Disorder

About

Disorder is a single player arcade puzzle game. It was developed by Swagabyte Games and was released on January 12, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

You may think it's simple enough to run and jump your way through life. But there's more to this world... or, rather, these worlds. You're entering the duality of a distressed mind, controlling light and dark versions of the same environment. You hold the key to switching from one to the other. Every step forward shows a new obstacle, and a new way to alter it between dark and light. Become comfor…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

69%

Audience ScoreBased on 112 reviews

story28 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game offers a deep and emotional experience that resonates with players, prompting reflection on personal life and mental health.
The soundtrack is praised for its seamless transitions and atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall experience.
The unique mechanic of switching between two worlds adds an interesting layer to the gameplay, allowing for multiple paths and replayability.

The game suffers from technical issues, including bugs, poor framerate, and a lack of a reliable saving system, leading to frustration.
The story is often described as vague and heavy-handed, failing to engage players or provide a compelling narrative structure.
Many players find the platforming mechanics to be clumsy and frustrating, detracting from the emotional themes the game attempts to convey.

story
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
69%
4%
The story in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its emotional depth and unique presentation, while others criticize it for being vague, confusing, and poorly integrated with the gameplay. Many reviewers noted that the narrative struggles to maintain focus amidst the platforming mechanics, leading to a disjointed experience that can detract from the overall impact. Despite its flaws, some found the story's themes of loss and mental illness to be thought-provoking, making it a worthwhile aspect for those seeking a story-driven experience.
- “Disorder has an emotional story to tell, that is portrayed well throughout the levels.”
- “The conclusions are powerful, and the player is forced to decide how the story ends.”
- “It manages to feel rewarding and new in a saturated genre both in gameplay and story.”
- “The dark story of loss and mental illness cannot hide the fact that this is a poorly executed little platformer with muddy controls.”
- “There is a complete lack of any substantial narrative structure or characterization of the main character or anything that would make me interested in the story.”
- “The story was very vague and really quite confusing.”
gameplay
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
66%
5%
The gameplay is generally well-received, featuring solid controls and engaging mechanics, particularly the unique world-switching element that adds depth to the platforming experience. However, some players noted issues with slow movement, technical glitches, and a lack of variety in enemies, which detracted from the overall enjoyment. While the game offers a satisfying blend of puzzle and platforming elements, it could benefit from additional levels and improved animations to enhance the pacing and challenge.
- “Gameplay is what you would expect from a platformer with good controls but has puzzle elements and ways to shift between different dimensions which you will do often.”
- “Disorder is a great platformer with simple, yet entertaining mechanics and a ton of other original ideas.”
- “This swap world mechanic feels fresh in this psychological setting, and when applied on the different objects in the world has a varying effect.”
- “While it has functional gameplay, it has a major technical issue, a poor options menu, is short, and has a terribly uninteresting and vague story.”
- “Also, the transitions between the two modes had a glitchy effect (which was understandably used as it portrays the character's fractured mind), which was just very distracting after a while and simply affected gameplay too much, causing me to die various times.”
- “I think that they could have developed better movement animations as the slowness of it also affected the gameplay, particularly in the parts where you have to be quite quick.”
graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
78%
11%
The game features 2D pixel graphics that evoke a retro aesthetic, appealing to fans of pixel art. While some reviewers note that the platforming and overall design may feel familiar and unoriginal compared to other indie titles, many appreciate the detailed visuals and how they enhance the game's dark atmosphere. The combination of graphics, music, and sound effects creates a haunting experience that resonates with players.
- “I love the graphics and sound and gameplay.”
- “The graphics also sell the dark atmosphere and sad setting.”
- “The graphics are 2D pixel art with particular attention to detail, and I love the use of different palettes for the two realms.”
- “The platforming's nothing that hasn't been done in dozens of cheap flash games, the aesthetic's been done just as well in dozens of cheaper indie games, and the story and atmosphere have a few interesting bits, but generally bring nothing new to the table.”
- “Graphics - simple.”
- “Even with this pixel art style, I found the gestures and animations of the protagonist very powerful, and I never quite got used to seeing the young man die.”
music
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
65%
12%
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric quality, with seamless transitions between ethereal melodies and grating noise that enhance the overall experience. However, some players noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time, leading to a loss of interest. Overall, the music is considered a significant highlight, contributing to the game's emotional depth and immersive storytelling.
- “The music is really the high point here - the seamless transitions between ethereal, floating melodies and grating, distorted noise are really well done.”
- “The music is another great addition, and provides the perfect atmosphere throughout the game.”
- “The creative narrative, atmospheric music, and color palette really put me into the character's shoes.”
- “I thought the music was quite charming when in the light, but it felt like it was either the same or very similar pieces of music throughout the entirety of the game, meaning that I lost interest in the music over time.”
- “The developers surely didn't lie about this game making you feel down, with the music and the story, not to mention the fact that it gets damn tough towards the end.”
- “The music and sound effects are haunting and help to nail the graphics into your subconscious.”
atmosphere
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
27%
17%
The game's atmosphere is consistently described as creepy and dark, enhanced by effective graphics and atmospheric music that immerse players in a gloomy setting. While some reviewers note that the overall aesthetic and platforming mechanics are not particularly innovative, the combination of narrative and sound design contributes to a compelling experience. Overall, the atmosphere stands out as a strong aspect of the game, despite some criticisms of originality.
- “The music is another great addition, and provides the perfect atmosphere throughout the game.”
- “The creative narrative, atmospheric music, and color palette really put me into the character's shoes.”
- “I'd like to address quickly the supposedly creepy atmosphere this game has.”
- “The graphics also sell the dark atmosphere and sad setting.”
- “It tries very hard to keep a dark, gloomy atmosphere.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers an unexpectedly deep emotional experience for its genre, with a story that resonates strongly and evokes genuine feelings. While the emotional depth is commendable, players may find it challenging to fully engage with the narrative amidst the platforming gameplay, leading to an emotionally draining experience. Overall, the emotional storytelling is effectively woven throughout the levels, enhancing the game's impact.
- “The kind of emotional ride that you don't usually expect to find in this genre.”
- “If you get into it, you'll find a deep and emotional experience that will leave you feeling *things*.”
- “Disorder has an emotional story to tell, that is portrayed well throughout the levels.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
Overall, the game's replayability is considered low, primarily due to its short length. However, the inclusion of hidden items, extras, and a timed mode offers additional challenges and incentives for competitive players, enhancing the replay value for those seeking more content.
- “- good replay value.”
- “The game's replayability is low.”
- “My only complaint was that it was kinda short, but there are some extras and hidden items, and even a timed mode for those who are competitive that will add more to the replay value.”
- “Finding and using these trinkets adds more replay value and challenge to the game.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous game-breaking glitches that disrupt gameplay and hinder the intended experience. Players report frustration due to clumsy mechanics and frequent bugs, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the puzzle platformer.
- “An interesting premise and theme, but quickly that veneer slips away and you realize this is a clumsy and buggy puzzle platformer which primarily invokes frustration as opposed to being the contemplative experience it was perhaps intending for.”
- “Game breaking glitches.”
- “Edit: yeah, that was a glitch, and then it threw presumably two more glitches at me with the next level, where it no longer let me pause, and it also stopped changing how the world would act if I shifted in order to get around.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, comparing it to a repetitive task that requires extensive reading, which detracts from the overall enjoyment.
- “Like Shift but with tedious reading.”