Dissolving

About

Dissolving is a single player action game with a horror theme. It was developed by Flying Whale and was released on June 14, 2019. It received positive reviews from players.

Her ex-boyfriend became a shut-in. The girl goes to visit him... then things start to go wrong. They always do, right? Experience two stories about digital gods and loss. And remember - believe in the net.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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84%

Audience ScoreBased on 133 reviews

story28 positive mentions

stability1 negative mentions

Unique and intriguing psychological and horror-themed story exploring digital existence, online toxicity, and human condition.
Distinctive and artistic visual style using dark palettes with reds and violets creating a creepy, melancholic atmosphere.
Free to play with multiple hidden stories and achievements that add replayability and encourage exploration.

Very short runtime with underdeveloped characters and story that leaves many questions unanswered, causing confusion or frustration.
Minimal gameplay and interaction—mostly clicking through text with little player impact or choices.
Rough and inconsistent art quality with some awkward or jarring presentation; music and pacing sometimes detract from immersion.

story
77 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
60%
4%
The story is praised for its intriguing, creative themes around internet horror, loss, and digital metaphysics, offering deep meaning and a sombre tone. However, many find it too short and rushed, limiting emotional impact and leaving plot elements underexplored or fragmented. While the worldbuilding and meta elements stand out, the narrative often feels more like a vehicle for concepts than a fully fleshed-out story, with an open-ended or abrupt conclusion that may frustrate some players.
- “It has superb creative writing, offers a sombre story that includes suicide, takes the reader on a meta-gaming adventure, but more significantly, it's yet another parable of life.”
- “The concept described in the game description is of 'digital gods and an internet cult' and that in itself is a disturbingly dark theme but the story also manages to make it realistic to a certain degree by describing the typical emotive scenarios many gamers would come across at some point.”
- “There are two stages to this story and, upon unlocking the second story, you will be shown a more unsettling outcome that is not only ironic in its euphoria but also in its unlimited power.”
- “Story-wise, I can see what it wanted to do (melancholy + mystery), but with such a short runtime, it barely has time to breathe.”
- “I felt that the 'hidden' story had a very lackluster climax, and there were a few points in the story that feel like they were stretched out for no good reason while other points could have used a bit more exploration.”
- “The original story is less than 15-30 minutes, and it feels a bit disappointing that it ended so without going into much detail or lore.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
50%
14%
The game features a unique, hand-drawn art style with a dark, spooky, and often murky atmosphere that effectively complements its mysterious narrative. While the graphics quality is rated low (2/5) and sometimes feels rough or clunky, many users appreciate the provocative and thought-provoking visuals that enhance the overall mood.
- “Unique and aesthetically pleasing art.”
- “Wonderful and unique art style, thought provoking writing (and well done at that), a new perspective into reality, definitely worth setting aside some time for!”
- “The visuals are a beautiful contrast of vibrant colours that somehow empower the words due to the strong use of reds, purples, violets and darkened soil-greys.”
- “The art style is hand-drawn, but too rough for the mood it wants.”
- “The artwork is quite dark and murky, however the protagonist and the text contrast nicely.”
- “Graphics quality received a 2 out of 5 stars rating.”
music
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
44%
17%
The music is widely praised for its atmospheric, eerie, and mood-setting qualities, often highlighted as a standout feature alongside the art and story. However, some users note issues with poor synchronization, awkward loops, and abrupt changes that disrupt the intended emotional flow. Overall, the soundtrack is considered unique and integral to the game's tension and ambiance.
- “I still listen to all 3 versions of the mourning soundtrack "we'll meet again".”
- “The music and sounds are really good for setting up the tension... the art too sets a specific mood that's - I don't know what to call it - but I love it!”
- “Alongside this, the music is a mixture of ambience that quickly reverts to industrial beat tones matching the changing mood of the story.”
- “The music was not so well synced though.”
- “I felt like the music was all that was guiding the pacing of the game and sometimes even felt like the music didn't know what it was doing.”
- “Sudden stops, bad loops and bad music change decisions made me feel emotions that I wasn't supposed to feel in those moments.”
gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The gameplay is minimal, reflecting its visual novel format with mostly click-to-continue mechanics and limited interactivity. While the story and presentation are praised for originality and style, gameplay elements are sparse and loosely integrated, offering brief engagement but lacking depth or traditional game mechanics.
- “Enjoyable for 0.5 - 1 hour of gameplay, and it's free.”
- “But this is well put-together: it's short, well-written, nice presentation and even has a sprinkling of gameplay elements.”
- “I respect the ideas; just think the middle needed polish for flow and hook, but nice stylization and twists in the mechanics.”
- “It's a visual novel, so of course gameplay is non-existent.”
- “There is some 'gameplay' element to it, but not standard stuff.”
- “It's a VN: click to continue — ★★☆☆☆”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The atmosphere is characterized by a melancholic and eerie tone, effectively conveyed through unique art, a dark color palette, and atmospheric music. While some find it intriguing and unsettling, others feel it lacks immersive horror elements and can come across as unfinished or more thought-provoking than truly frightening. Overall, it creates a disturbing, shadowy ambiance that engages through mood rather than explicit horror.
- “The type of game drives into the atmosphere of disturbing decay.”
- “It has a creepy atmosphere and made me feel intrigued.”
- “The music was very atmospheric and the art was fitting and unique.”
- “It looks rough in a way that doesn’t add charm or atmosphere — it just feels unfinished.”
- “Atmosphere is melancholic, but not immersive.”
- “On paper it's a horror game and has some fun cheeky scares, but in practice it wasn't anything horrific, focusing more on atmosphere, thoughts, and hypotheticals rather than visual or content horror like imagery or violence.”
emotional
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect creates a creepy, intriguing atmosphere but is hindered by minimalistic writing and shallow character development, limiting deeper emotional engagement. Sudden narrative and audio shifts evoke unintended feelings, while the thematic focus on intense emotional conflicts adds a unique horror element. Overall, the emotional impact is present but somewhat inconsistent and underdeveloped.
- “Strange creatures that seem drawn to the servers where people fight the most vehemently, or where there is the greatest emotional intensity.”
- “It has a creepy atmosphere, and made me feel intrigued.”
- “Sudden stops, bad loops and bad music change decisions made me feel emotions that I wasn't supposed to feel in those moments.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers moderate replayability, allowing players to enjoy an additional satisfying 30 minutes beyond the initial playthrough.
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is somewhat lighthearted but may clash with players expecting a more intense or frightening experience. It provides occasional laughs but might undermine the intended suspense.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game experiences stability issues where the window frequently freezes, causing a black box outline to glide instead of smooth, normal movement across the screen.
- “Instead of moving normally and gliding across the screen, the window freezes and a black box outline glides.”