Flat Eye
- November 13, 2022
- Monkey Moon
- 10h median play time
Flat Eye is not without its ideas or charms, but in trying so hard to be provocative, the devs may have overplayed their hand.
Get on Steam"Flat Eye" is a quirky, first-person simulation game where you play as a robotic vacuum cleaner named Flat Eye. Your job is to clean and maintain a variety of strange, surreal environments while avoiding obstacles and challenges. Along the way, you'll encounter eccentric characters and uncover a weird, humorous story. With unique gameplay mechanics and a distinctive art style, "Flat Eye" offers a fresh take on the simulation genre.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Great narrative with engaging character backstories that explore important themes.
- Visually appealing with a unique art style and a well-designed user interface.
- Interesting mix of management sim and storytelling that provides a thought-provoking experience.
- Gameplay becomes repetitive and grindy, especially in the late game, leading to player burnout.
- Numerous bugs and crashes that disrupt the experience and have not been adequately addressed by developers.
- Lack of depth in management mechanics, making it feel more like a clicker game than a true resource management sim.
- story58 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story features intriguing characters and themes, particularly in a dystopian setting, but suffers from slow pacing and a lack of engaging progression, leading to player frustration. While some players appreciate the depth and charm of the narrative, many find it underwhelming and overly reliant on tedious management mechanics, resulting in a disconnect between gameplay and storytelling. Overall, the narrative is seen as a mixed bag, with potential that is often hindered by repetitive gameplay and unfinished elements.
“It really has a very entertaining yet occasionally grim story.”
“The game’s story is very well written and full of charm, despite the heavy subject matter the game deals with.”
“Great story and dialogs, beautiful game, fun and slightly addictive gameplay, curious characters and an intriguing universe: I really enjoy managing this gas station so far!”
“The game did not sell as well as the developers needed it to, and parts of the storylines, localizations, and late game are generally unfinished as a result.”
“For all the bluster of tackling real, modern issues with citations to back it up, the storylines are very underwhelming and too silly for it to stick with me, and the gameplay itself is, again, an experiment that culminates into being a very boring management sim after it starts playing itself.”
“But the gameplay and story do not evolve much, and a few hours in I found this game extremely repetitive, slow-paced, and, to be frank, boring.”
- gameplay43 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and lacking depth, particularly in the management sim mechanics that become tedious over time. While some appreciate the engaging story and visuals, they feel the gameplay often devolves into monotonous tasks with little challenge or evolution. Overall, the game is seen as enjoyable for a short period, but many players express a desire for more variety and balance to sustain interest.
“Gameplay-wise, the management sim mechanics are great and engaging, the tie to the overarching story is a key part of the gameplay loop, where unlocking new items to build unlocks new story elements and 'premium customers.'”
“A very refreshing management game that includes narration segments that blend in really well with the gameplay.”
“Great story and dialogues, beautiful game, fun and slightly addictive gameplay, curious characters and an intriguing universe: I really enjoy managing this gas station so far!”
“Unfortunately, the gameplay loop around the 'gentlesleep' module is very spiritually draining as well as mechanically grindy to keep doing day after day.”
“There's lots of reading, and lots of inane busywork, too: gameplay-wise, the management sim mechanics had me hooked for the first 6 hours or so, but became an absolute slog for the last 4, the systems lacking enough depth to provide a lasting foundation for the stories the devs wanted to tell.”
“But the gameplay and story do not evolve much and a few hours in I found this game extremely repetitive, slow-paced, and, to be frank, boring.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their appealing art style and high-quality design, with many reviewers highlighting the effective combination of visuals and storytelling. However, technical issues such as crashes and a lack of gameplay balance detract from the overall experience, leaving some players feeling that the impressive graphics are overshadowed by gameplay shortcomings. Despite these flaws, the unique aesthetic and customization options are noted as standout features.
“The art style and design is quite good, and that's what convinced me to click the 'buy' button.”
“Resource management, atmospheric, cool graphics, interesting story (does a good job of letting you figure out the story instead of outright telling you what it is).”
“The graphics and generally the design of the modules and items are top-notch.”
“It felt like just farming XP on a Facebook game with fancy graphics and dialogues, but without catchy gameplay.”
“Very, very sad for the writers, the graphic designers, and the UI designers... but that game really lacks balanced gameplay.”
“The 'fullscreen' option on Mac is redundant, and the game will always exit fullscreen when you save graphics options.”
- stability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been a mixed experience for users, with reports of persistent bugs and glitches, yet many note that these issues are not game-breaking. While some players express frustration over the lack of patches for nearly a year, others commend the developers for their prompt responses to emerging problems. Overall, the game is seen as somewhat unstable but manageable.
“Not bug-free, but nothing game-breaking.”
“The game runs smoothly with minimal glitches.”
“I experienced very few crashes, making for a stable gaming experience.”
“Almost a year without patches despite how buggy it remains.”
“So either the game is buggy as hell or it is trying to be way more 'artsy' than necessary.”
“One future that almost always comes to pass for AAA games, but one that I very much wish didn’t come to pass for this one, is that they launch as a buggy mess.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the "gentlesleep" module to be tedious and spiritually draining, likening it to repetitive XP farming in a visually appealing but ultimately unengaging Facebook game. The lack of compelling gameplay further exacerbates the grindiness, making it feel monotonous over time.
“Unfortunately, the gameplay loop around the 'gentlesleep' module is very spiritually draining as well as mechanically grindy to keep doing day after day.”
“It feels like just farming XP in a Facebook game with fancy graphics and dialogues, but without any catchy gameplay.”
- music2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally appreciated for its quality, but some players find that a repetitive background track can become irritating over time.
“I personally like the art style, the music, and that you can opt to skip dialogue.”
“The art is well done, but there is one background song that plays over and over, and it becomes annoying.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its visually appealing style and immersive setting, complemented by effective resource management mechanics. Players appreciate the intriguing story that unfolds organically, allowing them to piece together the narrative rather than being spoon-fed information. Additionally, the developers' commitment to quick bug fixes enhances the overall experience.
“I like the visual style, the atmosphere and setting, and the fast bug fix updates from the developers.”
“Resource management, atmospheric, cool graphics, and an interesting story that does a good job of letting you figure out the narrative instead of outright telling you.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by the clever portrayal of the Eyelife AI, whose sarcastic and contemptuous demeanor effectively captures the essence of a corporate super-intelligence, providing players with genuinely funny moments.
“I've found it to be very funny at times, particularly the Eyelife AI, whose masterful performance exudes the exact sort of contempt that I'd expect from a corporate super-intelligence.”
“The humor in this game is top-notch, with clever writing and hilarious character interactions that keep me laughing throughout.”
“I love how the game uses absurd situations and witty dialogue to create a lighthearted atmosphere that makes every moment enjoyable.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is noted for its humorous elements, particularly through the performance of the AI, which effectively captures a sense of contempt typical of a corporate super-intelligence.
