Firmament

The graphics in "Firmament" are widely praised for their stunning visuals and immersive environments, showcasing a beautiful steampunk aesthetic that aligns with Cyan's signature style. However, many players report significant optimization issues, including graphical glitches and performance problems, particularly in VR, which detracts from the overall experience. While the art direction is generally considered exceptional, the game's technical execution has left some players disappointed, highlighting a disparity between visual fidelity and gameplay smoothness.

The gameplay in "Firmament" is characterized by its unique adjunct mechanic, which allows players to interact with the environment through a single tool, leading to a mix of engaging and repetitive puzzle-solving experiences. While the game features stunning visuals and immersive environments, many players have noted issues with backtracking, mechanical glitches, and a lack of depth in puzzle design, resulting in a gameplay experience that feels both innovative and frustratingly simplistic. Overall, while the game offers moments of enjoyment, it struggles with integration of story and gameplay, leaving some players disappointed compared to previous titles from Cyan.

The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous players reporting significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, including issues with saving progress, puzzle interactions, and environmental collisions. While some users noted improvements after patches, many still experienced frustrating crashes and soft locks, particularly in VR mode. Overall, the game is considered very buggy, leading to a recommendation for players to save frequently and possibly wait for further updates before diving in.

The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its atmospheric qualities and beautiful compositions that enhance the immersive experience, while others find it sparse and unremarkable, lacking the iconic soundtracks of previous Cyan games. Many players appreciate the distinct soundscapes tailored to each realm, but note that the music often fades into the background, leading to moments of silence that detract from the overall atmosphere. Overall, while the soundtrack has its highlights, it may not meet the expectations set by earlier titles in the series.

The reviews overwhelmingly describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and frustrating, with many puzzles lacking challenge and creativity. Players frequently noted that while some puzzles had potential, the execution often involved slow, repetitive tasks that detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the game is criticized for its uninspired puzzle design and clunky mechanics, leading to a sense of boredom rather than engagement.

The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, particularly in VR, where stuttering and low frame rates are common. While some updates have improved performance, users still report inconsistent experiences, with graphics often described as unoptimized despite their visual appeal. Overall, while there are moments of smooth gameplay, the game remains plagued by bugs and optimization challenges that detract from the experience.

The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning visuals, intricate world design, and immersive soundscapes, creating a relaxing and engaging experience reminiscent of previous Cyan titles. However, some players noted issues such as bugs, softlocking, and a lack of atmospheric music that detracted from the overall experience. Despite these flaws, many reviewers found the atmosphere to be a highlight, making it a worthwhile adventure for fans of atmospheric puzzle games.

The emotional aspect of "Firmament" is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the rich narrative and impactful ending that evokes strong feelings, while others criticize the lack of emotional depth and character connection throughout the game. Many feel that the absence of interactive elements and detailed storytelling diminishes the emotional engagement, leading to a disjointed experience that fails to resonate as deeply as previous titles from the studio. Overall, while the game has moments of emotional resonance, it struggles to maintain a consistent connection with players.

Overall, the game is noted for having minimal replayability, with players completing it in a relatively short time and finding little incentive to revisit it due to the lack of alternate endings or varied gameplay. While it offers a worthwhile single playthrough experience, many feel it doesn't justify its price given the absence of replay value.

The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing it for feeling like a cash grab, particularly due to the presence of frequent ads and AI-generated content. However, others appreciate that the developers, Cyan, have maintained their creative vision and avoided excessive loot boxes and microtransactions, which are common in many modern games. Overall, the monetization strategy appears to be a point of contention among players.

The humor in the game is often derived from unexpected moments and quirky mechanics, such as a game-breaking bug that players found amusing. While some may have had lower expectations, many enjoyed the lighthearted elements and the potential for humorous interactions, particularly in relation to speedrunning tactics. Overall, the game manages to incorporate humor in a way that enhances the experience, even amidst its challenges.

Character development in the game is generally criticized for being lacking, with reviewers noting a thin story and poor pacing that hinder meaningful growth. While some find the narrative intriguing and appreciate the ending, the overall consensus is that character development is minimal and insufficiently integrated into the gameplay.