Isle of Pan
- January 10, 2023
- Dogū
Get on Steam"Isle of Pan" is an open-world, action-adventure game where players discover a mystical island inhabited by various mythical creatures. As a shape-shifter, players can transform into different animals to solve puzzles, explore the world, and uncover the island's secrets. The game encourages player freedom, with branching quests and a dynamic ecosystem that reacts to the player's choices.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Isle of Pan offers a unique and immersive exploration experience, allowing players to photograph a variety of imaginative creatures in surreal environments.
- The game runs smoothly on various systems, including VR and non-VR setups, providing a relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere with a charming art style.
- Players appreciate the creative gameplay mechanics and the sense of discovery, with many expressing a desire for more content and a sequel due to the engaging nature of the game.
- Some players experienced issues with the graphics, noting repetitive textures and a lack of polish in certain areas, which detracted from the overall visual experience.
- The game features minor navigation challenges, such as difficulty in locating certain creatures and a lack of options to skip dialogue, which can lead to frustration.
- There are concerns regarding the performance optimization, with some players reporting poor CPU performance and issues with locomotion mechanics.
- graphics7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are a mixed bag, with some users appreciating the immersive and atmospheric qualities that enhance the exploration experience, despite the visuals being described as simple or "indie" at times. While the art style may not reach AAA standards, it effectively complements the game's overall aesthetic and contributes to a fun, cinematic VR experience.
“The open world island and its creatures/cryptids are fun to explore and take photographs of, even if the art style can look a little too 'indie' or primitive at times.”
“While the graphics seem simple at first glance, they fit the art style and bring it all together.”
“The island and its creatures/cryptids are fun to explore and take photographs of, even if the art style can look a little too 'indie'/primitive at times.”
“The one thing that really annoyed me about this game was the very basic 'quest-like' graphics.”
“Visuals are very important for a primarily cinematic VR experience, and here they are a mixed bag, most of which is really good.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay primarily revolves around exploring an island, capturing photos of creatures, and interacting with the environment, which is particularly enhanced in VR. While the mechanics are generally straightforward, some players feel that the photography aspect can feel somewhat guided at times. Overall, the unique photo-taking mechanic is well-received and adds depth to the experience.
“The main gameplay mechanics are simple: you travel around an island, taking photos of creatures and interacting with the environment.”
“The unique gameplay mechanic of taking photos works incredibly well in VR.”
“The unique gameplay mechanic of taking photos works incredibly well in VR.”
“I think at times the photography mechanics can be a bit... guided?”
“Main gameplay mechanics are simple: you travel around an island, taking photos of creatures and interacting with the environment.”
“Main gameplay mechanics are simple: you travel around an island, taking photos of creatures and interacting with the environment.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is characterized by a relaxing lofi style, complemented by high-quality audio, voice acting, and sound effects. The dynamic and tonally diverse soundtrack enhances immersion, with each zone featuring its own unique musical texture, showcasing a high level of creativity.
“The lofi music style is super relaxing, and in general, the audio, voice acting, and sound effects are high quality.”
“Feels very immersive traversing the island, with dynamic visual touches and a tonally diverse soundtrack that gives different zones their own texture.”
“The music is top-notch, showcasing a lot of creativity.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive quality, encouraging players to explore on foot to experience unique locations at different times of day. While the graphics may not be AAA quality, the overall ambiance evokes a sense of nostalgia reminiscent of classic exploration games like Myst.
“I find myself traveling on foot (a fast travel option is available, but I like to walk!) to particular places because of their specific atmosphere at unique times of day.”
“Just started playing, but so far it's a fun exploration game that, despite not having AAA graphics, is still immersive and atmospheric in a way that reminds me of the fun parts of Myst.”
- story2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The reviews do not provide specific insights into the story aspect of the game, focusing instead on performance and compatibility with VR hardware. Therefore, no summary regarding the story can be derived from the provided texts.
“The story felt disjointed and lacked a coherent narrative, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“Character development was minimal, leaving me feeling disconnected from their motivations and struggles.”
“The plot twists were predictable and failed to deliver any real emotional impact.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received criticism, particularly regarding its performance, which many users feel is lacking and suggests poor CPU optimization.
“My main complaint: the performance of the game was quite poor; it seems poorly CPU optimized.”
“The game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, indicating a lack of proper optimization.”
“I experienced frequent stuttering and long load times, which suggests that the optimization is severely lacking.”
- stability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game runs smoothly on both Quest and Quest Pro when connected via a link cable to a capable VR-grade PC, indicating strong stability in these setups.
“It runs great on my Quest and Quest Pro using the link cable and a decent VR-grade PC.”
