DYSTORIA
- February 21, 2017
- tricoastalgames
Dystoria is a great love letter to retro videogames and sci-fi movies from the 1980s. Its six-axis controls are easy to learn yet hard to master, while it’s physics-bending levels are a great way to reinvigorate a classic puzzler.
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"DYSTORIA is a single-player Science Fiction Shooter game set in a retro-future aesthetic with six-axis flight mechanics. Players, representing humanity in an interstellar tournament, must upgrade their ships with collected orbs and parts while navigating increasingly complex level layouts and puzzles. Sensational music drives the intense action."
Reviews
- DYSTORIA features visually engaging neon graphics and a unique gameplay mechanic that allows players to traverse surfaces without gravity, reminiscent of classic arcade games from the 80s.
- The game offers a fun and nostalgic experience with smooth controls, a great soundtrack, and a variety of levels that encourage exploration and puzzle-solving.
- Players appreciate the attentive developers who actively listen to feedback and work on fixing bugs, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
- The game suffers from optimization issues, including frequent crashes and problems with graphical settings, which can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- A significant limitation is the inability to aim up or down while shooting, making it difficult to engage flying enemies effectively.
- Some players find the game to be short, which may detract from its replay value, especially if they encounter technical issues that hinder progress.
- music7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality and atmospheric fit, with some tracks reminiscent of the "Tron Legacy" soundtrack. Reviewers appreciate how the soundtrack enhances the overall experience, contributing to the game's 80s aesthetic and making it a standout feature in this fun, exploration-driven shooter.
“Wow, a much cooler game than I thought it would be! What an amazing way to throw a little story into an arcade-style game, and the music goes great with it!”
“This is a fun, topsy-turvy, atmospheric shooter with exploration and great music for only six bucks!”
“The music is awesome, keeping with the 80's feel and aesthetic.”
“One of the tracks would sound at home on the Tron Legacy soundtrack.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Dystoria features visually striking graphics characterized by bright, neon, cubic landscapes that evoke a strong 80s Tron and cyberpunk aesthetic, enhancing the overall experience. However, players have reported frequent crashes when adjusting graphical settings, which detracts from the otherwise stylish presentation.
“Dystoria is a visually engaging game containing bright, neon, cubic landscapes with enemies and aesthetics that wouldn't be out of place in Tron.”
“The aesthetic is spot on with the 80's Tron/cyberpunk feel.”
“The game crashes almost all the time when switching graphical settings.”
“The graphics are very suitable to the game.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by smooth and responsive shooting and movement mechanics, played from a third-person perspective, which enhances the overall experience. Reviewers see significant potential for future improvements and features, while also appreciating the nostalgic 80's arcade feel that the game offers.
“I think there is a ton of potential with the game mechanics, and would love to see a sequel that adds features and also refines existing ones.”
“The shooting and movement mechanics are smooth and responsive.”
“This game is brimming with 80's nostalgia and arcade gameplay.”
“The gameplay feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The controls are unresponsive at times, leading to frustrating moments during gameplay.”
“There are numerous bugs that disrupt the gameplay experience, making it feel unfinished.”
- story1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game effectively integrates an engaging story into its arcade-style gameplay, enhancing the overall experience, and is complemented by a fitting soundtrack.
“Wow, a much cooler game than I thought it would be! What an amazing way to incorporate a little story into an arcade-style game, and the music goes great with it!”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized as fun and whimsical, enhanced by engaging exploration and a strong musical score, all offered at an affordable price.
“This is a fun, topsy-turvy, atmospheric shooter with exploration and great music for only six bucks!”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players express that the game lacks replayability due to its limited number of levels and the predictability of secrets and techniques, leading to a diminished incentive to continue playing once those elements are mastered.
“There is no replay value to five levels that I know the secrets and techniques to, and if I can't progress in the game past there, there's no reason to play it.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
“The lack of variety in gameplay makes it feel repetitive after the first playthrough.”
Critic Reviews
Dystoria Review
Dystoria is a great love letter to retro videogames and sci-fi movies from the 1980s. Its six-axis controls are easy to learn yet hard to master, while it’s physics-bending levels are a great way to reinvigorate a classic puzzler.
65%Dystoria Review
It is never a fun thing to play a game like Dystoria as it has many interesting and clever features and serves as a great history lesson in gaming, but, at the same time, it all falls flat due to the poor execution of said mechanics. To have a game focusing on driving on all sides of the objects, it is important to focus on making that enjoyable some way or another. In Dystoria, it simply isn't, as everything looks the same in a way that makes it extremely difficult to navigate, making it a frustrating feature instead of a game-defining one. Currently, it feels more like an early beta game with potential than a finished product.
30%PC Review - 'Dystoria'
70%
