Empty.
- September 25, 2020
- Dustyroom
- 2h median play time
Get on itch.io Store
Get on Apple Store"Empty" is a relaxing puzzle game that teaches players to value simplicity, with unique mechanics allowing you to clear rooms by rotating them and simple one-touch controls. The game offers 24 hand-crafted levels, an original soundtrack, and is accessible for all ages. It is advertising-free, with no paid content, and supported by donations.
iPad
iPhone
Mac OS
PC
Phone
Web Browser
Android
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Reviews
- Beautiful minimalist graphics and calming soundtrack create a soothing experience.
- Highly addictive gameplay with clever puzzles that challenge the player's perspective.
- No ads or in-app purchases, allowing for an uninterrupted gaming experience.
- The game is quite short, leaving players wanting more levels.
- Some puzzles can be frustrating due to the precision required for object placement.
- The philosophical quotes between levels may feel pretentious or unnecessary to some players.
- monetization264 mentions
- 72 % positive mentions
- 2 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its complete absence of ads and in-app purchases, providing a refreshing and uninterrupted gameplay experience. Players appreciate the calming atmosphere and engaging puzzles, highlighting that the lack of monetization enhances their enjoyment. Overall, the game's ad-free nature is frequently noted as a significant positive aspect, making it stand out in a market often filled with intrusive advertisements.
“I also absolutely love that this game has no ads or in-app purchases, making for a wonderful play experience.”
“No ads, no microtransactions, not even bugging for reviews.”
“This is a game that has no ads or in-game transactions, so that alone warrants five stars.”
“The idea is nice, but the texts between levels are pretentious and are somehow even more annoying than ads.”
“I was expecting this to be a mobile game crammed with ads and little substance.”
“I really didn't expect that there wouldn't be any ads at all but thank you guys for all the effort you put in.”
- music197 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and soothing qualities, enhancing the overall relaxing experience of gameplay. Many players appreciate the beautiful soundtrack and how it complements the game's visuals and themes, although some express a desire for the option to mute or adjust the music volume. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant asset, contributing to the game's therapeutic and enjoyable atmosphere.
“Empty is a beautifully made puzzle game full of pleasing colors and calming music.”
“The calm music accompanies the beautiful and intricate visuals.”
“The music is fantastic.”
“There's no option to turn off the music.”
“I like the graphics of the game, and sometimes the music annoys me.”
“I also find the music somewhat unnerving.”
- graphics120 mentions
- 78 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful, minimalist aesthetic and unique art style, which enhance the overall calming experience. Players appreciate the harmonious color palettes and intricate visuals that complement the soothing music, creating an engaging and relaxing atmosphere. Overall, the game's visuals are described as stunning, well-designed, and integral to its appeal, making it a joy to play.
“Beautiful graphics, colors, images, and overall well put together.”
“The calm music accompanies the beautiful and intricate visuals.”
“On top of all those amazing features, the graphics and the design of the art is absolutely stunning to the eye.”
“I really like this, it's simple and clean, but it doesn't work particularly well on my phone; the graphics lag and it's not smooth.”
“If you have any experience with graphic 3D software such as SketchUp, you know how easy it is to produce what seems a smooth surface - until you rotate it slightly and oops, there's a plank sticking out of your wall.”
“The aesthetic of the game and the colors used together is something I haven't seen at all.”
- gameplay84 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its unique mechanics, calming atmosphere, and beautiful visuals, making it a relaxing experience for players. However, many reviews note that the game is relatively short and can become repetitive, with a desire for increased difficulty as levels progress. Overall, it offers engaging puzzles and a soothing soundtrack, but some players wish for more depth and length in the gameplay.
“This is a really interesting puzzle game with great mechanics.”
“The gameplay is relaxing and just challenging enough.”
“I found a relaxing game with incredible music, beautiful visuals, and mechanics so cleverly designed that I barely noticed the tutorial.”
“The worst: too short and the gameplay is a little repetitive, and not difficult enough.”
“Cons: did not find the music soothing, gameplay is repetitive, words didn't do anything for me, I tried to use a hint on one level and it didn't help and froze my screen.”
“Really great and relaxing, but it's the shortest gameplay I experienced (30 min).”
- emotional18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartfelt messages and soothing gameplay, which many players found to be a comforting escape from reality. Users appreciated the game's ability to evoke feelings of safety and calmness, with some even expressing that it made them cry due to its touching quotes and themes of minimalism. Overall, the experience is described as wholesome, relaxing, and emotionally resonant, leaving players with a sense of warmth and fulfillment.
“It's short (maybe around 30 minutes) but very worth just experiencing something so pure and wholesome.”
“I love this so much, sad that it ended. This game somewhat made me feel safe and calm, and it was very beautiful. I played this before sleeping; it really helped me have a better sleep. Such a beautiful game, Dusty Room will never forget this game and name.”
“Absolutely love this game. I love games like this in general, but this one feels special to me. It made me cry a little bit, so I don't know what that says about me, but it's still a really neat game to play.”
- atmosphere17 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its calming and soothing qualities, enhanced by beautiful colors and matching music. Players appreciate the lack of ads, which allows for a more immersive experience, and describe it as a relaxing and slightly emotional journey. Overall, the vibrant design and unique mechanics contribute to a cozy and enjoyable atmosphere, making it a delightful choice for those seeking a tranquil gaming experience.
“This game was very calm and soothing; the music, colors, and atmosphere are all great.”
“A wonderful atmospheric game that feels a bit like an 'unpuzzle' game, in which you will not be annoyed by ads, which really helps to appreciate the work that has been put into this.”
“Beautiful and relaxing game with atmospheric background music.”
“Not a deal breaker, just disturbing the otherwise calming atmosphere.”
“If someone likes a game with only a relaxing atmosphere, this might be for you.”
“The music is really matching with the game's atmosphere.”
- story10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its potential and emotional depth, with themes of loss and decluttering that could enhance the overall experience. Reviewers appreciate the cohesive narrative and the integration of music, which complements the gameplay beautifully. While the puzzles may not be the most challenging, the focus on storytelling and the calming atmosphere create a unique and enjoyable experience.
“The whole game carries a sort of storyline, making it cohesive, and clearly the creators have put a lot of time into making the game.”
“Absolutely amazing story and interesting concept.”
“Incredible story with a really interesting mechanic I've never seen before.”
“I hope someday the creators can incorporate a story into this—something about loss, or decluttering, or something cohesive where the messages make more sense as a collective.”
“While it's not the hardest puzzle game, it's more about the story and poetry of it.”
“Would perhaps be possible to theme this as well and turn it into a quest approach so each level you accumulate an item that either forms the goal or unlocks new environments.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky and cryptic messages that keep players engaged and entertained, often eliciting laughter through clever quotes. Coupled with soothing music and appealing aesthetics, the humor enhances the overall relaxing experience, making players eager for what comes next.
“The messages... that you've got to align can be funny, weird, or downright cryptic, but they make you look forward to what they tell you next.”
“Not only is it so peaceful to do at your own pace, but the soothing music adds another level, not to mention the humor that comes with it!”
“The quotes made me laugh!”
- stability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, user feedback on stability is mixed; while some players report a flawless experience with no glitches or ads, others encounter significant bugs and a lack of instructions that detract from gameplay.
“Worked flawlessly, no glitches!”
“The game runs smoothly without any crashes.”
“I experienced no lag or performance issues during gameplay.”
“The game itself is buggy and has unnecessary restraints on things that don't fit the other restraints.”
“Buggy, there are no instructions, just throws you right into the game.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its smooth performance and lack of ads, contributing to a positive user experience. However, some users feel that the performance is not as impressive as it could be, indicating mixed opinions on optimization.
“There's no ads at all, the soundtrack is beautiful, and the game runs smoothly.”
“It's not a performance issue; it's perfectly smooth when I'm controlling the camera.”
“The optimization is lacking, resulting in poor performance during gameplay.”
“The game runs poorly, and the optimization feels rushed and incomplete.”
“I experienced significant lag and frame drops, indicating that the optimization needs serious improvement.”
