Etherborn

73%
Game Brain Score Based on 79 reviews
  • music
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Etherborn Game Cover
Etherborn is a beautiful and innovative puzzle-platformer that can often be headache inducing, but even so it is very much worth your time.
Starting at $0.88Buy now
Get on Steam Get on itch.io Store Get on Xbox Games Store

"Etherborn is a single-player kids' platformer game with beautiful graphics and wonderful music. Gravity-shifting puzzles and exploration are the core of the game, as you navigate perpendicular gravity structures to reach an ethereal voice and understand your existence. The game features surreal levels and a dynamic original soundtrack."

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

73%
Audience ScoreBased on 79 reviews
music15 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • Etherborn features beautiful graphics and a captivating art style that creates an ethereal atmosphere.
  • The puzzles are unique and mind-bending, providing a satisfying challenge that encourages lateral thinking.
  • The game has a relaxing soundtrack that complements the gameplay and enhances the overall experience.
  • The game is very short, with many players feeling underwhelmed by the limited content and quick completion time.
  • Camera mechanics are frustrating, often making navigation difficult and hindering the player's ability to plan their movements.
  • The New Game+ mode offers minimal changes, leading to a lack of incentive for replayability.
  • music25 mentions

    The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many reviewers praising its beautiful, calming soundtrack that enhances the overall aesthetic and emotional tone. The combination of piano and string quartet elements is particularly noted for elevating the game's atmosphere, while some players found the music engaging and fitting for the game's themes. However, there are contrasting opinions, with a few expressing strong dislike for the soundtrack, describing it as overly depressing and suggesting alternative music would better suit the experience.

    • “Lovely music from a piano and string quartet further elevated the game’s wistful tone.”
    • “Other pieces from the soundtrack use varying instruments to appropriately match each chapter's visual theme.”
    • “The soundtrack is beautiful and the art style is eye-pleasing.”
    • “Con: that goddamn depressing piece of sh*t music in this game!”
    • “No hard feelings for the guy who made the soundtrack; I am sure there are many depression-dwelling, suicide-thoughts junkies who get off on this 'beautiful' audio-horror-nightmare-symphony of extreme, pure sadness, but I don’t, so thank god (or thank you guys) for the option to kill off that 'music'... before I am going to kill myself.”
    • “The soundtrack and environment both complement the game’s theme, but you don’t really spend enough time with it to be wowed.”
  • gameplay23 mentions

    The gameplay of Etherborn is characterized by its creative gravity-shifting mechanics and visually appealing design, offering a unique puzzle experience that can be both engaging and challenging. However, many players criticize the limited content, with only a few levels that fail to fully explore the mechanics, alongside frustrating camera controls that detract from the overall experience. While the game may appeal to fans of artistic and atmospheric experiences, its execution and pricing have left some feeling that it lacks sufficient depth and value.

    • “Exploring the game’s atypical spaces was captivating from both a mechanical and artistic standpoint.”
    • “It’s always nice to find a game that manages to be elegant, relaxing, and easy on the eyes/ears without overlooking the need to make gameplay intricate and interesting as well.”
    • “As it toys with gravity and shifts surfaces to the forefront while you traverse them, mechanics come and go to keep the experience fresh at all times.”
    • “Gameplay was horrible.”
    • “Gravity shifting mechanic based on where you're standing is always a good concept especially if accompanied by very clever puzzle design, however the $17 price tag and the 4 puzzle rooms that result in 1 or 2 hours of it at best isn't enough to justify it.”
    • “Then it ends after only four levels, never exploring its mechanics in a way that makes them stand out.”
  • graphics21 mentions

    The graphics of Etherborn are widely praised for their beautiful, colorful, and atmospheric aesthetic, which effectively enhances the game's ethereal feel. Reviewers appreciate the clean and simple art style, likening it to a low-poly aesthetic that is executed with sincerity, while the visuals are complemented by a calming soundtrack. Overall, the game's stunning visuals and artistic design contribute significantly to the immersive experience, despite some critiques regarding content and pacing.

    • “Its nice use of colors and interesting aesthetic creates a very ethereal atmosphere indeed.”
    • “Etherborn is a great and unique puzzle-platformer with some smart level design and gorgeous views, thanks to its colourful, yet simple art style.”
    • “Artistically it's beautiful both visuals and sound.”
    • “All in all, Etherborn only lacks content to make the price tag worthwhile, and the execution with visuals for story bits, combining those two like a voice-over with the gameplay would be the best of both worlds. But as it stands now, I sadly have to give it a negative review.”
    • “The graphical and sound design pull it up a bit past that, but I still wouldn't pay more than five bucks for it knowing what I know now.”
    • “Indie games that present a low-poly aesthetic don’t always pull it off with the sincerity that Etherborn does.”
  • story17 mentions

    The story in Etherborn is characterized as philosophical yet convoluted, often feeling irrelevant to the gameplay and lacking depth. While some appreciate its artistic presentation, many reviewers criticize it for being overly abstract, minimalistic, and not engaging enough, leading to a sense of disconnection from the overall experience. Overall, the narrative is seen as a missed opportunity that detracts from the game's potential.

    • “It's beautifully done, with a deeply philosophical storyline and a lot of thinking and observing involved.”
    • “The story is minimalistic and complex as hell.”
    • “Slightly abrupt ending and still not entirely sure on what the story was, but this didn't make the game less enjoyable.”
    • “It's a strange new world, until you realize the story consists entirely of a voice that gives esoteric explanations about nothing in particular on the same boring background while nothing interesting happens.”
    • “The story is a paragraph of nonsense read aloud.”
    • “There is a rather philosophical story that is presented through cut scenes and voice overs, but while well acted and written it can largely be ignored, as it doesn't really add anything to the gameplay.”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by its stunning visuals and ethereal aesthetic, enhanced by a thoughtful use of color that creates a peaceful and immersive experience. While the graphics are simple, they effectively contribute to the overall beauty and atmosphere, making the short gameplay length feel just right. Players appreciate the clever puzzle design and rewarding problem-solving within this atmospheric artistic puzzle game.

    • “Its nice use of colors and interesting aesthetic creates a very ethereal atmosphere indeed.”
    • “It's very simple graphically, but it's atmospheric and beautiful.”
    • “Neat atmospheric artistic puzzle game, it is short (2-3 hours) but the length fits the game perfectly.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Overall, the game offers a mix of replayability features, such as clever gravity-switching levels and a rewarding puzzle-solving experience, particularly with the Game+ mode for dedicated players. However, some users find the backtracking tedious and note that the game's short length limits its overall replayability.

    • “The gravity-switching levels are clever, and the puzzle solving feels rewarding. The stunning visuals and peaceful atmosphere enhance the experience, while Game+ offers great replayability for those interested.”
    • “Each playthrough reveals new strategies and challenges, making it a game you can enjoy multiple times.”
    • “The variety of choices and paths keeps the gameplay fresh, encouraging you to explore different outcomes.”
    • “Backtracking can be tedious, leading to low replayability.”
    • “The game is quite short, which significantly affects its replayability.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious due to excessive backtracking, which contributes to low replayability and a generally short experience.

    • “Backtracking can be tedious and leads to low replayability.”
    • “The grinding feels repetitive and lacks meaningful rewards.”
    • “The amount of grinding required to progress is overwhelming and detracts from the overall experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

72% average critic score

Buy Etherborn

Videos

Similar Games

Game News