GAUGE

About

GAUGE is a single player action game. It was developed by Étienne Périn and was released on May 23, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Gauge" is an experimental sports game with five modes and 23 Steam achievements. The game features psychedelic effects, electronic music, jokes, and LOLcats. However, those with a history of epilepsy should consult a physician before playing due to the potential for seizure-triggering light patterns.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+11

Skip User Reviews

61%

Audience ScoreBased on 150 reviews

music7 positive mentions

monetization2 negative mentions

GAUGE offers a unique and hypnotic experience with its minimalist visuals and intense psychedelic effects, creating a trance-like atmosphere that feels more like an interactive art piece than a traditional game.
The game runs flawlessly on the Steam Deck, with simple controls that suit the handheld perfectly, making it accessible for quick play sessions.
With five different game modes and a challenging gameplay loop, GAUGE provides a rewarding experience for players who enjoy rhythm challenges and experimental games.

The difficulty curve is steep and can be punishing, leading some players to lose interest before fully engaging with the game.
The minimalist graphics and constant flashing effects may not appeal to everyone and can be overwhelming, especially for those with photosensitivity or epilepsy.
An intentionally unobtainable achievement designed as a statement has frustrated many players, particularly completionists, leading to negative feedback about the game's design choices.

music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
53%
17%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its hypnotic and psychedelic qualities that enhance the gameplay experience, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking volume control options. Although some tracks are enjoyable and fit the game's atmosphere, there are complaints about the overall quality and variety, with a few users noting distracting elements like flashy visuals and unexpected interruptions. Overall, while the soundtrack has its moments, it may not be enough to elevate the experience for all players.
- “Hypnotic & unique: the minimalist visuals combined with intense psychedelic effects and pulsing electronic music create a genuinely unique, trance-like atmosphere.”
- “The game is accompanied by some pretty decent music and some fairly psychedelic graphics.”
- “The thought of a game where all you do is press space bar to control a gauge sounds terrible but it's actually really fun, especially with the flashy background, awesome music, and just how the game tries to distract you all the time.”
- “Music is horrible, constant pressing of the spacebar and... did I mention flashing lights?”
- “Flashy lights attempt to cause harm to epileptic gamers while godawful low-effort GarageBand electronic music hurts your ears.”
- “The bad points for me is that there is no variety in the music (or maybe it is hidden?), the more you progress the more annoying sounds pop in (so the game loses a little of the initial ambiance).”
graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
72%
14%
The graphics of Gauge are characterized by a stark, minimalist aesthetic that heavily relies on psychedelic effects, creating a unique and trance-like atmosphere. While some players appreciate the experimental visuals and their integration with the rhythm gameplay, others criticize them as overly distracting and potentially off-putting, with concerns about their intensity and lack of resolution options. Overall, the graphics evoke strong reactions, appealing to fans of minimalist and psychedelic art while alienating those who find them excessive or disorienting.
- “Gauge is exactly what it promises: a stripped-down, experimental sport experience laser-focused on rhythm, timing, and psychedelic visuals.”
- “Hypnotic & unique: the minimalist visuals combined with intense psychedelic effects and pulsing electronic music create a genuinely unique, trance-like atmosphere.”
- “For such a simple game, the amount of visuals is impressive.”
- “The first major complaint about Gauge is the art style.”
- “The flashy visuals distract you from the fact that this game is garbage.”
- “The game makes *heavy* use of epilepsy-inducing graphics, all of which are completely unnecessary.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The gameplay across the reviewed games is characterized by a trend towards simplistic mechanics and a lack of variety, often leading to a quick sense of boredom after initial engagement. While some players appreciate the straightforward controls and risk/reward elements, many find the experience ultimately shallow and repetitive, with minimal depth or challenge. Despite this, the visual and audio elements can enhance enjoyment, but the overall consensus suggests that the gameplay often fails to sustain interest beyond a brief period.
- “Well done, mechanically simple yet engaging and addictive.”
- “While it’s optional, activating it further doubles your score, so it’s a risk/reward mechanic.”
- “But no instructions are needed, everything is straightforward and the mechanic is understood after 30 seconds.”
- “Strips every mechanic down to the most basic possible thing.”
- “Tldr: enjoyable for the first 10 minutes until you get a hold of the control and mechanics then it falls flat.”
- “I was hoping for something with actual gameplay, but this is nothing more than spacebar: the game.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by a psychedelic and sarcastic tone, providing a mix of visual chaos and witty commentary that enhances the experience, especially in multiplayer mode. While solo play may feel monotonous, the comedic elements, including absurd graphics and humorous phrases, create a lively atmosphere when shared with friends, making the endurance test both entertaining and laugh-inducing.
- “It's a psychedelic endurance test with a pretty good sense of humor.”
- “After all, it's a mockery software, sarcastically funny both to play and to watch!”
- “You have to concentrate on holding and releasing your spacebar and ctrl in the right proportion as the game tries to take out your focus with psychedelic graphics, lol cats, funny phrases, reducing your gauge, shaking the screen, and a whole bunch of other mature nonsense.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is characterized as hypnotic and unique, blending minimalist visuals with intense psychedelic effects and pulsing electronic music to create a trance-like experience.
- “Hypnotic and unique: the minimalist visuals combined with intense psychedelic effects and pulsing electronic music create a genuinely unique, trance-like atmosphere.”
- “The game immerses you in a hauntingly beautiful world, where every sound and visual element contributes to an otherworldly experience.”
- “The atmospheric design is breathtaking, with stunning landscapes and a captivating soundtrack that draws you deeper into the game's narrative.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's story is described as riveting and entertaining, with an engaging plot that keeps players curious about future developments. However, it is compared unfavorably to "Hotline Miami," lacking in elements such as soundtrack, violence, and gameplay depth.
- “The plot is riveting; it's entertaining to see what's going on in the background and to wonder what's going to happen in a few million score points.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is tied to the tension and thrill of balancing risk and reward, as players must navigate the challenge of keeping the colored bar close to the edge without crossing it, creating a sense of anxiety and excitement.
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy for the game primarily relies on a free-to-play model supported by ads, which users find overwhelming and intrusive, detracting from the overall experience.
- “I could see it with very minor success on mobile, free with ads.”
- “This should be a free app bombarded by ads on the Play Store.”