Down the Rabbit Hole
- March 25, 2020
- Cortopia Studios
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Down the Rabbit Hole" is a narrative-driven VR adventure set in Wonderland before Alice's arrival. Guide a girl searching for her lost pet by plotting her journey through a 360° diorama, solve puzzles, find hidden collectibles, and make story choices. Experience unique VR locomotion and play as multiple characters.
PC
Playstation 4
Virtual Reality
Windows
Oculus Quest
Oculus Rift
PlayStation
PlayStation VR
PlayStation VR2
Reviews
- Charming and visually stunning diorama-style graphics that create an immersive experience.
- Engaging and light-hearted puzzles that are suitable for all ages, making it a great introduction to VR.
- Unique gameplay mechanics that allow players to manipulate the environment and experience the story from both third-person and first-person perspectives.
- The game is quite short, typically taking only 2-3 hours to complete, which may not justify the full price for some players.
- Puzzles can be overly simplistic, leading to a lack of challenge for more experienced gamers.
- Technical issues such as problems with VR mode startup and awkward movement controls can detract from the overall experience.
- story118 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story, while rooted in the familiar "Alice in Wonderland" narrative, offers a fresh and whimsical take that engages players through immersive storytelling and charming character interactions. However, many reviewers noted that the story is relatively short and sometimes lacks depth, with an abrupt ending that leaves some players wanting more. Overall, it is praised for its beautiful presentation and lighthearted tone, making it an enjoyable experience for fans of story-driven games, despite some criticisms regarding the simplicity of puzzles and the linearity of the plot.
“A creative new way to tell the story of Wonderland.”
“The storytelling and humor are matched by the light puzzles perfectly.”
“This is one of the best reinterpretations of Alice's story.”
“Story-wise, it's yet another take on Alice; there's nothing unusual here, just a linear adventure with some puzzlish sections.”
“There isn't much of a plot since the game is so short: side characters have only 2 or 3 lines of dialogue each, and the story ends abruptly without tying anything up.”
“My one grumble about this game is the story... I really don't think we need another retelling of Alice in Wonderland, and I'd much rather have experienced something more novel.”
- graphics53 mentions
- 77 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their stunning art design and high quality, creating an immersive and visually compelling experience. Many players appreciate the beautiful and whimsical aesthetics, likening the visuals to a dollhouse or a vibrant rendition of the Alice in Wonderland universe. While some critiques mention low-poly textures in certain areas, the overall consensus is that the graphics are a standout feature, enhancing the gameplay and storytelling.
“The graphics are amazing, pulling the world closer to your face, and the detail is brilliant. It's a mesmerizing world with lots to see.”
“The art style in the game is beautiful, and I love the VR interactions when moving around and viewing the characters.”
“The aesthetics were truly beautiful and so realistic that I felt 100% immersed.”
“No graphic settings that I could find (only audio settings).”
“The graphics are okayish; some rooms have a lot of atmosphere, while some don't, so things feel rushed.”
“Too short to justify the 20 EUR price tag; the visuals are okay, the puzzles are boring, and the story is a parody of Alice in Wonderland but with too many bad jokes in it.”
- gameplay38 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its creativity and innovative mechanics tailored for VR, while others criticize it for being too simplistic and short, averaging around 2-3 hours for full completion. Players enjoyed the charming visuals and engaging story, but many found the navigation and puzzle mechanics tedious, often requiring guides to progress. Overall, while the game offers a unique experience, its brevity and shallow gameplay elements left some players wanting more.
“Rather creative gameplay that challenges you throughout.”
“From the playthrough, mechanics, puzzles, story - everything was top notch.”
“The navigation mechanics used to create this world deserve an award and are likely to be repeated by other game makers.”
“It's worth playing, but $20 for two hours of gameplay at 100% completion is still a big ask.”
“I found a few bugs in the gameplay and VR locomotion that were a bit frustrating, and really not much reason for it to be a VR exclusive (it could be easily translated to traditional platforms as well).”
“The gameplay is too simplistic.”
- music11 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its haunting and poignant quality, complementing the narrative and visuals effectively. Reviewers highlight the excellent voice acting and sound design, though some express a desire for the background music to be muted during specific gameplay moments, such as music puzzles. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's atmosphere, earning it a solid rating.
“The music is haunting, poignant, and amazing.”
“The voice acting and music are great, as are the visuals.”
“The art style is absolutely brilliant, and the music is whimsical and beautiful.”
“I prefer the background music to be automatically off when the girl is at the music puzzle location.”
“Voices, acting, sounds, and music were very well done!”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as creative and charming, with a blend of light-hearted and dark comedic elements that resonate well with fans of humorous adventure games like Monkey Island. Players appreciate the clever storytelling and amusing puns, although some find certain jokes and easter eggs potentially inappropriate for younger audiences. Overall, the humor is a standout feature, enhancing the game's appeal and enjoyment.
“Creative, charming, funny.”
“Highly recommended for those who enjoy humorous adventure games such as Monkey Island.”
“The storytelling and humor of DTRH are matched by the light puzzles perfectly.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Down the Rabbit Hole" is widely praised for its dream-like, captivating quality that evokes nostalgia and intrigue, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay simplicity and inconsistent visual quality. Many players appreciate the charming art style and immersive environment, making it a recommended experience for those who value atmospheric design in games.
“Down the rabbit hole is the absolutely most wonderful and atmospheric, dream-like and puzzling, childhood-remembering, intriguing and captivating VR experience that I have ever had... that I am unequivocally terrible at playing.”
“While the gameplay is perhaps a bit too simple, it makes up for it with its excellent visual style and charming atmosphere.”
“I would recommend this game to anyone who thinks the look and atmosphere of a game is important.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is considered limited due to its short length and lack of substantial content to explore after the initial playthrough. While some players note the presence of multiple endings and secrets that encourage a second run, many feel that the overall value does not justify the full price, leading to mixed opinions on its replayability. Ratings for this aspect average around 5/10.
“Short, but has good replayability with multiple endings and secrets you will only be able to discover and interact with after your first playthrough.”
“However, this game is very replayable.”
“For the price, it is debatable, given the shorter length and lack of real replay value, whether the game is worth it or not.”
“Full price is a bit high due to the short length, but the game has some light replayability with alternate options.”
“Replayability - 5/10”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that while the 3D visuals enhance immersion and reduce aimless pixel hunting, the grinding aspects of the game, particularly in hidden object puzzles and repetitive tasks, are often viewed as tedious and boring. Players express frustration with the controls and the need for excessive back-and-forth movement, which detracts from the overall experience.
“The hidden object aspect of the game is boring and tedious, and the game length is very short for the asking price.”
“Towards the end, you have to keep walking tediously back and forth to get different characters and bring them to different places.”
“Puzzles and gameplay are boring and tedious because of the controls.”
- character development3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is highlighted by impressive character designs and fitting voice acting, contributing to an engaging experience. However, some users feel that the depth of character development lacks a certain "magic," suggesting that while the aesthetics and dialogue are strong, they may not fully resonate on a deeper emotional level.
“Great character design and dialogue, the voice acting fits perfectly.”
“Really good character design.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotional depth, characterized by a wholesome and whimsical atmosphere, complemented by a charming art style. Players express surprise at the meaningful interactions, which enhance the overall joyful experience.
“Overall, it's an amazing, wholesome game with a great art style.”
“I found myself surprised by certain interactions; some things recognize I'm touching them while my hand goes through most others.”
“It's cute, jolly, wholesome, and whimsical.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is highly optimized, featuring a polished experience with no reported glitches or stuttering during gameplay.
