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Ball laB

56%Game Brain Score
gameplay, music
graphics, story
56% User Score Based on 454 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPCPlaystation 5Playstation 4Xbox OneXboxWindowsPlayStation

About

"Ball laB" is a physics-based puzzle game where players manipulate various mechanisms to guide a ball through labyrinthine levels. Using realistic physics simulations, players must navigate the ball to the goal while collecting optional stars for higher scores. The game features increasing complexity and various environments, providing a challenging and engaging experience for puzzle enthusiasts.

Ball laB screenshot
Ball laB screenshot
Ball laB screenshot
Ball laB screenshot
Ball laB screenshot
Ball laB screenshot
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56%
Audience ScoreBased on 454 reviews
gameplay16 positive mentions
graphics6 negative mentions

  • The game features a unique and imaginative take on the platforming genre, with challenging levels that test players' skills.
  • The soundtrack is surprisingly good and adds to the overall experience, keeping players engaged.
  • The minimalist art style and clever level design create a charming atmosphere that appeals to fans of hardcore platformers.
  • Controls are often unresponsive and inconsistent, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences and frequent deaths.
  • The game suffers from input lag and awkward physics, making precision jumps feel unfair and difficult to master.
  • Many players find the difficulty spikes and repetitive level design tedious, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • graphics
    60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are polarizing, with some praising its charming, colorful, and minimalist aesthetic that enhances the puzzle-solving experience, while others criticize the use of outdated retro pixel art and lack of graphical options, deeming it visually unappealing and simplistic. Overall, the visuals are described as either engaging and clean or mediocre and lacking depth, reflecting a divide in player expectations and experiences.

    • “With its gravity-defying mechanics, mind-bending puzzles, and charming visuals, the game invites players to dive into a world where logic and experimentation collide.”
    • “The game's visual design boasts a playful and colorful aesthetic that adds to its charm.”
    • “The minimalist art style focuses attention on the puzzles themselves, creating a clean and uncluttered environment that keeps the focus on the task at hand.”
    • “Ball Lab is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it was a real PC game (it's not)... it's a cash grab from greedy mobile devs. The game is an extremely mediocre 2D retro pixel platformer that uses the 'minimalist' label as an attempt to excuse even an attempt at putting any effort into the graphics, and it shows, too.”
    • “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
    • “And this game is already lacking in reasons to play it; the monochrome graphics are visually unappealing, there is not even the flimsiest of excuse plots, and it's not like the world is lacking in hardcore platformers to challenge the masochistic.”
  • gameplay
    58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is characterized by innovative gravity-defying mechanics and mind-bending puzzles that encourage creative problem-solving, though it can also lead to frustration due to imprecise controls and occasional lag. While the charming visuals and engaging puzzles provide an enjoyable experience, some players feel the gameplay lacks depth and polish, making it a mixed bag of fun and frustration. Overall, it offers a unique puzzle adventure, but the execution leaves room for improvement, particularly in handling and responsiveness.

    • “With its gravity-defying mechanics, mind-bending puzzles, and charming visuals, the game invites players to dive into a world where logic and experimentation collide.”
    • “This unique mechanic adds a refreshing twist to traditional puzzle-solving, requiring you to think creatively and strategically.”
    • “In conclusion, Ball Lab offers a refreshing and challenging puzzle experience that's built on gravity-defying mechanics and creative problem-solving.”
    • “It's janky and unsatisfying to play... and any experienced gamer will tell you, the handling, responsiveness, and general gameplay feel of the control scheme must be well polished for this kind of game to succeed.”
    • “Unfortunately, this is something the developer seems to have phoned in, with little to no apparent gameplay testing.”
    • “Just sad because you fight the mechanics as much as the game itself, and in the later levels a death means another minute of hard platforming just to get back to where you were, hoping the game works as intended.”
  • music
    52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many players praising the enjoyable chiptune soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While some found the music to be the standout feature, others noted that the lack of sound effects for actions like jumping and dying could detract from immersion. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant asset, with some players expressing a desire to purchase it separately.

    • “The music is the best part of this game; the retro visual aesthetic and how the levels morph into the next one after reaching the goal are cool, too.”
    • “Soundtrack has no right to be that good.”
    • “The soundtrack is what kept me going through the whole game.”
    • “Music is 'meh', but after a while you will turn it off anyway because you have to concentrate.”
    • “Controls are slippery, level design is obtuse, graphics are plain, and the music isn't memorable.”
    • “I already wanted to give this game the title of 'trash', but music saved it... the game is only terrible.”
  • story
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews indicate that the game lacks a meaningful story, with some users comparing it to playing "Candy Crush" for its narrative. Additionally, missions become increasingly lengthy and tedious, detracting from the overall enjoyment.

    • “Epic story.”
    • “There's no story elements in this title.”
    • “Not laggy for me, but missions get increasingly too long and tedious as you progress, which hinders fun significantly.”
    • “Like playing 'Candy Crush' for the story.”
  • emotional
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express frustration with the game's controls, which detract from the emotional experience, leading to a lack of meaningful reactions to in-game deaths. The repetitive nature of instant respawns and the feeling of battling against the game's mechanics contribute to a sense of emotional detachment, rather than engagement. Overall, the emotional impact is diminished, leaving players feeling more annoyed than invested.

    • “There's no emotional reaction upon death, just a 'yeah, sure, I guess...'.”
    • “It feels like the ball is alive and you're having a fight with it on top of all the platforming, mashing the arrow keys in hopes of stopping it from touching a spike.”
    • “You'll have of course just one 'endless' life - touching spikes or being crushed means instant death and instant respawn - and on the counter in the upper side of the screen you'll see how many times you died and the level you're in at that particular moment.”
  • stability
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is generally enjoyable but suffers from notable stability issues, including bugs and glitches that affect gameplay. Reviewers feel that the developers did not invest enough effort in optimizing the core mechanics, leading to an unpredictable experience.

    • “Overall fun, but buggy and unpredictable for such a simple design and programming. Definitely not enough work spent optimizing the core mechanics of the game.”
    • “Very hard and fun, but slightly buggy platformer.”
    • “Despite it still has some glitches, I've got to say that the dev.”
  • grinding
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, with missions becoming increasingly lengthy and monotonous as they progress, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. Some users suggest that the grind is so demanding it feels like a second life is needed to keep up.

    • “Not laggy for me, but missions get increasingly too long and tedious as you progress, which hinders fun significantly.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Tedious?”
  • humor
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is highlighted by clever elements like spikes disguised as level goals and amusing "lol" signs, which users find entertaining and add to the overall enjoyment. Many players appreciate these comedic touches, noting that they enhance the game's appeal.

    • “Spikes disguised as level goals, funny!”
    • “The LOL signs were also funny.”
    • “I got it for free, but it's really cool and funny!”
  • atmosphere
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by striking graphics that contribute to the overall experience. Players find that the combination of gameplay elements and visual design creates a captivating environment that draws them in.

    • “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into the game's world with stunning visuals and sound design.”
    • “Every corner of the game is filled with a rich atmosphere that enhances the storytelling and keeps you engaged.”
    • “The combination of haunting music and detailed environments creates an unforgettable atmosphere that lingers long after you stop playing.”
  • monetization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization of "Ball Lab" has been criticized as a cash grab by mobile developers, with users feeling that it lacks the quality expected from a PC game. The game's minimalist design is seen as a poor excuse for its mediocre graphics and overall effort.

    • “Ball Lab is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it were a real PC game (it's not). It's a cash grab from greedy mobile developers. The game is an extremely mediocre 2D retro pixel platformer that uses the 'minimalist' label as an attempt to excuse any effort in the graphics, and it shows.”
    • “Ball Lab is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it were a real PC game (it's not). It's a cash grab from greedy mobile developers. The game is an extremely mediocre 2D retro pixel platformer that uses the 'minimalist' label as an attempt to excuse any effort in the graphics, and it shows.”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews indicate that the game's optimization is generally solid, with smooth performance across various hardware configurations. However, some users have reported occasional frame rate drops and minor stuttering, suggesting that further refinements could enhance the overall experience.

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6h Median play time
6h Average play time
6-6h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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