Liminal Space
- June 1, 2023
- digitalbathtub
Get on SteamIn "Liminal Space," players choose their level of intensity, from survival horror with monsters to a peaceful experience. The game offers customizable graphics, including a VHS or 90's retro style. Atmospheric gameplay is enhanced with a soundtrack of over 15 eerie dreamcore/weirdcore songs. The developer plans to add more content over time through free updates.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features impressive graphics and a unique aesthetic that captures the feeling of liminal spaces well.
- The inclusion of an exploration mode allows players to enjoy the atmosphere without the pressure of being chased by monsters.
- The soundtrack is well-received, enhancing the creepy vibe and overall experience of the game.
- Gameplay can be frustrating due to unclear objectives and the tedious search for collectibles, which can lead to prolonged periods of aimless exploration.
- The monster designs and AI are criticized for being unoriginal and not particularly scary, detracting from the horror experience.
- Many players feel the game lacks content and polish, with issues such as low-quality models, bugs, and an unsatisfying ending.
- music15 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and create tension, while others criticize it as generic and poorly integrated with the gameplay. Many appreciate the developer's original compositions, noting that the soundtrack can evoke feelings of being stalked or losing one's mind, though some find it repetitive and distracting. Overall, the music's effectiveness varies significantly among players, with options to adjust levels providing some relief for those who dislike certain tracks.
“Love the vibes and the music too.”
“It has an amazing soundtrack, filled with songs you can jam and bob your head to, but that at any given moment will make you believe you are either being stalked or losing your mind.”
“The music is perfect for the atmosphere of the game, as you are always being stalked, in some way, somehow, by something.”
“My biggest gripe is the music, it absolutely ruined the atmosphere for me.”
“The music is generic 'eerie' music that does not feel tied into the levels at all and subtle ambiance would have been preferred.”
“The music does not at all suit what is happening.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's graphics receive mixed reviews, with many praising the solid visuals and unique aesthetic, particularly for a Unity title. However, some players find the graphic options, like the VHS filter, overly distorting and detrimental to gameplay, leading to issues such as motion sickness. Overall, while the graphics are appealing, they do not significantly enhance the game's atmosphere or experience.
“Awesome graphics for a Unity game and a fun game, just beat the game on normal and it was fun!”
“The aesthetic was really cool though and the UI was fantastic.”
“The actual visuals of the game were pretty solid.”
“I really liked the visuals, but it just doesn't set the atmosphere, at least for me.”
“Unplayable with low graphics.”
“10/10, to be honest, I got motion sick when playing on the standard visuals; it might be due to an FPS issue.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it frustrating due to the inconsistency in searching for mementos, suggesting that clearer guidance would enhance the experience. Others appreciate the simplicity and eerie atmosphere of the gameplay, particularly in the developer's earlier work, despite it feeling more like a proof of concept.
“Though I find the gameplay a little frustrating with searching for random mementos.”
“If the mementos were at least consistent, or we had some way of knowing what to look for, that would improve the gameplay a lot.”
“His second game, thirty minutes nightmare, was more like a proof of concept rather than a real game, but it still had that 'something', that creepy factor that made my skin crawl despite the simplicity of the gameplay.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Reviews on the atmosphere highlight a divide in opinions; while some praise the visuals and music for enhancing the game's tense ambiance, others feel that the music detracts from the overall experience, failing to create the desired immersive environment. Overall, the atmosphere is seen as a mix of effective tension and missed opportunities for deeper engagement.
“The music is perfect for the atmosphere of the game, as you are always being stalked, in some way, somehow, by something.”
“Not looking to fight for my life, just want to experience an atmosphere.”
“I really liked the visuals, but it just doesn't set the atmosphere, at least for me.”
“My biggest gripe is the music; it absolutely ruined the atmosphere for me.”
“I'm not looking to fight for my life; I just want to experience an atmosphere.”
- story3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's story is criticized for being virtually nonexistent, with players finding the dialogue repetitive and lacking depth or substance. Overall, it fails to engage users with any meaningful narrative.
“I need to get out of here. The speech is very annoying and unnecessary since there is no lore, story, or substance to the game.”
“There is no story.”
“No story.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
“I spent hours grinding, and it still feels like I'm nowhere.”
