FOTONICA

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FOTONICA is a first-person platformer game with a focus on speed and precision. It features eight levels, three endless levels, and a local four-player split-screen mode. With its unique vector-style graphics, exhilarating sense of speed, and challenging gameplay, FOTONICA offers a delightful experience for both casual and hardcore players.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

Reviews

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 301 reviews

music48 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game features a unique and visually appealing minimalist art style that enhances the overall experience.
Fotonica offers simple one-button controls that make it easy to pick up and play, while still providing a challenging gameplay experience.
The soundtrack is immersive and complements the fast-paced gameplay, creating a captivating atmosphere.

The gameplay can become repetitive quickly, with limited levels and a lack of variety in challenges.
Some players may find the controls frustrating, as the one-button mechanic can lead to trial-and-error gameplay.
The game is considered overpriced by many, with suggestions to wait for a sale to get better value.

music
97 mentions
49 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its excellent electronic soundtrack, which complements the visuals and enhances the overall atmosphere. While many players find the music immersive and fitting, some note that it can become repetitive due to short looping tracks, and a few express frustration with certain sound effects being too loud. Overall, the combination of music and visuals creates a captivating experience, making it a highlight for many players.
- “Music is good and sound effects are well done to match the visual aesthetic.”
- “Great soundtrack, rez-like aesthetic.”
- “The electronic music background soundtracks for the levels fit well with the overall atmosphere and give it a minimalist future feel without being overbearing.”
- “The music is lackluster: ambient and electronic.”
- “We mute the music because unlike the music's target demographic we happen to have working eardrums.”
- “The music has no inherent flaws, but the tracks are all short and have obvious points at which they loop that you'll undoubtedly begin to notice quickly as you are forced to restart time and time again, making the levels drag on.”
graphics
87 mentions
45 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique, minimalist aesthetic, reminiscent of retro vector graphics, which create an immersive and visually appealing experience. Players appreciate the combination of simple yet effective visuals with a captivating soundtrack, although some note that the minimalism can occasionally hinder gameplay by making it difficult to gauge jumps. Overall, the art style is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “First off, this is an incredibly aesthetically pleasing game.”
- “The simplistic art style, dark theme, and the whole atmosphere with the fast-paced element are so damn good and stunning.”
- “Fotonica is way more than a running simulator or a platformer: its absolutely immersive levels stand out as a beautiful aesthetic experience.”
- “Very simple graphics, but you get to know it, and it does all feel so familiar, yet, it's contour lines displaying the world.”
- “While playing, visuals never feel overloaded but always sufficient for the established gameplay mechanics of Fotonica. I would not call a wireframe look particularly innovative or interesting though.”
- “Main frustration is the minimalist visuals working against the gameplay as jumps from upcoming platforms are often times very hard to time properly.”
gameplay
55 mentions
42 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and accessibility, making it easy to pick up, yet it offers a high skill ceiling for those looking to master it. While many players appreciate the addictive nature and minimalist design, some find the mechanics repetitive and the content limited, suggesting it may be better suited for mobile play or purchased on sale. Overall, the game provides a satisfying experience with a unique aesthetic, but opinions vary on its long-term engagement and value.
- “Simple, easy, and quite fun gameplay to pick up, but with a high skill ceiling to truly master it, so it continues to be interesting for quite a while as you try to go faster and faster and beat your own times and scores.”
- “At the end of the day, Fotonica is addicting and satisfying, with solid mechanics, outstanding visuals, and a grooving minimal soundtrack to boot.”
- “Satisfyingly simple gameplay and a pleasing minimalist aesthetic.”
- “I'd suggest waiting for a sale though - there isn't a huge amount of content, and the gameplay does get a bit boring after a while from my experience.”
- “While the feeling of speed is there, the core gameplay is just lacking.”
- “And its asking price of $10 is way too steep for the lack of gameplay and limited amount of levels.”
story
7 mentions
14 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
The game's story is perceived as minimal and lacking depth, with some players finding it forgettable after completion. However, it conveys a moral about perseverance and the unpredictability of life, while the gameplay is described as enjoyable despite the absence of a substantial narrative.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “What is the story?”
- “You can remember the story after you finish the game for a while.”
- “There is no real storyline (you can correct me if I'm wrong on that), but the gameplay is simple and fun.”
optimization
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
40 % negative mentions
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly even on low-tier PCs, with responsive controls that enhance the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the focus on timing and skill execution rather than just performance metrics, allowing for enjoyable exploration and high score optimization across various levels.
- “Controls are very responsive and the game runs smoothly.”
- “The gameplay runs smoothly on a low-tier gaming PC (mine) and it isn't a huge game.”
- “But the real satisfaction comes from trying out new routes, getting a new high score, and optimizing your finger's performance.”
- “There may be exceptions beyond the lower levels I've seen so far. There are numerous levels, each beyond the first being unlocked through performance, so I hesitate to give too many details. As well, there are four skill levels.”
- “But the real satisfaction comes from trying out new routes, getting a new high score, and optimizing your performance.”
replayability
5 mentions
40 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The game offers a mixed experience in terms of replayability; while some players appreciate the various difficulty settings, endless mode, and versus mode that enhance replay value, others feel that the lack of additional randomized content limits long-term engagement. Overall, the game's polished design and simplicity contribute positively to its replayability for many players.
- “Overall a very fun game with quite a lot of polish and replayability.”
- “Also, the amount of replayability this game has is amazing by itself, especially considering the simplicity of its gameplay and graphical design.”
- “Very little replay value; no additional randomized content aside from endless modes.”
- “This can potentially add to the replayability if you want to make the levels artificially more difficult.”
- “However, there are four difficulty settings and an endless mode, as well as a versus mode, and those do add some replay value.”
atmosphere
5 mentions
40 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a simplistic art style and a dark theme, enhanced by a fitting electronic soundtrack that complements its minimalist, futuristic feel. The combination of fast-paced gameplay and atmospheric music creates an engaging experience that appeals to fans of speed and puzzles.
- “The simplistic art style, dark theme, and the whole atmosphere with the fast-paced element are stunning.”
- “The soundtrack was created by two artists, and it fits perfectly in the game's atmosphere; mostly 'minimal'.”
- “The simplistic art style, dark theme, and the whole atmosphere with the fast-paced elements are so good and stunning.”
- “The electronic music background soundtracks for the levels fit well with the overall atmosphere and give it a minimalist future feel without being overbearing.”
- “If you like speed, puzzles, and atmosphere, then this game is worth a shot.”
emotional
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's surreal graphic style, characterized by a limited color palette of white, gold, and blue, creates a diverse and emotionally resonant world that evokes a sense of wonder and introspection. Players report feeling a unique and positive emotional response, described as a "good weird," as they navigate through various environments.
- “The graphic style is very interesting; the devs have created a surreal and touching world with basically only three colors (white, gold, blue). The surroundings are diverse and in 3D, ranging from mountain paths to apartments, churches, and more.”
- “Yeah, it made me feel weird, but a good weird.”
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with one user rating it a 9/10 and describing it as hilarious. Overall, players find the comedic elements to be a standout feature.
- “9/10, I think this is hilarious!”
- “The humor in this game had me laughing out loud!”
- “I love how the game uses witty dialogue to keep things entertaining!”