Evo Explores
- May 16, 2016
- Kyrylo Kuzyk
- 2h median play time
"Evo Explores" is a puzzle game where players manipulate surreal structures and create optical illusions to guide Evo through levels inspired by Monument Valley. With 45 unique levels, the game offers a relaxing and accessible experience for all ages, with no in-app purchases. The game features regular laws of physics that are under the player's control, providing a mind-bending and immersive experience.
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and a relaxing soundtrack, creating a calming atmosphere.
- The puzzles are clever and engaging, providing a fun challenge without being overly difficult.
- It's a charming and cute game that offers a unique perspective on puzzle-solving, reminiscent of Monument Valley.
- The game is very short, typically taking only 1-2 hours to complete, which may leave players wanting more.
- Many puzzles are too easy, with a lack of depth that can make the gameplay feel repetitive.
- Mouse controls can be frustrating and unresponsive, detracting from the overall experience.
- graphics27 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their pleasing visuals, charming art style, and smooth animations, often drawing comparisons to the aesthetics of Monument Valley. While some users noted minor issues like aliasing in backgrounds, the overall presentation is described as beautiful and relaxing, complementing the gameplay effectively. The combination of simple yet captivating graphics and a soothing soundtrack enhances the overall experience, making it visually appealing and enjoyable.
“Fantastic graphics and gameplay.”
“A very nice little game, with plenty of optical illusions (with brilliant artworks!) and a bunch of levels and difficulty tiers.”
“The game includes nice graphics and nice music, that guarantees a great time.”
“This little telephone toy crashes a lot at launch, but finally goes after trying random resolutions and graphic settings.”
“The art-style is pretty; however, the backgrounds could've had slightly higher resolution as I saw some aliasing.”
“Simple graphics, and just clean gameplay.”
- story26 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally viewed as minimal and often feels disconnected from the gameplay, with many reviewers noting it seems shoehorned in or unnecessary. While some appreciate the cute and philosophical elements, others find it cheesy and unmemorable, with an abrupt ending that leaves little impact. Overall, the focus remains on the puzzles, which are well-received, overshadowing the narrative aspect.
“The story line is a bit cheesy but it made it more than a simple puzzle game.”
“Cute puzzle game with a lot of interesting ideas and a short story.”
“As you progress, you slowly uncover the story bit by bit; however, the game becomes more difficult, too.”
“The story (shown in a few scenes) has no connection to the gameplay whatsoever and seems stuffed in.”
“The story contained within ended very abruptly and awkwardly, though, to the point where I'm wondering why a story was included at all.”
“There is a storyline that is told in-between levels, but it doesn't really have anything to do with what you are doing in the game.”
- music25 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game is predominantly described as relaxing and ambient, enhancing the overall experience without being distracting. Many users appreciate the pleasing visuals that complement the soft soundtrack, which is often noted for its vibrancy and atmospheric qualities. While some find the music forgettable, others express a desire for a standalone soundtrack due to its enjoyable nature.
“It has pleasing visuals and relaxing music.”
“Awesome game with an awesome soundtrack.”
“Excellent puzzle design, smooth & relaxing music, and aesthetically pleasing.”
“The music is too relaxing; I fell asleep.”
“Music doesn't hurt your ears, and you will forget it as soon as you close the game.”
“The music is very relaxing, and the animations work that way, too.”
- gameplay22 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by engaging and innovative puzzle mechanics that challenge players while maintaining a relaxing atmosphere. Many reviews highlight the game's beautiful graphics and music, drawing comparisons to titles like Monument Valley, though some criticize its lack of depth and connection to the story. Overall, players appreciate the well-executed mechanics and enjoyable experience, despite some minor control issues.
“A nice little game (between 1-2 hours of gameplay) where you can relax puzzling away with puzzles, which aren't too hard.”
“The puzzles slowly add many different mechanics that keeps the experience feeling fresh and challenging.”
“Mind-bending puzzle game with really nice mechanics - Escher would be totally proud!”
“The story, shown in a few scenes, has no connection to the gameplay whatsoever and seems stuffed in.”
“All in all, it's a time-burning game with little gameplay value.”
“Elevate and lower structures: the mouse control of this mechanic was hard to use, many times rotating more than, less than, or even in the opposite direction originally intended.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with many users highlighting its calm and immersive qualities, enhanced by realistic background music and ambient sounds that complement the gameplay without distraction. Overall, it is considered one of the standout features, making it a compelling choice for fans of atmospheric puzzlers.
“Give it a shot if you like calm, atmospheric puzzlers.”
“Evo explores is a glitch-free game that has a very realistic and super atmospheric background music.”
“The sound/music (mostly an ambient, atmospheric humming sort of sound) didn't distract from the puzzles and sounded excellent.”
“Really takes you out of the calm atmosphere of the game.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has limited replayability, primarily due to its puzzle-based nature, which lacks quick action elements. Many users feel that the absence of replay value is not a significant concern.
“It doesn't have much to any replay value due to being puzzles that aren't based on quick actions.”
“And there isn't much in the form of replayability.”
“No replay value, but who cares.”
- stability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report excellent stability, noting that the game runs smoothly without glitches, even on basic hardware and across different platforms, including Linux.
“No glitches, and ran smoothly on even my very basic gear without issues.”
“No glitches, and ran smooth on even my very basic gear without issues.”
“No glitches and cross-platform (I'm on Linux).”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional impact of the game is mixed; while the puzzles provide a satisfying challenge, the story lacks depth and feels overly didactic, detracting from its overall emotional resonance. Players appreciate the sense of accomplishment from solving puzzles, but the narrative fails to engage on a deeper level.
“I felt the need to recommend it; the perfect degree of difficulty made me feel good at the end.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is generally well-optimized, offering a smooth and technically sound experience that contributes to a relaxing gameplay atmosphere.
“The game runs smoothly and is technically well-made, making for a relaxing experience.”
“The optimization is impressive, allowing for seamless gameplay without any noticeable lag.”
“I appreciate how well the game is optimized; it performs beautifully on my system.”