Hyperbolica

82%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,068 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Hyperbolica Game Cover
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"Hyperbolica" is a single-player Comedy Adventure game with good plot, gameplay, amazing graphics, and an awesome soundtrack. Players explore a unique non-Euclidean curved space, experiencing bizarre landscapes, solving puzzles, and battling in a snowball fight. VR is supported with OpenXR compatible headsets, allowing players to explore enormous areas and navigate a labyrinth in a truly mind-bending setting. The game also features plenty of humor and a wholesome story.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Virtual Reality
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • Oculus Quest
  • Windows Mixed Reality
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

82%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,068 reviews
story66 positive mentions
grinding27 negative mentions
  • Unique and mind-bending experience exploring non-Euclidean geometry.
  • Charming characters and witty dialogue that add humor to the gameplay.
  • Visually stunning with a well-crafted world that encourages exploration.
  • Gameplay is often tedious, relying heavily on talking to numerous NPCs with repetitive dialogue.
  • Short playtime with a lack of substantial puzzles or challenges, making it feel more like a tech demo.
  • Can cause motion sickness, especially in VR, which may limit accessibility for some players.
  • story360 mentions

    The story in the game is generally perceived as simplistic and underwhelming, often serving merely as a backdrop for exploring its unique non-euclidean environments. While some players appreciate the lighthearted narrative and character interactions, many find the quests repetitive and the overall plot lacking depth, with a significant focus on fetch quests and dialogue that can feel tedious. Despite its shortcomings, the story does have moments of charm and intrigue, particularly towards the end, but it is not the main draw of the game, which is primarily centered around its innovative gameplay mechanics.

    • “The story is charming and actually has a very well-designed mystery.”
    • “The game is charming and is very simple to move around in, despite the hyperbolic/spherical geometry of the worlds you go to; the characters feel like real people instead of blocks of text, and the world is lively with its 'story' and small interactions between you and the characters of the world.”
    • “Wholesome story with good foreshadowing (if you talk to certain NPCs), decent twist and surprisingly dark undertones/themes although they're definitely not explored as much as they could have been.”
    • “The story is incredibly tedious and boring; it's a lot of just running from point A to point B inside of a space that looks cool but doesn't do much for the actual puzzles.”
    • “The main story isn't all that revolutionary; you'll get more enjoyment in the side stories, and it also feels really forced and doesn't have good build-up.”
    • “The story is so shallow and slapped-together you may as well not even bother with it.”
  • gameplay258 mentions

    The gameplay of Hyperbolica has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it simplistic and repetitive, primarily consisting of walking around and engaging in dialogue with NPCs. While the unique non-Euclidean geometry offers some intriguing puzzles and mechanics, most reviewers felt that the gameplay does not fully utilize this potential, leading to a lack of engaging or innovative gameplay experiences. Overall, the game is seen more as a visual and exploratory experience rather than one focused on substantial gameplay.

    • “The hyperbolic geometry is very cool, and the game has some interesting puzzles using this mechanic.”
    • “The gameplay/puzzles by themselves would be pretty standard, but the world... the way your mind has to re-think everything, because every sense of 'mind-mapping' and direction your brain normally uses does not work.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, it's really light, I didn't 100% it, but I beat it in 3 hours.”
    • “Considering the game's concept, I was surprised to find how much of the actual gameplay consists of walking around and talking to NPCs, which would be an odd choice even if the dialogue weren't so underwhelming.”
    • “The vast majority of the gameplay consists of walking slowly around these massive worlds talking to hundreds of practically identical NPCs whose one-note dialogue retreads old ground fast and often.”
    • “The actual gameplay doesn't evolve beyond talking to NPCs and moving from point A to B.”
  • graphics88 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and trippy non-euclidean design, which creates an intriguing visual experience that captivates players. However, while the visuals are often described as the standout feature, many reviewers note that they cannot compensate for the game's repetitive gameplay and lack of depth in storytelling. Overall, the art style and graphical presentation are seen as innovative and engaging, but they may not be enough to sustain long-term enjoyment.

    • “The visuals are solid and the geometry is trippy.”
    • “It's marvelous that the game can be viewed in stereoscopic 3D despite how outlandish the visuals are.”
    • “The graphics and soundtrack are beautiful and soothing.”
    • “I found myself fascinated with the idea of non-euclidean geometry when watching the development of this game, but I was disappointed to find that the game is pretty bland - graphically and gameplay-wise.”
    • “I can't recommend this game based on the gameplay, graphics, or level design.”
    • “You really shouldn't make a game that is so concentrated on visuals and have the player spend most of their time reading subtitles.”
  • humor43 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its clever writing, quirky character moments, and math-related jokes that elicit genuine laughter. While some found the dialogue and NPC interactions to be hit-or-miss, with instances of trying too hard to be funny, others enjoyed the lighthearted and whimsical tone throughout the game. Overall, the humor adds a fun layer to the experience, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate its unique blend of wit and absurdity.

    • “The writing is funny, the occasional puzzles make good use of the non-Euclidean space, the world is really fun to explore, and there are some clever perspective moments and permutations on the basic idea.”
    • “The character writing is surprisingly detailed and in depth, and the comedy actually made me laugh quite a few times, which if you know me is a big deal.”
    • “The dialogue is made of silly puns and cheeky scientific humor, which is perfect to have fun in the evening.”
  • music42 mentions

    The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many reviewers praising its quality, catchiness, and ability to enhance the overall experience. While some noted that certain tracks could feel repetitive or annoying after extended play, the soundtrack is generally described as enjoyable, fitting well with the game's aesthetic and gameplay. Overall, it stands out as a highlight, with several players expressing a desire to revisit the music even after completing the game.

    • “The music was really nice; each area's music felt like it belonged there, and none of the music seemed out of place.”
    • “I found the music to be incredibly well made and catchy, with each area having a distinct sound, feeling, and appropriate tone.”
    • “Along with the cute aesthetics of the world, the soundtrack adds so much to the experience; I don't feel bad at all for buying it as I will be revisiting some of the songs to listen to later.”
    • “Iris - one of the recurring NPCs - has a music track that is disorienting to listen to with headphones on; it bounces between the left and right channels in an uncomfortable way.”
    • “The music doesn't bring much to the experience; it was getting annoying at some moments.”
    • “It is a tech demo at best; unfortunately, there is nothing really enjoyable about the game itself, music is not fitting, bad gameplay, uninteresting and annoying dialogue, quests, and 'story'.”
  • grinding28 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and uninspired, with many tasks feeling repetitive and lacking meaningful engagement. The overwhelming number of NPCs often leads to irrelevant interactions, and the absence of a quest tracker exacerbates the frustration of navigating the game world. While some appreciate the unique visuals and concepts, the gameplay is frequently described as dull and laborious, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The game aspect is incredibly dull, tedious, and uninspired.”
    • “It's incredibly tedious to figure out what you're even meant to do; the map just isn't enough to help you track what's going on.”
    • “Most quests required finding stuff and talking to specific people, which is extremely tedious to do in such a large world filled with NPCs without any quest markers.”
  • emotional16 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of wholesome storytelling and surprising depth, with players experiencing a range of feelings from joy to discomfort. While some found the writing to be overly simplistic or "cringe," many appreciated the heartfelt characters and personal touches that evoke genuine emotion. The game successfully combines lightheartedness with darker themes, leaving players both charmed and contemplative, though it may also induce physical unease due to its unique visual presentation.

    • “Some characters made me feel like 'oh, maybe it's not that bad' just for them to be used only for one mini 'game'.”
    • “The characters and stories are charming and heartfelt, and you can tell a lot of the game has been derived from the developer's personal experiences, albeit with certain impossible twists.”
    • “Great story, fun characters that made me feel, and truly the most innovative thing to gaming I've seen since Portal.”
  • replayability12 mentions

    The game offers limited replayability, primarily due to its short completion time of 4-6 hours and the predictability of its puzzles after the first playthrough. While some players may find enjoyment in revisiting the unique visuals and mini-games, the overall experience is more akin to a one-time exploration rather than a game designed for repeated play. Those seeking a rich narrative or extensive replay value may be disappointed.

    • “It has good replayability if you happen to be craving a little more of the mental gymnastics the visuals expose you to.”
    • “Once you've figured out the puzzles, the game does lose most of its replay value, but I would say that the novelty alone is worth the purchase.”
    • “However, it would be nice if all minigames were replayable.”
    • “The game costs $20 and can be 100% completed in about 4-6 hours with little replayability beyond a couple of mini-games.”
    • “If you're looking for replayability, this probably isn't the game for you.”
    • “Its main downside is that it's pretty short and has little to no replay value.”
  • stability10 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag; while it performs well on various platforms like Linux and Steam Deck with fluid gameplay and minimal glitches, users report several bugs, particularly in VR mode, affecting navigation and puzzle completion. Some players experienced issues with controls and immersion, indicating that the VR implementation could use improvement. Despite these drawbacks, the core gameplay remains enjoyable.

    • “On a technical standpoint, performance was great; I saw no glitches, gameplay was fluid, and the non-Euclidean spaces were perfectly represented.”
    • “Runs great on Steam Deck with no issues, and I had no bugs.”
    • “Runs great on Linux!”
    • “Basic navigation works fine, but as of writing this review, I was unable to complete several puzzles due to buggy behavior.”
    • “Whilst the VR mode is mildly immersive for a short while, poor implementation, such as buggy speech bubbles and continuous non-consensual re-orienting of the player, rips one out of the experience before one can truly appreciate it.”
    • “Finally, the game freezes the mouse while focused, even in VR mode, so you can't use Xsoverlay.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive and engaging qualities, drawing players into a captivating world that they are eager to revisit. However, some users express disappointment with the game's short length, feeling that it ends too abruptly despite its strong atmospheric appeal. Overall, the combination of an endearing environment and interesting physics contributes to a memorable experience.

    • “Even if this is more of an atmospheric, sort of tech-demo game, it's still really cool.”
    • “I really do not enjoy replaying games or movies; however, with Hyperbolica's amazing feel and atmosphere, I always feel excited to just open the game and be in the world.”
    • “Endearing atmosphere, interesting physics, and fun!”
    • “The only reason I am recommending this is because I want the developers to make a sequel that isn't so abysmally short. I am always disappointed when I'm absorbed into the atmosphere of a game and then it ends abruptly.”
    • “The atmosphere felt flat and uninspired, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
    • “Despite some interesting concepts, the overall atmosphere lacked depth and failed to immerse me in the experience.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is praised for running smoothly on modest hardware and showcasing a polished experience, especially considering the small development team. However, some users report severe performance issues, particularly at the main menu, indicating inconsistent optimization across different setups.

    • “Runs well on modest hardware, and it's really polished and well optimized for such a small dev team.”
    • “From a technical standpoint, performance was great; I saw no glitches, gameplay was fluid, and the non-Euclidean spaces were perfectly represented.”
    • “I can't get past the main menu, and the performance is awful.”
    • “The game constantly crashes, making it unplayable.”
    • “Even on high-end hardware, the frame rate drops significantly during gameplay.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

6hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
5-7hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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