Balancing Arcade Mode is both easier and harder than balancing Story Mode. Arcade is designed to be a faster, simplified version of Story mode — with no credit drops, no ship or weapon upgrades, and instead a preset ship and weapon loadout for each Act.
Because of this, I need to predict how difficult it will be to complete the final level of each Act using only that preset loadout. In a way, I balance it backwards — first I try to beat the 10th level, and then I replay the entire Act to check whether it becomes too easy overall.
Arcade Mode works in reverse compared to Story Mode. In Story, you gradually collect credits, upgrade your equipment, and feel strongest just before the final level. In Arcade Mode, you start at your strongest, and the final level becomes the hardest because you are using the same ship and weapons throughout.
In any case, Arcade Mode testing is progressing steadily. I’m quite happy with the balance of Acts 1 and 2 so far, and I’m currently finalizing the loadout for Act 3.