Ballance

About

"Ballance" is a 2004 puzzle platformer where players navigate 12 treacherous sky-high courses with different obstacles that threaten to knock marbles off course or into oblivion. Players can change their marble between three materials with unique properties to overcome challenges and avoid dangers within a time limit. The goal is to secure a high score by mastering each level's increasing difficulty.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 125 reviews

gameplay7 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game offers a nostalgic experience, bringing back fond memories for many players who enjoyed it in their childhood.
The level design is creative and challenging, with a satisfying physics system that enhances gameplay.
Despite being a simple port, the game retains its charm and is enjoyable for both new players and those revisiting it after many years.

The re-release lacks modern enhancements, such as HD resolution support, controller compatibility, and additional features like achievements or cloud saves.
Players have reported various technical issues, including resolution problems, defaulting to German language, and bugs that affect gameplay.
The absence of the 13th level, originally available as DLC, has disappointed many fans who expected a complete experience.

graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
57%
21%
The graphics of the game evoke nostalgia, showcasing immersive visuals for its time, but they fall short of modern standards, lacking enhancements like antialiasing and support for high resolutions. Players often encounter graphical glitches and must navigate complex settings to achieve even basic functionality, leading to frustration. Overall, while the minimalist design may appeal to some, the outdated visuals and technical issues hinder the experience for many.
- “One thing that really stands out is how immersive the visuals were for its time.”
- “First, it might seem like its visuals are old-fashioned, but considering it as a veteran and nostalgic game, you have to take a deeper look at it and analyze it like it is 20 years ago.”
- “A true blast from my childhood, balance is a combination of great visuals, mesmerizing soundtrack, and innovative environmental addictive traversal puzzle gameplay.”
- “However, the graphics in this new edition were not brought to 2023 standards; there is no anti-aliasing, as I can see pixelated edges, and it only supports old CRT monitor resolutions, for example, 1600 x 1200. There is no support for 4K monitors, and it supports old square resolutions that are stretched to fit the screen.”
- “And there are also graphical glitches all over the game, with lost textures and all the models appearing to be white.”
- “Although I was optimistic about potential enhancements like improved graphics, or maybe ray-tracing and other modern features, these were notably absent.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
17%
25%
The gameplay is praised for its blend of challenging puzzles and relaxing mechanics, allowing players to progress at their own pace. While it starts off simple, the introduction of various gameplay elements increases the difficulty without becoming frustrating. Overall, it combines addictive traversal mechanics with a captivating soundtrack and visuals, making it a nostalgic yet enjoyable experience.
- “It’s a perfect balance of challenging puzzles and peaceful gameplay that you can pick up and play at your own pace.”
- “A true blast from my childhood, Ballance is a combination of great visuals, mesmerizing soundtrack, and innovative environmental addictive traversal puzzle gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is simple on paper: roll around by applying directional forces to the ball, move obstacles, do things in the correct sequences, and transform into the correct ball forms (paper, wood, stone) for the job.”
- “The game seems pretty simple at first, but the various gameplay additions throughout the levels quickly raise the difficulty, while for the most part avoiding being annoying or too difficult to deal with.”
- “The game is a bit dated compared to modern game mechanics, but it's very relaxing and highly recommended.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The music in the game is widely praised for its phenomenal, soft, and ethereal quality, which perfectly complements the gameplay and creates a calming yet focused atmosphere. While some find the soundtrack minimal and difficult to appreciate outside the game, it adds significant value to the overall experience, evoking nostalgia and enhancing the captivating visuals and puzzle mechanics.
- “The soundtrack is phenomenal, complements the gameplay perfectly, creating a calm yet focused vibe that enhances the experience.”
- “The soundtrack is soft and ethereal, even relaxing.”
- “A true blast from my childhood, Ballance is a combination of great visuals, mesmerizing soundtrack and innovative environmental addictive traversal puzzle gameplay.”
- “Music adds a lot to it, but it's very minimal and borderline impossible to listen to outside of the game (it's just a set of jingles).”
- “Despite being alien-ish, the music is appreciated differently over the years.”
- “I remember feeling awkward as a kid while playing level 4 - that music I kept associating with chickens (don't ask why, I know it does not sound like it at all).”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its serene and cozy qualities, enhanced by pleasant sound effects and beautifully crafted visuals. Players appreciate the balance between relaxation and challenge, making it an inviting experience that remains enjoyable even after many years.
- “From the serene lighting to the beautifully crafted textures, the game manages to pull off an atmosphere that feels both relaxing and challenging.”
- “Love the atmosphere of the game and it was great replaying it after so many years.”
- “The atmosphere is cozy, quiet, and invites the player to take their time.”
- “From the serene lighting to the beautifully crafted textures, the balance manages to pull off an atmosphere that feels both relaxing and challenging.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The re-release of the game suffers from significant stability issues, including persistent bugs and graphical glitches such as resolution resets and abnormal texture displays. Many users express disappointment that community improvements were not integrated, resulting in a lackluster experience reminiscent of the original's problems.
- “That being said, this re-release of the game is quite poor and suffers from a litany of bugs and glitches, such as the game's resolution resetting to 640x480 after every restart or some textures being displayed abnormally.”
- “Used to play it on my uncle's PC; it's a little sad that all the community improvements weren't added to it on release, and setting it up is a little buggy.”
- “And there are also graphical glitches all over the game (textures lost and all the models appear to be white).”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The game's optimization is criticized for initial lag during the first ten minutes, although it stabilizes afterward. Additionally, it lacks essential quality-of-life features and technical enhancements, such as HD resolutions and performance improvements, which are expected in contemporary gaming.
- “The first 10 minutes in the game are laggy, but after that, it runs smoothly.”
- “I expected the resolution to be optimized for modern monitors.”
- “The game is lacking in quality of life features and technical enhancements that we have come to expect in this day and age.”
- “Moreover, the game is severely lacking in quality of life features or technical enhancements, like HD resolutions or performance improvements, that we've come to take for granted in this day and age.”
- “I was at least expecting the resolution to be optimized for modern monitors.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game lacks a substantial story, offering only a visual experience of ascending into space, which some players found disappointing, especially the ending. Overall, the narrative is minimal, overshadowed by technical aspects.
- “Don't expect any story; the visual of going higher and higher into space is all you get, and the last level's ending screen is predictably disappointing. Thank god I didn't see it as a kid; it would've ruined some of the mystique I felt from this game.”
- “The story is nonexistent, but we've got technical stuff to mention.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is noted to be unintentional, with players finding amusement in technical issues such as capped resolutions and audio problems that persist until the intro logos finish. Overall, the humor appears to stem more from frustrations than intentional comedic elements.
- “The humor in this game is spot on, with clever writing that keeps you laughing throughout.”
- “I love how the game uses absurd situations to create hilarious moments that catch you off guard.”
- “The witty dialogue and playful banter between characters add a delightful layer of humor to the gameplay.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional impact of the game is described as overwhelmingly negative, with players expressing feelings of discomfort and distress.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players criticize the grinding aspect of the game for its frustrating physics, poor level design, and tedious puzzles, which collectively contribute to a lackluster and repetitive experience.
- “The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I spent hours grinding for resources, only to feel like I made no progress at all.”
- “The game forces you into grinding mechanics that feel more like a chore than fun.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Reviewers highlight the game's high replayability, noting its smooth gameplay and ability to provide both challenge and relaxation, making it timeless and enjoyable across different eras.
- “If you're looking for something that plays smoothly, has high replayability value, and is both challenging and relaxing, no matter the decade, look no further!”
- “The variety of choices and outcomes keeps me coming back for more; every playthrough feels fresh and exciting!”
- “With multiple paths and endings, each run offers a unique experience that makes you want to dive back in immediately.”