Force of Nature
- December 13, 2016
- A.Y.std
- 20h median play time
"Force of Nature" is a physics-based puzzle game where players harness the power of natural elements to solve challenging levels. Utilize wind, water, and gravity to move, manipulate, and transform objects in order to reach the exit in each stage. With over 80 levels and a level editor, there's a wealth of content to explore in this creative and engaging title.
Reviews
- The game offers a unique blend of crafting, survival, and RPG elements, providing a satisfying sense of progression.
- The graphics and environment are visually appealing, creating an immersive experience.
- The crafting system is in-depth and allows for a variety of items and structures to be created.
- The game is very grindy, requiring excessive resource gathering and crafting to progress.
- Combat mechanics are clunky and unengaging, often leading to frustration when enemies run away with low health.
- The controls and UI are awkward, making interactions and inventory management tedious.
- grinding738 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its excessive and tedious grinding, which many players find to be the most frustrating aspect. Progression often requires repetitive tasks, such as farming for resources and completing fetch quests, leading to a sense of monotony and frustration. While some players enjoy the grind as part of the survival and crafting experience, others feel it detracts significantly from overall enjoyment, making the game feel slow and unengaging.
“Employs a fetch/gather resource-based system that is balanced well (not too grindy, not just given either). Items must be earned, and it feels very rewarding.”
“For what I paid for the game, it's packed with lots of content. I love the leveling idea, though at times it's a bit too grindy. Personally, I would love to see this change just for a better flow to the game.”
“The grind is tedious, and you are forced to kill millions of goblins with RNG to drop the gold you need to level up and progress in the game.”
“The grind is excessive from the get-go, the battle system is terrible, and even starting the game you're left with enemies you don't stand a chance of defeating so literally have to sit back and let your character die, losing all of the resources you spent hours grinding for.”
“The leveling system is a tedious grind of nothing but fetch quests.”
- story442 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for being minimal and lacking depth, with players primarily focused on completing linear quests to progress. The main narrative revolves around collecting shards of a mystical item called the "force of nature," but many reviewers feel this premise is underdeveloped and serves merely as a backdrop for the questing system. Overall, while the quest structure provides guidance and progression, it detracts from any meaningful storytelling, leaving players feeling more like they are following a tutorial than engaging in a rich narrative experience.
“The quest line is great and walks you through most of what you need to do to advance the story.”
“The world is beautifully generated, and I felt a bit drawn in to wondering what the story behind the world was.”
“I like the fact that there's a 'story' so that you learn how to craft the basics and level up in the process.”
“There is no story or ending, just the game asking you to find 7 pieces of a stone called 'force of nature' and then crafting it, and when you craft it, a text appears saying 'you beat the game, you can continue doing things in this world or start a game with hard mode.'”
“The quest structure serves more to lead one through the levels of technological development and exploration than to form a narrative.”
“The game feels like an extended tutorial, and kills any desire to explore beyond what the quest tells you to (since if you find something interesting it's just going to clog your inventory until the game deigns to let you make something out of it).”
- gameplay438 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this title has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its slow and clunky mechanics, excessive grinding, and lack of polish. While some appreciate the crafting and building systems, others find the combat dull and the overall experience tedious, often feeling that the game lacks depth and engaging progression. Overall, it seems best suited for those who enjoy casual, grind-heavy gameplay and are willing to overlook its numerous flaws, particularly if purchased at a discount.
“From the moment I started playing, I was captivated by the game's stunning visuals, enchanting soundtrack, and engaging gameplay mechanics.”
“The gameplay is simple yet strangely satisfying as it goes on, and for the price I'd say it's a fairly safe bet.”
“There is really a lot to do in this game, the mechanics are pretty good, it's fun to play, all the good parts are there and there are hardly any bad parts!”
“Much of the gameplay is very slow and clunky.”
“The core mechanics in the game are dull and quickly become boring.”
“The gameplay is incredibly lacking, the game systems themselves are very poorly designed, and the controls leave a lot to be desired.”
- graphics364 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are dated and reminiscent of early console titles, often comparing them to PS1 or PS2 quality. While some appreciate the charm and aesthetic appeal, others criticize the visuals as lacking depth and detail, with issues like fog obscuring long-distance views. Overall, the graphics are described as functional but not impressive, with some players finding them acceptable given the game's low price and enjoyable gameplay.
“From the moment I started playing, I was captivated by the game's stunning visuals, enchanting soundtrack, and engaging gameplay mechanics.”
“One of the game's standout features is its breathtaking graphics.”
“Whether I was exploring dense jungles or climbing towering mountains, the graphics never failed to leave me in awe.”
“The graphics would look at home on a first-gen PlayStation and the control system is nonsensical.”
“Severely outdated visuals for a 2016 release, even for an indie.”
“The graphics are really bad, the menus are terrible, the camera is locked at a weird, bad angle probably to hide the limits of the engine to render things far away.”
- music68 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the soothing ambient sounds that enhance the relaxing atmosphere, particularly when exploring new biomes. However, some users criticize the lack of a consistent soundtrack, noting that music is often absent or stops playing after initial encounters, leading to a repetitive experience. Overall, while the ambient nature sounds are praised for their calming effects, there is a desire for a more robust and engaging musical score throughout the gameplay.
“The game's musical score perfectly complements the natural setting, enhancing the sense of wonder and adventure.”
“The combination of visuals and music truly elevates the gaming experience to new heights.”
“It's a nice game to chill and play in the evenings and craft up your base, etc. The 'soundtrack' is nature sounds, which to me is a huge plus and just makes the game even more relaxing.”
“The soundtrack... I honestly don't think the game has one.”
“Not even a simple ambience track from what I could hear, nor combat music, nor anything.”
“Music is virtually non-existent in the game - it plays every time you discover and visit a new biome, and honestly I wouldn't mind it playing more often.”
- humor30 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as light-hearted and often unintentional, with players finding amusement in its quirky design and character interactions, such as the cute goblins and the absurdity of certain gameplay mechanics. While the game can be funny and nostalgic, it also requires patience due to its time-consuming nature and frustrating elements, leading to a mix of laughter and exasperation among players. Overall, it offers a calming experience where players can enjoy humorous moments, especially when playing with friends.
“Don't be put off by the goblins; they appear as a gremlin-type creature but are really quite cute in a funny kind of way once you get to know what they are for.”
“I find it really funny when they run away screaming once you can craft and make fire arrows.. lol”
“The main menu has a humorous combination of being both confusing and easy to use.”
- replayability28 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is generally viewed as limited, with many players noting that it becomes repetitive and grindy after a few days of play. While some appreciate the initial entertainment value for the price, others express disappointment in the lack of engaging content for multiple playthroughs, leading to mixed ratings ranging from 3/10 to 8/10. Overall, the consensus suggests that improvements could enhance its replay value significantly.
“A beautiful playable and replayable game that will eat up your days being in front of a PC screen.”
“Replay value: 8/10”
“So there is a level of replayability.”
“I didn't find it replayable, but I got 33 hours of entertainment for 8 bucks, which is a great deal.”
“Not fun or no replay value to this game.”
“Replayability - once you have played for a couple of days, everything gets ridiculously repetitive.”
- stability14 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with some players reporting significant improvements after major issues were addressed, such as crashes and minor graphics glitches. However, many users still describe it as buggy and incomplete, with complaints about a steep learning curve and potential lag due to clutter. Overall, while some players experience smooth performance, the consensus leans towards the game being too unstable for a full recommendation.
“The game isn't buggy, and I haven't experienced any issues so far, which speaks to its overall stability.”
“Absolute shit .. a waste of time .. buggy .. its apparent learning curve goes from 0-90 in one quest then you die and lose things out of your inventory .. regret paying for this .. it may seem like a decent game but don't let it fool you, you will slave over getting things sorted only to have something stupid like 3-4 boars attack you .. then back to the grindstone to regain resources .. fucking joke”
“An incomplete, buggy mess abandoned by its developers without meeting promised milestones.”
“Don't buy this, still too buggy.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and vibrant environments, featuring lush forests, waterfalls, and diverse wildlife that create a sense of being truly stranded on a desert island. While the sound design is mixed, with some samples enhancing the experience, the biome changes contribute significantly to the overall immersion, despite the repetitive enemy designs. The cooperative gameplay adds a chill element to the atmosphere, making it enjoyable for players.
“The environment and atmosphere are very engrossing, such that it feels as if you were actually stranded on a desert island.”
“I really enjoyed the biome changes as it improved the immersion, and even though you generally fight the same mobs, each biome sets a new enemy/challenge against you, and the graphic effects really do add to the overall atmosphere.”
“The only saving grace is the co-op and somewhat chill atmosphere.”
“The lush forests, cascading waterfalls, and diverse wildlife create an atmosphere that feels alive and teeming with beauty.”
“Very engrossing environment and atmosphere such that it feels as if you were actually stranded upon a desert island.”
- optimization10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its flawless performance and smooth visuals, indicating strong optimization. However, some users note that while the interface is intuitive, the combat and controls feel clunky and require further optimization.
“On the plus side, there's a great beginner questline to help you get started, and the game itself looks great and runs smoothly!”
“Also, it's insanely well-optimized, and the interface is intuitive as heck.”
“Flawless in performance.”
“It looks like a hastily made game and is as optimized as one.”
“The combat and controls in general are clunky and need to be optimized.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the game lacks depth in character development, offering limited customization and progression options, which diminishes its replayability. While there are some clever ties to role-playing elements, the overall absence of varied character growth and strategic choices leaves players wanting more.
“It then cleverly ties to character development and advancement qua role playing.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players consistently report that the game evokes a sense of relaxation, contributing to an overall emotional experience that promotes calmness and tranquility.
- monetization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers a complete experience without the need for additional in-app purchases, allowing players to fully enjoy it without feeling pressured to spend more money.
“The game feels very complete and there are no additional in-app purchases needed to enjoy the game.”