10mg: Always Down

About

"10mg: Always Down" is a short, 10-minute game that takes you on a journey through a cave as you solve easy puzzles and overcome light platforming challenges. As you progress deeper into the cave, you'll experience changes within yourself, unlocking new abilities and questioning their worth. This introspective game serves as a meditation on change and its impact on us, leaving a lasting impression. The game's captivating artwork is by the talented @_cobywin.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 28 reviews

gameplay3 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game offers a charming and enjoyable experience, with simple yet effective platforming mechanics that evolve as you progress.
The orchestral music complements the gameplay beautifully, enhancing the overall atmosphere and making the journey feel epic.
It's a well-crafted minimalist game that delivers a thought-provoking narrative within a concise ten-minute playtime.

The controls are limited to arrow keys only, which can feel clunky for players accustomed to more flexible control schemes.
The visual effects, such as the tilt/warp shader, may cause discomfort for players prone to motion sickness.
Some players found the ending confusing and felt that the payoff for reaching the bottom could have been more rewarding.

gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The gameplay is characterized by polished platforming mechanics and subtle details that enhance the experience, such as gradually increasing ground movement friction. Players appreciate the clear challenges and forgiving respawn mechanics, although some found the ending a bit confusing. Overall, the game offers an engaging and well-crafted experience with interesting mechanical experimentation.
- “I made it to the end in seven minutes, and it was a great experience with subtle game mechanics.”
- “There's clear attention to detail here, a nice little story, good polish, and some interesting experimentation with mechanics you'll notice towards the end. Ground movement friction slowly builds as you go lower, and I found myself subconsciously jumping more as a result.”
- “The challenges are easy to spot after the first one, and the respawn mechanics are relatively forgiving.”
- “The challenges become predictable after the first one, making the gameplay feel repetitive.”
- “The respawn mechanics are too forgiving, which diminishes the sense of challenge and accomplishment.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The music in the game is highly praised for its orchestral quality, effectively complementing the gameplay and enhancing the overall atmosphere. The inclusion of classical pieces, particularly Beethoven, adds personality and depth, while the relaxing soundtrack aligns seamlessly with the pixel art aesthetic. Overall, the music is considered a perfect fit for the game's theme.
- “The orchestral music fits the game perfectly.”
- “The inclusion of Beethoven as the background music really injects personality into the game.”
- “The music for this game is perfect and fits brilliantly with the theme.”
- “The orchestral music fits the game way too well.”
- “There are some fun sound effects and some dialogue, but it is the inclusion of some Beethoven as the background music that really injects personality into the game.”
- “The game uses a simple pixel art aesthetic to portray the varying environment and matches this well with relaxing classical music.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics feature a simple pixel art aesthetic that effectively captures a large cavernous play area, enhanced by 2D light and shadow effects. This visual style complements the game's relaxing classical music, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
- “Graphics are as simple as can be.”
- “The game uses a simple pixel art aesthetic to portray the varying environment and matches this well with relaxing classical music.”
- “In fact, the visuals are quite similar to that title, with a large cavernous play area and nice use of 2D light and shadow effects.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story is praised for its attention to detail and polish, offering a compelling narrative experience without dialogue. Players appreciate the interesting mechanical experimentation that enhances the storytelling, particularly through environmental interactions that subtly influence gameplay.
- “There's clear attention to detail here, a nice little story, good polish, and some interesting experimentation with mechanics you'll notice towards the end. Ground movement friction slowly builds as you go lower; I found myself subconsciously jumping more as a result.”
- “This is a perfect little story without words.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as intriguing and oddly amusing, though some players feel it could benefit from being more concise.
- “Very interesting and strangely funny, but ideally it would have been a bit shorter.”