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Ballpoint Universe: Infinite

76%Game Brain Score
graphics, story
grinding, stability
76% User Score Based on 404 reviews

Platforms

PCPCiPhoneiPhoneWii UWii UWindowsWindowsLinuxLinuxMac OSMac OSMobile PlatformMobile PlatformWiiWiiiPadiPadPhonePhone

About

Ballpoint Universe: Infinite is a unique platformer adventure game where you build your own levels using a ballpoint pen. Explore a hand-drawn universe, solve puzzles, and unlock new abilities as you journey through an ever-changing world. With a variety of challenges and secrets to uncover, Ballpoint Universe: Infinite offers a creative and engaging experience.

Ballpoint Universe: Infinite screenshot
Ballpoint Universe: Infinite screenshot
Ballpoint Universe: Infinite screenshot
Ballpoint Universe: Infinite screenshot
Ballpoint Universe: Infinite screenshot
Ballpoint Universe: Infinite screenshot
Ballpoint Universe: Infinite screenshot
Ballpoint Universe: Infinite screenshot
Ballpoint Universe: Infinite screenshot
Ballpoint Universe: Infinite screenshot
Ballpoint Universe: Infinite screenshot
+1

76%
Audience ScoreBased on 404 reviews
graphics96 positive mentions
grinding20 negative mentions

  • The game features a unique and beautiful hand-drawn art style, creating a visually stunning experience.
  • Gameplay combines engaging shoot-'em-up mechanics with platforming elements, offering a fun and varied experience.
  • The ship customization options allow for diverse playstyles, enhancing replayability and player engagement.
  • Platforming controls are awkward and frustrating, especially when using a mouse, making navigation difficult.
  • The game suffers from bugs that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with achievements not unlocking properly.
  • Some players find the shooting sections repetitive and lacking in challenge, diminishing long-term enjoyment.
  • graphics
    202 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Ballpoint Universe - Infinite" are widely praised for their unique hand-drawn art style, reminiscent of ballpoint pen sketches, which creates a charming and immersive visual experience. However, some players find the vibrant colors and chaotic designs overwhelming, occasionally making it difficult to navigate gameplay effectively. Overall, while the visuals are a standout feature, they can sometimes detract from the gameplay experience due to their complexity.

    • “The artwork is beautiful and the bullet hell parts are accessible in that the screen isn't overwhelmed.”
    • “The art style is unique, creating a world from something as simple as paper sketches.”
    • “The graphics are amazing, the gameplay is fun and not extremely challenging, and there is plenty of room for advancement (weapon/vehicle wise).”
    • “And the final stage's visuals are so chaotic and overwhelming that it can be hard to see any of the enemies and bullets.”
    • “The art style doesn't carry it further than the first hour, where you'll end up frustrated by the awful platforming and mediocre shmup mechanics.”
    • “The opnly other graphical problem is in the last level, when all the objects being white becomes a problem, there were times that I didn't know where I was, what was attacking me and where it came from.”
  • story
    174 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is generally considered simplistic and not particularly engaging, often described as a loose framework that connects various gameplay segments. Players navigate a colorful, doodle-inspired world, completing missions that involve battling enemies and collecting items, but many reviewers feel the narrative lacks depth and coherence. While some appreciate the whimsical art style and the lighthearted nature of the plot, others find it underwhelming and disconnected from the gameplay experience.

    • “You're a doodle in an artwork universe, and as you finish missions and beat bosses you unravel the whole saga of geometry logicians vs doodles and earn ink, with which you upgrade your battleship.”
    • “The world is gorgeous, the characters are likeable, the story is thoughtful, and the gameplay is way more fun than I thought it would be.”
    • “The story is complex and will absorb you with little to no trouble despite how concise it is.”
    • “One loosely held together with some minor platformer segments and hardly a story to tie anything together.”
    • “The story mode is short (it took me 3 hours to get gold on every level) and the plot itself is fairly simple.”
    • “There's a vague story attached to these missions, but it generally boils down to fighting off swarms of enemies in different locations.”
  • gameplay
    114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the engaging shoot 'em up mechanics and unique art style, while others find the platforming elements tedious and the overall experience repetitive. While some reviews highlight the addictive nature and customization options, others criticize the controls and lack of depth, leading to a polarized reception. Overall, the game offers a blend of enjoyable shooting action and exploration, but its execution may not satisfy all players.

    • “The shooter part of the game is near-perfect in gameplay, with just a couple quirky interactions with some bosses, nothing significant.”
    • “At first it seems like a simple shoot 'em up, but there's something special with Ballpoint Universe; the aesthetics accompanying a universe made out of notebook doodles has a unique yet familiar nostalgic sense to it. However, this game is more than just looks; the gameplay is engaging, and varied. Each weapon and upgrade is balanced and well-specialized, and while it could have some small glitches here and there, none of them are big enough to offset an engaging experience.”
    • “The gameplay is a mix of 2D adventure platforming and a shoot-em-up.”
    • “Nonsense game half side scroll and half shoot 'em up, both mechanics lack content and you end up bored quickly.”
    • “Unfortunately the gameplay doesn't back up the artwork.”
    • “The art style doesn't carry it further than the first hour, where you'll end up frustrated by the awful platforming and mediocre shmup mechanics.”
  • music
    51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives a mixed reception, with many praising its quality and ability to enhance the gameplay experience, particularly during battles and transitions. While some players find the soundtrack to be fantastic and fitting, others criticize it for being repetitive or not well-suited to the game. Overall, the music is generally considered a strong point, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere, though some users express a desire for better sound options and more variety.

    • “The music is phenomenal and I think anyone with the money should buy this game right now!”
    • “The music is another high point in the game, and matches each one of the mini-games perfectly.”
    • “Overall I think that where the game really shines is its graphical presentation, the soundtrack (which is really good, dare I say electronic super joy level of awesomeness) and the plot.”
    • “The soundtrack is not that pleasant.”
    • “A problem I have concerning this is the fact that the music and effects volume are together instead of separate, meaning if I want to listen to my own music, I won't hear anything from the game.”
    • “Not very much variety in the enemies, NPCs, or music.”
  • grinding
    21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews for "grinding" in Ballpoint Universe highlight a significant frustration among players, who find the game excessively grindy, particularly for unlocking ship customizations and weapons. Many users express that the repetitive nature of farming enemies and the tediousness of navigating the hub world detract from the overall experience, making progression feel unrewarding. While some acknowledge that grinding is a common aspect of many games, they feel that in this case, it overshadows the fun gameplay and interesting aesthetics.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Ballpoint Universe is a pretty good western shoot-'em-up, though way too grindy if you want to get all of the ship customization stuff unlocked without cheating.”
    • “The game is padded with a bunch of tedious and repetitive content.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game doesn't get to show you everything before feeling very grindy and unrewarding, which is a huge issue for me.”
  • stability
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and softlocks that disrupt gameplay. While some players find the experience engaging and enjoyable despite these issues, the overall consensus indicates that the game is unpolished and in need of improvements to enhance stability.

    • “Unfortunately, I need to give this otherwise nice game a negative review, mainly on account of how buggy and unpolished it is.”
    • “I have had countless instances where saves mysteriously deleted themselves or reset, or where just the game glitches.”
    • “There are some minor glitches, and I'd love to know if the developer is working on improvements and/or additional levels (or a whole new title!).”
  • replayability
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers significant replayability, primarily through its infinite mode and various ship builds and upgrades, allowing players to explore different strategies and achieve completionist goals. While some users noted a relatively short main campaign, the combination of engaging gameplay, beautiful environments, and the pursuit of achievements enhances the overall replay value. However, a few players mentioned limited replay options outside of these features.

    • “It is relatively short, but has great replay value.”
    • “The real charm here though is the amount of replayability, even outside of the infinite offered.”
    • “The ability to upgrade the ship allows for lots of replayability, and the beautiful environment and skewed story all combine to make for a very enjoyable experience.”
    • “Little replay value (I guess you could restart and choose to buy different ship parts), but the amount of content is good.”
    • “Plenty of replayability if you want to get each and every achievement, as long as you don't mind some repetitiveness.”
    • “Even after you finish the story (took me only a few hours), there is an infinite mode in the shooter style where you try to advance as far as you can, for replayability if you really like shoot 'em ups.”
  • humor
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding the combination of shooter mechanics and melee weapons amusing. While some aspects, like the platforming sections and the pacing of unlockable content, could be improved, the overall comedic elements and fun gameplay make it a worthwhile experience.

    • “The price is worth it, and the game is funny.”
    • “Mixed long-range gun and short sword system; the game really creates something funny.”
    • “The ones I have are fun, especially with the introduction of melee weapons to a side-scrolling shooter, oh, and hilariously over-powered, so I can't complain.”
  • optimization
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is praised for its smooth arcade sections and intuitive controls, complemented by effective tutorial prompts that introduce new mechanics seamlessly. Players can enhance their performance through mission repetition and weapon upgrades, which improve various attributes like range and reload speed, contributing to an overall polished gameplay experience.

    • “The arcade sections run smoothly and have intuitive controls with short, succinct tutorial prompts as new mechanics are introduced.”
    • “The missions reward you for your performance (perfection will also get you a golden sketch).”
    • “By upgrading your weapons, you get increased range, bigger spread, larger magazines, and faster reload times. Upgrading your hull provides various benefits such as increased health and homing missiles, while upgrading your active ability improves its performance.”
    • “The optimization in this game feels lacking; while you can repeat missions for better performance, the rewards don't seem to justify the effort put in.”
    • “Upgrading weapons and hulls offers some benefits, but the overall optimization of these systems feels underwhelming and doesn't significantly enhance gameplay.”
    • “The active ability upgrades only marginally improve performance, leaving players wanting more impactful changes in optimization.”
  • atmosphere
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is praised for its uniqueness and consistency, enhanced by captivating artwork and music that create an engaging and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the combination of these elements as a significant strength, contributing to the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “Incredibly unique atmosphere.”
    • “It's consistently good (and weird) throughout the game and, along with the music, adds a ton of atmosphere.”
    • “The artwork is amazing and continues to awe me, giving the game a very unique atmosphere that I really enjoy.”
  • emotional
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game elicited feelings of unease and discomfort in players, with some expressing that it made them physically ill rather than providing the intended relaxation or enjoyment.

    • “The game made me feel uneasy instead of relaxed, which was an unexpected emotional experience.”
    • “I dreaded having to go back there because it seriously made me feel physically ill, showcasing the game's powerful emotional impact.”
  • character development
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is praised for its impressive designs that enhance the immersive experience of the expansive and intricate world, contributing positively to the overall gameplay.

    • “The character designs are incredible, and the world is vast and intricately detailed, adding depth to the overall experience.”
    • “The character development is so rich and engaging that I found myself emotionally invested in their journeys.”
    • “Each character has a unique backstory that unfolds beautifully, making every interaction feel meaningful.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect is overshadowed by frustrating controls, making it difficult for players to fully appreciate the game's visuals. Overall, the experience is marred by gameplay issues that detract from the enjoyment of the game's aesthetic appeal.

Buy Ballpoint Universe: Infinite

40h Median play time
40h Average play time
40-40h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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