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Incandescent

55%Game Brain Score
music, graphics
gameplay, stability
55% User Score Based on 74 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWindowsWindowsSteam DeckSteam Deck
Buy Nowfrom $0.45
Buy NowGet on Steam$0.99

About

"Incandescent" is a challenging arcade-style game where you defend your ship against unique enemies and bosses, with each playthrough tailored to your skill level. Featuring addictive gameplay, customizable controls, detailed statistics, and local leaderboards, this game offers a retro experience with 720p, 1080p, and 1440p support, scanline feature, and powerups to enhance weapons and health. Can you attain the highest score and defeat the enemy ships?

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Incandescent screenshot
Incandescent screenshot
Incandescent screenshot
Incandescent screenshot

55%
Audience ScoreBased on 74 reviews
music5 positive mentions
stability2 negative mentions
  • The game offers a nostalgic arcade experience reminiscent of classic shooters like Asteroids, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
  • Despite its simplicity, the game provides a fun and addictive gameplay loop with various power-ups and wave-based challenges.
  • For its low price, the game can be a decent time-killer, especially for casual gamers looking for a quick and easy shooter.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs, including issues with enemy spawning and a lack of visual feedback when taking damage, which can lead to frustrating gameplay.
  • The repetitive music loop and simplistic graphics detract from the overall experience, making it feel bland and unpolished.
  • Many players find the controls imprecise and the camera angle problematic, leading to visibility issues and cheap deaths during gameplay.
  • music
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is frequently criticized for being overly repetitive and simplistic, with many players finding the short looping tracks annoying and grating over time. While some appreciate the initial aesthetic and sound, the lack of variety in the soundtrack detracts from the overall gaming experience, leading to suggestions to mute the music and play something else. Overall, the music is seen as a significant flaw that could benefit from more diversity and depth.

    • “Although it seems like a small detail to put an extra soundtrack, it seriously changes the game experience.”
    • “The music (at the start) also sounds pretty okay and the visuals have a pleasant neon look.”
    • “I like the aesthetic/appearance/sounds/music but the game really needs some polishing to be worth playing.”
    • “First of all, listening to the same music over and over again is really annoying.”
    • “- A very simple music loop which gets boring and repetitive quickly.”
    • “The music loop is short and simple; if this bothers you, I suggest you mute the music and put on your own.”
  • graphics
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the classic arcade aesthetic and neon visuals, while others criticize them as simplistic and lacking polish. Many users feel that the visuals do not stand out compared to similar titles and suggest that improvements are needed to enhance the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as a nostalgic nod to retro shooters but fall short of modern standards.

    • “If I were to describe this game in simple terms, I'd say that this room captures everything great about the classic arcade shooters like Galaga and Asteroids and puts it in a sleek modern package while retaining the aesthetics of the time with interesting wave-mode gameplay that plays much like a 2D arena shooter, emphasizing constant movement and precise aiming to make the absolute best of your offense.”
    • “Old school arcade at its best with neat Vectrex-styled graphics.”
    • “The graphics are done in a nice classic arcade feel.”
    • “Aesthetics and dead gameplay aside, technically you should not buy this game because there's no support for high resolution monitors.”
    • “Low effort, poor interface, bad graphics, ripoff gameplay.”
    • “Very simplistic graphics, even for a space shooter.”
  • gameplay
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is criticized for its lack of evolution and depth, with repetitive mechanics that fail to challenge players, making it feel like a simple and uninspired experience. While it attempts to capture the essence of classic arcade shooters, it ultimately falls short due to poor execution, bugs, and a lack of engaging content, leading many to consider it a low-effort title not worth the investment.

    • “The gameplay loop is simple: shoot, avoid bullets, get power-ups, and kill a boss every ten waves.”
    • “If I were to describe this game in simple terms, I'd say that this room captures everything great about the classic arcade shooters like Galaga and Asteroids and puts it in a sleek modern package while retaining the aesthetics of the time with interesting wave-mode gameplay that plays much like a 2D arena shooter, emphasizing constant movement and precise aiming to make the absolute best of your offense.”
    • “So you have the old and tired 2D shmup gameplay combined with day-glo neon colors and weird raver tattoo space 'monsters'.”
    • “The gameplay doesn't evolve and none of the enemies or bosses really require any special thought to defeat.”
    • “The gameplay loop is simple: shoot, avoid bullets, get power-up, and kill a boss every ten waves.”
    • “Eh, the game is easy, boring, and somewhat buggy. I constantly kept running into ships that would suddenly spawn right in front of me. The gameplay is boring and there's almost nothing to it, even for a $2 game; it's not really more than a crappy time waster.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is criticized for its instability, with users reporting frequent bugs such as ships spawning unexpectedly, which detracts from the overall experience. Many find the gameplay to be dull and lacking depth, leading to a perception of the game as a poorly executed time-waster.

    • “Buggy abandoned game.”
    • “The game is easy, boring, and somewhat buggy. I constantly kept running into ships that would suddenly spawn right in front of me. The gameplay is boring, and there's almost nothing to it, even for a $2 game. It's not really more than a crappy time waster.”
  • story
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story emphasizes resilience and the unpredictability of life, illustrating that perseverance in the face of adversity can lead to unexpected outcomes and personal growth.

    • “The moral of the story is that you never know what life has in store for you. If I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
  • optimization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, players report a smooth experience with no significant frame issues or stuttering. For those encountering problems, verifying game files and restarting the computer are suggested troubleshooting steps.

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