Halcyon

About

Halcyon is a single player platformer game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by StudioDread and was released on December 8, 2022. It received positive reviews from players.

A pixel art challenging sidescroller shooter set in a future inhospitable version of Earth. The year is 2506. A vestige of humankind, you’ve been sent to Earth on the faint hopes that you will find more than the corpse of a once hospitable planet. Instead, you find a landscape blooming with lush, mutated new life.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 11 reviews

atmosphere3 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game features impressive graphics and a unique art style that enhances the atmospheric experience.
Gameplay is engaging with a variety of enemies and level themes, providing a rewarding challenge that encourages mastering mechanics.
The game is a commendable effort from a small development team, showcasing creativity and potential for future titles.

The game is quite short, taking only about 1 to 2 hours to complete, which may leave some players wanting more content.
Difficulty balance is flawed, with many players finding it brutally hard even on the easiest settings, leading to frustration.
There are reports of technical issues and bugs that hinder gameplay, making it unplayable for some users.

graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their unique art style and effective atmosphere, creating an unnerving environment that enhances world-building. While some users note that the graphics can be dark, they become more familiar over time, and the design of enemies is well-executed. Additionally, the game appeals to players with older hardware by offering engaging visuals without relying on high-end graphics or frame rates.
- “The game handles its atmosphere and world building very well; it manages to create an unnerving environment with its interesting and unique art style.”
- “If you like the art style and the play style of Risk of Rain, I think you will like this game a lot.”
- “There is a vast crowd out there that is still using hardware that only has Intel integrated graphics, and there's another crowd that will receive hand-me-down computers soon or will bargain their way through used computer sales.”
- “Also, another reason for me to seek games that run on older computers is that they can't rely on fancy graphics and high frame rates to impress their audience, so they usually have something uniquely interesting to them to compensate for that and attract this niche crowd of customers that are not easily swayed unlike the children that will jump into any new fad.”
- “Graphics are a bit dark, but after a while, you get used to it, and the enemies are well designed.”
gameplay
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
Gameplay is characterized by a challenging progression that demands trial and error, with players often facing death as they learn mechanics. While this can lead to frustration, many find the mastery of these mechanics rewarding. However, technical issues like bugs can detract from the overall experience, despite the satisfying difficulty that encourages learning enemy patterns.
- “It can get frustrating at times, but overall the frustration will be minimal, and it can feel very rewarding to master the game's mechanics.”
- “The level of difficulty (especially the birds) was just enough to push me to learn enemy patterns without taking away from the gameplay.”
- “Progression requires a lot of trial and error, so do expect to die a lot. You will have to learn the mechanics, or you will be punished dearly by the game.”
- “I could move past the poor plot, but the bugs prevented a gameplay experience that could have compensated for it.”
- “The level of difficulty (especially the birds) was just enough to push me to learn enemy patterns without detracting from the gameplay.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game excels in atmosphere and world-building, effectively creating an unnerving environment through its distinctive and engaging art style.
- “The game handles its atmosphere and world-building very well; it manages to create an unnerving environment with its interesting and unique art style.”
- “The immersive atmosphere draws you in, making every moment feel tense and engaging.”
- “The sound design and visual elements combine perfectly to create a hauntingly beautiful world that stays with you long after you finish playing.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some users criticizing it for allegedly stealing assets and copying from another developer, while others appreciate its haunting sci-fi narrative and visual design. However, the plot's opening, featuring a centrally controlled artificial life form, has been described as disappointing and unrealistic.
- “This game stole assets and copied the story from another game developer.”
- “However, the plot of this game has a disappointing opener: a computer-like artificial life form that centrally controls the mothership, as if a centrally planned economy could work!”
- “I felt immediately drawn in by its bare, haunting sci-fi story and the game’s visual design.”
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's music features dynamic layering that enhances immersion, with tracks that adapt based on enemy proximity, creating a tense and engaging atmosphere.
- “The random spawns and layered music that queues when enemies are near kept me on my toes and deeply immersed in each area.”