Circuits
- April 17, 2014
- Digital Tentacle
- 240h median play time
Get on Steam"Circuits" is a single-player musical puzzle game with good mechanics and spectacular graphics, known for its exceptional soundtrack and grinding nature. An upcoming update, "Circuits Composer," will allow players to create and share their own songs through the Steam Workshop. The game is set to become more expensive after the update, which will introduce a level editor for user-generated content.
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Reviews
- Circuits offers a unique and engaging experience that challenges players' musical ear and memory skills.
- The soundtrack is beautifully composed, providing a relaxing and immersive atmosphere.
- The game mechanics are simple to understand, making it accessible for both music enthusiasts and casual gamers.
- The game is relatively short, with only 25 levels, which may leave players wanting more content.
- Some levels can become tedious, requiring players to listen to the same segments repeatedly to identify subtle differences.
- The difficulty curve is inconsistent, with the last two levels being significantly harder due to the removal of helpful mechanics.
- music2,076 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in "Circuits" has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its beautiful and atmospheric compositions, particularly in the electronic and ambient genres. However, some users found the music repetitive and bland, leading to frustration during gameplay as they had to listen to short clips repeatedly to solve puzzles. Overall, while the soundtrack is appreciated by many, its appeal may vary significantly based on personal taste and musical background.
“An incredibly unique and amazing experience with additional ear training and I would even say slight music theory.”
“The game concept is cool: puzzle together music from existing blocks, by listening carefully, replaying, taking apart layers and so on.”
“Circuits is a wonderful game built from soothing, ambient music.”
“A music puzzle game, but the twist is that the music is terrible and torture to listen to.”
“It's an exercise in tedium and the fact that the music (which you have to sometimes repeatedly loop for reference) is so sterile and bland makes this impossible to latch onto.”
“The music in this game is boring, but more importantly, it's structureless, which completely ruins the gameplay.”
- gameplay210 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is centered around reconstructing music tracks from audio samples, offering a unique blend of puzzle-solving and music creation. While many players appreciate the innovative mechanics and relaxing nature of the game, some find the gameplay repetitive and lacking in challenge, particularly as it progresses. Overall, the game is praised for its fluid mechanics and engaging soundtrack, though opinions vary on its depth and replayability.
“The gameplay is about first listening to a track as it should sound, and then reconstructing it using sound bites that you place on the 'circuit' in order to finish and play the track.”
“A very clever audio-based game where you have to pick out different samples used in the given level and put them in their correct place, with a few new mechanics here and there; it's not feature-rich, but it does well with the ones it has.”
“The gameplay is fluid and really challenging at some points :)”
“The music in this game is boring, but more importantly, it's structureless, which completely ruins the gameplay.”
“Slowly got a bit more interesting, then they introduced the loops portion of the gameplay and that's where the game completely broke down from a musical puzzle to a frustrating chore.”
“The game is not long, I have gone under an hour and completed about 60 - 75 percent of the game, and I cannot bring myself to finish it because the gameplay is so tedious.”
- graphics96 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their minimalist and polished aesthetic, effectively complementing the audio experience. While some users noted the simplicity and lack of graphical intensity, many appreciated the clean visuals and logical layout that enhance gameplay. Overall, the graphics are described as beautiful and functional, contributing to a relaxing and immersive atmosphere.
“The graphics have an attractive polished style.”
“The music in the game is amazing, the controls are easy to use and enjoyable, the graphics are simple, but they are also beautiful at the same time!”
“The game itself is a satisfying challenge, but it's the sound and graphics, creating very immersive play that seals the deal.”
“Hazy graphics and floaty synthesizer music further mess up your brain while playing this.”
“There’s really not a lot to comment on here because it’s not a graphically demanding game nor is there any reason to really play around with any of the settings.”
“Although I bought it during the sale, I feel it should be only worth about $1 (sale price) because it's a simple single-player puzzle game, with no other gameplay or intense graphics.”
- replayability34 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with many players noting that once the levels are completed, there is little incentive to return. While some enjoy the music and design, the consensus is that the gameplay is short and repetitive, leading to a low replay value. A few players mentioned potential in the circuits composer feature, but the absence of community-made levels or additional challenges limits the game's longevity.
“Initially, I didn't think this game would have any real replay value until I saw the circuits composer (which I have yet to try).”
“I personally gifted this game now to several people, all of them were happy with the game and liked it for the design, the sound, and the great replayability... plus the added bonus that now is coming with the game.”
“The replayability lies mostly in wanting to hear the short songs again, but the game is still fun and rewarding.”
“Not much replay value as the levels are all exactly the same; maybe get it on sale.”
“The game doesn't really have any replayability, because once you've finished all 25 levels (I think I finished them in about an hour or two), you've heard all the songs and you wouldn't really go back to play those songs again.”
“I blew through all the levels in my first playthrough and it offers zero replayability.”
- grinding33 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, with players expressing frustration over the lack of challenge and creativity. Many reviewers found the gameplay to be a slog, characterized by monotonous tasks and predictable music samples, leading to boredom and a lack of incentive to continue. Overall, the experience is described as more of a chore than an engaging puzzle game, detracting from its intended relaxing and meditative qualities.
“This is supposed to be some kind of relaxing, meditative game based on the visuals... but you spend most of your time replaying the same piece of ear-bleeding, grinding, unmelodic noise you've ever experienced, trying to distinguish between two near-identical pieces of 'music'.”
“The puzzle aspect is almost non-existent: it's repetitive and tedious, rather than challenging.”
“The game is not long; I have gone under an hour and completed about 60-75 percent of the game, and I cannot bring myself to finish it because the gameplay is so tedious.”
- atmosphere22 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a relaxing and surrealistic ambiance, enhanced by a well-crafted soundtrack that blends orchestral and electronic elements. Players appreciate the calming, easy-listening music that complements the puzzle-solving experience, creating a serene environment that stands in stark contrast to more intense multiplayer games. Overall, the atmosphere is described as immersive and enjoyable, making it a highlight of the gameplay experience.
“The atmosphere this game offers is simply incredible and can only be explained by letting someone actually play it.”
“There is a sense of mystery to this game, an eerie surrealistic atmosphere with a glimmer of cyberpunk flavor in fancy lights and well contrasting colors.”
“This calm atmosphere is further evident in the resulting pieces that are formed; one would indubitably not consider them intense pieces like dubstep or hardstyle tracks, but rather easy-listening and occasionally 'trippy.' As a result, the game is relaxing to play, and is a great change of pace to fast-paced multiplayer games like 'Counter-Strike: Global Offensive' and 'League of Legends.'”
“Surprisingly enough, the game has quite an atmosphere, with the soundtrack being an amalgam of orchestral (strings, piano, brass, and even a flute solo in one level) and electronic drums and synthesizers.”
- story10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game lacks a narrative component, with users expressing a desire for a story mode to enhance the experience. Currently, players focus solely on recreating tracks without any storyline to engage with.
“Oh yeah, no storyline.”
“No story.”
“The game has no story.”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is subtle and often intertwined with the music experience, as players find joy in unexpected moments and lighthearted interactions. While some reviews emphasize a serious engagement with the game's elements, there are instances of genuine amusement, such as a child's laughter, highlighting the game's ability to evoke smiles amidst its immersive soundscapes. Overall, the humor is appreciated as a delightful complement to the gameplay experience.
“Good sounds as I like, and even some humor.”
“"mister," the little girl said, still laughing.”
“"that's really funny."”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game exhibits notable stability issues, particularly within the music creation editor, where users report bugs affecting controls and audio clarity. Additionally, certain levels experience glitches, which can detract from the overall experience, despite the game's relaxing nature and appealing graphics.
“The editor is buggy.”
“At least one level is buggy when scrubbing with a filter applied, and it's sometimes rather difficult to hear the sounds when listening to the example track.”
“Graphics are pretty, but the controls are a bit buggy.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game to be deeply emotional and touching, often evoking strong feelings. The ability to engage with the game through interactive elements enhances the emotional experience.
“Got me emotional.”
“Touching.”
“Got me emotional.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game is well-optimized, with users reporting no performance issues or crashes during gameplay. However, some suggest that incorporating a performance rating system could enhance replayability.
“I didn’t experience any performance problems or crashing during my time with circuits.”
“Some sort of rating (according to time or some other measurement of performance) may improve replayability.”
