LYNE
- March 17, 2014
- Thomas Bowker
- 18h median play time
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Get on itch.io StoreLYNE is a minimalist puzzle game that offers hundreds of pre-built puzzles and an infinite number of procedurally-generated ones. The game encourages players to connect shapes and fill the board to unlock color palettes, all while being soothed by dynamic audio. With its clean layout and calming ambiance, LYNE provides a challenging experience that is also relaxing, making it a unique addition to the puzzle game genre.
iPad
iPhone
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Phone
Steam Deck
Windows
Android
Linux
Mobile Platform
Tablet
Windows Phone
Reviews
- Great variety of puzzles with a gradual increase in difficulty, keeping players engaged.
- Relaxing atmosphere with soothing sound effects and minimalist design.
- Daily challenges provide additional content and replayability beyond the main game.
- Can become repetitive after a while due to lack of new mechanics introduced in later levels.
- Some puzzles may feel tedious and rely on trial and error rather than logical deduction.
- No cloud save feature, which can lead to loss of progress if the game is uninstalled or changed devices.
- gameplay327 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Lyne is characterized by its simple mechanics of connecting shapes on a grid, which allows for a gentle difficulty progression and a relaxing experience. However, many players find the lack of new mechanics introduced over time leads to repetitive and tedious gameplay, despite the abundance of puzzles available. While the game offers a satisfying challenge and is well-suited for casual play, its limited variety may not sustain long-term engagement for all players.
“The core gameplay involves connecting shapes on a grid to complete geometric patterns.”
“The difficulty progression is well-paced, adding new mechanics and constraints as you advance without becoming overwhelming.”
“Simple yet challenging gameplay.”
“The gameplay gets very repetitive after a while, and you get bored easily; also, it does not have much replay value.”
“Regrettably, said playtime gets somewhat tiresome after a while despite its increasing difficulty, as there are no new mechanics introduced later on.”
“Repetitive - the game runs out of new game mechanics early, as it presents them to you in the first sets, and then it's just a combination of those in the rest of the game.”
- music308 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and ambient qualities, enhancing the overall relaxing experience of solving puzzles. While some players noted the absence of a traditional soundtrack, the sound effects and minimalistic audio cues effectively contribute to a soothing atmosphere. Overall, the combination of gentle music and engaging gameplay creates a meditative environment, making it ideal for casual play and relaxation.
“The ambient soundtrack, composed by Stafford Bawler, and minimal sound effects contribute to a calm gaming environment.”
“The minimalist design and calming soundtrack make for a relaxing gaming experience, while the increasingly complex puzzles will keep your brain engaged.”
“The music and ambiance are nice, and the game is fair and entertaining.”
“There's no soundtrack to speak of, but the tones emitted with every move and the massively-reverbed 'level complete' sound effects still add a generically pleasant musical atmosphere.”
“The biggest downside to this game is the music; there's only sound effects and I don't reckon hearing any music at all.”
“This game is begging for a soothing, ambient soundtrack but has no music to speak of aside from the chimes made when connecting nodes.”
- graphics248 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are consistently described as minimalist, simple, and aesthetically pleasing, enhancing the overall relaxing experience of the puzzle gameplay. Many reviewers appreciate the soothing color palettes and clean design, which allow players to focus on the puzzles without distraction. While some note that the graphics are not groundbreaking, they effectively complement the game's mechanics and ambiance, making it a visually appealing choice for fans of the genre.
“The graphics are simple but stylish and more than serve their purpose.”
“The graphics are nice and the colors are customizable.”
“The graphics and sound design also work great to my taste.”
“The visuals of the game also led to a boring feeling, as it's just a couple of shapes.”
“Graphics: uninspired”
“Graphically speaking, the game is minimalist, so don't expect any eye candy here.”
- replayability62 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability primarily through its daily puzzles, which provide fresh challenges and keep players engaged long after completing the main levels. While some players note a lack of variety in the core puzzles, the daily updates ensure a consistent influx of new content, making it appealing for those who enjoy returning to the game regularly. Overall, the combination of a large number of initial levels and ongoing daily challenges contributes to a strong replay value.
“One of the better puzzle games I've played by a long shot, and the dailies give it a lot of replayability!”
“The daily challenges add a lot of replayability to the game.”
“With the daily puzzles feature, it basically never runs out of replay value, so for 3 bucks I've definitely gotten my money's worth.”
“Regarding replayability, Lyne doesn't offer randomized puzzles or multiple solutions to levels.”
“While this ensures a consistent challenge, it may limit long-term replay value for some players.”
“The gameplay gets very repetitive after a while, and you get bored easily; also, it does not have much replay value.”
- atmosphere40 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as relaxing and soothing, enhanced by a minimalistic design, subtle color palettes, and ambient sound effects. Players appreciate the calming music and sound cues that contribute to a peaceful experience, making it ideal for unwinding while solving puzzles. Overall, the game's atmosphere is a significant highlight, creating a unique and enjoyable environment for players.
“Its clean lines and subtle color palette create a focused atmosphere that complements the puzzle-solving experience.”
“The soothing music and the crisp visuals make for a relaxing game atmosphere.”
“The music and sound effects are very ambient and really help drive a pleasant, relaxing atmosphere home.”
“The game's simple, yet soothing atmosphere makes it a pleasure, even when you can't, for the life of it all, figure out the solution.”
“Although some levels seem to take hours to solve, the atmosphere of the game prevents you from getting frustrated.”
“It's pretty quiet, but the sound that comes from you clicking something or dragging a line through it just reverberates and, again, adds very well to the atmosphere.”
- story38 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally perceived as minimal or non-existent, with many players noting that it lacks a traditional narrative structure. However, some reviews highlight a surprising depth in the ending and a tragic backstory revealed through gameplay, suggesting that while the game may not focus on storytelling, it still offers moments of emotional resonance. Overall, the experience is often described as enjoyable and relaxing, making it suitable for players who prefer gameplay over a complex narrative.
“I became a passenger of life on a never-ending quest to unravel the mysteries of existence.”
“Bert is an unseen character which is not shown in the game, but through solving puzzles and 'understanding the greater picture' a tragic and unearthing story is revealed about your family's past.”
“Breathtaking story and solid gameplay.”
“Although it may lack a developing story or the ability to play with other players, it's a great option for a few moments of relaxation or longer gaming sessions.”
“For a puzzle game with no story whatsoever, this game had a really good ending.”
“Simply put, there is no story, but it's a puzzle game; not everyone is equipped with a cheesy story to go along with why you're figuring out puzzles.”
- grinding29 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- -7 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be repetitive and tedious, particularly as the difficulty increases without introducing new mechanics. While some enjoy the initial fun and challenge, many report that the experience becomes monotonous and frustrating after a certain point, leading to a sense of boredom. Despite this, a few players appreciate the game's addictive nature and recommend it for puzzle enthusiasts, especially if obtained at a discount.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel earned.”
“It feels repetitive and tedious.”
“The game becomes tedious and boring very quickly, and the music has a tendency of exacerbating those feelings.”
“Levels just become progressively larger and more complex, which overall only results in the game becoming more and more tedious, monotonous, and boring.”
- humor17 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players finding it both funny and intuitive, particularly through the unique mechanic of spelling humorous phrases using achievement letters. Many users appreciate the lighthearted nature of the game, describing it as a fun and entertaining experience that encourages laughter and creativity. Overall, the game is seen as a delightful way to engage with humor while also providing a challenging yet enjoyable gameplay experience.
“This is the funny achievement game; if you spell something funny with the achievements, you're a really funny person, and I want to be your friend.”
“Funny thing about it is, you can use the letters from the achievements to spell something in the achievements showcase.”
“The last level's humor is so fun!”
- optimization8 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game is highly optimized, running smoothly across a wide range of hardware, from older smartphones to modern PCs, with low system requirements and no significant bugs reported. It features intuitive controls tailored for touch screens and performs well on both mobile and PC platforms, making it an excellent choice for casual gaming. Overall, players appreciate its seamless performance and aesthetic appeal.
“The game's low system requirements also mean it runs smoothly on a wide range of hardware, from older smartphones to modern PCs.”
“With such a game, the requirements to play it are obviously low and the game runs smoothly, and there are no apparent bugs that appear unless you have an issue such as broken drivers.”
“But don't let the fact it started as an app scare you away, it's perfectly optimized for PC.”
“Good game to kill time at work or on a low-performance laptop.”
“Controls are smooth and simple, optimized for mobile, but playing on Steam for the achievements is great too.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization model for the game is generally well-received, with some mobile versions offering a free trial and optional in-app purchases for additional content, while others feature no in-game purchases or intrusive ads, enhancing the overall user experience. Players appreciate the lack of aggressive monetization tactics, allowing them to enjoy the game without interruptions.
“One good thing is it doesn't ask you for in-app purchases.”
“The mobile versions sometimes offer a free trial with in-app purchases for additional level packs.”
“Thought this was some achievement logo cash grab, but it's actually a pretty good game.”
“No in-game purchases.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized as an exhilarating experience that evokes a range of feelings, from joy and nostalgia to frustration and self-doubt. Players appreciate the sense of accomplishment and childlike wonder when completing levels, enhanced by engaging sound effects that contribute to the overall enjoyment.
“An emotional thrill ride.”
“Completing every level made me feel like a little child getting a new toy.”
“This made me feel kinda smart.”
- stability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally good, with most users reporting it as mostly bug-free and compatible with UHD monitors. However, some players have experienced graphical glitches in version 1.3, prompting them to revert to an earlier version.
“The game runs smoothly on UHD monitors and is mostly bug-free.”
“I appreciate the stability; it rarely crashes and provides a seamless experience.”
“The performance is impressive, with minimal bugs and consistent frame rates.”
“Excellent puzzles, however I had to go back to version 1.2 since version 1.3 has some graphical glitches. Hopefully those can be fixed; then I'll change this review!”
