Hyperbolica

About

Hyperbolica is a single player open world platformer game with comedy and science fiction themes. It was developed by CodeParade and was released on March 14, 2022. It received positive reviews from players.

Hyperbolica is a whimsical Non-Euclidean adventure with mind-bending worlds full of games, puzzles, mazes, and secrets! Immerse yourself in reality-warping geometries where lines can never be parallel, horizons are curved, and space grows exponentially.

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82%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,134 reviews

story70 positive mentions

grinding29 negative mentions

Truly unique experience exploring hyperbolic and spherical geometries, offering mind-bending and visually mesmerizing gameplay.
Charming, witty dialogues and quirky characters add a lighthearted narrative to the exploration.
Various engaging mini-games and puzzles utilize the non-Euclidean spaces and showcase the unique mechanics well.

Game is rather short with limited replayability; most players can complete it within a few hours.
Gameplay largely consists of walking, talking to numerous similar NPCs, and simple fetch quests, which can become tedious.
VR mode can cause intense motion sickness and has some control and performance issues; also an achievement locked behind VR is criticized.
Lack of clearer objectives or quest tracking makes navigation and progression frustrating in large, repetitive worlds.
Story and writing can feel shallow and sometimes break immersion due to excessive dialogue and pacing issues.

story
368 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
72%
9%
The story in this game is generally described as simple, short, and somewhat shallow, often serving mainly as a framework to explore its unique hyperbolic geometry rather than providing deep narrative engagement. While some players find the light sci-fi plot, character interactions, and subtle intrigue enjoyable, many criticize the storyline for being repetitive, poorly executed, and reliant on tedious fetch quests without clear direction or quest markers. Overall, the narrative is considered an adequate but minor aspect, secondary to the game's novel mechanics and world design.
- “Fascinating game with truly unique geometry (takes some getting used to!) and an interesting, personable story to boot!”
- “The story is well put together to keep you intrigued, and it does a good job of making the normally repetitive task of talking to all the NPCs interesting, with the NPCs revealing essential information to understanding the backstory.”
- “The story is lighthearted and engaging, and the puzzles complement the unique aspects of the game world.”
- “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.”
- “I couldn't follow or find myself caring about the forced storyline, and it was all just endless dialogue windows, mini-games with frustrating and unpleasant movement mechanics, walking from point A to point B and back again over and over—I kept wishing each task was over as soon as it started.”
- “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.”
gameplay
265 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
72%
10%
The gameplay primarily involves slow exploration, talking to numerous NPCs, and completing simple fetch quests with occasional mini-games, resulting in an overall experience described as basic, repetitive, and lacking depth. While the unique non-Euclidean geometry provides a visually and conceptually intriguing backdrop and informs some puzzles, it is underutilized in meaningful gameplay mechanics, leaving many to feel the game functions more as a tech demo or walking simulator than a fully engaging game. Some players appreciate the novelty and exploration aspects, but most find the gameplay simplistic, tedious, and not compelling enough beyond the intriguing geometric concept.
- “It's a bit short and relies on its unique mechanics, but that said, it's a unique and mostly enjoyable experience.”
- “The hyperbolic geometry is very cool, and the game has some interesting puzzles using this mechanic.”
- “Gameplay can be simple in the overworld but varied in various activities you come across, often making the absolute most of hyperbolic space.”
- “The vast majority of the gameplay consists of walking slowly around massive worlds talking to hundreds of practically identical NPCs whose one-note dialogue retreads old ground fast and often. This NPC dialogue is the way to access what little actual gameplay is present in the game: regular minigames awkwardly shoved into non-euclidean space with precious few unique elements to show for it, made annoying on top of that by janky controls and tedium.”
- “The actual gameplay is horrible. The gameplay is less than captivating, being mostly walking around and talking to mindless NPCs, with very basic and repetitive tasks that don't utilize the unique geometry effectively. The controls feel clunky and the quests can be tedious, making much of the gameplay frustrating and unenjoyable.”
- “The core gameplay is rather simple: walk around hyperbolic space and talk to people, occasionally completing fetch quests and very few minigames. The game lacks a real core gameplay loop, with many tasks feeling bland and uninteresting. Exploration feels limited and the non-euclidean mechanics don't significantly impact the gameplay, resulting in a mostly aimless and boring experience.”
graphics
95 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
63%
4%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique, trippy, and innovative exploration of non-Euclidean and hyperbolic geometry, offering an intriguing visual experience unlike any other. However, many reviews note that while the visuals serve as a fascinating tech demo and artistic achievement, they are sometimes limited by the simplistic art style, occasional discomfort, and lack of variety, which can make the overall experience feel shallow or repetitive when divorced from engaging gameplay or narrative. Overall, the graphics stand out as the game's main appeal, captivating players interested in mathematical and visual spectacle but may not satisfy those seeking traditional game depth or polish.
- “There is really no other game like it and I think for the visual and mathematical spectacle alone it deserves your time. This to me feels like what the next big step in gaming needs to be; we've gotten to near photo-realism with graphics so now we need to push the concept of what 'graphics' even means.”
- “That said, if you're into computer graphics and/or mathematics, or just trippy visuals in general, then this is unlike anything you've ever experienced.”
- “There was 2 puzzles that utilized the non-euclidean format in a really interesting way and the way the world changed as I moved around made for some good exploration whilst keeping the map small so as not to get boring. There were also a lot of cool visuals.”
- “It is a good introduction to the neat visuals, but sadly that's all they really seemed to be, a visual gimmick.”
- “I was really excited for this game, but in the end it turned out to just be a walking simulator with weird graphics.”
- “The graphics is just what you see - sure, I get one man has to code all the rendering from scratch, but anyway - it can be hardly an advantage for anyone.”
humor
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally described as witty, clever, and filled with cheeky scientific and math-related jokes, often catching players off guard with unexpected laughs. While many find the dialogue and character interactions funny and charming, some feel the humor tries too hard or becomes repetitive due to numerous indistinguishable NPCs. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted, enjoyable layer to the experience, especially for those who appreciate nerdy or quirky comedy.
- “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 dialogue is made of silly puns and cheeky scientific humor, which is perfect to have fun in the evening.”
- “The characters are funny and intriguing and most of the minigames explore the strange geometry in ways I didn't quite expect; my favorites would be the labyrinth and the skate-waiter quest for the main quests, and the laser puzzle, treasure chest, and rocket skis for miniquests.”
music
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
39%
8%
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing, quirky, and fitting soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere without overpowering the experience. Several reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, often describing it as chill, soothing, and a key reason they enjoyed or purchased the game. However, a few mention some repetitiveness and occasional audio discomfort, but overall the music is considered a strong and memorable aspect.
- “All in all, solid game and amazing OST that I now am forced to buy because it's really really good music.”
- “Codeparade did a phenomenal job creating this game and boy do I love the music.”
- “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, and was getting annoying at some moments.”
- “It is a tech demo at best; unfortunately there is nothing really enjoyable about the game itself. The music is not fitting, with bad gameplay, uninteresting and annoying dialogue, quests, and "story".”
grinding
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
97%
Grinding in the game is widely described as tedious and slow, marked by excessive backtracking, numerous unhelpful NPCs, and lack of quest guidance or tracking. The large world filled with mundane tasks and cryptic objectives compounds the sense of boredom, making progress feel more like a chore than engaging gameplay. While some players appreciate the content and unique visuals, the overall grinding experience is criticized for being dull, clunky, and overly time-consuming.
- “Most quests required finding items and talking to specific people, which is extremely tedious in such a large world filled with NPCs without any quest markers.”
- “There are way too many NPCs scattered around the world, while none of them has anything meaningful to say, making it tedious to talk to them.”
- “I was bothered by the lack of a quest tracker, so if you missed important information in dialogue, you had to tediously go through every single NPC to get a clue of where to go next.”
emotional
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes a mix of emotional responses, from wholesome charm and heartfelt moments inspired by personal experiences to moments of discomfort and unease due to its unique exploration of hyperbolic space. While not deeply emotional or groundbreaking in storytelling, it offers a novel, thoughtful experience with quirky characters, subtle depth, and occasional dark undertones. Its distinctiveness lies more in its innovative concept and atmosphere than traditional emotional engagement.
- “First game I have ever played that actually made me feel unwell at how I was processing the images and, like, unbalanced me.”
- “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.”
replayability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
39%
38%
Replayability for this game is generally low, with many players noting it offers a brief experience of about 4-6 hours and limited incentive to replay once puzzles are solved. While some appreciate its unique visuals and occasional mini-games, the short length and minimal additional content make it less appealing for those seeking long-term engagement.
- “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.”
- “I spent multiple hours just wandering around; the game doesn't offer much in terms of replayability but that doesn't stop me from coming back to this game just to jump off a tall ledge.”
- “The game costs $20 and can be 100% completed in about 4-6 hours with little replayability beyond a couple of mini games.”
- “Its main downside is that it's pretty short and has little to no replay value.”
- “If you're looking for replayability, this probably isn't the game for you.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game's stability is generally solid with smooth performance across platforms, including Linux and Steam Deck, and minimal bugs on standard play. However, the VR mode suffers from buggy controls, awkward re-orienting, and occasional puzzle-breaking glitches that disrupt immersion. Overall, while technically competent, the VR experience and some puzzle elements need improvement to reach full stability.
- “Runs great on Linux!”
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “The VR (on day 1 at least) was kinda buggy with controls, and having to look where to aim in snowball fights and ski minigame felt less than intuitive too.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
Users consistently praise the game’s immersive and captivating atmosphere, highlighting its ability to draw them into the world despite its short length. The unique feel and engaging environment make players eager to revisit and explore further.
- “Even if this is more of an atmospheric, tech-demo-like game, it's still really freaking 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!”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Optimization receives mixed feedback: while many praise the game for running smoothly on modest hardware and being well-optimized given the small development team, some users report severe performance issues preventing them from progressing past the main menu. Overall, technical performance is generally solid with fluid gameplay and accurate representation of complex environments.
- “Runs well on modest hardware, and it's really polished and well optimized for such a small dev team.”
- “On 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.”