Achromatic
- October 17, 2018
- Studio Goya
Get on Steam
Get on Apple Store"Achromatic" is a minimalist puzzle game where you connect dots of the same color to transform them, with unique dots possessing special properties. The goal is to change all dots to one cohesive color while progressing through 60 handcrafted levels, with 10 bonus levels for added challenge. Featuring a calming soundtrack and polished aesthetic, players must plan their moves carefully to solve each puzzle.
iPad
iPhone
Phone
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- Achromatic features a lovely art style and calming music, creating a pleasant atmosphere for puzzle-solving.
- The game offers a unique and challenging experience with well-designed puzzles that gradually introduce new mechanics.
- Players appreciate the satisfying feeling of solving puzzles, especially when the solution finally clicks after some thought.
- Many players find the game relies too heavily on trial and error, leading to frustration when trying to solve more complex puzzles.
- Some mechanics can feel overly complicated and confusing, making it difficult to visualize future moves and leading to repeated resets.
- The game may feel too short for some, with a limited number of levels that could leave players wanting more content.
- gameplay21 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay is centered around drawing lines to connect colored dots, which can lead to complex puzzles that require precise execution of moves. While the introduction of new mechanics adds variety, it often results in a frustrating trial-and-error experience, as players may find themselves resetting puzzles multiple times due to unsolvable configurations. Overall, the game offers interesting challenges but could benefit from more levels and refined mechanics to enhance enjoyment.
“The bonus puzzles feel like a fitting denouement, combining all the mechanics.”
“I enjoyed the various levels and the mechanics in place provided an interesting set of challenges as you progress.”
“Fun mechanics to discover as you go along, nice calm music, very much worth the $5!”
“For each new mechanic introduced, the levels become increasingly trial and error reliant. Unlike a lot of minimalist puzzle games I have played, learning the mechanics does not mean you can solve the puzzles, as certain mechanics can alter the puzzle in ways that are unsolvable. This leads to resetting the puzzle over and over, trying to find the correct starting spot, then trying all different options multiple times to find the solution. It just wasn't fun for me.”
“The one thing about this game for me is that it feels like a concept release and could have benefited from more levels, larger boards, and additional mechanics to add challenge.”
“It gives the player a deceptively simple mechanic to play with, in this case, connecting colored dots in order to change their color, and overcomplicates matters for no reason.”
- music14 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as relaxing and comforting, featuring a minimalistic soundtrack that, while repetitive, effectively complements the game's theme and atmosphere. Players appreciate the soothing sound effects and the ability to adjust volume levels independently, although some find the single track can become monotonous over time. Overall, the music enhances the puzzle-solving experience, keeping players engaged despite occasional frustrations with gameplay.
“The music fits the theme of the game perfectly.”
“The sound effects and music are perfectly crafted and fit the overall feel incredibly well.”
“The music is one song put on repeat (I think it's something like 5 minutes long, maybe a bit longer) but it's a very comforting song and didn't really bore me.”
“The soundtrack is also minimalistic, but gets repetitive fast.”
“There's only one track, but it's pleasant ambient stuff.”
“The music is one song put on a repeat (I think it's something like 5 minutes long, maybe a bit longer) but it's a very comforting song and didn't really bore me.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a minimalistic and elegant art style that enhances the overall aesthetic experience. While the visuals are pleasing and crisp, they lack depth, focusing instead on a calming atmosphere complemented by well-crafted sound effects and music. This design choice effectively directs players' attention to key gameplay elements, making it suitable for a relaxing yet engaging puzzle experience.
“The art style is lovely too.”
“The visuals are pleasing, but there's very little depth to the game.”
“Achromatic uses a minimalist and chilled-out aesthetic, but the actual play experience is anything but.”
“The visuals are minimalistic but crisp.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users praise the stability of Studio Goya's game, noting its high quality and lack of bugs or glitches, which is a refreshing contrast to many other titles in the same price range that often suffer from stability issues. The game mechanics are reported to function smoothly, indicating thorough play-testing and refinement.
“Many games in this price bracket are rushed or aren't play-tested at all, leading to rampant bugs and glitches. Seeing this well-polished puzzle game at this price is rather refreshing.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Many users feel that the game lacks sufficient elements to enhance its replayability, suggesting that additional features or content are necessary to encourage players to return.
“Something is needed to add replay value as well.”
“The game lacks incentives to play through again after completing it.”
“Once you've finished the main story, there's little reason to return.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find that while the gradual introduction of new puzzle conditions can enhance gameplay, it often leads to frustration when too many requirements are piled on at once, turning engaging challenges into tedious grinding.
“But as with many puzzle games that gradually expand the conditions of their puzzles through additional requirements, the point where interesting brain-teasing switches to teeth-grinding frustration is when too many conditions are used simultaneously in any given level.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The optimization aspect of the game is criticized for lacking feedback on player performance, leaving users without guidance on their progress and forcing them to restart when they reach a dead end.
“It doesn’t grade your performance; it gives no indication that you’re on the right track with your solution. If you invariably maneuver yourself into a point where you can’t continue, you just have to start another blind attempt.”
“The optimization mechanics are frustratingly vague, leaving players to guess what the game actually wants from them.”
“There’s a lack of clear feedback on your progress, making it difficult to know if you’re improving or just wasting time.”
