Camera Obscura

About

"Camera Obscura" is a puzzle-platformer game where you ascend a crumbling tower using an 'afterimage' mechanic to clone and manipulate the architecture, creating paths and solving puzzles. With 57 levels, the game offers multiple paths to the summit and a custom level editor for player-created challenges. Use your photographic skills to freeze moving platforms, cage enemies, and eventually reach redemption.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

64%

Audience ScoreBased on 519 reviews

gameplay74 positive mentions

grinding15 negative mentions

Unique camera mechanic that allows players to create temporary platforms, adding a fresh twist to platforming gameplay.
Challenging puzzles that require creative thinking and dexterity, providing a satisfying sense of accomplishment when solved.
Low price point makes it an accessible option for fans of indie games and puzzle platformers.

Repetitive gameplay that can become tedious over time, with some levels feeling overly long or frustrating.
Poor hit detection and floaty controls that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
Weak story presentation through collectible mementos that may not engage players effectively.

gameplay
254 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
64%
7%
The gameplay of "Camera Obscura" is characterized by a unique photo mechanic that allows players to create afterimages of their surroundings to navigate levels. However, many reviews highlight that this innovative concept quickly becomes repetitive and is hampered by poor level design, frustrating controls, and a lack of variety in challenges. While some players appreciate the potential of the mechanic and the nostalgic aesthetic, the overall execution leaves much to be desired, leading to a mixed reception regarding its engagement and enjoyment.
- “The snapshot 'afterimage' mechanic is so clever in the unbelievable number of unforeseen ways it can be used and in how easily it adapts to the user's play style.”
- “Camera obscura is a platformer with the unique mechanic of creating temporary after-images of solid objects by flashing your camera.”
- “It combines the greatest aspects of platforming -- running and jumping - with an innovative, practically unseen mechanic that allows new insight into level design.”
- “Many of the levels feel repetitious, and while thrown about pages for story might be okay for those wanting no story to their game, the method doesn't work well when the gameplay isn't engaging.”
- “Failing to use the new mechanic to its fullest, combined with environments that feel very brownish and similar to one another, makes Camera Obscura feel quite repetitive and boring in longer sessions.”
- “The art style is uninspired, as is the soundtrack; it controls very badly and the afterimage mechanic just adds to the frustration of the poor handling.”
story
124 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
64%
12%
The game's story is primarily conveyed through collectible mementos, which consist of text snippets presented in a polaroid format, revealing the protagonist's motivations and background as she climbs a mysterious tower. While some players find the narrative engaging and appreciate the atmospheric storytelling, many criticize it for being poorly written, repetitive, and lacking depth, often feeling disconnected from the gameplay. Overall, the story serves as a secondary element, with mixed opinions on its effectiveness and presentation.
- “The story itself is fairly engaging and reveals itself through 'mementos' - collectible photographs containing a piece of the story.”
- “The game starts off with great setup and a mysterious plot to the tower, hooking you in pretty well.”
- “The story, hidden in the collectibles, is pretty moving and sad, equal parts a character study of our heroine and a look at the cult that built a tower to the sun.”
- “The story is essentially just some text throughout the game in the form of mementos.”
- “Boring, preachy story.”
- “The storytelling is lackluster and seems more to be there to simply make up for the fact that the only thing going for the game is a platforming mechanism that loses its shine within the first few minutes.”
music
123 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
44%
13%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its atmospheric and relaxing qualities, often describing it as a highlight of the experience. However, several users note that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time, with limited variety across levels, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. While some find the music soothing and fitting for the game's ambiance, others feel it lacks depth and could benefit from more diverse tracks.
- “The relaxed feeling in Camera Obscura comes mostly from its great soundtrack.”
- “Every piece of music fits perfectly with its environment and the slower tempo of the game.”
- “The music is far and away the best part of the game, equal parts mysterious, calming, hectic, and adventurous.”
- “The dev could have made the musical choice more varied in the first two floors; it's one track on repeat the whole way through.”
- “One thing that began to annoy me after a while is the music: the soundtrack is very limited (only a handful of tracks), and I ended up disabling it entirely towards the end of the game.”
- “The music is pretty okay, but it gets repetitive after you hear the same motif repeated again and again.”
graphics
76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
46%
21%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the retro-inspired pixel art and charm, while others criticize the visuals as unappealing, inconsistent, and poorly executed. Many players note that the graphics feel outdated and lack polish, detracting from the overall experience, despite some acknowledging the game's unique aesthetic and atmosphere. Overall, the visuals are seen as a significant weakness, with calls for improvement in both quality and coherence.
- “This game is adorable, that paired with an interesting mechanic, wonderful graphic design, and a peaceful calming soundtrack to boot. I highly recommend this game, especially given its low price.”
- “Beautiful pixel graphics and serene sound effects.”
- “The unique art style is great and really gives me a fun and retro-indie feel, but with a professional polish.”
- “Sadly, the visuals in the game as a whole and connected to the story bring the game down a notch.”
- “Graphics are bad, even for an indie game.”
- “The graphics are remarkably bad, although they are strikingly similar to some of the worst graphics from the 1990s -- a decade this game pays clear homage to.”
grinding
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of "Camera Obscura" to be overwhelmingly tedious, particularly in the later levels where gameplay becomes repetitive and frustrating due to poorly designed challenges and slow-paced mechanics. While the initial levels showcase creative design and engaging mechanics, the latter stages devolve into a grind that detracts from the overall enjoyment, leaving players feeling stuck in a cycle of trial-and-error without meaningful progression.
- “The last few levels are the definition of worst trash ever produced; they are quite the most dull kind of stages you can have in any puzzle game. These include extremely tedious long 'escort' missions with a monster that moves at a pace so grudgingly slow that it clearly shows that there were no more ideas left for the last few stages of the game. They're really designed poorly; it's not challenging anymore, it's just really tedious and no longer enjoyable.”
- “Unfortunately, the later levels get really grindy, and the final levels just leave you wondering what you are supposed to do.”
- “They had such good level design and a great game mechanic in the first half that I found myself continuing to play through the tedious, grindy trial-and-error design of the second half in hopes that it was just a few bad levels.”
replayability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
37%
27%
The game features several elements that enhance its replayability, including collectible mementos that reveal story details, time-based challenges, and a level editor that allows for user-generated content. While some players appreciate these features and rate the replay value highly, others criticize the steep difficulty curve and lack of proper tutorials, which can lead to frustration. Overall, the game offers a decent replay value, particularly for those who enjoy challenges and exploring different ways to complete levels.
- “There is a replayability factor in the form of medals for finishing a level within a certain time limit, as well as mementos, which serve as collectibles that uncover bits of the story behind the protagonist and what motivates her to rush towards the danger that lurks in the mysterious tower you’ll be visiting.”
- “The fact that there's a workshop for this game infinitely increases replayability, as long as people keep making levels for it using the built-in editor.”
- “Replay value: 8/10 - more than one way to finish a level, achievements, level editor.”
- “The game 'boasts' about replay value by adding a 'least photos taken' challenge and a 'fastest complete time'.”
- “So I don't really think replayability is high.”
- “Between the three, they are meant to create replay value for the game; however, the absurd increase in difficulty without proper tutorials creates frustration, especially when in-game text about your controls is spread few and far apart (which should be covered in like, say, a tutorial).”
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
27%
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its engaging music and graphics, creating a compelling environment that enhances exploration and storytelling. While some reviews highlight a disconnect between the intended contemplative atmosphere and the fast-paced gameplay, many players appreciate the overall aesthetic and thematic consistency. However, a few critiques mention poor production values that detract from the atmospheric experience.
- “The atmosphere of the game is nice and matches well with the soundtrack; simplistic in a really appealing way.”
- “The levels are interesting and the overall atmosphere pushes you to explore more.”
- “Fun platformer with great music and nice atmosphere.”
- “Production values are bad and there's next-to-no atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack and setting of the game imply a slower, contemplative atmosphere, but the frequent need for fast reflexes often contradicts it.”
- “+ mysterious atmosphere”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a strong emotional impact from the game, with moments of deep connection to the characters' struggles and journeys, particularly in the face of personal fears and societal expectations. However, some also experience discomfort due to gameplay mechanics, which can detract from the overall emotional experience.
- “Tears welled up in his eyes when he realized what exactly was at stake.”
- “These small bits of writing unveil the emotional journey of this girl, as she appears to be rebelling against the fears and doubts of those who have failed to ascend this 'tower'.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is marred by numerous glitches and design flaws, leading to frustrating experiences such as character interactions and environmental issues. While these problems can detract from gameplay enjoyment, they are not severe enough to completely overshadow the overall experience.
- “I must add there are also some glitches and design flaws that will have you tearing your hair out at times, but they aren't bad enough to detract from the overall enjoyment.”
- “Now onto the game itself, a simple platformer with poor controls, really buggy interaction with the environment and the character (you literally float on slopes), and ironically enough with this game's name, the camera is terrible and makes me nauseous.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humor, with players finding it both funny and enjoyable, particularly highlighting the hilarious death animations. Overall, the comedic elements enhance the puzzle-solving experience.
- “However, it proved to be a funny and enjoyable puzzle game.”
- “The death animation is hilarious.”
- “It's hilarious.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is praised for its deep character development, which is complemented by great music and a variety of challenges that engage players for an extended period, making it a worthwhile experience despite its cost.
- “The game features quite deep character development, complemented by great music and a variety of challenges that will keep most players engaged for days.”
- “The character development is impressive, allowing players to form a strong connection with the characters and their journeys.”
- “I love how the character development unfolds throughout the game, making each decision feel impactful and meaningful.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
300%
Players find the optimization aspect highly engaging, as it encourages them to meticulously plan routes for speedrunning and repeatedly reset levels to achieve flawless runs with minimal errors. This focus on perfecting strategies adds to the game's addictive quality.
- “It gets very addicting as you first route the best path to speedrun, then you keep resetting a level over and over again until you achieve that perfect run with minimal mistakes and high optimization.”
- “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, making it frustrating to play at times.”
- “I often experience lag and frame drops, which really detracts from the overall experience.”
- “The lack of optimization means that even on high-end systems, the game can feel sluggish and unresponsive.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization in this indie game scene is viewed positively, with users appreciating the focus on quality and creativity over exploitative cash grabs. Players express a strong disdain for games that prioritize profit over player experience.
- “Welcome to the world of amazing indie games, where cash grabs are rampant.”

Buy Camera Obscura

4h Median play time

4h Average play time

4-4h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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