Above Snakes: Prologue
- March 24, 2023
- Square Glade Games
- 3h median play time
Get on SteamAbout the Prologue In Above Snakes: Prologue you play the beginning of Above Snakes and get a feel for what the game plays like.Survival with a Twist In contrast to other survival games, the world is not generated procedurally. Instead, generate it yourself by placing isometric tile world pieces! Start your journey in the small lumberjack settlement of Hunter's Rest and begin crafting the world ar…
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique world-building mechanic where players can create their own map using tiles, adding a strategic element to gameplay.
- The art style is charming and visually appealing, contributing to a relaxing gaming experience.
- The gameplay is engaging and offers a mix of crafting, resource gathering, and light combat, making it enjoyable for players who appreciate sandbox survival games.
- The controls can feel clunky and unintuitive, particularly with the need to hold buttons for interactions, which can disrupt the flow of gameplay.
- Some players have reported bugs and crashes during the prologue, which can hinder the overall experience.
- The prologue is relatively short, leaving players wanting more content and depth before the full game release.
- gameplay80 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is generally well-received, featuring a unique tile-based world-building mechanic that adds a refreshing twist to the crafting and survival genre. While the core gameplay loop is enjoyable and relaxing, some players find it lacks originality compared to other titles in the genre, and there are areas for improvement, particularly in mechanics clarity and combat complexity. Overall, the combination of cozy aesthetics, straightforward mechanics, and engaging exploration makes for a satisfying experience, though some players feel it may not offer enough to stand out in a crowded market.
“The base gameplay loop feels nice, and it seems like there will be various quests/points of interest on the map to interact with to enhance that loop.”
“The mechanics about world creation feel fresh and new.”
“Beautiful art style, really fun survival mechanics, including one of the best exploration systems I've played in a survival game, and some pretty good writing so far.”
“The gameplay loop is fundamentally boring for me.”
“If you take away the unusual map generation mechanic, this game has nothing going for it; just a crafting survival game that feels unsatisfying.”
“Otherwise, it's a generic crafting survival sandbox with building mechanics reminiscent of Rust, etc., of which I have quite a few issues with.”
- story63 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as intriguing and unique, offering a blend of survival mechanics with a light narrative that encourages exploration and player-driven world-building. While some players appreciate the quirky character interactions and the promise of a deeper storyline, others find the pacing slow and the quests occasionally frustrating. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay, providing enough motivation for players to engage with the world while allowing for a relaxed, open-ended experience.
“It's fun from what we're able to play and has a good story.”
“I adored so many elements to this game, the overarching storyline is what drew me in and I was greeted with a unique and wonderful approach to survival.”
“The story and characters we ran into made me want to know more!”
“The story isn't exactly new.”
“The start was a little janky as the starting quests are informative, but the 'oh while you were out of town a caravan of survivors picked us up' felt a bit jarring as an excuse for them being removed.”
“The game doesn't have much challenge; it's a simple and casual game with a little story to keep you entertained and in a direction towards some sort of ending which will be available in the full game.”
- graphics48 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising its unique and colorful art style, while others find the visuals to be simple or low-poly. Some players appreciate the pleasant aesthetics and smooth gameplay, but note that character models can appear less appealing up close. Overall, the graphics are described as charming and fitting for the game's cozy crafting and exploration theme, though some players feel they could benefit from further refinement.
“The game has beautiful graphics and the gameplay is fun and smooth.”
“The graphics are very nice and unique, as well as the entire survival game concept!”
“Beautiful art style, really fun survival mechanics, including one of the best exploration systems I've played in a survival game, and some pretty good writing so far.”
“Graphics are nothing to write home about, character looks barely human, camera controls not great, and no automated camera direction.”
“Visuals are unappealing and the sound design is really bad too.”
“The graphics could use a little polishing, but overall I really like the vibe of the game and the mechanics so far.”
- grinding12 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overly repetitive and tedious, with excessive focus on resource gathering and crafting that detracts from the overall experience. Many reviewers noted that the slow character movement and lengthy animations contribute to the feeling of monotony, making the gameplay feel like a chore rather than an engaging adventure. While the game has potential for casual play, the grind-heavy mechanics may deter some players from fully enjoying it.
“The character's walk speed is too slow even after the update, and holding down 'F' to craft can get tedious. It would be nicer to click to queue a craft.”
“There's a lot of focus (too much, in my opinion) on gathering resources, and it just gets super repetitive and grindy.”
“Because while the prologue is okay, it's already showing the outline of an extremely grindy game where you have to do a bunch of boring resource collecting and walking around doing unnecessary filler until you can get to the actual story, which isn't particularly good either.”
“The only niggle I found was I had to keep hacking away at trees to get stick bundles to build the log cabin. Maybe offer the chance to combine, say, 12 twigs into a bundle in the inventory, as randomly waiting for stick bundles to fall out of trees I'd cut down was very tedious and boring, and I stopped playing after 25 minutes because I got bored trying to get enough bundles to get going.”
- music11 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as soothing, beautiful, and a perfect backdrop that enhances the cozy atmosphere. While some players find it relaxing and enjoyable, others feel it can be monotonous and even sleep-inducing. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the game's aesthetic, complementing its art style and gameplay mechanics.
“The music is beautiful, and even if fighting is a game mechanic, the game feels very peaceful to me.”
“I really enjoyed the music; it's soothing.”
“The artwork is gorgeous, and the music is calm and very pretty.”
“The biggest problem I have, though, is the boring, in a bad way, mesmerizing soundtrack which makes you fall asleep.”
“The pace is quite slow and the music is soothing.”
“The music is very relaxing.”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marked by several bugs and glitches, particularly with controls and UI interactions, such as issues with construction, crouching, and crafting. While players find the game enjoyable overall, they report that these stability issues can detract from the experience, indicating a need for improvements in control responsiveness and UI functionality.
“Controls are a little buggy regarding construction.”
“Crouching while holding tools or weapons is buggy and weird.”
“I've also had some bugginess, like the game thinking I'm holding a UI button when I'm not (e.g. in crafting tables, stuff starts crafting itself) and the game has thought my hands were empty when I was holding a tool.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players noting that it runs smoothly, while others criticize significant performance issues, particularly at higher settings. Many users suggest that further optimization is needed to improve frame rates and overall performance, indicating that the game could achieve a better rating if these issues are addressed.
“Runs smoothly.”
“When released and supposed performance issues are corrected, it can easily be a 7/10 or 8/10.”
“Could use a bit more optimization.”
“The game is poorly optimized.”
“Performance is a joke - 4K with 4x AA and moderate details runs at 10 FPS on a 5700 XT.”
“There is probably some performance polishing to be done.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is consistently praised for its immersive and relaxed atmosphere, creating a captivating environment that enhances the overall experience.
“Very atmospheric and easy-going game.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 200 % positive mentions
- -400 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users express optimism about the game's potential for high replayability, indicating a desire for varied experiences upon multiple playthroughs.
“The game offers so many different paths and choices that I can't wait to play it again.”
“Each playthrough feels unique, making me eager to dive back in for another round.”
“I hope to be able to get a lot of replayability out of this.”
“The game lacks the depth needed for meaningful replayability.”
“Once you finish the main story, there's little incentive to play again.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players note that the game has a unique ability to help heal emotional wounds caused by previous experiences in League of Legends, suggesting it can serve as a therapeutic outlet and potentially reduce the need for professional therapy.
“This game truly resonates on an emotional level, making you feel deeply connected to the characters and their journeys.”
“The emotional depth of the story left me in tears; it’s a beautiful experience that stays with you long after you finish playing.”
“Playing this game was an emotional rollercoaster, with moments of joy and heartbreak that felt incredibly real.”
