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Gravity Bone

93%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
stability, monetization
93% User Score Based on 326 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows
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About

Gravity Bone is a freeware first-person adventure game that uses a modified version of the Quake 2 engine. The game received critical acclaim for its cohesive story, atmospheric gameplay, and ability to engage players in a short period of time. Its unique blend of spy-oriented gameplay and film-inspired music by Xavier Cugat has drawn comparisons to games like Team Fortress 2 and Portal. Despite its one-year development cycle, Gravity Bone successfully manages to immerse players in a captivating world.

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Gravity Bone screenshot
Gravity Bone screenshot
Gravity Bone screenshot
Gravity Bone screenshot
Gravity Bone screenshot
Gravity Bone screenshot
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93%
Audience ScoreBased on 326 reviews
story26 positive mentions
monetization1 negative mentions
  • Gravity Bone offers a unique and engaging experience, blending a quirky narrative with stylish visuals and a captivating atmosphere.
  • The game is free and provides a surprisingly rich storytelling experience in a very short runtime, making it a delightful way to spend 10-15 minutes.
  • Players appreciate the game's charm, humor, and the way it evokes nostalgia, often comparing it favorably to other indie titles like Jazzpunk and its sequel, Thirty Flights of Loving.
  • The game is extremely short, with many players feeling it ends just as they start to get invested in the story and gameplay.
  • Some technical issues, such as crashes when changing settings and awkward controls, detract from the overall experience.
  • The simplistic mechanics and lack of challenge lead some to view it more as a walking simulator than a traditional game, leaving them wanting more depth.
  • story
    61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Gravity Bone" is characterized by its minimalist and environmental storytelling, effectively immersing players in a quirky, abstract world filled with espionage and intrigue. While the narrative unfolds through cryptic text and brief missions, many players appreciate its unique charm and thought-provoking elements, despite its short runtime of around 10-15 minutes. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging atmosphere and the ability to leave a lasting impression, even with its rudimentary gameplay.

    • “One of the most compelling aspects of Gravity Bone is its story.”
    • “The game's plot is delivered through a series of cryptic and poetic text messages, which slowly reveal a deeper narrative involving a shadowy organization and a plot to overthrow a government.”
    • “This is an amazing short piece of environmental storytelling, building on a style and genre I can genuinely enjoy.”
    • “The story makes no sense.”
    • “As soon as you start to get invested in the game and its 'story', it suddenly ends after just 10 minutes of playtime.”
    • “Sadly, the story is way too short.”
  • graphics
    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's graphics are a polarizing aspect, with many players praising its unique minimalist and abstract art style, which adds character and charm to the experience. While some appreciate the engaging visuals and the nostalgic retro feel, others criticize the low-poly, voxel-inspired design as lacking depth compared to more graphically advanced titles. Overall, the graphics are seen as a defining feature that contributes to the game's aesthetic, though opinions vary on their execution.

    • “The game's visual style is often cited as one of its strongest points, with players appreciating the minimalist and abstract art style.”
    • “Extremely short, but it manages to convey so much character and style through its weird and wonderful music, art style, graphics, and presentation.”
    • “Great story, a++ graphics, great attention to detail!”
    • “Unfortunately, despite a decent game engine, the developer opted for a blocky voxel type/Minecraft ripoff low poly art style, so everything looks a bit... meh.”
    • “Developers must learn that Minecraft succeeded despite the bad graphics, not because of them.”
    • “That's why reviewers are faced with so many games with confrontingly bad graphics.”
  • gameplay
    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Gravity Bone" is characterized by its simplicity and brevity, offering a quick, engaging experience that feels more like an interactive story than a traditional game. While it incorporates unique mechanics like gravity manipulation, many players find the gameplay rudimentary and lacking in depth, with some describing it as a demo rather than a fully fleshed-out game. Overall, it serves as a nostalgic and entertaining diversion, though it may not satisfy those seeking complex gameplay or significant player agency.

    • “In 15 minutes of gameplay, the life of a secret agent flashes before your eyes—complete with all the archetypal characters, situations, and twists.”
    • “The gameplay of Gravity Bone is simple but engaging.”
    • “The game makes use of gravity manipulation mechanics, which adds an extra layer of challenge and excitement to the gameplay.”
    • “Everything feels so tangible, and the levels and scenarios shift quickly enough that the game doesn’t give you time to dwell on how simple its gameplay actually is.”
    • “But the pace of the story and the game pulls you into its world so effectively that only once it's over do you realize how rudimentary its gameplay really is.”
    • “I wouldn't say it's for everyone: there's not a lot of gameplay, no challenge, no real player agency.”
  • humor
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is consistently described as quirky, offbeat, and surreal, appealing to those who enjoy a blend of absurdity and charm. Players appreciate its short runtime, often noting that the humor enhances the overall experience, making it a delightful and engaging play despite its brevity. Overall, the game is recognized for its inventive comedic elements and entertaining sound effects, contributing to its unique appeal.

    • “Gravity Bone is a funny & short offbeat chase game in the same style as Jazzpunk.”
    • “Short game that manages to be genuinely funny and quirky.”
    • “Humorous and inventive, like all Blendo games, and communicates quite a complex story with few elements and a very short runtime.”
  • music
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its stylish integration and emotional impact. While some found the volume levels excessively loud, the soundtrack is described as fitting perfectly with the game's aesthetic, evoking a nostalgic vibe reminiscent of the 1950s and 1960s. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's unique character and immersive experience.

    • “The music was awesome and gave the game a certain frantic energy.”
    • “This is a masterpiece along with 30 Flights of Loving. I have never seen such a great story told in so little time. The soundtrack is excellent; Xavier Cugat is one of my favorite big band leaders, and his songs fit perfectly in the high-class luxury of this game. Please play it; more people need to know about this.”
    • “Extremely short, but it manages to convey so much character and style through its weird and wonderful music, art style, graphics, and presentation.”
    • “The music, however, is far too loud and almost drowns out everything else in the game.”
    • “Luckily, there's an option to adjust both music and SFX volumes, which honestly many games overlook.”
    • “Love the obviously copyrighted music from the Brazil OST.”
  • atmosphere
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its engaging and immersive qualities, effectively drawing players into a surreal, dreamlike world crafted from simple geometric shapes and vibrant colors. Despite its short runtime, the atmosphere is rich with intrigue and mood, making it a standout feature of the experience.

    • “The atmosphere of the game is on point and hooks you for the entire runtime, which, sadly, is very short.”
    • “An excellent mini-game, with tons of atmosphere, intrigue, mood, and story, told excellently in the style of Blendo.”
    • “Short game with a ton of atmosphere.”
    • “The game's world is built out of simple geometric shapes and bright colors, which creates a surreal and dreamlike atmosphere that draws the player in.”
  • stability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many users report that it runs smoothly without crashes or significant glitches, some have experienced sound issues and graphical glitches that detract from the experience. This inconsistency has led to polarized opinions, with some players expressing frustration over the game's technical shortcomings.

    • “It works properly and there are no glitches.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes.”
    • “I haven't experienced any bugs or issues during my playtime.”
    • “There are also some sound issues and graphical glitches which hinder the game.”
    • “To those that say a game cannot be art, this is lazy, sloppy, buggy, dissatisfying, and short - very much like modern abstract expressionist art - and exactly like the pretentious people that recommended it to me.”
  • emotional
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players report a deeply emotional experience, highlighting a rollercoaster of feelings that includes laughter and tears. The game is described as endearing and heartfelt, with many expressing that it evokes strong emotional responses, making it a memorable and impactful journey.

    • “I laughed, I cried, I laughed again.”
    • “You receive an endearing, heartfelt experience :)”
    • “Truly epic; I cried so much, this is so sad and epic.”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game benefits from the old id tech engine used in Quake 2, resulting in generally smooth performance. However, players have reported occasional frame rate drops to around 57 fps for brief moments.

    • “The game runs smoothly because it's built using the old id Tech engine used to make Quake 2, which adds significant value to the overall experience.”
    • “Performance is generally very good, with only occasional drops to as low as 57 fps that last for just a second or two.”
  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is praised for its originality and clever missions, with users noting that it is free to play, distinguishing it from typical indie cash grabs.

  • character development
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is noted for its unique and timeless design, despite being built on the older id tech 2 engine. This distinctive aesthetic contributes to the overall appeal of the characters within the game.

    • “The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form genuine connections with the characters as their stories unfold.”
    • “Each character has a rich backstory that evolves throughout the game, making every interaction feel meaningful and impactful.”
    • “The unique character design and development create a timeless experience that resonates with players long after they've finished the game.”
  • grinding
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly criticizing the section involving padlocks for its repetitive nature.

    • “It was tedious, especially the part with the padlocks.”
    • “The grinding felt endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “I found myself doing the same tasks over and over, which quickly became boring.”
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