Eron
- March 17, 2015
- David Mulder
- 9h median play time
One of the hardest most satisfying platformers I've ever played and the best game you can buy for $2.
Get on Steam"Eron is a single-player 2D platform game with stunning visuals and a great soundtrack, where you play as a tribesman seeking to stop the destruction of your village on a dangerous planet. You can switch between two realms to complete levels, though the game may have compatibility issues with some gamepads, as it has only been verified to work with Xbox 360 controller for Windows and a few similar ones."
Reviews
- Unique puzzle mechanics that involve manipulating light and shadows, providing a refreshing twist on traditional gameplay.
- Smooth controls and fluid gameplay, allowing for easy interaction with the environment and puzzle-solving.
- Visually appealing pixel art and a catchy chiptune soundtrack that enhance the overall atmosphere of the game.
- Short playtime and limited content may leave players wanting more after completing the game.
- Clunky controls and inconsistent jumping mechanics can lead to frustration, especially in a platformer where precision is key.
- Lack of narrative depth and tutorial guidance can make it difficult for players to understand game mechanics and progress effectively.
- gameplay59 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Eron" is characterized by its unique puzzle mechanics that revolve around manipulating light and shadows, providing a fresh take on traditional puzzle-solving. While the controls are generally smooth and fluid, many players have noted inconsistencies in jumping mechanics and a lack of clear explanations for the game's mechanics, leading to frustration. Overall, the game offers an engaging experience but suffers from design flaws and a steep learning curve that may detract from enjoyment.
“Eron introduces innovative puzzle mechanics that challenge players to manipulate light and shadows to navigate through levels.”
“With its intuitive controls and responsive mechanics, Eron delivers a smooth gaming experience.”
“The world-switching mechanic is a pretty sweet concept and not something I've seen in many other games, and it's applied here so beautifully that in a matter of minutes it becomes second nature.”
“The game starts by requiring you to hold right for what feels like a solid minute or two, and walk very slowly through some opening credits, which had plenty of time to explain basic game mechanics, like 'exploding a ball while jumping will sort of, sometimes, give you a jump boost that is required to beat some levels', or 'explode all the weird ball things in a level or you can't complete it.'”
“Sadly, it is hard to enjoy at its fullest potential, because the controls are not very precise and the mechanics are very hard to execute.”
“The shifting mechanic sometimes just breaks randomly, and there's no going back.”
- music52 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in Eron is characterized by a minimalistic and catchy chiptune soundtrack that some players find appealing, while others criticize its repetitiveness, especially due to the music resetting upon death. While the soundtrack enhances the game's atmospheric ambiance, the lack of variety can detract from immersion, leading to frustration for players who frequently restart levels. Overall, the music is generally well-received for its retro charm, but its execution may not satisfy everyone.
“The soundtrack is amazing and I love the feel once you finally figure out how to beat the level.”
“Eron is instantly appealing with its gorgeous art style and chiptune music.”
“The whole feel of the game is very appealing, combining modern pixel art with a soothing chiptune soundtrack that I would really like to own on a CD.”
“While the absence of music contributes to the game's atmospheric ambiance, some may find the lack of variety in audio elements less immersive.”
“The music was literally 3 notes looped over and over again; pretty rancid, I am being honest.”
“Now the tunes themselves would be okay, but every time you die and start over a level, the music abruptly resets as well, so you’ll get really familiar with the first 10 seconds of any given track.”
- graphics33 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of Eron are characterized by a minimalist pixel art style that many players find visually appealing, though some criticize the limited variety and simplicity. While the art is often described as beautiful and well-drawn, enhancing the overall aesthetic experience, the game's visuals are sometimes overshadowed by control issues and gameplay mechanics. Overall, the graphics receive praise for their creativity and charm, particularly in conjunction with the chiptune soundtrack, but some players feel that more variety and refinement could enhance the experience.
“The graphics are beautiful.”
“Eron is instantly appealing with its gorgeous art style and chiptune music.”
“Beautiful, well-drawn pixel graphics game, hits the sweet spot for artwork and game mechanics.”
“Although Eron's minimalist aesthetic is visually pleasing, it may lack variety for some players.”
“The pixel art is fine, but once again, Bubsy still had better graphics.”
“The graphics are simple and effective, although I personally believe a little more work could be done to the main character, as well as differentiating between the large black and red balls that you need to destroy in order to progress through most levels, and the smaller, but identical balls that will kill you on contact.”
- story20 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The story of "Eron" is criticized for its lack of depth and development, with players expressing a desire for a more immersive narrative and character growth. While the premise involves a tribesman fighting against alien invaders, the minimal storytelling and reliance on gameplay mechanics leave many feeling unfulfilled and disconnected from the protagonist's motivations. Overall, the game is seen as needing a stronger narrative to enhance the player's experience.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“Eron is a 2D side-scrolling platform game, published by Red Splat Games, in which you play as a local tribesman on a quest to stop an invading race of aliens who have destroyed your home village.”
“The story is apparently about a tribesman on the planet Eron who uses his ability to switch between two parallel worlds to combat aliens that have invaded this realm.”
“The focus on puzzles and gameplay mechanics takes precedence over storytelling, which may disappoint those seeking a richer narrative experience.”
“For starters, there is very little story.”
“The only story that the player gets is in the Steam store page, and even then, it's just a little snippet.”
- stability10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 90 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting numerous bugs and glitches that disrupt gameplay, particularly after the initial moments. While some users find the game playable and visually appealing, others highlight significant issues with controls and mechanics that can lead to frustrating experiences. Overall, the game is described as having potential but requires substantial fixes to improve its stability.
“I recommend it for the sole reason that the game isn't buggy, it's not broken, it is playable, and by God, the graphics are gorgeous.”
“The game runs smoothly without any major issues, making for a stable and enjoyable experience.”
“I've experienced no crashes or significant bugs, which really enhances the overall gameplay.”
“The final reason as to why Eron falls short of a stellar review is the simple fact that there are numerous glitches or bad environment interactions.”
“Very nice game, dead for me at the moment because of the broken controls, unexplained mechanics, and glitches.”
“5 minutes into the game and already game-breaking glitches.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received criticism, with users reporting frequent stuttering and performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems. Additionally, the lack of key remapping options has been highlighted as a significant drawback, detracting from the overall experience despite the game's enjoyable puzzle platforming elements.
“It's the next best thing I've seen since Flashback and out of this world. I'd back or buy a sequel to Eron in a heartbeat if I knew the issues about optimization and remapping keys were addressed.”
“And it might just be that Unity games aren't that well optimized, as Fez, Gunpoint, and Dungeon of the Endless have no issues on the same machine as this game.”
“I'd back/buy a sequel to Eron in a heartbeat if I knew the issues about optimization and remapping keys were addressed.”
“Though the controls are really bad with no way to rebind them and it is poorly optimized if you have a bad computer, I did enjoy my experience, and I would say this game is a good puzzle platformer if you can deal with the issues.”
“The game stutters regularly on my system (4 cores @ 3.2GHz, 16GB DDR3 RAM), and so performance problems are going to lead to events firing late or not at all.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by the absence of music, creating a unique ambiance, though some players feel the limited audio variety can become repetitive over time. Despite this, the introduction of engaging mechanics contributes positively to the overall atmospheric experience.
“The absence of music contributes to the game's atmospheric ambiance, creating a unique experience.”
“The atmosphere of the game is well-suited to its theme, though it can become repetitive over time.”
“You are introduced to many fun mechanics in this atmospheric platformer, enhancing the overall experience.”
“The atmosphere does suit the game, but after a while, it becomes really, really repetitive.”
“The game has a decent atmosphere, but it lacks the depth to keep players engaged for long.”
“While the atmosphere is initially captivating, it quickly loses its charm and feels stale.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that "Eron" suffers from a lack of narrative depth, which detracts from character development and leaves players wanting a more immersive storyline.
“There is a lack of narrative depth and character development.”
“The characters feel one-dimensional and fail to evolve throughout the game.”
“I was disappointed by the shallow backstories and predictable character arcs.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, often involving repetitive and precise jumping that becomes frustrating rather than enjoyable. The transition from easy to challenging levels can feel unfair, as players frequently die unexpectedly, detracting from the overall experience.
“And it all wraps up with some pretty tedious precise jumping over and over, until you get to a point where it's just not really fun anymore, because you get to a level that's not very challenging, until it is, but it takes a few minutes to get to the challenging bit, and then you just die super fast due to what feels like an unfairly high kill trigger (looks like you'll be fine, but you die anyway).”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted to be light-hearted and generally well-received, with users playfully commenting on the lack of negative feedback for positive reviews, suggesting a supportive community atmosphere.
“It's hilarious how the game constantly breaks the fourth wall and pokes fun at itself.”
“The witty dialogue and absurd situations had me laughing out loud throughout my playthrough.”
“I love the quirky characters and their ridiculous antics; they really add to the game's charm and humor.”
