Altered
- March 12, 2021
- Glitchheart
- 8h median play time
Get on Steam"Altered is an open-world, single-player puzzle game set in a beautiful, mysterious world. Featuring over 80 challenging puzzles, players must alter their characters' unique powers to solve them, promoting a meditative and intuitive gameplay experience. Altered was selected for the Copenhagen Game Collective Yonderplay Showcase at the 2019 Nordic Game Conference."
Mac OS
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Altered features a unique blend of mechanics with four different characters, each offering distinct abilities that enhance puzzle-solving creativity.
- The game is visually appealing with a calming atmosphere, complemented by a thoughtful sound design that adds to the overall experience.
- Puzzles are well-designed, providing a satisfying challenge that balances difficulty without becoming frustrating, making it accessible for both new and experienced players.
- Some players felt the game was too short and left them wanting more, as it could have explored its mechanics further.
- The introductory levels may feel unnecessary to some, and the lack of hints can lead to frustration for players who get stuck.
- There are minor technical issues, such as non-rebindable controls and occasional visual obstructions from the decor, which can detract from the gameplay experience.
- gameplay90 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Altered" is characterized by its polished and innovative puzzle mechanics, featuring a variety of unique character abilities that enhance problem-solving opportunities. Players appreciate the game's elegant design, which balances challenge and accessibility, allowing for satisfying exploration of its mechanics without becoming overly complex. While the game is praised for its depth and creativity, some users expressed a desire for more levels to fully utilize the engaging mechanics presented.
“Altered is a fantastic and extremely polished puzzle game with simple mechanics and elegantly designed puzzles.”
“Great puzzle design and progression of mechanics.”
“The mechanics are fun, well introduced and get elaborated in interesting ways.”
“Although the levels are not obvious and do require some thinking, I never spent a lot of time on a level trying to discover a new and interesting way to use the tools I have; instead, it's mostly finding the right moves using the clear mechanics.”
“The game has simple mechanics, but very difficult puzzles.”
“Please add more levels and mechanics!”
- graphics16 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are consistently praised for their polished and elegant design, contributing to a calming and zen-like aesthetic that enhances the overall experience without distracting from the gameplay. Users appreciate the pleasant visuals and sound, noting that they complement the game's solid mechanics and depth. The ability to customize settings, including shadow options, further enhances the visual experience, making it both engaging and visually appealing.
“Bonus points for how weird but calming the aesthetic is; norn in particular is just cool to manipulate and move around.”
“The graphics look just as polished and elegant as the tough but logical puzzles hidden underneath it.”
“The aesthetics are great; both the graphics and the sounds are nice and simple, but still have depth to them, and the setting gives off a zen vibe.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its calming and relaxing qualities, enhanced by ambient music that contributes to a zen-like experience. Players appreciate the well-crafted design that creates a pleasant and immersive environment, making it an enjoyable setting for the sokoban-style puzzles.
“The overall atmosphere felt very calm and relaxing.”
“The music in the majority of ambient tracks adds to the atmosphere.”
“Altered is a well-crafted sokoban-style puzzle game with a relaxing atmosphere.”
- music8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its chill and ambient quality, enhancing the overall atmosphere and providing a therapeutic experience. However, some users noted that on certain boards, the background music can become monotonous and irritating. Overall, the majority of tracks contribute positively to the gameplay experience, particularly the transitional music that accompanies level completions.
“All of the other sounds and music were chill and worked well together.”
“The music in the majority of ambient tracks adds to the atmosphere.”
“I especially appreciate the transitional music note and the dreamy flash of light when the level is finished; I can find nothing that is so therapeutic, rewarding, and zen.”
“- On certain boards (maybe just one?), the background music sounded almost as if it were stuck emitting a single monotonous note, which was irritating.”
“The music in the majority of ambient tracks does not add to the atmosphere.”
“The music lacks variety and can feel repetitive, making it less engaging.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with certain challenging levels that lead to feelings of self-doubt and a sense of helplessness, as if their actions are not being acknowledged by the game. This emotional response is heightened by the limited number of levels, amplifying the impact of these difficult moments.
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted for its unique and cohesive design, blending alien, philosophical, ancient, and dreamlike elements. This rich and imaginative environment enhances the overall experience, making it one of the most intriguing aspects of the puzzle game.
“The environment and character design is some of the most interesting I've ever seen in a puzzle game, a melting pot of alien, philosophical, ancient, and dreamlike vibes - all the while seeming very cohesive and deliberate.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game lacks a significant narrative, focusing primarily on a series of puzzles without any substantial story development.
“No story to speak of, just puzzle after puzzle.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the humor in the game, noting that each character has unique and amusing mechanics that enhance the gameplay experience. The variety of challenges, from simple to difficult, adds to the overall comedic appeal.
“Each of the characters’ mechanics are funny and unique in their own way, and the levels present you with challenges ranging from simple to hard.”
