Circles
- October 20, 2016
- jeroenwimmers
- 1h median play time
Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Circles" is a wordless, abstract puzzle game that uses mouse movements to interact with circles on-screen, which grow, shrink, and move based on your movements. The goal is to experiment and find your way to the end point in each of the 90 levels, with four unique modes for replayability. The game features atmospheric music and is currently available on PC and Mac, with no current plans for a mobile version.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features elegant minimalist graphics and excellent sound design, creating a relaxing atmosphere.
- Puzzles are original and well-designed, encouraging experimentation and self-teaching.
- Circles offers a unique gameplay experience focused on mouse dexterity, making it engaging and fun for short play sessions.
- The game is misleadingly marketed as a puzzle game, as it primarily relies on dexterity rather than critical thinking.
- Many players found the game to be extremely short, with main levels taking less than an hour to complete.
- Some levels can feel repetitive and lack challenge, leading to a less satisfying experience overall.
- gameplay12 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its minimalist design and elegant mechanics, offering a calming experience enhanced by great music and animations. Players appreciate the quick learning curve and variety of mechanics, though some feel that the puzzles become predictable after a short time, leading to a sense of completion within an hour. Overall, the gameplay is engaging but may lack long-term challenge.
“Great animations, awesome color design, fun and interesting minimalist gameplay.”
“You learn a lot of mechanics very quickly and organically.”
“Minimalist graphics, elegant gameplay, excellent music.”
“I personally felt I was done with the game after 1 hour of gameplay.”
“There is a lot of variety in mechanics, but the puzzles using those mechanics rarely surprise more than twice.”
“Every few levels, the mechanics change a little bit.”
- music9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game is consistently described as calm, relaxing, and serviceable, enhancing the overall experience with its soothing soundtrack and interactive elements. Reviewers appreciate the minimalist presentation and how the music complements the thoughtful puzzle design, creating an engaging atmosphere reminiscent of titles like Anti-Chamber. Overall, the soundtrack is well-received, contributing positively to the gameplay without being overly challenging.
“The puzzles are original and never too repetitive, the design is beautiful and the soundtrack is very relaxing.”
“Every puzzle is thoughtful and the music/sound effects accompaniment is relaxing and encouraging--even when I make a mistake.”
“Awesome interactive soundtrack and clean minimalist presentation.”
“The music is serviceable.”
“Pretty chill to mess with your rhythm and the music, not very challenging; though a few will throw you for a loop for a bit.”
“It reminds me a lot of the feel of anti-chamber, including the visuals, the music, and even the cleverness and simplicity of the puzzles.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics are characterized by a minimalistic style that evokes comparisons to games like Antichamber, featuring simple visuals and clever design. However, some users find the color choices to be jarring, with certain combinations being visually overwhelming. Overall, the elegant gameplay and excellent music complement the minimalist aesthetic.
“It reminds me a lot of the feel of Antichamber, including the visuals, the music, and even the cleverness and simplicity of the puzzles.”
“Minimalist graphics, elegant gameplay, excellent music.”
“The minimalistic visuals (colors + circles) actually manage to be eye-searing in a few levels, due to downright idiotic color choices (yeah, bright yellow on bright red, this ought to work, right?).”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report a high level of stability, with no bugs or glitches encountered, leading to a perfect score of 5/5 for this aspect.
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized by familiar jazzy and electronic soundscapes, enhanced by sound cues that respond to mouse movements, though it lacks originality compared to other puzzle games.
“The sound design creates a unique atmosphere that immerses you in the game world, blending jazzy and electronic elements seamlessly.”
“The ambient sounds enhance the overall experience, making every puzzle feel alive and engaging.”
“The atmospheric music and sound cues respond to your actions, adding a layer of depth to the gameplay.”
“The sound is nothing you haven't heard in a million puzzle games before: jazzy/electronic atmospheres, with sound cues based on your mouse movements.”
“The overall atmosphere feels bland and uninspired, lacking any unique elements that would draw me in.”
“The environments are visually dull and fail to create an immersive experience, making it hard to stay engaged.”
