CAPSULE
- May 29, 2014
- Finji
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Capsule" is a single-player Horror Survival game with a focus on radar-based navigation in a hostile, dark environment. The game offers an intriguing classic sci-fi story, good visuals, and a delightful atmosphere, but it is very grinding and may not be suitable for those with claustrophobia, misophonia, anxiety, or triggers related to asphyxiation and/or darkness. The game is short, approximately 2 hours, and offers a unique and intense experience for those who enjoy the horror survival genre.
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Reviews
- The game has a superbly immersive atmosphere, enhanced by excellent sound design and minimalistic visuals that create a sense of tension and isolation.
- Gameplay is engaging, requiring players to manage resources carefully while navigating through a hostile environment, which adds to the overall experience.
- It's a unique and intriguing concept that offers a short but impactful journey, making it worth playing, especially for fans of atmospheric and experimental games.
- The game lacks a reset button, forcing players to restart from the last checkpoint if they run out of power, which can be frustrating.
- The gameplay can become tedious and luck-based, especially in later levels, leading to repetitive experiences without much evolution in mechanics.
- The story is minimal and vague, leaving players with many unanswered questions and a lack of motivation to replay after completing the game.
- atmosphere70 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and minimalist design, effectively creating a tense and eerie experience that captivates players. Many reviews highlight the impressive sound design and visual style, which contribute to a compelling sense of isolation and suspense. However, some players note that while the atmosphere is strong, the gameplay can become frustrating and luck-based, detracting from the overall experience.
“Atmosphere, sound, story all breathtakingly deep!”
“'capsule' manages to be one of the most atmospheric games I've experienced and it does this with only excellent sound design and minimal visuals.”
“The mysterious atmosphere and minimal style makes for a very interesting experience that will stick with you for a long time.”
“Great idea, interesting atmosphere, poor implementation, no interface, no options, random deaths.”
“Great sci-fi horror atmosphere but gets tedious and luck-based fast.”
“A retro look of an ancient monochrome terminal adds to the atmosphere of being trapped in a capsule with limited air and energy supplies at the bottom of the ocean.”
- gameplay58 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized as minimalistic and simple, often leading to feelings of tedium and repetitiveness, with many players finding it lacks depth and motivation for replay. While some appreciate the tension created by resource management and the discovery of hidden mechanics, others criticize the reliance on luck and the thin story, resulting in a mixed reception overall. The game may appeal to those who prioritize atmosphere and immersion over complex mechanics, but it may not satisfy players seeking more engaging gameplay experiences.
“Gameplay can be very satisfying (discovering how everything works, finding waystations, completing a level, etc.).”
“Managing your oxygen and fuel resources while attempting to dodge enemies and hazards makes for some tense and exciting gameplay.”
“Engaging gameplay where you need to conserve your resources while moving towards your objective: you'll have to dodge enemies and use your sonar (costing the same energy that powers your engines) to find more air and power sources so you can keep going.”
“The gameplay is too hard and tedious to keep you motivated.”
“But sadly, the gameplay is just tedious.”
“The gameplay is very simple and winds up being not much fun.”
- story50 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimalistic and often cryptic, requiring players to fill in gaps with their imagination, which may not appeal to everyone. While some find the atmosphere and tension engaging, many reviewers note that the narrative is thin and could benefit from more depth and clarity. Overall, the story is described as intriguing yet vague, with a short duration that some appreciate for its brevity, while others wish for a more substantial experience.
“Atmosphere, sound, story all breathtakingly deep!”
“For something so minimalistic, this game really knows how to ramp up the tension and keep you enthralled in the story.”
“I only wish it had a longer story with more depth, though the way it played out really made me feel as if I were a part of an old sci-fi novel.”
“I really like the minimalistic visuals, but it's one of those indie games that doesn't have a logic behind the story, so they just keep everything vague and you know... the player should fill in the gaps.”
“The story is a bit on the light side, and while this can partly be attributed to the game's interface, a message or two more per outpost about the anomaly or further fleshing out the personnel at the outposts would have been nice.”
“Very short story though!”
- graphics36 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a minimalistic and retro-futuristic aesthetic that effectively enhances the overall atmosphere and immersion. While some players note that the visuals may not be visually striking, they appreciate how the simplicity complements the eerie sound design and contributes to a sense of isolation and tension. Overall, the graphics are well-received for their ability to evoke imagination and support the game's themes, making them a fitting choice for this indie title.
“The sound and graphic design are perfect for giving you a sense of eerie isolation, and the game provides you just the right amount of information about the world to ignite your imagination.”
“Visuals are top notch, the retro-futuristic look of CRT monitors and clunky keyboards and tons of vector graphics has been achieved.”
“The graphics work, but yeah, it's hardly a looker.”
“The sparse, gritty interface elements and visuals (and the even sparser controls) force you to surrender to the brilliant and shockingly uncomfortable sounds of your breathing, the whining of the engine, and the blips of the radar's pulse.”
“In fact, the minimalist retro-futuristic aesthetic and the sound design are all that holds this game together, but they constitute such a superb achievement of immersion that they are enough for me to absolutely recommend this game.”
- grinding10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overly tedious and often luck-based, leading to a lack of motivation and enjoyment. The challenging gameplay can become monotonous, particularly for those who are easily bored, making it difficult to progress from checkpoint to checkpoint.
“The gameplay is too hard and tedious to keep you motivated.”
“Sadly, the gameplay is just tedious.”
“If you are easily bored, I would not recommend this game as it can be tedious, going from checkpoint to checkpoint.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability, with a short playtime of about one to two hours, leaving players with little incentive to revisit it after completion. While the experience is brief, some players appreciate the low cost and the effort of the small development team.
“No replay value and about a 1 hour experience.”
“It's pretty short at around 2 hours, and once you're done there's little to no replay value.”
“It's got a short story; the game can probably be beaten in about an hour or two if you try hard enough, and there's not a tremendous amount of replayability here.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's strong emotional impact, noting that it effectively immerses them in a narrative reminiscent of classic sci-fi literature. However, there is a common desire for a longer and more in-depth story to enhance this emotional experience.
“Of the game's many strong points, the first is the emotional impact this game leaves.”
“I only wish it had a longer story with more depth, though the way it played out really made me feel as if I were a part of an old sci-fi novel.”
