Borealis

About

Weave through missiles to generated music, and let the world flow around you.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

55%

Audience ScoreBased on 169 reviews

music12 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game offers a unique and relaxing experience, making it suitable for short play sessions to unwind.
The visuals and ambient soundtrack create a calming atmosphere, enhancing the overall zen-like experience.
Borealis features multiple game modes, providing some variety in gameplay despite its simplicity.

The gameplay is overly simplistic and repetitive, leading to boredom after a short time.
Mouse sensitivity restrictions make controls feel unnatural and frustrating, detracting from the experience.
The music is often described as annoying or unpleasing, which undermines the intended relaxing atmosphere.

music
75 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
75%
9%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its calming and ambient qualities, while others find it either annoying or lacking in depth. Many users noted that the soundtrack does not effectively enhance the gameplay experience, often feeling disconnected or repetitive, leading to frustration rather than relaxation. Overall, while the music aims to create a zen-like atmosphere, it often falls short, leaving players wishing for more engaging or varied audio options.
- “The slow pace and the rather peculiar, somehow relaxing music contribute to the overall feeling of ease the game offers.”
- “The main stars of this game are the carefully balanced rhythmic gameplay and excellent atmospheric music and sound effects that elevate Borealis into a 'special kind' of game.”
- “When paired with the ambient music and sound effects, one can truly get entranced in the zen-like nature of this space-like experience.”
- “The music isn't that relaxing.”
- “I found however that most of the music made me more anxious rather than zen as it had no beat and didn't seem calming in any way.”
- “Some people compliment the soundtrack, but honestly most of the time there is no soundtrack at all, just single notes whenever objects collide and a single chord repeated over and over again.”
gameplay
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
64%
11%
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity, focusing on avoiding obstacles with minimal mechanics and slow-paced action, reminiscent of retro games. While some players appreciate the relaxing atmosphere and rhythmic elements, many criticize the repetitive nature and lack of depth, leading to a sense of pointlessness in progression. Overall, the game appeals to those who enjoy zen-like experiences but may disappoint players seeking more complex or engaging gameplay.
- “The gameplay is simple: don't get hit, but each level you survive makes the game different; instead of every missile coming after you, some may dodge.”
- “The main stars of this game are the carefully balanced rhythmic gameplay and excellent atmospheric music and sound effects that elevate Borealis into a 'special kind' of game.”
- “If you like music generation, smooth/slower bullet hell-style gameplay (lots of dodging), and challenging gameplay against nice backdrops, you will enjoy this game.”
- “Limited and repetitive gameplay loop that is outdone by the competition or any shmup.”
- “It felt more and more pointless to progress through levels offering basically the same mechanics over and over again.”
- “Gameplay is dull.”
graphics
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
48%
17%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users noting a simplistic and retro aesthetic reminiscent of older systems, such as the Atari 400. While some appreciate the serene and minimalistic visuals that complement the music, others criticize the lack of polish and variety, describing them as outdated and lacking detail. Overall, the visuals are seen as either charmingly simplistic or disappointingly underwhelming, with a general consensus that they could benefit from more refinement and complexity.
- “Borealis surely has an art style all of its own, and can be visually quite pleasing.”
- “The aesthetics are simple but nice - different-colored tracers fly toward you in varying patterns, all with changing backgrounds that are serene and minimalistic.”
- “A very relaxing affair with serene visuals and pleasant, ambient sound design.”
- “This is the sort of game you would have played on your Atari 400 back in the day, so don't expect detailed graphics or complex game mechanics.”
- “The game is super slow, game mechanics are the most simple possible, and the graphics look like a screensaver from 1996.”
- “The visuals also fell just slightly short; they had the makings of some nice mind-absorbing visuals, but lacked a little bit of polish in effects and coloring to take it all the way.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The atmosphere of the game is described as a mix of vague and dull elements, with some players finding it initially engaging but ultimately lacking depth. While the music and sound effects contribute positively to the experience, the overall ambiance is perceived as underwhelming, leading to a sense of monotony.
- “I know this would please the developer, but for a good bit I was lost in the game's dulcet atmosphere and did reach a sort of zen; at this point, I feel like I've gotten my fill.”
- “The main stars of this game are the carefully balanced rhythmic gameplay and excellent atmospheric music and sound effects that elevate Borealis into a 'special kind' of game.”
- “Atmosphere: 5/10”
- “The atmosphere is dull.”
- “The game lacks any immersive atmosphere.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's story is minimal and often feels non-existent, yet players find an emergent meaning through its captivating music, sound effects, and visually striking levels, which may evoke interpretations related to human emotions or surreal experiences. The lives system is confusing, as it restarts players in story mode without clear communication, while endless mode allows for continued play despite failures. Overall, the narrative aspect serves more as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a central focus.
- “The story is practically non-existent, but it does have an emergent meaning to it thanks to the superb music and sound effects and the look of the levels, where you'll wonder if levels are allegorical representations of basic human emotions, or maybe it'll look like a feverish dream of a would-be hacker.”
- “The lives system seems oddly handled as story mode seemed to just restart me at any failure while I got impacted several times in endless mode and kept on trucking, presumably because the game aggregates a score that counts as your lives but does not tell you that.”
- “This is definitely a great boredom buster when you don't want to play anything story-driven.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with users expressing disappointment and frustration over the absence of engaging content to encourage multiple playthroughs. Ratings for replay value are notably low, averaging around 3.5/10, with some users giving it a complete score of 0/10.
- “So no replayability, and no way to make the game more interesting. I suffered through this game for an hour hoping that something good would finally come, but alas, I'm going to go cry in a corner for about 5 years.”
- “Replay value: 3.5/10”
- “Replayability: 0/10”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game to be a deeply relaxing experience, evoking a sense of calm and emotional tranquility. The soothing gameplay elements contribute to an overall feeling of peace, enhancing the emotional connection to the game.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users reporting performance issues and bugs that hinder gameplay. While certain aspects run smoothly, others experience significant lag and crashes, indicating a need for further refinement. Overall, the game's optimization appears to be inconsistent, affecting the overall user experience.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's stability is severely criticized, with many users reporting that it fails to launch and expressing frustration over the developer's lack of support and troubleshooting assistance.
- “The game does not even start; the developers don't care and provide no troubleshooting support—just look at the forums.”
- “Frequent crashes make it impossible to enjoy the game; stability is a major issue.”
- “I keep experiencing random disconnects and lag spikes, which ruin the overall experience.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is characterized by quirky moments, such as the intentionally slowed mouse speed, which adds a comedic twist to gameplay.
- “The humor in this game is top-notch, with clever jokes and hilarious situations that keep you laughing.”
- “I love how the game incorporates witty dialogue and absurd scenarios that never fail to amuse.”
- “The comedic timing in the cutscenes is perfect, making even the most serious moments light-hearted and entertaining.”