Journey For Elysium
- October 31, 2019
- Mantis
- 5h median play time
Get on SteamJourney For Elysium is a first-person mythological adventure game. You play as a hero on a quest to reach Elysium, the ancient Greek afterlife. Solve puzzles, explore, and engage in boat battles as you traverse the River Styx. Along the way, uncover the story of your past life.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and a unique art style that enhances the immersive experience.
- The narrative-driven gameplay, while short, offers an interesting story that engages players, especially those who enjoy casual walking simulators.
- The mechanics, such as rowing and climbing, are well-executed and provide a fun, interactive experience in VR.
- The game is very short, taking only about 2 hours to complete, which may not justify the price for some players.
- Locomotion controls are poorly implemented, particularly for Index controller users, leading to frustration and potential motion sickness.
- The puzzles are often too simple and repetitive, lacking depth and challenge, which may disappoint players looking for more engaging gameplay.
- story90 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and well-presented, while others criticize it for being underdeveloped and meandering. Many appreciate the atmospheric setting and the integration of Greek mythology, but note that the pacing can be slow and the writing occasionally misses the mark. Overall, it is seen as a decent, if not groundbreaking, narrative experience that may appeal to fans of story-driven games.
“Great story, great presentation, great graphics, great gameplay.”
“I truly enjoyed this story-driven and atmospheric single-player adventure game that tells a story based upon Greek mythology in the form of a walking sim, exploration game (dramatic and beautiful environments), casual puzzle game, and a bit of action (climbing and archery).”
“The game is not too long, offers a very entertaining story that kept me engaged throughout.”
“The story is alright, but due to the shortness of the game, it is not fleshed out very well.”
“The writing misses the mark at times, making the story seem like it's meandering.”
“The story in this game is boring as hell!!”
- gameplay48 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of solid mechanics and frustrating elements. While the climbing and rowing mechanics are praised as some of the best in VR, other aspects like boat navigation can cause motion sickness and detract from the experience. Puzzles are generally considered too easy, and while the game offers a variety of gameplay elements, some players feel the overall experience is short and occasionally boring, with a playtime of around 2-2.5 hours not meeting expectations for its price.
“Story, direction, fluid gameplay, bugless, visuals, simple but thought-provoking puzzles.”
“To be honest, pacing is done very well throughout the game, as the game combines many unique gameplay elements such as archery, music, climbing, and puzzles.”
“The climbing mechanic is something I haven't done in a VR game before, and it was really fun (and a bit of a workout!). If you want a fun game that comes with some new experiences, give this a play.”
“These VR games are so simple and usually have poor graphics and lacking gameplay.”
“The boat mechanics are horrible and cause motion sickness.”
“Gameplay is poor; puzzles are okay but too easy. The graphics and art style are decent for a VR game, but overall not so great, and the story is enjoyable but nothing to sing about.”
- graphics34 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game received high praise for their beauty and artistic style, with many reviewers noting the superb visuals and immersive atmosphere. While some found the graphics decent for a VR game, others described them as the best they have ever seen, highlighting the unique art direction and aesthetics. However, a few critiques mentioned that certain VR games tend to have simpler graphics, contrasting with the more visually impressive titles.
“The graphics are superb and are the best I have ever seen, hands down!”
“I loved the graphics and the interaction with the game.”
“The art style is beautiful.”
“These VR games are so simple and usually have poor graphics and lack gameplay.”
“Gameplay is poor, puzzles are okay but too easy, graphics and art style are decent for a VR game but overall not so great.”
“The artwork is what gets you though as it's only black and white apart from memories.”
- music16 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally considered average, though it becomes unique and awe-inspiring in later segments. While the sound effects are also deemed average, the inclusion of a musical instrument adds a pleasant auditory experience. Overall, the pacing and integration of music with gameplay elements like archery and puzzles are well-received, but there is a desire for more variety in the music and sound effects.
“Sound effects are average as there is a nice musical instrument that you will acquire on your journey, which sounds great.”
“I really dug the paddling of the boat to take you through the world and the use of musical notes to unlock areas was a nice touch.”
“I would like to see more sound effects and a different type of music, but it's a product and it was entertaining.”
“The music in this game is average and shows to be unique and awe-inspiring in later segments of the game.”
“Music/sound effects”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive and dramatic environments, effectively capturing the essence of Greek mythology. Players appreciate the beautiful graphics, fluid gameplay, and top-notch voice acting, which collectively enhance the overall experience. However, some users have reported feeling nauseous, indicating that the intense atmosphere may not be suitable for everyone.
“I truly enjoyed this story-driven and atmospheric single-player adventure game that tells a story based upon Greek mythology in the form of a walking sim, exploration game (dramatic and beautiful environments), casual puzzle game, and a bit of action (climbing and archery).”
“The sounds add to the amazing atmosphere and the gameplay is fluid.”
“The atmosphere is right, the controls are right, and the voice acting is top notch.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has limited replayability, primarily due to its short completion time and lack of significant content variation. However, some players find enough value in pursuing achievements and believe it could be enjoyable for others to experience a playthrough.
“I'd say it has enough replay value to finish the achievements down the line and would certainly think a friend or relative could get a playthrough out of it.”
“Doesn't take that long to beat and doesn't have any real replayability.”
“I'd say it has enough replay value to finish the achievements down the line, and I would certainly think a friend or relative could get a playthrough out of it.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a mixed emotional impact, with some players feeling a lack of investment in their character, while others appreciate the heartfelt and unique journey through the river Styx and the underworld. Overall, the emotional depth of the experience varies among players, suggesting room for improvement in character connection.
“A brief, yet unique adventure on the River Styx and into the underworld shows to be a worthwhile and heartfelt journey.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is well-received, with most players reporting smooth performance even at high settings, such as 200% super sampling on a GTX 1080 graphics card.
“Performance was not an issue for the majority of the game; it ran quite nicely at 200% super sampled on my 1080 card.”
- stability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, players report a high level of stability in the game, with many noting that it ran bug-free upon release. This positive feedback highlights the developers' efforts in ensuring a smooth gaming experience.
“The game certainly ran bug-free for me, which is nice to see in a newly released game!”
