MANDAGON

94%
Game Brain Score Based on 103 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • graphics
MANDAGON Game Cover
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"MANDAGON is a single-player mystery platformer game with an intriguing story, splendid visuals, and a sensational soundtrack. Explore a world inspired by Tibetan theology and philosophy in a non-linear fashion, with an emphasis on in-game storytelling and atmospheric sound design. The DLC includes a digital art book, soundtrack, desktop backgrounds, and a paper cube fella printout for a narrative-led experience."

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

94%
Audience ScoreBased on 103 reviews
story11 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • Stunningly beautiful artwork and calming atmosphere, creating a serene experience.
  • Short and relaxing gameplay, perfect for a quick break or casual play.
  • Engaging and thoughtful storytelling through rhymes and totems, adding depth to the exploration.
  • Gameplay is simplistic and lacks challenge, with limited mechanics beyond jumping.
  • The game is very short, leaving some players wanting more content and depth.
  • Confusing narrative and lack of clear objectives can lead to a disjointed experience.
  • story36 mentions

    The story in the game is described as a simple yet touching narrative that unfolds through exploration, primarily conveyed via rhyming couplets from statues scattered throughout the environment. While some players appreciate the atmospheric and contemplative storytelling, others find it vague and wish for a more guided experience. Overall, the game is seen as an interactive storybook that captivates players with its art, music, and the mystery of its narrative, despite its straightforward gameplay.

    • “A very simple but touching story unfolds through your exploration of a pleasantly realized pixel-graphic landscape, accompanied by a soothing atmospheric soundtrack.”
    • “Although Mandagon is quite straightforward in its gameplay and purpose, the mystery of the story is what will give you the desire to keep hoping, to find out what is on the other side, and ultimately, what will make you keep thinking about Mandagon even after you are finished with its story.”
    • “This game tells a very complex story simply and lets the player discover what is going piece by piece, causing them to want to continue playing to learn about the character.”
    • “The story is told by statues sprinkled throughout the level that speak in rhyming couplets, which feels unnecessary and breaks the isolated, contemplative atmosphere the game otherwise maintains through its beautiful art and chill music.”
    • “It feels more like an interactive storybook than a game.”
    • “There's no real puzzling to do, other than sussing out the story from the cryptic rhymes shared by ancient statues, but the exploration is more than enough to keep you engaged for as long as it lasts.”
  • music31 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and soothing qualities, enhancing the overall experience with a blend of beautiful and eerie sounds that complement the pixel art and level design. While some players found the background music off-putting or flat at times, many appreciated its ability to create a calming and immersive environment. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant strength, contributing to the game's emotional depth and aesthetic appeal.

    • “A very simple but touching story unfolds through your exploration of a pleasantly realized pixel-graphic landscape, accompanied by a soothing atmospheric soundtrack.”
    • “Lovely little puzzle and exploration game, the music and writing fitted perfectly and the style was just stunning.”
    • “What I find interesting about this game is that it's really atmospheric, with a great art style, and a nice soundtrack, all of which combines to provide a really soothing experience.”
    • “Background music is actually quite off-putting, so if you play it, I would recommend leaving the headset off.”
    • “The music sounded ominous and a little disharmonic and spooky, but kind of ... ethereal?”
    • “The soundtrack is ambient and a little creepy, but also pretty flat.”
  • graphics25 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning pixel art and intricate details, creating a beautiful and atmospheric experience. Many reviewers highlight the calming aesthetic and the effective combination of visuals with a soothing soundtrack, contributing to a meditative gameplay experience. While some find the graphics to be the standout feature, others note that the gameplay itself may not be as engaging.

    • “A very simple but touching story unfolds through your exploration of a pleasantly realized pixel-graphic landscape, accompanied by a soothing atmospheric soundtrack.”
    • “The graphics are finely-detailed pixel art, showing off every crack and bit of moss on stones and every groove in the pillars holding the place aloft.”
    • “What I find interesting about this game is that it's really atmospheric, with a great art style, and a nice soundtrack, all of which combines to provide a really soothing experience.”
    • “The graphics are finely detailed pixel art, showing off every crack and bit of moss on stones and every groove in the pillars holding the place aloft.”
    • “Likewise, the music and art style aren't particularly flashy - but everything is where it needs to be, which makes for a simple, yet enjoyable experience.”
    • “With advances in technology, many developers have relied on graphical content to carry their games, but completely forgot about the reason why we should play their game.”
  • atmosphere19 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its enchanting and soothing qualities, featuring beautiful pixel art and a calming soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. While some players find the storytelling elements, such as rhyming couplets from statues, to disrupt the contemplative mood, the game's environment and artistic design are consistently highlighted as its main strengths. Overall, it offers a relaxing and immersive atmosphere, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of atmospheric games.

    • “A very simple but touching story unfolds through your exploration of a pleasantly realized pixel-graphic landscape, accompanied by a soothing atmospheric soundtrack.”
    • “What I find interesting about this game is that it's really atmospheric, with a great art style, and a nice soundtrack, all of which combines to provide a really soothing experience.”
    • “The story is told by statues sprinkled throughout the level that speak in rhyming couplets, which feels unnecessary and breaks the isolated, contemplative atmosphere the game otherwise maintains through its beautiful art and chill music.”
    • “I feel that the main strength of the game in general is the art and the atmosphere because the gameplay is rather unoriginal.”
    • “The heart of Mandagon's appeal is its environment and atmosphere, which would be remarkable even for a full-priced game.”
  • gameplay14 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized as a straightforward, non-linear platformer that lacks depth, primarily involving simple jumping mechanics and minimal challenge. While the art and atmosphere are praised, many reviewers find the gameplay dull and unoriginal, with a focus on exploration rather than complex mechanics or puzzles. Despite its simplicity, the game's intriguing story and aesthetic elements may keep players engaged.

    • “The gameplay is just diverse enough to keep you interested, and makes sure to end things at just the right time instead of dragging or cutting too early.”
    • “Although Mandagon is quite straightforward in its gameplay and purpose, a rather simple and not particularly challenging gameplay of hopping your way to the top and around to access the inside of a temple, the mystery of the story is what will give you the desire to keep hoping, to find out what is on the other side, and, ultimately, what will make you keep thinking about Mandagon even after you are finished with its story.”
    • “This game is free, but with such amazing graphics and music combined with an interesting story and complex gameplay, I would pay 5 dollars for this one personally.”
    • “The graphics are attractive, but the gameplay is dull.”
    • “There are no mechanics at all, other than a single jump.”
    • “This game has a very pretty exterior, but the gameplay is mainly disappointing platforming and mindless collection.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The game features a simple yet poignant narrative that unfolds as players explore a beautifully crafted pixel-art world, enhanced by a calming atmospheric soundtrack that deepens the emotional experience.

    • “A very simple but touching story unfolds through your exploration of a pleasantly realized pixel-graphic landscape, accompanied by a soothing atmospheric soundtrack.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game offers limited replayability, as players find that its exploration elements do not encourage multiple playthroughs, resulting in a short overall experience.

    • “Sadly, an exploration game like this has very little replay value, so it's really just very short.”
    • “Once you've completed the main story, there's not much incentive to go back and play again.”
    • “The lack of diverse outcomes makes it feel like a one-time experience rather than something worth revisiting.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The optimization of controller inputs has been criticized for being poorly implemented, as both the 'X' and 'A' buttons trigger jumping instead of assigning distinct actions, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences, particularly when using elevators.

    • “Controller optimization was a little messed up as both X and A made you jump, although X was supposed to be the action button. This made taking elevators pretty much impossible, as you would just jump instead of ride, over and over again.”
    • “The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering, which severely impacts the overall experience.”
    • “I found the optimization to be lacking, as the game often crashes or freezes during intense moments, making it frustrating to play.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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