Forma.8

Forma.8 is an utterly gorgeous and affecting take on the familiar 2D Metroidvania style game with some clever puzzles for your plucky little probe to navigate.

76%Game Brain Score

graphics, gameplay

music, grinding

78% User Score Based on 54 reviews

Critic Score 77%Based on 19 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $1.99

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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 73 reviews

graphics16 positive mentions

grinding4 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 encounters interesting.

Movement is painfully slow, making exploration and backtracking tedious and frustrating.
Controls can feel cumbersome and imprecise, leading to difficulties in combat and navigation.
The game lacks clear feedback and tutorials, which can result in confusion about mechanics and progression.

graphics
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
37%
10%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique art style and atmospheric visuals, contributing significantly to the storytelling and overall experience. Many players appreciate the minimalist and silhouette aesthetics, which create a compelling environment, although some note that the gameplay can feel slow. Overall, the visuals are considered one of the game's strongest aspects, enhancing both the gameplay and emotional engagement.
- “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.”
- “Visuals are one of the game's strongest points.”
- “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
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
52%
13%
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 emptiness in the world. Overall, the game provides a decent amount of playtime, with smooth performance and a large map, but opinions on its mechanics vary.
- “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.”
- “Can easily be worth up to 10 hours of gameplay searching every interesting nook and cranny, or around 6 for a rushed first playthrough.”
- “It's a clever idea, and the art direction ties it together for some nice chill aesthetics and relaxing 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.”
- “Forma.8 isn’t the most original metroidvania-type in mechanical terms.”
story
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
39%
23%
The game's story is praised for its compelling atmosphere and ability to convey emotion through environmental storytelling, despite some players finding the progression linear and occasionally frustrating. The minimalist intro effectively sets a tone of abandonment on an alien planet, while the visuals and soundtrack enhance the overall experience. However, some players noted that the story can feel obtuse in the early stages, requiring patience to fully appreciate.
- “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.”
- “It’s also a touch obtuse in its early hours, but the pulp sci-fi novel visuals, electronica soundtrack, and intriguingly drip-fed storytelling are reasons enough to warrant your attention.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “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
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The music in the game is praised for its calming and ambient qualities, enhancing the overall exploration experience. Each area and boss features unique tracks that effectively influence the player's emotions, with sudden changes in the soundtrack drawing attention during critical moments. While the soundtrack differs from the trailer, it complements the game's relaxing atmosphere and sci-fi visuals.
- “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.”
- “It’s also a touch obtuse in its early hours, but the pulp sci-fi novel visuals, electronica soundtrack, and intriguingly drip-fed storytelling are reasons enough to warrant 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 really calls for your attention.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and compelling storytelling through environmental design, particularly in the metroidvania genre. While some players appreciate the stunning atmosphere, they note that execution issues may detract from the overall experience, suggesting it might be better to purchase on sale. Overall, the atmosphere is described as amazing and integral to the game's appeal.
- “A love letter to the metroidvania genre, this game is atmospheric and immersive in every detail.”
- “A really amazing atmosphere.”
- “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.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overly tedious and repetitive, with the primary attack mechanic quickly losing its appeal. This leads to a sense of fatigue, diminishing overall enjoyment.
- “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
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization is commendable, with smooth gameplay free of stuttering or pauses, and loading screens that are reasonably timed.
- “The optimization ensures a smooth experience with consistent frame rates.”
- “I appreciate how well the game runs on lower-end hardware without sacrificing quality.”
- “During gameplay, there are no stuttering or pauses, and the loading screens are decently timed.”
- “During gameplay, there are no stuttering or pauses, and the loading screens are decently timed.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews indicate that the game's replayability is limited, with many players feeling that once the main content is completed, there is little incentive to return. However, some users appreciate the inclusion of different modes or challenges that can enhance the experience upon replaying. Overall, while not universally praised, there are elements that may encourage some players to revisit the game.

77%Critics’ scoreBased on 26 critic reviews

Buy Forma.8

10h Median play time

10h Average play time

10-10h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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