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Broken Reality is a single player puzzle game with comedy and science fiction themes. It was developed by Dynamic Media Triad and was released on November 29, 2018. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Broken Reality" is a first-person adventure game set in a surreal, pixelated world that blends social media and internet culture. Players uncover the mysteries of the virtual world by solving puzzles and interacting with quirky NPCs. The game offers a unique blend of humor, satire, and nostalgia as you navigate through a series of bizarre and humorous online platforms.

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92%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,654 reviews
graphics215 positive mentions
stability67 negative mentions

  • The game beautifully captures the vaporwave aesthetic with stunning visuals and a nostalgic soundtrack.
  • Engaging exploration and puzzle-solving mechanics keep the gameplay interesting and fun.
  • The quirky characters and humorous dialogue add charm and personality to the experience.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, including potential softlocks that can hinder progress.
  • The pacing slows down significantly in the later levels, leading to tedious backtracking and frustrating puzzles.
  • Lack of basic quality of life features, such as mouse sensitivity adjustments and a proper options menu, detracts from the overall experience.
  • graphics
    586 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Broken Reality" are widely praised for their vibrant and captivating vaporwave aesthetic, effectively capturing the nostalgic essence of early internet culture. While many players appreciate the unique visual style and its immersive qualities, some report issues with optimization and occasional eye strain due to the intense colors and busy designs. Overall, the game's visuals are considered its strongest aspect, appealing particularly to fans of the vaporwave genre.

    • “The visuals and music really are the best part of this game.”
    • “The graphics and overall visual style is very polished, and captures what it's going for reasonably well in most situations.”
    • “Broken reality is a visually stunning game with a vaporwave glitchy aesthetic, reminiscent of the Windows 95 era.”
    • “The visuals of the last couple of areas were ugly and uninteresting.”
    • “The graphics are very graphically simple, but I was regularly dipping below 50 fps, and in the final area of the game, I had a hard time reaching above 40 fps.”
    • “The only graphics options you get are the Unity launch window presets that don't tell you what they change, and resolution which doesn't actually change the game's resolution.”
  • story
    355 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is often described as vague and disjointed, with many players feeling it lacks a strong narrative conclusion. While some appreciate the surreal and thematic elements that encourage exploration and interpretation, others find the plot confusing and unsatisfying, particularly towards the end. Overall, the story serves more as a backdrop to the game's aesthetic and gameplay rather than a central focus, leaving players with mixed feelings about its depth and coherence.

    • “The story ramps from knowing nothing and experiencing the virtual world as a stranger, to following breadcrumbs that feed into a story just vague enough to leave you with a sense of mystery even when it's all said and done.”
    • “The visual style is fresh with each area and NPC, and the quests (both main story and side) provide enough structure and guidance to motivate your tour through these digital realms.”
    • “The story is both ambiguous and clearly told at the same time, which is a hard one to pull off and just underlines how great the storytelling is.”
    • “There is some modicum of lore/story to this game, but it feels very disconnected and unimportant.”
    • “The dev himself said that the ending is up to interpretation, so if you are expecting a fleshed out story...don't.”
    • “The story really only manifests towards the last portion of the game, and it's not terribly strong.”
  • music
    340 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its exceptional quality, featuring a vibrant and immersive vaporwave soundtrack that perfectly complements the nostalgic visuals and atmosphere. Players appreciate the variety of tracks from notable vaporwave artists, which enhance the overall experience and evoke a sense of nostalgia for early internet culture. Many reviewers express a desire for the soundtrack to be available for purchase, highlighting its standout role in making the game enjoyable and memorable.

    • “The soundtrack is simply amazing.”
    • “The music is perfectly worked into the various game areas.”
    • “The visuals and the music are spot on for the aesthetic that the developers are obviously going for.”
    • “While the nostalgic aesthetics and vaporwave soundtrack may catch your eye in the first half, the game ends up falling painfully short by the second half.”
    • “The credits sequence is especially baffling as it has some sort of salsa/samba/whatever music, not even trying to sound like any sort of ambient electronic or vaporwave music.”
    • “However, I think that some of the music in particular took me out of the vibe of the game somewhat.”
  • gameplay
    286 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by a blend of exploration, puzzle-solving, and collection mechanics, primarily revolving around gathering "likes" to unlock new areas. While many players appreciate the unique aesthetics and engaging mechanics, some criticize the gameplay for being repetitive and shallow, particularly in later levels where it can feel tedious. Overall, the game offers a fun, albeit simple, experience that is enhanced by its vibrant visuals and thematic elements, making it appealing for fans of exploration and light puzzle games.

    • “The gameplay is a healthy blend of sightseeing, collecting things, platforming, and occasional puzzles.”
    • “The gameplay has clever mechanics where you collect likes, kill viruses, and place bookmarks to progress through the various puzzles and levels.”
    • “I had a blast exploring the world and found the gameplay really engaging.”
    • “The gameplay loop is just okay; it's a bit repetitive and fairly shallow.”
    • “A lot of the gameplay consists of trying to collect objects and various other fetch quests that too often feel like chores and unsatisfying to complete.”
    • “The gameplay and world devolve into abject tedium fairly quickly.”
  • humor
    154 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is a blend of absurdity, nostalgia, and internet culture references, appealing particularly to those familiar with vaporwave aesthetics and early meme culture. While many players find the humor clever and engaging, some note that it can feel dated or hit-or-miss, with a mix of genuinely funny moments and occasional dry dialogue. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with its visual style and storytelling, creating a quirky and entertaining experience.

    • “It's full of references that hit perfectly to my millennial self, yet is rooted in absurd humor that should be a bit more timeless.”
    • “The humor is ironic, but not in a tired way that feels world-weary; it's more tongue-in-cheek and self-aware.”
    • “The game nails the vaporwave aesthetic and then some, and manages to be both a relaxing and funny/memey experience.”
  • atmosphere
    76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its vibrant, surreal, and nostalgic qualities, enhanced by a captivating soundtrack and unique visual style reminiscent of vaporwave culture. Players appreciate the immersive environments that evoke a sense of exploration and wonder, making the atmosphere the standout feature of the experience. Despite some gameplay frustrations, the overall aesthetic and mood create a memorable journey that resonates deeply with players.

    • “Trippy and surreal, broken reality is an atmospheric puzzle adventure with a vaporwave motif that takes you through vibrant mallscapes, island paradises, and neon cities as you dive deep into the sauce to uncover the arcane mysteries of this strange cyberspace world.”
    • “The atmosphere is palpable--everything is simultaneously crowded and lonesome.”
    • “The atmosphere, the art, the music, the characters, and just the vaporwave.”
    • “Honestly, the game gives off the atmosphere of dying nostalgia.”
    • “The final level reminds me most keenly of Half-Life's Xen levels - in that they didn't match the tone or atmosphere of the rest of the game, and alongside the elevated difficulty and lack of clear direction, their overall quality dips as a result.”
    • “However, these bugs really blend into the overall atmosphere so you end up wondering if it's a bug or a feature?”
  • stability
    67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is frequently criticized, with many players reporting numerous bugs and glitches that can lead to frustrating experiences, including softlocks and game-breaking issues. While some players find the glitches amusing or fitting within the game's aesthetic, the overall consensus is that the game's stability detracts significantly from the enjoyment, with many recommending caution due to the potential for lost progress and immersion-breaking moments. Despite its charm and unique visuals, the persistent technical issues have left a sour impression on many reviewers.

    • “I really want to love this game because the visuals and overall vibe are so unique and fun... but I simply cannot give a positive review when I've experienced not one, but two major glitches that have made the game impossible to complete.”
    • “Add to that game-breaking glitches that persist years after release, such as not being able to leave an area without relaunching the game or the exit menu locking the game up, it's ultimately a frustrating ordeal that leaves a sour aftertaste despite having a lot of promise.”
    • “The game is also very buggy, including some potentially game-breaking bugs, and plenty of ways to get softlocked.”
  • grinding
    47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game becomes increasingly tedious, particularly in the later stages, where players encounter slow movement, frustrating puzzles, and excessive backtracking. Many found the need to collect items and complete fetch quests to be monotonous, detracting from the overall experience, despite some enjoyment in the game's atmosphere and visuals. Overall, while the game starts off engaging, it tends to drag on with repetitive tasks that can frustrate players.

    • “The grinding can feel a bit repetitive at times, but it ultimately adds depth to the gameplay.”
    • “While the game has its grindy moments, the rewards make it worthwhile.”
    • “Grinding may take some time, but it really enhances the sense of progression.”
    • “The final area was really tedious though.”
    • “I want to like this game a lot more than I do, but Broken Reality got more tedious and frustrating the further I got into it.”
    • “The only reason I don't give it a full 10/10 is because I found the hyperlink mechanic to be needlessly frustrating, tedious, and overused as the game continued.”
  • optimization
    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received significant criticism, particularly in the final level, which causes severe performance issues even on high-end PCs, with reports of stuttering and low frame rates. Many players noted a lack of optimization options and overall poor performance, suggesting that the game feels unpolished and could benefit from further development to enhance its playability. Despite these issues, some players still found the experience enjoyable, albeit hindered by technical shortcomings.

    • “Oh, just bear in mind that the final level will be very heavy on your GPU. I played on an RTX 3090 and it used 99%, so to anyone having performance issues, I suggest lowering your framerate.”
    • “This world can slow even the fastest computers to a crawl, a performance hiccup that needs some attention.”
    • “I kind of wish there were better optimization options for people like me.”
    • “Honestly though, my biggest gripe is that the performance is bad; I suspect little to no optimization was done to make this run well.”
    • “No options menu of any kind and poor performance make this game nearly unplayable.”
    • “Tried it out for the wacky aesthetics, found out the game was incredibly laggy even on a high-end PC; no clue how you can mess up optimization that bad.”
  • monetization
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game is heavily centered around interacting with numerous pop-up ads and collecting "likes" through various in-game activities, such as taking photos and completing side quests. While some players appreciate the nostalgic and satirical take on consumerism and internet culture, others criticize the overwhelming presence of ads and the potential for problematic content. Overall, the game cleverly integrates its monetization mechanics into the gameplay, creating a unique experience that balances fun with a critique of modern advertising.

    • “There are pop-up ads and even malware appearing everywhere for you to interact with in the online world.”
    • “In the game, there are hundreds of advertisements/ATMs, which you are expected to use your liker+credit card tool on to get a like (as a collectible).”
    • “This game has a lot of ads and glitches.”
  • emotional
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game elicits a wide range of responses, with many players expressing deep feelings during the finale, often resulting in tears. While some appreciate the nostalgic and melancholic undertones, others criticize the abrupt emotional shifts and lack of narrative buildup that detract from the overall impact. Comparisons to other titles, particularly "Hypnospace Outlaw," highlight a perceived deficiency in emotional depth, though the game's world-building and art direction are generally praised for their ability to evoke feelings.

    • “I felt something genuinely indescribable in the finale, and I haven't felt quite so moved emotionally in quite some time.”
    • “I cried at the end of Broken Reality, and I still can't put it into words.”
    • “It's fractured visuals evoke the feeling of an era not long gone and made me feel a certain melancholy-tinged nostalgia for things I never actually experienced.”
  • replayability
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find enjoyment in exploration and speedrunning, many feel that the lack of achievements, branching paths, and multiple endings significantly limits replay value. A few users noted potential improvements with future updates, but for now, the experience is generally seen as a one-time playthrough with minimal incentive to return. However, certain aspects like music and character interactions do provide some appeal for revisiting the game.

    • “The developers have hinted at a future update with quality of life features like better controller support, cloud saves, and Steam achievements, which could add some spice to the replayability.”
    • “If the music alone wasn't enough to hook me, the replay value is definitely there.”
    • “Replay value comes from exploration, getting into all of the nooks and crannies of each map, and speedrunning, which the stage designs and item mechanics gently encourage.”
    • “There is no real replayability aside from trying to get the highest possible badge, but since there are no achievements in this game, and you don't need the highest badge to reach the ending, the only thing it serves is to watch the big number go up.”
    • “I am a fairly thorough seeker of secrets and found nearly everything in one playthrough. Without achievements, branching paths, or multiple endings, this doesn't present much in the realm of replay value for me.”
    • “Good to experience at least once, though it's so long I'm not sure I'd be able to comment on replayability.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviewers appreciate the character development for its engaging visual style, atmospheric elements, and humor, which collectively enhance the overall character design and contribute to a satisfying gaming experience.

    • “The visual style, atmosphere, humor, and overall character design create a truly immersive experience.”
    • “The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making every decision feel impactful.”
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8h Median play time
13h Average play time
8-20h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Broken Reality is a puzzle game with comedy and science fiction themes.

Broken Reality is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS and Windows.

On average players spend around 13 hours playing Broken Reality.

Broken Reality was released on November 29, 2018.

Broken Reality was developed by Dynamic Media Triad.

Broken Reality has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its stability.

Broken Reality is a single player game.

Similar games include Hypnagogia: Boundless Dreams, Yuppie Psycho, Lunacid, Dreaming Sarah, Hypnagogia 催眠術 and others.