Camera Obscura

About

Camera Obscura is a single player arcade platformer game. It was developed by Anteater Games and was released on February 19, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"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

Skip User Reviews

64%

Audience ScoreBased on 524 reviews

gameplay74 positive mentions

grinding15 negative mentions

The game features a unique camera mechanic that allows players to create temporary platforms, adding an interesting twist to traditional platforming.
The level design is praised for its creativity, with a good difficulty curve that challenges players without being overly frustrating.
The soundtrack is enjoyable and complements the game's atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience.

The controls can feel stiff and imprecise, leading to frustrating moments, especially during more challenging sections.
The graphics are considered basic and repetitive, which detracts from the overall visual appeal of the game.
Some levels lack clear direction, making it difficult for players to understand how to progress, leading to potential confusion and frustration.

gameplay
257 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
63%
8%
The gameplay of "Camera Obscura" is centered around a unique snapshot mechanic that allows players to manipulate the environment by creating temporary afterimages of platforms. While this innovative concept offers some engaging puzzle-solving opportunities, many players find the execution lacking due to repetitive level design, frustrating controls, and a lack of variety in gameplay mechanics. Overall, the game presents an interesting idea but struggles to maintain player interest over time, often leading to a tedious experience.
- “It's a game with a very intelligent and unique mechanic where you have to use your camera to manipulate the environment by taking a snapshot of your surroundings.”
- “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 that relies upon a single mechanic: press a button to create a solid afterimage of your surrounding terrain, and use it to reach the end of the level.”
- “Interesting photo mechanic wasted on a repetitive platformer with poor hitboxes, weak story, and dull gameplay.”
- “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.”
- “The camera mechanic is pretty unique, but the game feels empty and boring at times.”
story
126 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
63%
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 navigates a mysterious tower. While some players appreciate the atmospheric storytelling and the gradual unfolding of the narrative, many criticize the execution, describing the writing as weak and the presentation as uninspired. Overall, the story serves as a secondary element to the gameplay, with mixed opinions on its engagement and depth.
- “The story is good actually; it does a lot to keep a player interested and willing to progress.”
- “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.”
- “As you climb the tower more and more of the story is revealed to you and drives you to discover more.”
- “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 simple and repetitive; you may get tired after some time playing.”
graphics
77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
45%
21%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the retro pixel art style and atmospheric visuals, while others criticize them as basic, unappealing, or poorly executed. Many comments highlight a disconnect between the game's environments and character designs, leading to a lack of cohesion in the overall aesthetic. Overall, while some find charm in the simplicity, others feel the graphics detract from the gameplay experience.
- “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%
The grinding aspect of "Camera Obscura" is heavily criticized, with many players finding the later levels tedious and poorly designed, leading to a frustrating experience. The gameplay often devolves into repetitive trial-and-error mechanics, with slow-paced escort missions and overly sensitive controls contributing to a sense of monotony. While the initial levels showcase promising design and mechanics, the latter stages are described as grindy and unenjoyable, detracting from the overall experience.
- “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.”
- “The level design sucks and the gameplay is so slow and tedious.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
8%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its engaging music and intriguing storytelling, creating a sense of exploration and immersion. While some reviews note basic graphics and production values, many players appreciate the game's unique charm and the way its atmosphere complements the gameplay. However, there are mixed feelings about the balance between the contemplative setting and the fast-paced mechanics, which can sometimes clash.
- “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.”
- “The graphics are a little basic, and while I like the darkness of the game early on, it adds to the atmosphere.”
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 the variety and challenges offered, others find the difficulty spikes and lack of tutorials frustrating, which may detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game is considered to have solid replay value, with a rating of 8/10 from some reviewers.
- “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).”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a strong emotional impact from the game, with moments of profound realization and personal struggle highlighted in the narrative. However, some also experience discomfort due to gameplay mechanics, which can detract from the overall emotional experience. The story's exploration of rebellion against fear and failure adds depth to the character's journey, enhancing the emotional engagement for many players.
- “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 that can lead to frustrating experiences, such as characters getting stuck or poor control mechanics. While these issues can detract from gameplay enjoyment, they are not severe enough to completely ruin the overall experience for some players.
- “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 turned out to be a funny and enjoyable puzzle game.”
- “The death animation is hilarious.”
- “It's hilarious.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its deep character development, which is complemented by an impressive soundtrack and a diverse range of challenges that engage players for an extended period, making it a worthwhile experience despite its cost.
- “The character development is quite deep, featuring great music and a variety of challenges that will keep most players engaged for days, despite its cost-efficiency.”
- “The depth of character development in this game is impressive, allowing players to truly connect with their characters and experience meaningful growth throughout the journey.”
- “I love how the character development unfolds; it feels organic and rewarding, making each decision impactful and enhancing the overall gameplay experience.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
Players find the optimization aspect highly engaging, as it encourages them to strategize the best routes for speedrunning and repeatedly reset levels to achieve flawless runs with minimal errors. This focus on perfecting performance 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 stuttering, which really detracts from the overall experience.”
- “The lack of proper optimization means that even high-end systems struggle to maintain a stable frame rate.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express a strong disdain for monetization practices in indie games, emphasizing that they prefer genuine, quality experiences over exploitative cash grabs.
- “Welcome to the world of amazing indie games, where cash grabs are rampant.”