Anodyne

It stays close to its inspirations and risks growing repetitive, but Anodynes darkly surreal atmosphere is gripping.

77%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, stability

87% User Score Based on 1,458 reviews

Critic Score 62%Based on 6 reviews

Platforms

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About

Anodyne is a single player role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Marina Kittaka and was released on March 22, 2013. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Anodyne is a single-player Role Playing game with a good plot, stunning gameplay, and fabulous graphics. Explore the dream world of Young's subconscious, battling through surreal dungeons in a Zelda-like adventure, accompanied by compelling music and plenty of humor. However, expect some grinding and bugs in this emotional and atmospheric journey."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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87%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,458 reviews

story98 positive mentions

grinding36 negative mentions

Gorgeous art direction and atmospheric soundtrack that enhance the surreal experience.
Engaging exploration with clever puzzles and a unique mechanic of using a broom as a weapon.
Interesting and quirky characters that add depth to the game, creating a memorable experience.

The story is vague and often confusing, leaving players with more questions than answers.
Combat can feel simplistic and repetitive, lacking the variety found in traditional Zelda games.
Some platforming mechanics are frustrating and imprecise, leading to unnecessary deaths and frustration.

story
532 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
75%
7%
The story of Anodyne is characterized as abstract, surreal, and often disjointed, leaving players to piece together its meaning through exploration and environmental storytelling. While some appreciate its metaphorical depth and emotional resonance, many find it vague and lacking a cohesive narrative, leading to mixed feelings about its overall impact. The game invites interpretation, but those seeking a straightforward plot may be left unsatisfied.
- “The game's humor, ambiance, and self-awareness remind me a lot of Earthbound, and the story, although rather oblique and metaphorical at times, has the potential to resonate deeply with thoughtful gamers, especially those who remember their teenage years.”
- “Its world is like a dream of the main character's, and its characters and environments all tell the story through pure emotion and symbolism.”
- “The story is mysterious and entertaining with varied characters who each bring a different brand of humor and helpfulness while providing the player enough (not too much) information to help them get acquainted with the land.”
- “While I enjoyed the humor and gameplay, and generally appreciate unexplained mysteries, the plot itself could have used a little more fleshing out, as it felt very disjointed.”
- “The plot is hard to follow, and if it's a parody or send-up of something, I'm not sure what.”
- “The story is a little too vague and relies too much on the player's inferences to be called good or even really coherent.”
gameplay
492 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
71%
4%
The gameplay of Anodyne is heavily inspired by classic Zelda titles, featuring simple mechanics, exploration, and puzzle-solving elements that evoke nostalgia. While many players appreciate its charming atmosphere and clever level design, criticisms arise regarding repetitive gameplay, awkward controls, and a lack of depth in mechanics, particularly with the jump feature. Overall, it offers a mix of enjoyable moments and frustrating experiences, making it a decent choice for fans of retro-style adventure games, albeit with some caveats.
- “On the one hand - it's very well designed mechanically and full of clever puzzles and challenges that are very reminiscent of old Zelda dungeons (particularly the Game Boy Color era).”
- “The mechanics were tight enough and the puzzles intuitive enough to not be frustrating.”
- “The gameplay is solid but simple, Zelda-like, but the art and atmosphere are exceptional, especially considering that it was made by a handful of people!”
- “The gameplay here is probably the biggest weak point, and ranges from mindless fun to genuine tedium.”
- “There aren't many fun and unique items, so the gameplay gets repetitive pretty quickly, even for a six-hour game.”
- “The mechanics are fun in concept but terrible in practice; it's hard to move around, still extremely buggy, and post-game content is misleading and will constantly bug out, forcing you to restart.”
music
444 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
42%
3%
The music in Anodyne has received mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric and evocative qualities that enhance the game's surreal and eerie environments. While some players find the soundtrack to be hauntingly beautiful and a key element of the game's charm, others criticize it for being repetitive or lacking memorability. Overall, the soundtrack is often highlighted as one of the standout features, contributing significantly to the game's unique mood and experience.
- “The atmosphere, music, and solid dungeon design make for a very satisfying experience.”
- “The soundtrack is absolutely top notch.”
- “The music is extraordinarily effective.”
- “The music is atrocious though.”
- “The music is extremely eerie and unsettling.”
- “The levels are pretty bland so is the music, save for a few compositions (like the cliffs one).”
atmosphere
246 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
41%
1%
The atmosphere in *Anodyne* is widely praised for its eerie, dreamlike quality, enhanced by a haunting soundtrack that complements the game's surreal visuals. Players appreciate the immersive environments that evoke a sense of loneliness and curiosity, making exploration a compelling experience. While the narrative may be vague, the game's focus on atmosphere and mood creates a unique and thought-provoking adventure that resonates with fans of atmospheric indie games.
- “The whole world has this eerie, kinda lonely atmosphere that made me desperate to seek out other souls who too might have lost their way, and thankfully, you're not alone.”
- “For me, Anodyne is one of the most atmospheric, immersive, thought-provoking experiences I could ask for and I heartily recommend that anyone try it, especially if you can grab it on sale.”
- “The atmosphere surrounding this game is incredible, unbelievably oneiric.”
- “The boss of the temple makes some remark about having been watching the player and telling the player to be careful who they trust, which I presume is supposed to be deep or mysterious, or an attempt at trying to recreate the atmosphere of Link's Awakening (which the game seems to take as its main inspiration - even using one of its lame jokes to paraphrase the 'windfish in name only, for it is neither' with 'village elder in name only, for he is neither'), but if that's the goal it fails miserably.”
- “Unlike Yume Nikki, the atmosphere that the game presents is cheesy and trite.”
- “The atmosphere in this game will never let you relax.”
graphics
186 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
53%
3%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming retro pixel art style, evoking nostalgia for classic titles like "The Legend of Zelda" and "Earthbound." Many reviewers appreciate the unique blend of beautiful and surreal visuals that contribute to the game's atmospheric experience, although some note that the graphics can be inconsistent or lack distinct artistic flair. Overall, the aesthetic successfully enhances the game's themes and mood, making it a standout feature for players who enjoy retro-inspired designs.
- “The first thing that immediately grabs you about this game is its pixel art style, which is by turns beautiful, surreal, and unnerving.”
- “The graphics are tight, the paletting carries the art direction and ensures that no level, prop, or character feels out of place.”
- “The pixel art is often gorgeous with a strong aesthetic coherence, and the moody, ambient soundtrack is among the best of its genre.”
- “Getting to the creme de la creme, I quickly find out that the gameplay is boring, the graphics are ugly, the soundtrack is... well, it's a freaking joke.”
- “The graphics go for a pixel aesthetic, but don't do anything special artistically to set it apart.”
- “I can also deal with the shitty graphics in general.”
humor
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is often described as quirky and surreal, drawing comparisons to classics like Earthbound and Zelda, with a mix of dark and nostalgic elements. While some players appreciate the clever dialogue and meta humor, others find it hit-or-miss, with certain jokes feeling cloying or lacking depth. Overall, the humor contributes to a rich, chaotic atmosphere that balances heavy themes with lighthearted moments, appealing to those who enjoy offbeat and abstract storytelling.
- “Anodyne presents a rich, mysterious, and at times hilarious world to explore.”
- “The humor and writing is so much better than 90% of games.”
- “It combines nostalgia, dark humor, intriguing landscapes, and endless surprises.”
grinding
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in relation to collecting cards and navigating the overworld. The slow-paced exploration and backtracking through dungeons contribute to a sense of frustration, despite some forgiving combat mechanics. While some appreciate the relaxed nature of the gameplay, many feel that the tedious elements detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “It's slow paced, the story is intentionally reserved and didn't really interest me, and some late game collectibles become tedious to find due to the nature of how you travel from area to area.”
- “There's tons of tedious movement on the overworld that even slightly more thought to shortcut building (you gave me a jump, for goodness' sake, use it) would've greatly reduced.”
- “I read the description and was expecting something a lot more fun; instead, I got a tedious game with a main character who wields a broom.”
stability
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with players reporting numerous glitches and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, particularly in post-game content and interactions with enemies. While some users find the experience enjoyable despite these issues, others feel that the bugs significantly detract from the overall enjoyment, leading to frustrating moments and the need for restarts. Overall, the game is described as mostly playable but plagued by instability that may deter exploration.
- “The mechanics are fun in concept but terrible in practice; it's hard to move around, still extremely buggy, and post-game content is misleading and will constantly bug out, forcing you to restart.”
- “However, my enjoyment of the bosses was marred by glitches.”
- “Fun but very buggy, and the developer isn't going to fix anything.”
emotional
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Anodyne is praised for its emotional depth, offering a touching and introspective experience that resonates with players. The game's thoughtful narrative, combined with its atmospheric music and creative design, evokes a range of feelings from nostalgia to sadness, making it a genuinely heartfelt journey. Reviewers appreciate the balance of challenge and emotional storytelling, highlighting its ability to provoke thought and reflection.
- “Anodyne is in some ways a meta-game, but whereas Doki Doki Literature Club was just a gussied-up creepypasta, Anodyne is legitimately thoughtful, and in some ways, rather heartbreaking.”
- “The story is strange, but emotional.”
- “Very emotional and quite touching game.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
Anodyne offers a mix of replayability features, including a New Game Plus mode that introduces new content and secrets, enhancing the experience for players. However, some reviewers note that the limited initial content can hinder instant replayability, while others appreciate the game's charm and potential for speedrunning. Overall, it presents a solid value for those seeking both narrative and replayable gameplay.
- “Anodyne is also highly replayable, featuring a new game plus which adds quite a significant amount of new content, including many new secrets to discover.”
- “Plus, it has some really great endgame replayability once you've beaten it.”
- “The minute amount of content destroys instant replayability.”
- “Not really thought through, or that way they can sell it as if it's got replayability.”
- “An excellent value, both as story/entertainment and replayable via speedrun.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
While the character design is praised for its quality, reviewers note a significant lack of meaningful character personality development and narrative twists. The absence of surprising revelations and moments that redefine the story detracts from the overall character development experience.
- “Character development, surprising turns of narrative, and anagnorises ('he was the bad guy all along??' or 'so that's what that thing was!'), moments where the story 'coils back' upon itself and redefines what has come before.”
- “A+ character design while somehow neglecting any noticeable character personality development.”
- “Character development, surprising turns of narrative and anagnorises ('he was the bad guy all along??' or 'so that's what that thing was!'), moments where the story 'coils back' upon itself and redefines what has come before...this is all missing.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The game faces minor performance issues, largely attributed to its development in Flash, which has led to some optimization challenges.
- “The game has some slight performance issues, likely due to being made in Flash.”
- “The optimization is lacking, leading to noticeable lag during gameplay.”
- “I experienced frequent frame drops, which really detracted from the overall experience.”