Influent

75%
Game Brain Score Based on 688 reviews
  • music
  • story
  • gameplay
Influent Game Cover
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"Influent is a single-player strategy game with plenty of humor, featuring pretty visuals and a good soundtrack. It is a language-learning game that includes 23 languages, allowing players to learn word names for objects by clicking on them in a 3D environment, with additional information available via double-clicks."

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

75%
Audience ScoreBased on 688 reviews
music8 positive mentions
story4 negative mentions
  • Fun and engaging way to learn vocabulary for common household items.
  • Multiple modes for practicing words, including time attack and quizzes.
  • Good pronunciation audio and visual aids help reinforce learning.
  • Limited to a small apartment, restricting vocabulary to household items only.
  • Does not teach grammar, sentence structure, or conversational skills.
  • Controls can be clunky and difficult to navigate, leading to frustration.
  • music28 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the soothing and catchy soundtrack by Lifeformed, many find it repetitive and distracting, especially when trying to focus on learning vocabulary. Users express frustration over the inability to adjust the volume or turn off the music entirely, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the music is often described as pleasant and fitting for the game's aesthetic.

    • “The music is pleasant and the objects in the apartment are nice to look at.”
    • “Good for memorizing vocabulary, very relaxing music.”
    • “The music was relaxing and enjoyable while searching for objects.”
    • “Most annoyingly, there's no way to turn off the music.”
    • “The music in the game is awful to hear and it could annoy you while trying to search for words.”
    • “Would highly recommend, other than the fact that the music (while very well done) is extremely loud and can only be turned on/off, not lowered in volume.”
  • story28 mentions

    The game's story is largely criticized for being insipid and unnecessary, with many players expressing a desire for more engaging narrative elements or character interactions to enhance the learning experience. While some appreciate the humor and simplicity of the existing storyline, most agree that it fails to provide meaningful context or motivation for gameplay, leaving it feeling like a mere fetch quest without depth. Overall, the lack of a compelling story detracts from the game's potential to be both entertaining and educational.

    • “It has very humorous parts to it, as well as its storyline.”
    • “If the creator of the game could expand this game to include a storyline, interactive characters, some puzzles, etc., it could be great.”
    • “I would have been just as happy with horrible graphics and more content, even more so a story mode of sorts that requires you to learn the language as you progress.”
    • “Then the update came and ruined the controls and added a story that clogs up everything.”
    • “There's no storyline or reason for doing anything.”
    • “Quirky controls, mediocre voice acting, no story worth speaking of, and no real sense of achievement whenever doing something in the game.”
  • gameplay28 mentions

    The gameplay is generally simple and straightforward, focusing on language learning through vocabulary collection and interactive mechanics, though some users find it initially confusing and lacking in depth. While the game effectively encourages retention of learned words, it has been criticized for limited interactivity and a lack of engaging story elements. Overall, it serves as a decent supplemental tool for language learners, but may not satisfy those seeking a more dynamic gaming experience.

    • “This is a great mechanic; it's slowing you down and forcing you to actually learn the words you've already collected before going ahead. A lot of language students would know that a big issue at the start is wanting to learn a large amount of words and failing to retain most of them.”
    • “I got this learning app/game a while back, and although I am only nearing 3 hours of gameplay, I can say that for the price it is put at and the good attention to detail, this game is good for learning the language of your choice.”
    • “Overall gameplay is fun, the art style is nice, and the little references lying all around make for a fun experience.”
    • “It doesn't differ too much gameplay-wise from a simple vocabulary list you can get for free and is less efficient in my opinion.”
    • “Answer: skip this game if you're looking for something different expecting to have fun, this game is not for you unless you are capable to endure the lack (zero) of story, gameplay, and graphics.”
    • “The gameplay is really simple and easy to get an understanding of.”
  • graphics23 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many users appreciating the aesthetic and art style, which enhances the learning experience. While the visuals are simple and not graphically demanding, they are clear and immersive, allowing players to focus on learning rather than gameplay mechanics. However, some users noted issues with graphical layering and performance, suggesting that while the graphics are appealing, they may not be optimized for all systems.

    • “Good graphics, nice art style, really well done and fun.”
    • “The graphics, sound, and interface are enjoyable and immersive.”
    • “Wonderful graphics & an interesting interactive setting.”
    • “I find it struggles with layers and often fights to separate the graphic layers if you stand in the wrong place.”
    • “I would have been just as happy with horrible graphics and more content, even more so a story mode of sorts that requires you to learn the language as you progress.”
    • “Even with lowering the few settings you can use to adjust the graphics, the game is still frustratingly laggy.”
  • humor10 mentions

    The game is praised for its clever and humorous approach to vocabulary enrichment, with many players finding the word associations and transcriptions amusing. While some phonetic transcriptions can be confusing, the overall experience is described as hilarious and educational, featuring funny easter eggs and a strong sense of humor from the developers. Players express hope for future updates to enhance the game's comedic elements further.

    • “Some of the associations the game offers are funny; all of them make sense, in their own way.”
    • “Hilarious and educational.”
    • “This game has also made me laugh quite a few times; the developers have a great sense of humor!”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Users find the grinding aspect of language learning to be tedious and frustrating, particularly when confined to limited environments and relying heavily on flashcards. While some appreciate the effectiveness of traditional methods, they express a desire for more engaging and enjoyable alternatives that avoid the pitfalls of conventional, overpriced software.

    • “This makes it an extremely tedious and painful rather than fun learning experience, especially when you're literally confined to a single apartment.”
    • “Learning any language, I'd struggle tremendously with vocabulary because I'd get so excited about the grammar; and dozens of flashcards alone, while effective, can be extremely tedious; so when it came to practicing with native speakers it was a real struggle.”
    • “I'm very excited to see a real game for language learning, instead of tedious and very overpriced software (yeah, I'm looking at you, Rosetta Stone).”
  • stability3 mentions

    Overall, the stability of the games reviewed is inconsistent, with significant issues reported in the flying game due to buggy controls that hinder gameplay. In contrast, Time Attack is noted for its stability, lacking glitches and providing a smoother experience.

    • “The airplane controls are buggy in the flying game, making it very difficult to control.”
    • “It's pointless, buggy, and basically a 'can you memorize the last few objects you touched' memory quiz.”
    • “There are glitches and bugs that severely impact the gameplay experience.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game is viewed positively, as it offers three languages for free, indicating a commitment to providing a valuable service rather than merely seeking profit. However, some users criticize the game for being released without substantial content, suggesting that it prioritizes aesthetics over gameplay.

    • “The game raised enough money to be profitable before it was available, so it was released without content and doesn't do anything but look good on an advertisement.”
    • “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, with essential features locked behind paywalls that make it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
    • “It's frustrating to see so many in-game purchases that disrupt the balance and enjoyment of the game, making it feel more like a cash grab than a genuine experience.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players express a surprising emotional connection to the game, noting that even after a break, they retained significant knowledge and skills. However, frustrations arise from the game's controls and mechanics, which can detract from the overall experience.

  • optimization1 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its smooth performance, with users noting the pleasant music and environment, leaving little room for criticism.

    • “The music is nice, the environment is nice, the game runs smoothly; there isn't much to criticize about this.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game has been criticized for lacking depth, with players expressing disappointment that it feels more like a simple point-and-click experience rather than an immersive gaming environment.

    • “I was hoping there would be more of a game-like atmosphere to this, but it was just point and click at objects.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

3hMedian play time
19hAverage play time
3-70hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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