Broken Reality
- December 21, 2017
- Dynamic Media Triad
- 8h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"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.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features stunning visuals and a vibrant vaporwave aesthetic that immerses players in a nostalgic internet world.
- The soundtrack is excellent, enhancing the overall experience with a mix of vaporwave and ambient music.
- The gameplay includes engaging puzzles and exploration, with a variety of quirky characters and humorous dialogue.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, including game-breaking issues that can softlock progress.
- The pacing slows significantly in the later levels, particularly in the final area, which can feel tedious and frustrating.
- There are no options to adjust mouse sensitivity or other basic settings, making it difficult for some players to control the game comfortably.
- graphics490 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning vaporwave aesthetic, effectively capturing the nostalgic essence of the 90s internet with vibrant colors, low-poly designs, and unique environments. Many players appreciate the attention to detail and the immersive atmosphere created by the visuals and accompanying soundtrack, although some report performance issues and occasional graphical glitches. Overall, the aesthetic is considered the game's strongest aspect, appealing particularly to fans of retro and vaporwave styles.
“The visuals and soundtrack (most of which were songs I've had on my own vaporwave playlist for a while) were completely mesmerizing.”
“The graphics and overall visual style are very polished, and capture what it's going for reasonably well in most situations.”
“The art style is fantastic, and the gameplay is entertaining but the fact I cannot finish the game bites!”
“Innernet was the worst and I was forced to reduce the graphics setting just so it could be playable.”
“Even putting it on the lowest graphics settings it still slogs, I couldn't make it very far in the beginning lobby area because of this.”
“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.”
- story293 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is often described as minimalistic and vague, with many players finding it hard to follow or lacking depth. While some appreciate the subtlety and the intriguing elements that emerge as the game progresses, others feel that the narrative is overshadowed by the focus on exploration and fetch quests. Overall, the story is seen as a mixed bag, with some players enjoying its quirky charm and underlying themes, while others are left wanting a more coherent and engaging plot.
“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.”
“The story really only manifests towards the last portion of the game, and it's not terribly strong.”
“There is absolutely nothing going on, the story is non-existent, the lore isn't interesting, the jokes all fall flat, and you are stuck solving mundane puzzles with no carrot at the end of the stick.”
“The story is hard to piece together, but I think that’s by design.”
- music283 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been widely praised for its vibrant and immersive quality, particularly resonating with fans of vaporwave and electronic genres. Reviewers noted that the soundtrack enhances the overall atmosphere, making exploration enjoyable, although some expressed disappointment with occasional bugs and a lack of music in certain areas. Overall, the combination of catchy tracks and unique sound design contributes significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
“The music composition is very nostalgic, the graphical design is top-notch, and the dialogue offers plenty of relevant social commentary, often with a comedic twist.”
“The visuals and soundtrack (most of which were songs I've had on my own vaporwave playlist for a while) were completely mesmerizing.”
“The music is great, worth the price alone.”
“You end the game without any explanation, no further elaboration, and as another review called it, a '2deep4u' ending with an elongated interactive music video and a dance party ending which felt unearned.”
“However, I think that some of the music in particular took me out of the vibe of the game somewhat.”
“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.”
- gameplay248 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Broken Reality" is primarily exploration-focused, featuring simple mechanics such as collecting likes, solving light puzzles, and engaging in fetch quests. While the initial experience is enjoyable and visually captivating, many players find the gameplay becomes repetitive and tedious, particularly in the later stages, with some mechanics feeling underdeveloped or frustrating. Overall, the game offers a unique aesthetic and atmosphere, but its gameplay may not satisfy those seeking depth or complexity.
“Incredible atmosphere, excellent art direction, good sound design, fun writing, and pretty fun gameplay.”
“The gameplay consists of amassing likes, which then open up new areas.”
“The gameplay is generally fun, with the biggest facet being exploration of multiple dense and colorful worlds.”
“I found that the gameplay in this game is on the weak side.”
“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.”
- humor130 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of nostalgic internet references, quirky characters, and surreal dialogue, often drawing from vaporwave aesthetics and early meme culture. While many players find the humor charming and engaging, some note that it can feel dated or hit-or-miss, with a mix of clever satire and more straightforward jokes. Overall, the game successfully combines its whimsical humor with an intriguing storyline, making it a fun experience for fans of the genre.
“The retro aesthetic, humorous dialogue, fun puzzles, and all of the secrets make this game great.”
“The humor is ironic, but not in a tired way that feels world-weary; it's more tongue-in-cheek and self-aware.”
“Insanely charming visuals and characters, humorous moments, and wonderful music make for one of my favorite gaming experiences.”
- atmosphere62 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning visuals, exceptional art direction, and immersive sound design, creating a surreal and nostalgic experience that captivates players. Many reviewers highlight the unique environments and engaging music, which enhance exploration and contribute significantly to the overall enjoyment, making it a memorable journey. Despite some gameplay frustrations, the atmosphere remains a standout feature, appealing particularly to fans of vaporwave and internet culture.
“Most of the game's appeal comes from the music, atmosphere, and the exceptional environment art, making exploration a real treat and something to remember.”
“The atmosphere is palpable--everything is simultaneously crowded and lonesome.”
“The soundtrack, low-poly visuals, and general atmosphere of each level are top tier.”
“However, while a memorable experience as a whole, I'd recommend skipping the purchase and watching a playthrough instead to avoid the frustration while still taking in the game's atmosphere.”
“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.”
- stability60 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is frequently criticized due to numerous bugs and glitches, particularly in later levels, which can lead to frustrating experiences such as softlocks and game-breaking issues. While some players find the glitches manageable or even enjoyable within the game's aesthetic, many agree that significant improvements are needed for a smoother experience. Overall, the game's stability detracts from its potential enjoyment, with many reviewers hesitating to recommend it until these issues are addressed.
“If the devs fix the glitches in this game then I will recommend it, but for now no. I was close to recommending this game the first 10 hours when I started playing it, but after some time and especially near the end, it's a no.”
“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 (causing loss of progress in my case), it's ultimately a frustrating ordeal that leaves a sour aftertaste despite having a lot of promise.”
“The last level ('innernet') has some infuriating portal glitches that cause softlock, potentially blowing away hours of progress.”
- grinding39 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- -5 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and frustrating, particularly in the later stages where backtracking and collecting items become monotonous. While some appreciate the challenge of certain puzzles and platforming elements, the overall sentiment leans towards the gameplay feeling overly drawn out and repetitive, detracting from the otherwise engaging atmosphere and visuals. Players suggest that a more streamlined experience would have significantly improved the game's enjoyment.
“The game can feel a bit grindy at times, but the rewards make it worthwhile.”
“Grinding is a necessary part of the experience, and it adds depth to character progression.”
“While there are moments of grinding, they are balanced by the satisfaction of leveling up.”
“There's too much grinding, which I will specify in a separate subsection of cons.”
“The main grinding mechanic is clicking on posters to increase your 'like' count.”
“Very tedious game, with nothing to compensate for it.”
- optimization23 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 35 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, particularly on mid to high-end PCs, with reports of stuttering, lag, and low frame rates even in less graphically intense areas. Many players noted that performance drops are especially pronounced in the final levels, detracting from the overall experience. While the game has enjoyable elements, the lack of polish and optimization hampers its potential.
“Performance is generally smooth, but watch out for some hiccups in the final world.”
“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.”
“There are some performance issues, as on a relatively mid-level PC, there was noticeable stuttering and lag (average 20 fps) on the last level.”
“This is most likely just a lack of optimization, which again, can be expected of a student's project.”
“Speaking of Unity, this game was very unoptimized; it felt like No Man's Sky on launch day.”
- monetization20 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is heavily intertwined with its satirical take on consumerism and internet culture, featuring an abundance of ads and in-game purchases that players engage with to collect likes and complete tasks. While some view it as a cash grab, others appreciate the ironic commentary on the nature of advertising and social media, finding the gameplay enjoyable despite the overwhelming presence of ads. Overall, the game cleverly balances its monetization mechanics with engaging core gameplay, though it raises questions about the implications of its ad content.
“Slowly walk around, click ads for likes, take pictures, get a credit card so that you can click on more things, get a sword so you can cut pop-ups, rinse and repeat.”
“In the game, there are hundreds of advertisements and ATMs, which you are expected to use your liker and credit card tool on to get a like as a collectible.”
“This game has a lot of ads and glitches.”
- emotional15 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a mixed response from players, with some expressing deep feelings, particularly at the ending, which prompted tears for many. However, others felt that the emotional impact was undermined by a lack of narrative buildup and coherence, leading to confusion rather than a meaningful takeaway. While the game offers moments of nostalgia and joy in exploration, it struggles to achieve the emotional depth found in similar titles like Hypnospace Outlaw.
“Amazing, I cried at the ending.”
“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.”
- replayability11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it enjoyable enough to experience multiple times due to exploration and engaging mechanics, others feel it lacks significant incentives like achievements or branching paths. Future updates may enhance replay value, but currently, it seems best suited for a single thorough playthrough.
“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.”
“The characters fill you with overwhelming joy when you see them, and has about a good 9 hours (give or take) with what I saw an abundance of replay value; that number could stretch on even longer.”
“I am a fairly thorough sniffer of secrets and found nearly everything in one playthrough, and without achievements, branching paths, or multiple endings, this doesn't present much in the realm of replay value for me.”
“However, the replay value could use a boost.”
“Good to experience at least once, though it's so long I'm not sure I'd be able to comment on replayability.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
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 character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
“The depth of each character's backstory adds layers to the gameplay, making every decision feel impactful.”
