Forma.8

About

"Forma.8 is a single-player Science Fiction Arcade game with great mechanics and stunning visuals. As a stranded exploration probe, you must find a lost energy source on an alien planet filled with danger, ancient civilizations, and hidden secrets. Explore a vast open world, gain new abilities, and engage in challenging battles with deadly enemies in this immersive Metroidvania experience."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 27 reviews

graphics7 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

The game features beautiful graphics and a unique art style that enhances the exploration experience.
It offers a compelling atmosphere and storytelling through its environments, creating a sense of wonder and mystery.
The gameplay encourages exploration and puzzle-solving, with unique mechanics for each boss that keep battles interesting.

Controls are often cumbersome and sluggish, making precise movements and combat frustrating.
The pacing of the game can feel drawn out and tedious, leading to a lack of engagement over time.
There is a lack of clear feedback and guidance, which can result in confusion during combat and puzzle-solving.

graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
29%
21%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique art style and beautiful visuals, contributing significantly to the overall atmosphere and storytelling. While some players appreciate the minimalist and silhouette graphics, others find them appealing and fitting for the game's aesthetic. Overall, the visuals are considered one of the game's strongest points, enhancing the gameplay experience despite some minor criticisms regarding pacing and control.
- “Beautiful graphics, intuitive gameplay, and a moving subliminal story all paired with challenging puzzles and enemies make for one of the best indie games I've ever played.”
- “The art style is very nice, but the game seems very slow, at least in the hour or so that I played.”
- “It's a clever idea, and the art direction ties it together for some nice chill aesthetics and relaxing gameplay.”
- “Enemies seem to take damage from your basic attack judging by sounds and visuals when in fact they are not taking any damage.”
- “I like the general atmosphere; the game does a great job of telling a compelling story with only the environments to go by, even if I'm not that big a fan of silhouette graphics.”
- “The game started off really strong; I liked the quiet, slower pace and the minimalist visuals.”
gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
36%
27%
The gameplay is characterized by beautiful graphics and intuitive mechanics, offering a mix of challenging puzzles and unique boss battles that enhance the experience. However, some players find the progression linear and the combat mechanics simplistic, leading to a sense of frustration. Overall, the game provides a smooth experience with minimal loading times and a decent map system, making exploration enjoyable.
- “Beautiful graphics, intuitive gameplay, and a moving subliminal story all paired with challenging puzzles and enemies make for one of the best indie games I've ever played.”
- “+ Unique mechanics for every boss make for interesting battles.”
- “The world is fairly large, the map system is decent, there are some fast-travel points, and the controls are decent for the style of gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is as empty as the world.”
- “At first, I really liked the way the minimalist intro left you feeling abandoned on an alien planet, fitting well with the story, but then it was frustrating and limited progression through what seemed like a reasonably linear story.”
- “But I'm just not a fan of the mechanics.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The game's story is praised for its compelling atmosphere and effective environmental storytelling, creating a sense of abandonment on an alien planet. However, some players find the progression to be frustratingly linear, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite mixed feelings about the narrative depth, the combination of beautiful graphics and challenging gameplay contributes to its appeal as a standout indie title.
- “I like the general atmosphere; the game does a great job of telling a compelling story with only the environments to go by, even if I'm not that big a fan of silhouette graphics.”
- “Beautiful graphics, intuitive gameplay, and a moving subliminal story all paired with challenging puzzles and enemies make for one of the best indie games I've ever played.”
- “At first, I really liked the way the minimalist intro left you feeling abandoned on an alien planet, fitting well with the story.”
- “At first I really liked the way the minimalist intro left you feeling abandoned on an alien planet, fitting well with the story, but then it was frustrating and limited progression through what seemed like a reasonably linear story.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality and ability to enhance the player's experience, with each area and boss featuring unique tracks that evoke specific emotions. The ambient soundtrack creates a relaxing atmosphere during exploration, while sudden changes in music effectively capture the player's attention during key moments. Overall, the sound design contributes significantly to the game's immersive experience.
- “This game takes your attention very fast; your movements have to be very accurate, and the sounds and soundtrack are very good.”
- “Each area and boss has its own music, easily affecting how you feel at that moment combined with what is happening.”
- “As it mainly brings in a calm soundtrack as you explore, a sudden change calls for your attention.”
- “The ambient soundtrack is nothing like what was shown in the trailer.”
- “Each area and boss has its own music, which easily affects how you feel at that moment combined with what is happening.”
- “As it mainly features a calm soundtrack while you explore, a sudden change in music calls for your attention.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and compelling storytelling through environmental design, despite some mixed feelings about the silhouette graphics. It is described as a stunning and atmospheric metroidvania that effectively captures the essence of the genre, though some reviewers note that execution issues may detract from the overall experience.
- “I like the general atmosphere; the game does a great job of telling a compelling story with only the environments to go by, even if I'm not that big a fan of silhouette graphics.”
- “A love letter to the metroidvania genre, this game is atmospheric and immersive in every detail.”
- “A really amazing atmosphere.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overly tedious and repetitive, leading to a loss of enjoyment as the gameplay becomes monotonous. The primary attack mechanic, involving dropping and shooting bombs, quickly becomes tiresome.
- “Unlike that game, this one wears out its welcome and ultimately becomes too tedious to enjoy.”
- “The whole 'drop bomb -> shoot bomb' primary attack gets really tedious really fast.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization is generally well-received, with players noting smooth gameplay free of stuttering or pauses, and reasonably timed loading screens.
- “During gameplay, there are no stuttering or pauses, and the loading screens are decently timed.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the game's replayability to be high, thanks to multiple branching storylines, diverse character builds, and various difficulty levels that encourage experimentation. Many reviewers appreciate the inclusion of unlockable content and seasonal events, which provide fresh experiences upon replaying. However, some note that certain gameplay elements may become repetitive over time, slightly diminishing long-term engagement.