Blender
- April 24, 2015
- Blender Foundation
- 84h median play time
Blender is a free, open-source 3D creation suite that supports the entire 3D pipeline, from modeling to animation, simulation, and video editing. It is cross-platform and has a consistent interface on Linux, Windows, and Macintosh computers. As a community-driven project under the GNU General Public License, Blender allows individuals and small studios to customize the application and contribute to its development.
Reviews
- graphics394 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics in Blender are widely praised for their impressive quality and versatility, allowing users to create stunning 3D visuals, animations, and effects. While many users highlight the software's capability to produce photorealistic and stylized graphics, some note that achieving optimal results can be hardware-dependent and may require a steep learning curve. Overall, Blender is regarded as one of the best free tools for 3D graphics, appealing to both beginners and experienced artists alike.
“The graphics are fantastic but the story is really difficult to understand.”
“Blender is an outstanding and modern 3D graphics program.”
“The art style and graphics are absolutely phenomenal, a truly breathtaking experience from start to finish.”
“The devs had the stupid idea of making graphic quality dependent on skill, ruining the immersion.”
“When I'm playing, the graphics are pretty bad.”
“The graphics are really weird because whenever I look up Blender gameplay online, the graphics look really good, but my graphics are basically always cubes and blocks, and I can't seem to find the options to fix that.”
- story245 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The reviews for the "story" aspect of the game are mixed, with some praising it as engaging and filled with twists, while others find it confusing or lacking depth. Many players appreciate the emotional impact and character development, but several note that the story can be bland or difficult to follow, with some even stating it feels non-existent. Overall, the narrative quality varies significantly, with some players rating it highly and others expressing disappointment.
“10/10 story with loads of twists and interesting characters.”
“Great game, but it's lacking a story or narrative.”
“The story is fantastic and the characters are just stellar in their writing, I can't believe the ending of the game did what it did and I'm really sad that there's not a sequel in the works.”
“The story makes no sense.”
“Gameplay is amazing but very difficult to master, story is mediocre at best.”
“The story is pretty non-existent unless you're willing to delve into countless forums to find out all the obscure lore.”
- gameplay234 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its complexity, depth, and innovative mechanics, while others find it challenging and sometimes confusing. Players appreciate the engaging and dynamic gameplay, though some mention a steep learning curve and occasional blandness. Overall, the gameplay is often described as addictive and rewarding, especially for those willing to invest time in mastering it.
“Very innovative and unique gameplay.”
“Amazing gameplay, the story is a bit lacking though.”
“Gameplay is absolutely stellar.”
“Horrible gameplay, literally just a cube.”
“There's no story/campaign, the gameplay is awful, granted the graphics are pretty good if you tweak them a bit, but that doesn't excuse the horrible art direction and level design.”
“The gameplay is horrible but it's okay for a free game.”
- humor131 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The humor in user reviews for this 3D modeling software is predominantly light-hearted and self-referential, with many users enjoying the absurdity of creating funny models and animations. Common themes include playful references to the software's capabilities, such as making "funny shapes" or "funny characters," and humorous anecdotes about the learning process. Overall, the reviews convey a sense of joy and amusement in using the software, often highlighting its potential for creativity and comedic expression.
“It's just funny that Steam treats it as a game, so you get notifications like '<user> playing Blender', 'launching game: Blender', or 'you have played Blender for x hours'.”
“I can make funny animations and models.”
“Liquid/gas simulation, pathed pipes, node-based shaders, this program's got it all, along with everything you need to make a cool mesh in a hilariously short amount of time.”
“Not funny and not original at this point.”
“[insert unfunny cube/donut joke here]”
- optimization130 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
Overall, user reviews indicate that Blender's optimization is a mixed bag; while it performs well on powerful hardware and has seen improvements with recent updates, it can be resource-intensive and struggle with complex scenes, particularly on lower-end systems. Many users note that utilizing GPU rendering significantly enhances performance, yet issues with high-poly models and certain features remain a concern. Despite these challenges, Blender is praised for its versatility and cost-effectiveness, making it a valuable tool for both beginners and professionals in 3D modeling and animation.
“The developers of the application continuously provide improvements and optimizations through new releases, ensuring an ever-evolving user experience.”
“What truly sets this blender apart is its unmatched performance at such an economical price point.”
“Very well optimized, runs smoothly even on high graphics.”
“The optimization is so bad the FPS is like 1 frame per half an hour.”
“Seriously the worst optimized software for editing stuff that has a lot of individual objects; I can't even get the chance to group them up before Blender hogs up 26GB of RAM and crashes my entire PC.”
“Although the performance and the optimized file sizes are big pluses to me, Blender can also be surprisingly unintuitive with basic functions that are otherwise incredibly easy to achieve in SketchUp and AutoCAD.”
- music55 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its upbeat and catchy nature, while others criticize it as terrible or unenjoyable. Many players find the soundtrack enhances their experience, providing a relaxing backdrop or driving the game's violent themes, though some express a strong dislike for specific tracks. Overall, the music is seen as a significant aspect of the game, with opinions varying widely on its quality and impact.
“Amazing soundtrack.”
“The writing is great, the characters are awesome, the battle system is unique and fun, the music slaps, this game rules.”
“Music 10/10, I love the music, it's so catchy and awesome having tunes of many different genres.”
“Terrible gameplay, terrible soundtrack, good voice acting though.”
“If I had to choose between using this or listening to any Ghost song, I would choose the Ghost song because this is so horrible.”
“0/10, music and graphics were awful, gameplay felt non-existent, story didn't make any sense.”
- grinding42 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 74 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight that grinding in the game is a significant and often tedious aspect, with many players feeling it requires an excessive time commitment, likening it to needing "a second life." While some find the grind rewarding and enjoyable once they acclimate, the overall sentiment leans towards it being overly repetitive and frustrating, particularly for newcomers.
“10 years of grinding and I am still at the character creator screen...”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“My only complaint is that it's too grindy.”
- emotional40 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is profoundly impactful, with many users reporting tears during various experiences, from tutorials to boss fights. Players express a deep connection to the storyline and the creative process, often feeling a mix of hope, heartbreak, and accomplishment. Overall, the game is described as a modern work of art that evokes strong emotional responses and fosters a sense of community among its users.
“The tutorial alone made me cry, and 'the cube' boss fight nearly sent me into an early retirement.”
“Truly a modern day work of art, the story is almost as heart-wrenching as the graphics are mind-blowing.”
“Being able to finally have that creative spark back in my life made me feel hopeful and gave me more motivation to explore life in general.”
- stability38 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the software is plagued by bugs and stability issues, including frequent crashes and freezes, particularly during complex tasks. While some users appreciate its modeling and animation capabilities, many express frustration with its unreliability, suggesting that saving frequently is essential. Comparatively, it is noted to be more stable than some other industry-standard software, but still falls short of being consistently bug-free.
“Good free modeling software with tweaks and settings for functionality and frequent small updates, so you can model and animate bug-free. It is so much better than any other software I've used; I highly recommend it.”
“The simulation tool is buggy and it's very complicated.”
“It's buggy, and crashes every 10 minutes or so, mostly depending on what you're doing.”
“Absolute waste of time on the amount of times this program crashes and freezes.”
- replayability19 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many users highlighting the endless content and variety that keeps each playthrough fresh and engaging. While most reviews emphasize the game's strong replay value, a few note that it may lack depth in plot, which could affect long-term interest. Nonetheless, the consensus is that players can expect numerous hours of enjoyable gameplay with plenty of optional content.
“Replayability 10/10! There's so much to do in this game; it's like a never-ending amount of content!”
“The possibilities are simply endless, entailing infinite replay value!”
“This is like the longest game you'll ever play, heaps of replayability, many optional side quests; you name it, this game has it.”
“Little replayability and the plot is lacking.”
“This is like, the longest game you'll ever play, heaps of replayability, many optional side quests, you name it, Blenders got it.”
“The possibilities are simply just endless, entailing infinite replay value!”
- monetization13 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 46 % negative mentions
Blender's monetization model is highly praised for being completely free, with no ads, watermarks, or microtransactions, allowing users to focus on creativity without financial barriers. Users can sell their creations on external platforms and complete tasks for real-world cash, making it a versatile tool for both hobbyists and freelancers. Overall, Blender stands out as a superior option compared to other free applications that often include in-app purchases.
“There's a reason Blender is the most popular 3D modeling software out there, and you really can't go wrong with free, and no ads or watermarks!”
“It's 100% free, no microtransactions or premium features.”
“In the mid-game, Blender even has a monetization system; you can sell your creations on external websites and even complete external tasks to gain real-world cash.”
“If you don't have the skill to make a sculpt of a Greek god, then you can learn for free without having to worry about ads or subscriptions.”
“Blender has been my go-to solution whenever I want to make models for my games, make cool-looking presentation renders, advertisement banners, 3D animations, etc. It's an absolutely awesome program!”
- character development11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a strong emphasis on character development, particularly in the context of game design and animation. Users appreciate the accessibility and versatility of the tool for character design and sculpting, noting that it allows for significant creative expression and dramatic character arcs. While some mention initial disinterest in the story, they ultimately find the character development engaging and rewarding as they progress through the game.
“Very good RPG game so far; I'm only in the character development stages, and it's very fun once you get the controls down.”
“At first, I wasn't too invested in the story, but then the cube underwent some pretty dramatic character development.”
“It makes getting into animation, sculpting, character design, and more very accessible.”
“At first I wasn't too invested in the story, but then the cube underwent some pretty dramatic character development.”
“Character designer?”
“I primarily use Blender for sculpting, because I do character design rather than geometric things like weapons and vehicles.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users appreciate the "atmosphere" aspect for its realistic rendering capabilities, particularly highlighting the effectiveness of the third mode, which utilizes cycles to enhance the scene's ambiance.
“The third mode is cycles render, which you can use to create a realistic atmosphere for your scene.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players.”
“Despite the potential for a rich environment, the atmosphere comes off as dull and lifeless.”
“The game fails to create a compelling atmosphere, making it hard to stay engaged with the world.”