Discolored
- November 11, 2019
- Jason Godbey
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Discolored" is a single-player horror simulation game with masterful mechanics and beautiful graphics. You explore a desolate diner in the desert, solving puzzles to restore color and uncovering secrets in this two-hour experience. With a haunting soundtrack and intricate puzzles, the game features a striking aesthetic and immersive atmosphere.
Reviews
- The game features an interesting and creative concept of restoring color to a grayscale world, which makes for engaging puzzles.
- The atmosphere is enjoyable, with a mysterious yet relaxing vibe complemented by a creepy soundtrack.
- The visuals are tidy and elegant, creating a unique aesthetic that enhances the overall experience.
- The game is very short, taking only about 1-2 hours to complete, which leaves players feeling like it is more of a demo than a full game.
- Many puzzles are unintuitive and lack clear logic, leading to frustration and reliance on hints or guides.
- The game feels incomplete, with a minimal story and abrupt ending that leaves players wanting more content and context.
- story42 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal and often feels like a mere premise rather than a fully developed narrative, leaving players with hints of a larger tale that may unfold in future sequels. While some players appreciate the mystery and potential for deeper lore, many express disappointment at the lack of substantial storytelling, feeling that the game serves more as a puzzle experience than a narrative-driven adventure. Overall, the story is seen as a starting point, with hopes for expansion in upcoming installments.
“There is a sequel coming soon, and from the looks of it, Discolored 2 is going to be like this but longer, with more story and horror elements thrown in.”
“Your mission is to restore the colors by solving various puzzles while uncovering a mystery as to why the colors disappeared in the first place.”
“There is no story, only a premise, and no narrative crumbs to spur your imagination apart from a general air of mystery.”
“The story leaves much to the imagination, and the conclusion is giving me the idea that the developers are not done with it yet.”
“The story doesn't really exist, there aren't any characters, I don't really know where or when it took place... this game is literally nothing at all but assets and some inventory puzzles.”
- music28 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric quality, effectively enhancing the overall experience with a mix of beautiful, relaxing, and thematically fitting tracks. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke a sense of mystery and nostalgia, with stylistic nods to influences like Twin Peaks and the Twilight Zone. Overall, the music is considered one of the standout features, contributing significantly to the game's immersive environment and emotional depth.
“I love this game, the puzzles are fun, the soundtrack is beautiful, and the 3D model work is astounding!”
“The graphics are beautiful and the music fits the mood perfectly.”
“Throughout the game, the music does a great job of setting the atmosphere.”
“What's with the creepy music?”
“Music makes me think it's about to turn into a horror game.”
“With any game that relies on a certain ambiance, the music and sound effects are key and they work really well in discolored.”
- gameplay28 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its unique color-restoration mechanics and point-and-click exploration, offering a solid yet short puzzle experience that typically lasts around 1-2 hours. While some players appreciate the intriguing atmosphere and novel puzzle design, others find the gameplay somewhat tedious and not fully utilizing its mechanics, leading to mixed feelings about its overall satisfaction. Despite its brevity, the game is recommended for those who enjoy atmospheric puzzle games, though some may feel it lacks depth and challenge.
“A good game with an original gameplay idea.”
“Short and intriguing puzzle game with intuitive mechanics.”
“Wonderful concept, enjoyable mechanics, satisfying difficulty level.”
“The main puzzle mechanic is that you have to find RGB color-restoring prisms and put them in their slot, but sometimes when you restore a color it also restores a part of the world that hinders you.”
“They seem almost like arbitrary mechanics tacked on to an otherwise bland point-and-click adventure.”
“Tedious gameplay.”
- atmosphere27 mentions
- 81 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its elegant visuals and immersive sound design, creating a unique and engaging experience that emphasizes mood and aesthetics over traditional gameplay. Many players appreciate the game's ability to build tension and communicate non-verbally, while the 1950s-inspired art style and atmospheric music enhance the overall experience. However, some reviewers express disappointment at the game's brevity, feeling that the captivating atmosphere leaves them wanting more.
“The game has a great atmosphere, the puzzles are fair - not too easy, not too difficult - and the world opens up to the player.”
“Come for the atmosphere of silence and mystery, stay for the bizarre puzzles.”
“But disappointment doesn't evolve from a bad gameplay experience or frustration but from loving the atmosphere and longing for more but being let down after not even 1.5 hours.”
“The whole atmosphere of the game is a feeling of isolation and like you are trapped in an episode of the Twilight Zone.”
“It just means that it was more the experience of the aesthetics, atmosphere, and wondering what was going on that I enjoyed more than the actual gameplay.”
- graphics23 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their tidy, elegant visuals and appealing art style, which feature simple textures and a cartoony look that enhance the overall atmosphere. Many reviewers appreciate the calming aesthetic and how the visuals complement the sound design, creating a cohesive experience, although some note limitations in graphical complexity and narrative depth. Overall, the game's visuals are described as beautiful and fitting for an indie puzzle game, making it a worthwhile purchase for fans of the genre.
“The graphics are beautiful and the music fits the mood perfectly.”
“Love the art style and colors of this game, very chill and easy to understand.”
“Fun, simple yet beautiful graphics, thought provoking.”
“There's no reason given for why you are doing this, and the graphics are very limited.”
“It features basic room escape graphics, free roaming within the worldlet, but no real puzzles, just inventory item combinations and 'world context switching' similar to what you find in the Rusty Lake series.”
“It just means that it was more the experience of the aesthetics, atmosphere, and wondering what was going on that I enjoyed more than the actual gameplay.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with many users noting that the short playtime of around one hour does not justify the cost, and there is little incentive to replay it beyond exploring the well-crafted world. Overall, players feel that once completed, the game offers minimal value for those seeking to revisit it.
“The game offers a rich world to explore, making it enjoyable to revisit even after completing the main story.”
“With multiple paths and choices, each playthrough can feel fresh and unique, encouraging players to dive back in.”
“The variety of challenges and side quests ensures that there's always something new to discover, enhancing the game's replayability.”
“There is no replayability and it's just a waste.”
“If you're a frugal spender, this probably isn't the game for you; there isn't a lot of replay value unless you want to mess around in the surprisingly well-polished world for a bit.”
“A one-hour playthrough (and it's not very replayable; yeah, I didn't unlock every achievement, but there's no way I'm replaying one hour just to find a lone missing object) is a bit disappointing for the price point.”
- stability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's stability is notably problematic, with users reporting significant bugs that hinder gameplay, particularly in clock-based puzzles. Additionally, players have experienced issues with controls, leading to reliance on pre-scripted movements to compensate for these flaws. Overall, these stability concerns have resulted in a frustrating experience for many users.
“The game runs smoothly without any crashes or major bugs, making for a seamless experience.”
“I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; I can focus on the challenges without worrying about technical issues.”
“The consistent performance throughout my playtime really enhances the overall enjoyment of the game.”
“I managed to finish this in under 2 hours, including initial troubleshooting to get it to run properly on Manjaro Linux.”
“Controls are not great, and the developers used pre-scripted movements often to account for the buggy controls.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of fun and wholesome moments, though some players felt a sense of frustration or inadequacy when relying on hints, highlighting a mix of enjoyment and challenge.
“It honestly made me feel dumb at times, needing to use the hint function more than I would have liked, even as a puzzle game lover!”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, characterized by excessive backtracking and repetitive tasks that detract from the overall experience, leading some to feel relieved they purchased it on sale.
“Tedious gameplay.”
“I'm glad I bought it on sale because there was so much running around, back and forth, up and down the stairs multiple times, and it began to feel tedious by the time I was near the end.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is highly optimized, providing a seamless experience that enhances the immersive game world and complements the mood with fitting music.
“The game is optimized really well; the game world has a unique vibe, and the music perfectly fits the mood.”
“The optimization in this game is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even in the most intense moments.”
“I appreciate how well the game runs on various systems, showcasing excellent optimization that enhances the overall experience.”
