Ark Noir

Ark Noir is a resource-management RPG set aboard the Noir, a huge emigrant ship slowly sinking into the ocean. You guide a survivor up through the ship, managing scarce resources and using Perks, weapons and items to endure its dangers. You can improve your Fortune and help the other survivors you meet, or follow clues about the terrible accident that is sinking the ship.

Survivors aboard the Noir

You can play as three main characters. Albert, a government reporter investigating the Noir’s lowest level, has balanced skills for both investigation and combat. Bruno, the ship’s acting Chief of Security, wears custom-made powered armor and fights with a chain hook attached to his right arm, gaining an advantage in battle at the cost of Fortune. Caroline, daughter of politician Patrick Dunant, has limited strength and energy but high Fortune, which helps in a range of situations.

Search the ship

You must head toward the stairs to higher levels, encountering beasts from the continent, other survivors, containers of useful items and other events along the way. Each floor has three containers. A boss appears every 100 steps on each floor.

Fight and survive

Weapons and items help you face the beasts, but they have limited durability and eventually break. If you run out of weapons, you must fight bare-handed or evade your enemies. Safe rooms let you rest, and you can use medicine to recover HP in Search Mode. Managing Fortune matters throughout the journey, while boss fights depend on your combat ability, making it important to preserve HP and save strong weapons where possible.

Help other survivors

Events and conversations with survivors occur throughout the game. Some characters may be too panicked or in immediate danger to talk, so you need to address their problems to save them. Helping survivors costs resources, but you can also leave them to their fate; those you help may provide crucial information and award EXP.

Develop your character

The main character gains a level for every four EXP. Each level lets you choose to recover HP or Fortune, or receive a status buff, and also provides a new Perk. You can unlock additional Initial Perk choices and slots by meeting conditions during the game. On subsequent playthroughs, the variety and number of Initial Perks available at the start increase.

Replay and uncover more

Further goals include saving every survivor, solving the mystery of the Noir’s sinking, seeing each main character’s special ending and fighting the beasts with your bare hands. The game also has original systems and custom-made elements, presented with the familiar flow of a traditional RPG.