Biolum

About

Biolum is a single-player Horror Action game with a 30-minute narrative experience. Players assume the role of scientific researcher Rachel, exploring the bioluminescent depths of the ocean, infected by a luminescent parasite. Guided by expedition leader Eva, the game uncovers a cosmic mystery of the great unknown, challenging players to understand the scientific consequences of this underwater phenomenon.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 116 reviews

story26 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game offers a visually stunning underwater experience with beautiful bioluminescent scenery.
Great voice acting and an interesting story that keeps players engaged despite its short length.
It's a relaxing and immersive experience, making it a good introduction to VR for newcomers.

The game is very short, lasting only about 30 minutes, and lacks substantial gameplay or interactivity.
Graphics and textures feel outdated, not meeting current VR standards, which detracts from the overall experience.
The on-rails movement system limits player control and exploration, making it feel more like a cinematic experience than a game.

story
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
35%
9%
The game's story is generally praised for its interesting and immersive narrative, enhanced by strong voice acting and a captivating underwater setting. While some players found the plot to be short and the dialogue lacking, many expressed a desire for a sequel to further explore the story. Overall, the experience is described as engaging, albeit with some gameplay limitations that detract from the storytelling.
- “Great story, immersive world, elevated by standout voice acting and quite a twist at the end!”
- “A great voice cast and a great story of wonder and betrayal.”
- “This was an enjoyable fantastic VR story adventure in the deep ocean and all of it for the price of a coffee.”
- “The story is kind of hilariously bad and the dialogue (performed by legit great actors!) is garbage.”
- “There is a nice little narrated story, but gameplay-wise it is lacking just a bit too much to recommend the game.”
- “Often in these scenes the game takes away the control of your arms and just moves them around as the story needs it; you don't get to do those parts yourself.”
graphics
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The graphics of the game are described as somewhat nice and occasionally memorable, but largely outdated and lacking in detail compared to current standards. While there are moments of good visual design that enhance immersion, many reviewers feel that the overall graphical quality does not meet the expectations for a modern VR experience, with calls for significant updates to improve textures and environments. Ultimately, the visuals are not enough to compensate for the game's shortcomings in pacing and engagement.
- “Good graphics, good sense of discovery and exploration, cool dialogue to make it more immersive.”
- “The graphics are memorably good.”
- “Nice short cinematic experience with beautiful visuals.”
- “Sadly that won't happen too often: visuals are not up to date and the environments could have used more details.”
- “If you are looking for a game, or the latest marvels of 3D graphics, don't look here.”
- “It's okay, but for today's standards, the graphics are not up to the level we require from a VR experience.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The gameplay has been criticized for being minimal and lacking engagement, with players noting that it consists mostly of cutscenes and a "stop-start" mechanic that detracts from the experience. While the atmosphere and narrative are praised, the overall gameplay is deemed boring and insufficient, leading to disappointment, especially given the short duration for the price.
- “In short, great atmosphere and story, but gameplay-wise it could be better.”
- “For €6.60, only 30 minutes of gameplay?!”
- “Neat visuals can't really make up for what ultimately is a rather boring experience; it's neither dramatic nor well-paced with its stop-start 'have a look' mechanic.”
- “Most of the negative feedback on this game is due to there being no real gameplay.”
- “There is a nice little narrated story, but gameplay-wise it is lacking just a bit too much to recommend the game.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
Overall, the optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users noting that it feels dated and unoptimized, particularly in terms of performance and graphical fidelity. While some aspects, like textures and dynamic shadows, are praised, the limited polygon levels and view distance detract from the experience. Users with high-end hardware, such as the RTX 3090, still struggle to achieve optimal performance, suggesting that the game may have benefited from an earlier release.
- “Compared to the limited polygon levels and view distance, but nice textures and dynamic shadows, Biolum does not feel greatly optimized - but does get from A to B... with an RTX 3090 and Index, SteamVR res 200% may be optimal for 90 fps and quality setting.”
- “Again this app feels dated, unoptimized and probably should have launched in 2017 or 2018 to look more fresh.”
- “I don't know if this is caused by the DRM or just a lack of optimization.”
- “This app feels dated, unoptimized, and probably should have launched in 2017 or 2018 to look more fresh.”
- “The performance is hideous.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The atmosphere of the VR experience is characterized by a tense horror ambiance, particularly effective for those with a fear of depth, caves, or darkness. The unique deep-sea ecology enhances the immersive quality, despite the limited interactions and on-rails movement. Overall, it offers a captivating yet unsettling environment without relying on jump scares.
- “Enjoy the unique atmosphere of deep sea ecology.”
- “~30 minutes cinematic VR experience with few interactions, semi-controlled on-rails movement, and a horror atmosphere without jumpscares.”
- “The horror atmosphere is quite tense if you are somewhat scared of the depth, caves, or darkness.”
- “The horror atmosphere is quite tense if you are somewhat scared of the depth, caves, or darkness.”
- “The ~30 minutes cinematic VR experience features few interactions, semi-controlled on-rails movement, and a horror atmosphere without jumpscares.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music aspect has received negative feedback, with users expressing frustration and dissatisfaction, particularly towards the prevalence of jazz music, indicating it may not resonate well with all players.
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized as "hilariously bad," with a storyline and dialogue that many find lacking, despite being delivered by talented voice actors. This combination results in a comedic experience that may appeal to those who appreciate unintentional humor.
- “The story is kind of hilariously bad, and the dialogue (performed by legit great actors!) is garbage.”