Anachronism\>

$Anachronism\> Game Cover$

About

Anachronism\> is a single player action game. It was developed by EloThere and was released on May 4, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

It's 1999 and your friend sends you a floppy disk, titled "RemBo". It turns out to be the installer for an old BBS service, filled with both strangers and a familiar face. How are you going to use it?

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

$Anachronism\> screenshot$

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63%

Audience ScoreBased on 35 reviews

story7 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

Anachronism> features an engaging story about time travel and moral dilemmas, with player choices significantly impacting the outcome, enhancing replayability.
The nostalgic atmosphere, complemented by authentic sounds and visuals reminiscent of 90s computing, immerses players in the experience.
The writing is well-crafted, with distinct character voices and a compelling narrative that keeps players invested throughout the game.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with dialogue options that can derail the story and hinder immersion.
Gameplay can feel slow and tedious, particularly due to the typing mechanics that require excessive key presses for responses.
Some players found the story to be shallow and lacking in meaningful character development, with abrupt plot twists that feel unearned.

story
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
70%
9%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its immersive atmosphere and engaging character interactions, while others criticize it for lacking depth and coherence, often feeling like a series of disjointed conversations. Many reviewers noted the need for more branching paths and significant character development to enhance player investment, while others enjoyed the nostalgic elements and humor. Overall, the story is seen as a key component of the game, but its execution leaves much to be desired, with several players expressing frustration over bugs and pacing issues.
- “Ngl this is an underrated game, the atmosphere makes you feel like you are becoming a part of that story, of that friend group.”
- “The story holds your attention and you want to know all the endings.”
- “It's well made and has a great story which ending is determined by you!”
- “I do like the love story in theory, but too much of it took place in some offline world that I'm not invited to, so why should I be invested in it?”
- “There needs to be more branching paths for the story, and there needs to be an actual story, not just a flat conversation about random nonsense that anyone could make up.”
- “The story took some jarring turns, with one of the characters suddenly going off on how we've been a bad friend, yet there's no indication that we have been at all.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with players appreciating the nostalgic text-based interaction and smooth mechanics, but criticizing the slow pace and lack of depth. While the game is well-built and features humorous elements, many feel it suffers from a shallow story and tedious typing mechanics that detract from the overall experience. Suggestions for improvement include enhancing the typing system and providing better access to past conversations.
- “It is a well-built game with great potential, squandered by teenage melodrama.”
- “Objectively speaking, the graphics are good, as well as the basic mechanics of the game; it runs fluidly for the most part, and the dad jokes were hilarious.”
- “I know that it is immersive gameplay to make it feel like you are typing the message yourself, but after tapping a key 30 to 40 times just to move the story along gets kind of tiring.”
- “I wanted to love this and recognize it's a free game currently, so I tried to be generous here, but I found the experience shallow and the actual gameplay agonizingly slow.”
- “3.5/10, well-built and nostalgic gameplay with a unique concept, but poorly executed with an underwhelming story and plot, no developing interest or action from a bunch of characters who lacked any kind of significant development that wouldn't have anybody interested, save for maybe a handful of stupid teenagers who find this 'relatable.' However, the jokes in the command prompt menu were hilarious.”
- “I know that it is immersive gameplay to make it feel like you are typing the message yourself, but after tapping a key 30 to 40 times just to move the story along, it gets kind of tiring.”
graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some users criticizing the pixel art as "godawful" and lazy, suggesting a lack of skill or resources from the developer. Conversely, others appreciate the nostalgic 90's inspired visuals, indicating that while the graphics may not be universally praised, they can still resonate with certain players. Overall, the graphics are seen as a divisive aspect, with some arguing they detract from the experience while others find charm in their simplicity.
- “Objectively speaking, the graphics are good, as well as the basic mechanics of the game. It runs fluidly for the most part, and the dad jokes were hilarious.”
- “The 90's inspired graphics really did it for me.”
- “Graphics and art”
- “This feature is really godawful, lazy pixel crap 'art' instead of real graphics.”
- “It's hard to say if this was because the developer didn't have the skill to create 3D visuals, or couldn't afford to hire someone who does, but it also doesn't matter.”
- “Games like Terraria and Stardew Valley succeeded despite the bad graphics, not because of them.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is generally mixed, with some players experiencing light glitches that do not significantly impact gameplay, while others report more severe bugs that hinder progress. Despite these issues, many appreciate the game's potential and charm, suggesting that the stability problems may vary among users. Overall, it appears that while the game has a solid foundation, it is marred by notable bugs that can detract from the experience.
- “Cannot reset and still stuck; good premises but still extremely buggy for me.”
- “The typing can be so buggy at times, with choices sometimes leading somewhere and other times just doing nothing.”
- “Enjoy the idea of this a lot, but unfortunately, it's pretty buggy.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive quality, making players feel like they are genuinely part of the story and the friend group within it. This aspect is often considered underrated, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
- “This is an underrated game; the atmosphere makes you feel like you are becoming a part of the story and the friend group.”
- “The immersive atmosphere draws you in, making every moment feel real and engaging.”
- “The game's atmosphere is captivating, creating a sense of belonging and connection with the characters.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted as a standout feature, particularly the dad jokes and quirky humor that some players found hilarious, even amidst criticisms of the story and character development. However, the overall comedic value may not be enough to compensate for the game's shortcomings in gameplay and narrative engagement.
- “The dad jokes were hilarious, adding a fun layer to the gameplay.”
- “The quirky humor and love triangle made the game at least engaging.”
- “The jokes in the command prompt menu were hilarious.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The absence of music in the game enhances immersion, with players appreciating the nostalgic sounds of computer components. Additionally, the developer's musical taste is noted positively, adding a personal touch to the experience.
- “The sounds of the computer, keyboard, and floppy disk are sensational, and the fact that the game doesn't have music enhances the immersion.”
- “"I see a red door, I must have it painted black" - for me, it's nice to know the developer has a good taste in music.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect tedious, particularly due to repetitive interactions among adolescent-like characters that feel more like small talk on a Discord server, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “I'd play for the other endings, as I'm sure there are more, but listening to a bunch of characters written to be like adolescents just gathering on some Discord server and engaging in small talk gets tedious very quickly.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its heartfelt narrative and charming pacing, despite some minor bugs. Its humor adds to the emotional experience, making it a memorable title.
- “While this game may be buggy in a few places, Anachronism is a very heartfelt little game with a lovely pace and humor.”