Eye of the Temple
- October 14, 2021
- Rune Skovbo Johansen
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"Eye of the Temple" is a room-scale VR adventure game that requires 360° tracking and a play area of at least 2m x 2m. Explore a treacherous temple complex with moving blocks, hazardous traps, and environmental puzzles, all while wielding a physically simulated whip. Immerse yourself in the expansive environment without artificial locomotion or teleportation as you uncover the temple's past and the mystery of the Eye.
Reviews
- The game features a unique locomotion system that requires players to physically walk around their play space, enhancing immersion and creating a sense of adventure akin to being in an Indiana Jones film.
- The level design is clever and well-constructed, allowing players to explore a vast environment while only needing a small physical area, making it feel expansive and engaging.
- The puzzles are enjoyable and varied, with hidden collectibles that encourage exploration and replayability, providing a satisfying challenge without being overly difficult.
- The game requires a minimum play space of 2m x 2m, which may limit accessibility for players with smaller areas, and can lead to frustration if boundaries are not respected.
- Some players found the whip mechanics to be finicky and difficult to master, which can detract from the overall experience during combat or puzzle-solving.
- While the game is immersive, it may induce motion sickness for some players, especially those sensitive to heights or rapid movements, making it less suitable for beginners.
- gameplay47 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this VR game is highly praised for its innovative movement mechanics, which allow players to traverse the environment by physically moving in real life, creating an immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the clever use of play space and the introduction of new mechanics that keep the gameplay fresh and engaging, despite some occasional repetitiveness. Overall, the game is celebrated for its creativity, intuitive design, and the satisfying integration of physical movement with puzzle-solving elements.
“The mechanics of this game are amazing, and the more you think about what this developer has achieved, the more you want to tell others to buy it.”
“The movement mechanics are unique, allowing you to navigate the entire game without leaving the 2x2 grid of your real-world space.”
“This game features some of the most creative VR gameplay of any VR game that exists today.”
“If it had been longer, there would need to be more variety in gameplay or more excitement and depth to the story.”
“The game is built around the core mechanic of walking backwards in real life to move forward in-game, using a rolling drum.”
“In fact, I made contact with the walls a few times during gameplay, but it was all worth it.”
- story36 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story is generally considered simple and somewhat generic, taking around 4-6 hours to complete, which some players found sufficient for the gameplay experience. While the narrative provides context and motivation for progression, many reviewers expressed a desire for deeper storytelling and more engaging elements, noting that the puzzle mechanics often overshadow the plot. Overall, the story serves its purpose but lacks polish and depth, leaving room for improvement in future iterations.
“Still, you want to experience that ending, explore the world, and beat the game, so I guess the story is sufficient to give context to the world you are in and adds a bit to the motivation for progressing.”
“Depending on your puzzle-solving skills and urge to explore all corners, the main story is about 4-6 hours but not boring or unnecessarily stretched in return.”
“As for the story, it's fairly generic but works well.”
“The story is quite simple.”
“The story is not polished even in terms of indie games.”
“The story torches were pretty barebones, voice acting passable but not great, and (without spoiling a lot) the bird at the end was too bright to see any detail.”
- graphics24 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game receive mixed but generally positive feedback. While some users note that the art style could be improved and liken it to a "Minecraft-ish" aesthetic, many praise the crispness, immersion, and smooth performance of the visuals. The graphics are described as beautiful and well-optimized, contributing significantly to the overall experience, especially in VR settings.
“The music is atmospheric, the graphics are nice.”
“The immersion is just incredible, and the graphics, while being in a cartoony style, are very crisp and have a lot of depth to them.”
“Beautiful and immersive graphics!”
“I was skeptical about the apparently nth quest game with poor graphics.”
“EOTT does not have the best VR graphics for sure, but it comes with very smart design.”
“Graphics are simple and get the job done, but still look nice/great.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with users highlighting the impressive music, polished graphics, and immersive sound effects that enhance the overall experience. Many reviewers appreciate the challenging gameplay set in a captivating environment reminiscent of adventure classics, contributing to a rich and engaging atmosphere.
“Had a great time with this game; visuals look great, puzzles, atmosphere, lighting, and music are very polished.”
“Very atmospheric; hard to believe this is a one-man show.”
“The atmosphere created by the music and sound effects is great.”
“I mean, who doesn't want to be like Indiana Jones, wielding a whip in one hand and a torch in the other, in a temple atmosphere trying to figure out puzzles, collecting gems, and dodging traps?”
- music6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its atmospheric quality, effectively complementing the jungle tomb raiding theme and enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers note that the sound design, including music and sound effects, contributes significantly to the game's polished ambiance and immersive environment.
“The music fits the theme of jungle tomb raiding.”
“Had a great time with this game; visuals look great, puzzles, atmosphere, lighting, and music are very polished.”
“The atmosphere created by the music and sound effects is great.”
“The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“While the visuals are stunning, the soundtrack doesn't match the intensity of the gameplay.”
“The background music is often too quiet or gets drowned out by sound effects, which disrupts the overall experience.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly due to the reliance on a "roller" movement system and the necessity of backtracking. While some appreciate the physicality of dodging obstacles, the step-by-step movement can feel exhausting in VR, detracting from the overall experience.
“I like fast movement in VR like running, jumping, flying, etc., but here you're 'forced' to take your route step by step, which is too tedious for me personally.”
“It might be okay with a flat screen game, but doing that for 1 hour in VR feels really tedious and exhausting.”
“When I first started this game, I thought the no-locomotion, purely room-scale design was neat, but feared using only moving platforms to get around would get stale, boring, repetitive, or tedious.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highly praised, with players finding it both entertaining and laugh-inducing, particularly when shared with friends. The experience of exploring the game is described as uniquely funny, contributing to a memorable and enjoyable gaming atmosphere.
“It's so funny to explore and discover this new frontier of gaming.”
“Also hilarious to show to your friends and watch as they nearly fall over and scream.”
“I'm still laughing from the weird sensation!”
- optimization4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game is highly optimized, running smoothly even on older hardware, such as a nearly six-year-old laptop, and achieving impressive performance metrics like 90 fps with high graphical settings. Users report that a GTX 970 is sufficient for a solid experience, highlighting the game's efficient performance despite its graphic intensity.
“It runs smoothly on my almost 6-year-old laptop wirelessly via virtual desktop using the Oculus Quest 2.”
“So it is very well optimized already, especially considering how graphic-intensive this game is.”
“Performance is awesome too - I got a solid 90 fps using index resolution 500% (yes, five-hundred); you basically just need a GTX 970.”
“The game runs poorly on mid-range hardware, making it frustrating to play.”
“I experienced frequent frame drops and stuttering, even on high-end settings.”
“The optimization is lacking; loading times are excessively long and hinder the overall experience.”
- stability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, players report excellent stability in the game, with no bugs or glitches encountered during gameplay. It runs smoothly even on lower-end hardware, contributing to a positive gaming experience.
“Lovely visuals, runs great on a potato PC.”
“Clever puzzles, runs great; what else could you want?”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is generally well-received, with users appreciating the promotional materials such as ads and trailers, which align with their expectations for a VR adventure experience.
