Iris.Fall

Iris must manipulate the world around her to forge new paths and exit the melancholy and bizarre world that she now lives in. A fantastic puzzle game that will amaze you with its beautiful graphics and atmospheric audio. + Stunning graphics. + Delightful audio. + Balanced puzzle difficulty that makes this accessible for all. + The standard that all indie developers should aim for. - The controls are clunky. - Limited replay value. (Reviewed on the Xbox Series X. Also available on PC, Playstation and Nintendo Switch.)

73%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

grinding, stability

85% User Score Based on 654 reviews

Critic Score 61%Based on 12 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $14.99

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About

"Iris.Fall" is a single-player adventure game with a good plot, featuring innovative "light and shadow" game mechanics that encourage solving puzzles in a monochrome world. Its fantastic visuals, masterful music, and compelling atmosphere create an unforgettable experience, as players explore a labyrinthine theater to uncover a mysterious connection to Iris, the protagonist. Find more games on the NExT Studios Steam page, and follow them on Twitter and Facebook for updates.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 666 reviews

story66 positive mentions

grinding16 negative mentions

Visually stunning with a unique art style that combines 2D and 3D elements, creating an immersive atmosphere.
Engaging puzzles that effectively utilize light and shadow mechanics, providing a satisfying challenge without being overly difficult.
The game offers a relaxing experience with a charming soundtrack, making it enjoyable for casual players.

The game is quite short, typically taking only 2-4 hours to complete, which may leave players wanting more content.
The story is vague and lacks depth, making it difficult for players to connect with the narrative or understand the overall plot.
Controls can feel clunky and navigation may be frustrating at times, detracting from the overall gameplay experience.

story
302 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
69%
9%
The story in "Iris Fall" is largely conveyed through visual storytelling and cryptic cutscenes, leaving many players confused and unsatisfied with its vague and ambiguous narrative. While the game's gothic aesthetic and environmental storytelling are praised, the plot is often described as sparse, lacking coherence, and failing to engage players meaningfully. Overall, the game is seen as more focused on artistic expression than on delivering a compelling or clear storyline.
- “Using strictly visual storytelling, Iris Fall transports you through a surreal series of cryptic backdrops steadily advancing towards an ambiguous goal.”
- “The story definitely draws you in and the animation was well done with just the right amount of creepy.”
- “In spite of the restricted storytelling, the overall story is rather compelling and even comes with a nice twist at the end.”
- “The game clearly has ambitions of being artsy and deep, and I don't mind having to pay attention to subtle clues to keep track of what's going on, but ultimately the story doesn't make much sense.”
- “Whole threads of the story -- seemingly important -- are completely abandoned by the end and replaced with...nothing, really.”
- “The story is a little cryptic and you won't really know what's going on until the end.”
graphics
282 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
34%
2%
The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their stunning and unique art style, often described as a blend of monochromatic and steampunk aesthetics that create a captivating atmosphere. Many reviewers highlighted the beautiful artwork and immersive visuals, which enhance the overall experience, despite some criticism regarding gameplay depth and performance issues. Overall, the visuals are considered the standout feature, making the game visually appealing even if the gameplay may not fully meet expectations.
- “A visually stunning game with a gothic aesthetic and charming level design, but the story was much less adventurous than what I was anticipating.”
- “The visuals themselves are striking with sharp lines and cool but creepy designs.”
- “The artwork and scenery are unique and a treat for the eyes.”
- “While the art style is unique and pretty, I found this game to feel cheap and boring.”
- “You only pay for visuals here, not for the content.”
- “This lack of depth leaves it feeling like a shallow graphic scrapbook, where you have to occasionally push buttons to see the next page.”
gameplay
136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
71%
4%
The gameplay of "Iris Fall" is characterized by its reliance on light and shadow mechanics, offering a visually appealing experience with a variety of puzzles that, while engaging, are generally not very challenging. Players noted that the mechanics can feel slow and occasionally tedious, with some puzzles requiring more trial and error than creative problem-solving. Overall, the game is praised for its aesthetics and atmosphere, but many reviewers felt that the gameplay lacks depth and complexity, making it more suitable for casual players.
- “A stylish, evenly-paced puzzle game that uses light and shadow as its core problem-solving mechanic.”
- “The light/dark mechanic does make for some really good puzzle ideas and it is thoroughly engaging in my opinion.”
- “Beautiful animation, charming and well-balanced puzzle gameplay.”
- “The gameplay itself was a bit more disappointing to me.”
- “Iris Fall looks great and has a few challenging puzzles, but outside of that, the content and the gameplay driving it is just kind of lifeless and wooden.”
- “The puzzles are very easy and the gameplay behind it is very slow and not very present.”
music
127 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
40%
2%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its beauty and ability to enhance the atmosphere, often described as enchanting and fitting for the game's aesthetic. However, some players noted that the music is mostly background and only becomes prominent during key moments, which detracted from the overall experience. Overall, while the soundtrack is considered a highlight, its limited presence during gameplay left some players wanting more.
- “The music is also wonderfully enchanting, so bravo to the musicians involved in this project.”
- “The atmosphere is great, the art style is amazing, the music is also perfect.”
- “Music is one of the things that defines this game as a true piece of art, by its combination of piano and string instruments it creates a real feeling of dread and intrigue that can drive you from place to place with the dark gloomy feeling of an Edgar Allan Poe novel.”
- “The music is in the background most of the time and only picks up at certain key moments, which is a shame as I love a good soundtrack to accompany my games, but alas.”
- “Actually, there's almost no original soundtrack, which was a huge issue for me.”
- “My only real gripe was not being able to disable the music; this should be standard in every game as many people prefer to listen to their own music.”
atmosphere
87 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
66%
31%
3%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning artwork, immersive sound design, and unique aesthetic, often described as a blend of whimsical and eerie elements. Many reviewers highlight the effective integration of the environment with gameplay, creating a captivating experience that enhances the puzzle mechanics. While some note a lack of coherent storytelling, the overall ambiance and attention to detail contribute significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The atmosphere is great, every room you will get into is very aesthetically pleasing.”
- “Fall is a beautifully designed adventure game, where the amazing atmosphere alongside its outstanding visual art meets the unique game mechanics.”
- “A hauntingly atmospheric, short, and visually captivating puzzle game with a fantastic whimsical art direction and interesting designs!”
- “Creepy atmosphere.”
- “An interesting tantalizing game with an unsettling atmosphere and unusual artwork.”
- “It is something that will hit you from the very first seconds of the game with its unique visual art style, monochromatic graphics, paper origami-like background through the whole theater, to imitate the decorations and creepy puppets hanging around the levels to boost the atmosphere.”
grinding
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be largely tedious, with many puzzles feeling drawn out and lacking in challenge. The slow character movement and point-and-click mechanics contribute to a frustrating experience, making puzzle-solving more about trial and error than enjoyment. While the visuals and sound design are praised, the overall pacing detracts from the gameplay experience.
- “However, a lot of puzzles in this game were extremely tedious - not necessarily difficult to complete but just so drawn out.”
- “Character control is really annoying (especially due to its slow movement and weird direction system), and puzzles are enjoyable, yet too tedious to enjoy.”
- “The puzzles are not hard but too slow and tedious.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes strong emotions despite having no dialogue, relying on its atmospheric design to create intrigue and depth. Players report feeling a mix of cuteness and sadness, with some expressing a struggle to complete the game due to its emotional weight. Overall, it successfully engages players on an emotional level, making them feel deeply connected to the experience.
- “It's a cute puzzle game that makes me want to cry sometimes.”
- “It has no dialog, but the game designers did a fantastic job with the atmosphere to build intrigue and emotional content.”
- “This game made me feel like I really had to force myself to finish.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is marked by occasional glitches and crashes, particularly noted in chapter 7, which can disrupt the experience. While navigation can be finicky and some visual issues are present, many players find the overall experience satisfying if they are willing to overlook these flaws.
- “I had some difficulty with glitches and crashing in chapter 7 despite trying numerous things to fix it.”
- “Though navigation (via controller) can be finicky, and there are some blatant but forgivable visual glitches, the overall experience can be satisfying if you are comfortable waiting for the 'why' of it all to be revealed.”
- “There are a few buggy and annoying puzzles.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The reviews indicate a consensus that the game lacks significant replayability, with many users noting that the developers did not incorporate features to encourage multiple playthroughs. Overall, the game's replay value is considered limited.
- “A sure sign the developers knew that there's no actual replay value.”
- “Limited replay value.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
The game features a charming art style and engaging puzzles, but players have noted performance issues that detract from the overall experience, especially given the graphical demands. Despite these optimization concerns, many still found the game enjoyable for a brief playthrough.
- “Fun short puzzle game with a great art style. It was a bit rough on performance considering the graphics, but even for a puzzle noob like me, it was an enjoyable 3-hour playthrough.”
- “Fun short puzzle game, with a great art style, but it was a bit rough on performance considering the graphics.”
- “The game has a charming aesthetic, but the optimization issues really detracted from the overall experience.”
- “While the puzzles are engaging, the frequent frame drops and lag made it frustrating to play at times.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game includes a shadow component that serves as a gimmick for advertising, suggesting a reliance on promotional strategies to generate revenue.
- “There's also this shadow component that feels like a gimmick for advertising.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted for its entertaining elements, particularly highlighted by the amusingly awkward placement of a third-party EULA filled with exaggerated all-caps text, which adds a comedic touch to the experience.
- “Overall, I was entertained, despite the awkwardly placed third-party EULA, which is hilariously filled with shouty all caps.”