Loom
- July 8, 2009
- LucasArts
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"Loom is a single-player historical simulation game with an outstanding story, ingenious game mechanics, marvelous graphics, and good music. As Bobbin, the last Weaver apprentice, you must rescue your Guild and save the universe from a catastrophic fate. The game features elegant point-and-click controls, detailed animation, and a sophisticated musical score with no tedious typing or inventory management, making it an engaging experience for both beginners and veterans."
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Reviews
- Loom is a unique and innovative point-and-click adventure game that uses music as a core mechanic for solving puzzles.
- The game features a beautiful story and captivating atmosphere, enhanced by a phenomenal soundtrack and charming graphics.
- Many players express nostalgia for Loom, recalling fond memories of playing it during their childhood and appreciating its timeless charm.
- The Steam version of Loom is criticized for being an inferior port, missing key dialogue and music from the original EGA version, leading to a less immersive experience.
- The game is relatively short, typically taking only 2-3 hours to complete, which leaves some players wanting more content and a more satisfying conclusion.
- Some players find the gameplay too easy and linear, with minimal challenge and replayability, which may not appeal to those seeking a more complex adventure experience.
- music378 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in "Loom" is a central element, featuring a beautiful soundtrack primarily based on Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake," which enhances the game's atmospheric experience. However, many players express disappointment with the Steam version, noting that it lacks continuous background music, only playing during cutscenes, which detracts from the overall immersion. Despite this, the unique gameplay mechanic of casting spells through musical notes is praised, making it a memorable experience for both music lovers and adventure game fans.
“The soundtrack is phenomenal.”
“The music is absolutely stunning, soothing, and really captures the mood of the game.”
“I just find Loom to be refreshing - a unique adaptation of the point-and-click adventure style, a charming story, lovely graphics, nice music, and it just all gels really well together!”
“But the one change I did not like was that there is no longer background music playing.”
“But in the Steam version, the music only plays during voiced dialogue and doesn't keep playing in the background, which means some songs were completely cut.”
“The lack of any music during regular game time is being reported as missing assets by other reviewers, which I can confirm to be correct through a quick YouTube search.”
- story284 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of "Loom" is widely praised for its enchanting and unique narrative, which blends elements of fantasy and music, drawing inspiration from Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake." While many players appreciate the game's beautiful atmosphere and effective worldbuilding, they often note that the story feels short and leaves several plot threads unresolved, creating a desire for a more complete conclusion. Overall, it is regarded as a classic example of storytelling in video games, despite its brevity and some narrative simplicity.
“Such a beautiful story and captivating world.”
“The story itself is very warm and made me feel all fuzzy inside.”
“Loom is a classic, point-and-click adventure game with a beautiful story, and a very interesting and unique game interface, where you cast spells using music.”
“Realistically, the story is a little dry and unfortunately it sets up for a sequel that will never happen.”
“The story never really reaches a conclusion, and if it does, it's a really dark one (no spoilers, please).”
“I'll try again another day, but after my first attempt to play this, I've been left confused, bored, and a little tired with nothing to grip me into the story.”
- gameplay136 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Loom is characterized by its unique music-based mechanics, where players solve puzzles by memorizing and playing melodies to cast spells, offering a refreshing departure from traditional point-and-click adventure games. While the gameplay is generally light and the puzzles can be simple, the enchanting atmosphere, beautiful art, and engaging story compensate for its short duration and occasional linearity. Overall, it is a charming experience that appeals to those who appreciate innovative mechanics and a strong narrative.
“The gameplay and story of this game is truly one of a kind.”
“The entire gameplay is based on playing music (it works a lot like the music minigames from 'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time') and the whole atmosphere is simply beautiful.”
“Great gameplay (heck, you're weaving spells with music) and the good old awesome humor of LucasArts.”
“The gameplay is far too frustratingly trial and error.”
“This game is rather poor in gameplay and story.”
“While the game feels open and experimental and somewhat exploratory on the initial island, it becomes increasingly linear, and the last act of the game is entirely linear, with every sequence an exact duplication (in gameplay terms) of the last.”
- graphics90 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are often described as charming and beautifully hand-drawn, particularly for their time, though they are considered outdated by modern standards. While some players appreciate the nostalgic pixel art and the unique visual style, others criticize the newer versions for lacking character close-ups and having shoddy improvements. Overall, the visuals are seen as a significant part of the game's appeal, complementing its engaging story and music, despite some mixed feelings about the quality of the graphics in various releases.
“I just find Loom to be refreshing - a unique adaptation of the point-and-click adventure style, a charming story, lovely graphics, nice music, and it just all gels really well together!”
“The (beautiful) hand-drawn graphics, music, and spoken dialogue hold up surprisingly well to this day, so I recommend this game for everyone who likes adventure games and is open to its somewhat unusual mechanics.”
“Absolutely lush visuals (for their time), a wonderful soundtrack, and a fascinating plot make this a memorable experience for anybody.”
“The new artworks feature shoddy, lazy improvements.”
“Conversely, there's missing graphics and animations.”
“I find it very enjoyable though of course the graphics are completely outdated.”
- atmosphere26 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 19 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, with many reviewers highlighting the enchanting soundtrack and the unique, charming yet brooding ambiance that enhances the storytelling. Despite its short gameplay duration, the game is noted for creating a memorable and immersive experience, reminiscent of the golden era of LucasArts adventure games. However, some critiques mention that certain versions of the game may lack the intended atmospheric impact.
“Amazing game, very atmospheric and an amazing soundtrack.”
“A quiet atmosphere that sits heavy atop our protagonist, bobbin threadbare, as he learns the ways of the weavers and discovers his place in the world.”
“The entire gameplay is based on playing music (it works a lot like the music minigames from 'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time') and the whole atmosphere is simply beautiful.”
“On one hand, Loom is Loom, but this version is just woefully lacking the atmosphere that it's supposed to have.”
“It’s short but unique, charming yet somewhat brooding in its atmosphere and undoubtedly a little different from anything you’ll have played thus far.”
“A quiet atmosphere that sits heavy atop our protagonist, Bobbin Threadbare, as he learns the ways of the weavers and discovers his place in the world.”
- humor16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in "Loom" is described as witty and unique, with engaging dialogue and top-notch voice acting that enhances the experience. While it may not reach the comedic heights of other LucasArts titles like "Monkey Island," it still offers a charming atmosphere and memorable moments, such as the humorous reactions of the protagonist. Overall, the game balances its humor with a strong narrative and immersive world-building.
“Loom is a wonderful classic point and click adventure with brilliant puzzles, humor, and atmosphere.”
“The game itself is a classic LucasArts adventure, funny and unique with a loving art style.”
“The dialogue is also suitably humorous and the voice acting is top notch.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its beautiful atmosphere and touching story, which evokes warm feelings and a sense of cleverness through its simple yet engaging puzzles. However, many users note that the emotional impact is somewhat diminished by the game's short duration and an unfinished narrative. Overall, it resonates deeply with some players, making it a remarkable experience despite its brevity.
“The story itself is very warm and made me feel all fuzzy inside.”
“Going back to the story... well, it is good - really touching and beautiful story - but it is too short and not finished.”
“Beautiful atmosphere, touching story (maybe just for me), a remarkable game for me despite its very short gameplay duration.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, reviews indicate a mixed perspective on replayability. While some players highlight a particular game as having high replayability, many others express disappointment due to the short length and limited content, resulting in minimal incentive to replay.
“One of the best quest adventures with high replayability.”
“It's also short, with not much replayability.”
“It is a calm run but with no replayability.”
“A sweet little old-style platform/RPG style game, but really, really short - I was very disappointed by the ending and how quickly it ended, and due to the nature of the game, there isn't much replayability.”
- stability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game port has been reported to have several bugs, leading to frustrating experiences for players who followed walkthroughs without success. Users expressed disappointment over the instability, questioning whether their version was particularly problematic.
“The port is also a tad buggy.”
“Followed walkthroughs to the letter, nothing worked. I tried video walkthroughs, but it just wasn't happening. Such a shame; I'm not sure if my version was buggy.”
“The port is also a tad buggy.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players note that while some puzzles are clever, others can feel tedious, particularly in the blacksmith guild where voice-over issues hinder interactions. However, the absence of tedious fetch quests and extensive inventory management contributes positively to the overall experience.
“There are no tedious fetch quests, no massive inventory management, and a good story to boot.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game primarily relies on advertisements, which some users find intrusive and disruptive to gameplay. While it offers free access, the frequent ads can detract from the overall experience, leading to mixed feelings among players regarding its implementation.
