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 602 reviews

music96 positive mentions

atmosphere3 negative mentions

The game features a unique and visually appealing minimalist art style that enhances the overall experience.
Gameplay is simple yet addictive, with a high skill ceiling that keeps players engaged as they strive to improve their performance.
The soundtrack complements the gameplay well, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the sense of speed.

The game can become repetitive quickly, with limited content and only a few levels available.
Controls can feel overly simplistic, leading to frustration during more challenging sections of the game.
The game is considered overpriced at full price, with many players suggesting it is only worth purchasing on sale.

music
194 mentions
49 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
2 % 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 have expressed frustration with certain sound effects being too loud. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The electronic music background soundtracks for the levels fit well with the overall atmosphere and give it a minimalist future feel without being overbearing.”
- “At the end of the day, Fotonica is addicting and satisfying, with solid mechanics, outstanding visuals, and a grooving minimal soundtrack to boot.”
- “I highly recommend this game, it's a feast for the eyes and the music is perfect for each level.”
- “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
174 mentions
45 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
2 % 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 soothing soundtrack, although some find 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.”
- “At the end of the day, Fotonica is addicting and satisfying, with solid mechanics, outstanding visuals, and a grooving minimal soundtrack to boot.”
- “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.”
- “Any normal person would get bored very quickly, unless you're a 15-20 year old stoner that likes 'trippy visuals' and listening to Tangerine Dream.”
gameplay
110 mentions
42 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Fotonica is characterized by its simplicity and accessibility, allowing players to easily pick it up while offering a high skill ceiling for those looking to master it. While many appreciate the minimalist mechanics and engaging visuals, some find the level design lacking and the overall experience repetitive, suggesting it may be better suited for mobile play or purchased on sale. Overall, the game provides a satisfying, albeit simplistic, experience that can be enjoyable for casual gamers but may not appeal to everyone.
- “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
14 mentions
21 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The game's story is often described as minimal or lacking a substantial narrative, with players noting that it is easily forgettable after completion. However, it conveys a moral about perseverance and the unpredictability of life, while the gameplay itself is enjoyable and serves more as a series of challenges than a cohesive storyline.
- “You can remember the story after you finish the game for a while.”
- “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.”
- “There is no real storyline, but the gameplay is simple and fun.”
- “There is no real storyline (you can correct me if I'm wrong on that) but the gameplay is simple and fun.”
- “Main game levels are enjoyable but really little more than a challenging training ground for the endless missions.”
- “You can remember the story after you finished the game for a while.”
optimization
10 mentions
60 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
20 % 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 execution rather than just performance metrics, making the optimization of skills and routes a key aspect of enjoyment. Overall, the game delivers a satisfying experience across various skill levels and numerous levels.
- “Controls are very responsive and the game runs smoothly.”
- “The gameplay runs smoothly on a low-tier gaming PC, 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 4 skill levels.”
replayability
10 mentions
40 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the inclusion of multiple difficulty settings, an endless mode, and a versus mode that enhance replay value, others feel that the lack of randomized content limits long-term engagement. Overall, the game is noted for its polish and fun factor, contributing positively to its replayability despite some criticisms.
- “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 next to 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
10 mentions
20 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a stunning minimalist art style and a dark theme, complemented by a fitting electronic soundtrack that enhances the overall experience without being overwhelming. Reviewers highlight the effective combination of fast-paced gameplay and atmospheric elements, making it a compelling choice for fans of speed and puzzles.
- “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 element 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
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be impactful, describing the surreal and minimalist graphic style as both touching and evocative. The use of a limited color palette enhances the diverse environments, creating a unique atmosphere that elicits a sense of wonder and introspection. Overall, the experience is characterized as a "good weird," leaving players with a memorable emotional resonance.
- “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 so on.”
- “Yeah, it made me feel weird, but a good weird.”
humor
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with multiple users rating it highly and finding it consistently hilarious.
- “9/10 - This game is absolutely hilarious!”