Algotica Iterations
- March 23, 2017
- Alexander Goodwin
Algotica Iterations is a puzzle game set in a digital world where players guide the "Code Diver" to solve logic-based challenges. The game features a distinct aesthetic, with a colorful, low-poly art style, and aims to teach players about programming concepts in a fun and accessible way. Players will need to master algorithms, conditionals, and loops to progress through the various levels and uncover the secrets of Algotica.
Reviews
- The art design is cute and visually appealing, with nice low-poly graphics.
- The game offers interesting puzzles that can provide a fun challenge, especially for those interested in programming concepts.
- The developer has shown commitment to improving the game, addressing many bugs and issues in the remastered version.
- The user interface is clunky and unintuitive, making it difficult to navigate and interact with the game effectively.
- The game is riddled with bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustration.
- Many players find the game too easy and short, lacking depth and complexity in its puzzles.
- graphics13 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their beauty and artistic style, particularly the low-poly design, which many players find appealing. However, some users express frustration as the visuals can obstruct gameplay, making it difficult to navigate and interact with the environment. Overall, while the graphics contribute positively to the game's atmosphere, they are marred by interface issues and visibility problems.
“The riddles are nice, the music and sound effects are beautiful, I absolutely love the graphics.”
“It's a shame because the visuals and the atmosphere are simply beautiful.”
“Visuals are just great, low-poly graphics made with perfect taste.”
“Graphics settings absolutely do not affect anything.”
“I hated 3D graphics before I saw this game - now I know that low-poly is my style lol.”
- stability10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, such as unresponsive mechanics and a poorly designed user interface. However, some players noted improvements in the reworked version, indicating that while the initial release was a "buggy mess," the updated iteration has resolved many of these issues. Overall, the game's stability remains a concern for a portion of the player base.
“Sadly due to the poor UI and the game being kind of buggy, the puzzles were not really that fun.”
“The mechanics felt buggy - sometimes it wouldn't register my selection or I'd get an empty space in my list of commands.”
“The art is beautiful, but otherwise this game is very obviously unfinished: the plot is just a few very poorly proofread blurbs, with no conclusion, extremely buggy and fussy UI (literally MS Paint rectangles, often unresponsive, unintuitive, elements stretch off-screen, etc.), and it's trivial to trigger buggy behavior randomly (e.g. restarting when a snail is mid-move can make it continue the move after the reset when the game is supposed to be paused).”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Algotica features a charming environment and innovative mechanics, such as portals and cubes, but suffers from bugs that hinder command registration and overall fluidity. While the game offers depth and increasing challenges, players express a desire for more intuitive controls and faster pacing, suggesting improvements like icon-based commands and a fast-forward option. Overall, the gameplay is seen as having potential but requires significant refinement to enhance the user experience.
“Algotica provides a cute environment with some clever variations on its construct mechanics (e.g. portals, cubes, valves, and snails).”
“Very interesting gameplay using basic coding logic.”
“Where this game stands out is that it actually has depth: it keeps going and becoming more challenging, while constantly adding more mechanics.”
“The mechanics felt buggy - sometimes it wouldn't register my selection or I'd get an empty space in my list of commands.”
“Broken gameplay.”
“Have the commands as icons to click (maybe have the gameplay settings option to write the whole thing as code, but in a proper sort of editor instead of having to switch between keyboard and mouse constantly), and add a fast forward button so we're not forced to wait for the bot to slowly turn around, and slowly take each individual step.”
- story9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's story is widely criticized for being incomplete and poorly executed, with many reviewers noting that it feels more like an afterthought than a cohesive narrative. Issues with translation and clarity further detract from the experience, leaving players confused and reliant on external guides. While the remastered version attempts to introduce a new story, it lacks the charm of the original and raises questions about its overall improvement.
“The new story isn't as cutesy and charming as the old one, but it packs a bit more punch.”
“The art is beautiful and it feels like the most work was put into that, but the rest of the game is... functional, mostly.”
“[*] - needless to say that the story is unfinished and calls for being continued.”
“There is even some story that you can, theoretically, save your princess at the end of the journey, but... there is no journey, actually.”
“Needless to say, the story is unfinished and calls for being continued.”
“The story isn't even in a pre-born state; it just isn't there at all, and the game is still full of bugs and execution mistakes.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as beautiful and mellow, complementing the high-quality graphics and pleasant ambient atmosphere. Users appreciate the sound effects and overall audio experience, enhancing the enjoyment of the gameplay.
“The riddles are nice, the music and sound effects are beautiful, I absolutely love the graphics.”
“The music is mellow, the art (as shown in the trailer) is high quality, low polygon, and pleasing to the eye.”
“In this game, I like pleasant ambient music, colorful graphics, and healthy humor.”
“The music is mellow, but it lacks variety and becomes repetitive quickly.”
“The options for adjusting the music settings are confusing and not user-friendly.”
“The soundtrack feels out of place and doesn't match the game's overall tone.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with unresponsive controls that hinder the experience. The requirement to retype commands adds to the frustration, making the overall grinding process feel less enjoyable.
“It doesn't feel that much fun; the feedback isn't great, and the levels can get a bit tedious and repetitive.”
“The controls are way too tedious and weirdly unresponsive for this type of game.”
“Note: Entering commands is kind of clunky; you have to retype the full command each time you use it (or copy and paste the text), and that gets kind of tedious.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning visuals, creating a captivating and beautiful environment that enhances the overall experience.
“The visuals and the atmosphere are simply beautiful.”
“The game's atmosphere immerses you completely, making every moment feel alive.”
“The haunting soundtrack combined with the stunning visuals creates an unforgettable atmosphere.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its lightheartedness and clever use of fourth-wall breaks, adding a playful touch to the simple platforming experience. The developer's engaging personality enhances the comedic elements, making the game enjoyable and entertaining.
“A pretty simple platformer made with taste and humor by the developer, who acts as an assistant and sometimes breaks the fourth wall. :D”
“The humor in this game is spot on, with clever jokes and witty dialogue that keep you entertained throughout.”
“I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously, with hilarious character interactions and funny scenarios that make every level enjoyable.”