Gravia
- March 15, 2021
- Dan Goyette
Get on Steam"Gravia is an early access action/puzzle game where you use a Gravity Glove to create black hole-like Rifts, manipulating physics to destroy obstacles, solve puzzles, and traverse levels at high speeds. With a realistic physics system, the Rifts' gravity affects loose objects and can even bend reinforced structures. Currently, about two-thirds of the expected content is available."
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique and engaging gravity mechanic that adds depth to the puzzle-solving experience.
- It has a fun and challenging gameplay loop reminiscent of classic puzzle games like Portal, with a good balance of action and problem-solving.
- The developer is responsive to feedback and the game shows promise for future updates, making it a worthwhile early access experience.
- The game lacks polish in areas such as graphics, storytelling, and level design, which can detract from the overall experience.
- Some levels are considered too difficult or frustrating, leading to a potentially discouraging experience for players.
- The game currently suffers from repetitive level design and annoying death screens that disrupt the flow of gameplay.
- gameplay12 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of opinions, with some praising the originality and polish of the mechanics, particularly the gravity and rift systems, which offer satisfying challenges and potential for mastery. However, others criticize the lack of a consistent gameplay loop and the simplicity of puzzles, suggesting that while the mechanics are promising, they need better integration and complexity to fully engage players. Overall, the game shows potential but requires further development to reach its full capabilities.
“The game mechanics are phenomenal and with a storyline, this literally has the potential to be the next Portal/Portal 2 in my opinion.”
“The physics behind the gameplay offers a mix of challenges that not only test your problem-solving skills, but your speed, agility, and precision as well.”
“The rift mechanics are easy to understand, hard to master, and when you master it, it feels amazing.”
“Easy puzzles made frustrating by a lack of well-thought-out game mechanics is no basis for a game.”
“The gravity mechanics are cute, but nowhere near enough to sustain a whole game that doesn't even have a consistent gameplay loop I could name.”
“New mechanics were introduced with every level, which is quite nice and what you'd expect from a puzzle game, but the concepts were rarely mixed together in bigger, more complicated levels.”
- story5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating its potential and drawing comparisons to the Portal series, while others criticize its lack of polish and limited narrative depth. Many acknowledge that the game is still in development, suggesting that improvements in storytelling and dialogue could enhance the overall experience.
“The game mechanics are phenomenal, and with a storyline like this, it literally has the potential to be the next Portal/Portal 2 in my opinion.”
“Portal vibes are strong here; I played the demo, and the updates to this game are great. I love the story, even if I hate the robots.”
“There is a huge lack of polish on the storytelling side, but I knew it: it's out of focus for a project like this.”
“The storyline is non-existent or limited (to be fair, we know this though as the game is still in development).”
“Dialogue is also rudimentary and could benefit extensively from professional voice actors, so hopefully this will evolve with the storyline and campaign.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered simple and in need of significant improvement, with suggestions for a complete overhaul by a professional studio to enhance visual appeal. While some users find the visuals satisfactory, they note a lack of the "bling" typically seen in commercial titles, particularly in details like animations and textures. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some praising the visuals as good, especially in conjunction with polished mechanics.
“Not only do the mechanics feel extremely polished and satisfying to use, but the visuals are really good too!”
“On the visuals, there's nothing 'wrong' with what's there; I just feel like the commercial dev shops put more 'bling' on things.”
“The other thing I actually went back and looked at after you asked me about specifics on the visuals were the doors and associated open/close animations as well as the textures applied to surfaces.”
“Graphics are rather simple and definitely need to be spruced up drastically. This is not a one-man job in my opinion; if a studio were to pick this up and give it a total makeover, it would be a huge boon for the game.”
“On the visuals, there's nothing 'wrong' with what's there; I just feel like the commercial development studios put more 'bling' on things.”
“I have the graphics cranked as high as they will go since my current rig has a water-cooled 2080 Super and can handle most games at max settings. It's possible I notice the graphics more than most gamers would, and I have zero creative/artistic ability, so I can't offer much more than the very nebulous 'more bling equals more good' opinion.”
- music2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's music is a mixed bag; while it pays homage to its inspirations and adds fun to the experience, some players find it cringeworthy and distracting, leading to a less enjoyable overall impression.
“Not only is the game a love song to portal, it's extremely fun in its own right.”
“The music is cringey, and the character interactions along with the death screens made me quit this game pretty quickly.”
“The soundtrack feels repetitive and uninspired, which really detracts from the overall experience.”
“I found the music to be jarring and out of place, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”
