones. Either way, the inputs are pretty responsive and tight. The graphics have that Nintendo polish that makes everything look so good. The matchmaking system was quick and painless. There was even a big yellow counter by my icon to showcase how poorly I was doing. For a better look at how ARMS plays, we’ve got footage embedded below. Not footage of me playing, mind you. No, this is another, much more talented member of the COG team at work.
Confession time; I am not good at this game. More or less the entire hour was dedicated to me getting spring-loaded shots to the face until I was mashed into the arena floor. Why all the troubles? Well, you can change the angle and direction of your punches. One input blocks, plus you’ve got directional dashes and jumps. Different ARMS will have different effects when employed. If you hit both punches at once, you can execute a grab. If your special meter fills and you activate it before you take any heavy damage, you can unleash a super-powered assault. For me, tracking all of this while using motion controls was a total failure. I panicked, punching at my TVÂ screen as fast as I could ultimately getting nowhere. My opponents effortlessly blocked my direct hits or gently stepped out of the way. In no time at all, I was laid flat. Every time.
Now, part of this was surely just me being terrible at fast-paced fighting games. However, is it just me or is aiming a little harder than it needs to be? So many of my shots would curve wide, or just miss, that it was giving me the palpitations. Also, there’s a thing with the core mechanics of the game. A small thing, but hear me out. The problem with your fists being attached to springs is that there are dire consequences when you miss your mark. If your punch isn’t positioned right, you get this agonizing few seconds where you can’t use your ARMS until they come back to you. Meanwhile, your opponent is crushing your facial bones into a slurry. When I say a few seconds, I mean exactly that. Two, maybe three at the most. But that is an awfully long time to be paralyzed by the central premise of your fighting style biting you in the ass.
But, oooh! The hits all feel so good when they connect. Successful punches, grabs, and combos have some serious heft to them. Another problem I had while playing is I was constantly switching characters. Each of them plays in a wholly distinct fashion, which meant I was starting from scratch each time. While it’s awesome that there’s so much variety among the fighters, this did nothing for my already abysmal win record. If you do fire up the test-punch, don’t make my mistake: try and stick with a single fighter if you can. It’s worth the time to learn their rhythms and get properly skilled.
Don’t take my grievances to heart, though. In spite of my embarrassing failures, ARMS is a ton of fun to play. The controls are tight, the characters all feel distinct and the whole fighting system has a surprising amount of depth. There’s still a few days left to participate in the test-punch, so be sure to check it out. I’ll be going back a few more times to try and come back from my hilarious string of losses.
