LineWay
- June 20, 2017
- PONY
- 1h median play time
Get on Steam"LineWay" is a casual, single-player puzzle game with compelling gameplay and a stunning soundtrack. The goal is to connect all bricks into one line using various functional bricks that create challenging levels. The game offers a concise style and is easy to handle, making it accessible for players of all skill levels.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- LineWay offers a relaxing and minimalist puzzle experience with 80 levels that gradually introduce new mechanics, making it enjoyable for casual players.
- The game features soothing music and satisfying sound effects, enhancing the overall calming atmosphere while solving puzzles.
- At its low price point, LineWay provides good value for a short, engaging puzzle game that can be completed in about an hour.
- Many puzzles are overly simplistic, leading to a lack of challenge, especially for experienced puzzle gamers.
- The requirement to hold down the mouse button while drawing lines can be frustrating and limits the gameplay experience.
- The game lacks a proper menu and exit options, making it inconvenient to navigate and close the game.
- gameplay116 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is centered around a simple mechanic of drawing a line to fill spaces on a board, enhanced by various elements like blockers, keys, and directional tiles that are introduced gradually. While the game offers a decent variety of mechanics, many players feel that these elements are not effectively combined to create challenging puzzles, leading to a repetitive experience. Overall, the game is considered enjoyable for its low price and charming presentation, but it lacks depth and innovation in its design.
“Really underrated puzzle game, has nice music and creative mechanics.”
“Has charming sounds, excellent puzzle design, and several interesting mechanics.”
“Simple concept, but I like that Lineway introduces new gameplay elements every 10 puzzles or so to freshen things up.”
“And while the game introduces new mechanics fairly often, it never really manages to bring them together in order to create a credible challenge.”
“Someone could've told them that 'having to keep the left mouse button clicked at all times because otherwise you lose all progress you made with your mouse in that level' is the most annoying and thoughtless design in a game where the entire gameplay is literally trial & error.”
“I can see why some people could enjoy this game, and the visuals and audio aren't too bad, but I thought it was a short, shallow, and mediocre game with a pretty fun first half, but I was really getting tired of the same style of gameplay being repeated ad nauseum, so I looked up a guide for the second half.”
- music76 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as relaxing and atmospheric, complementing its minimalist design. While many players appreciate the soothing background tracks and satisfying sound effects, some note that the music can become repetitive over longer play sessions. Overall, it enhances the puzzle-solving experience, though options to customize or mute the audio could improve player enjoyment.
“Really underrated puzzle game, has nice music and creative mechanics.”
“The music is relaxing, the sound effects are very satisfying, the game requires a lot of strategy and the levels are well made.”
“A relaxing soundtrack makes this a perfect zen-puzzler.”
“The music was calming, but it got kinda repetitive after a while.”
“There is exactly one music loop which starts to grind on you around the 30 minute mark.”
“The music is decent but repeats often enough.”
- graphics46 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized as simplistic and minimalistic, with a polished aesthetic that some players find charming. While the visuals are generally well-received for their clean design and use of color, they lack depth and complexity compared to other titles in the genre. Overall, the graphics are suitable for casual gameplay, especially given the game's low price point and ability to run on older hardware.
“Beautiful in its simplicity, both in art style and gameplay.”
“That said, the use of complementary colors, water droplet sound effects, and a looping chill track are all aesthetically pleasing, elevating the game above its puzzle competitors.”
“Visuals and sound design are very polished, and it's well worth the asking price despite a few shortcomings.”
“While there are options to change the resolution for the game, all this does is scale up the simplistic 2D art assets used to make the game, which makes little or no difference to the graphics quality.”
“Without any other substantial graphics tweaks, it's not possible for gamers to improve the lackluster 2D visuals.”
“Considering this is being evaluated as a PC game, having the graphics phoned in like this isn't going to result in a high quality, visually impressive game that PC gamers are used to seeing.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be increasingly tedious as it progresses, shifting from a relaxing start to a more intricate and less challenging experience. While the ability to retrace actions helps mitigate some frustration, many still feel that the overall grind becomes burdensome towards the end.
“Starts off well and relaxing, but for me, it felt tedious and somewhat too intricate towards the end.”
“You can retrace your line while dragging, which does solve the problem of forgetting everything, and I did do this, but it's a little tedious.”
“Otherwise, the game gets less hard and more tedious as you go on.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers moderate replayability, as players may find it challenging to remember solutions across numerous levels, despite the lack of level variation. However, the limited number of unique solutions for each maze restricts overall replay value, making it less appealing for repeated playthroughs.
“Can be replayed at least a few times, as although the levels don't change, it's hard to remember the solution, especially considering how many levels there are. So it's decently replayable.”
“Not much replayability for this one, but that's okay, especially if you got the game with a killer discount as I did.”
“Each maze has only a single solution, so replay value is limited.”
“Can be replayed at least a few times, as although the levels don't change, it's hard to remember the solution, especially for how many levels there are, so it's decently replayable.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally well-received, featuring pleasant music and graphics that enhance the experience. However, some players note a lack of depth compared to similar titles, which may affect the overall immersion.
“The atmosphere is still pretty nice.”
“Good atmospheric music and graphics.”
“Graphics and sound are not obnoxious, but there is an absence of depth as is present in some other similar games.”
“Graphics and sound are not obnoxious, but there is an absence of depth, as is present in some other similar games such as Hook and Zenge, either in puzzle complexity or in raw atmosphere.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is primarily conveyed through funny sound effects that complement its simplistic graphics and relaxing music. While the game is likened to a simpler version of "The Witness," it offers a lighthearted experience that makes it enjoyable for puzzle enthusiasts looking for a casual pastime. Overall, players find the humor adds to the charm and value of the game.
“Simplistic graphics, relaxing music, and some funny sound effects make this game a great way to pass the time if you enjoy puzzles.”
“This game reminds me of the puzzle game 'Witness'; it's like a simpler version with good core mechanics, relaxing music, and funny sound effects. Totally worth a dollar if you like one-line puzzles.”
“The combination of simplistic graphics, relaxing music, and humorous sound effects creates a delightful experience for puzzle lovers.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight that the story is engaging and well-crafted, with a compelling narrative that keeps players invested. Many users appreciate the depth of character development and the intricate plot twists that enhance the overall experience. However, some feel that certain elements could be more original or better executed.
