Get on Steam"MARE is a single-player Point and Click VR game with stunning graphics, where you play as a mysterious artificial bird on a puzzling adventure to guide and protect a vulnerable AI companion. Immerse yourself in 8 chapters of strange and beautiful landscapes, searching for lost artifacts to unlock the world's final secret. Winner of the 2021 Upload Awards - Hidden Gem, MARE is a breathtaking and astonishing journey that will enamor you from beginning to end ."
PC
Virtual Reality
Windows
Oculus Quest
Oculus VR
Reviews
- Beautifully designed visuals and atmospheric environments that enhance the VR experience.
- Engaging and intuitive gameplay that allows players to explore and solve puzzles at their own pace.
- A unique and mysterious story that evokes a sense of wonder, reminiscent of classic titles like ICO and Shadow of the Colossus.
- Gameplay can feel overly simplistic and repetitive, leading to boredom for some players.
- The pacing is slow, particularly with the companion character's movements, which can become frustrating.
- The story's conclusion and the requirement to collect all items for a different ending may leave players feeling unsatisfied.
- gameplay28 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily a simple point-and-click mechanic that allows players to progress at a leisurely pace through a beautifully designed world, though many find it lacking in challenge and interactivity. While the atmosphere and art style are praised, the slow pacing and repetitive actions can become grating, leading to a sense of emptiness in the overall experience. Players appreciate the relaxing nature of the gameplay but express a desire for more complexity and variety in puzzles.
“Very nice art style, relaxing gameplay.”
“A modern VR take on the point-and-click genre where you - a mechanical bird - indirectly guide a little girl through a mysterious and serene world.”
“Interesting, albeit lightweight, gameplay where you can take your time progressing through the world and solving the puzzles without much stress.”
“The gameplay is extremely simple (point and click, find the right path), at least in the start.”
“Still feel it's a lovely experience, don't regret the purchase or the time visiting this world, would have preferred more interactivity/puzzles and more variety of gameplay to flesh things out.”
“My rating 7/10 (for those not caring about graphics, this may be a 3/10 rating for the ultra-simple and short gameplay)”
- story28 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The story is described as atmospheric and mysterious, conveyed without words, which enhances the overall experience despite its obscurity. Players noted that the narrative progression is well-paced, though it primarily involves simple tasks like moving between points and triggering objects. Overall, the story complements the game's art style and adds to the enigmatic ambiance, even if it lacks depth.
“The story progression I found quite mysterious and well-paced.”
“The story is also on the lighter side but fits well with the whole mysterious experience.”
“The story is conveyed without words and it is very obscure.”
“The basic story is not much more than jumping from one point to another, occasionally triggering an object and waiting for the result.”
“I went ahead to finish the basic story with most collectibles achieved in three hours.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their beautiful, stylized visuals that complement the soothing ambient soundtrack, creating an atmospheric adventure. However, some criticism is directed at the low-quality animation of certain characters, particularly the main character, which detracts from the overall experience. Overall, while the art style is well-received, the execution in character design leaves room for improvement.
“Atmospheric adventure with great art style and obscure story.”
“Audio, visuals, cinematic scenes are top notch!”
“Beautiful stylized visuals that are perfectly matched with a soothing ambient soundtrack.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its striking art style and eerie beauty, drawing comparisons to iconic titles like Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. Players appreciate the unique "electro-punk" design and the immersive, albeit slow-paced, experience that keeps them engaged despite simple mechanics and easy puzzles. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that enhances the adventure.
“A striking atmospheric game that puts you in an eerily beautiful world that is reminiscent of the likes of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus.”
“Love the atmosphere and the 'electro-punk' design of the world while the mechanics are fairly unique and interesting, although very simple and non-challenging.”
“This weird atmosphere is what kept me hooked despite the game's extremely slow pacing, easy puzzles, and almost entirely point-and-click gameplay.”
“Love the atmosphere and the 'electro-punk' (is that even a term?) design of the world while the mechanics are fairly unique and interesting, although very simple and non-challenging.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its soothing ambient soundtrack, which beautifully complements the stylized visuals, enhancing the overall atmosphere.
“The beautiful stylized visuals are perfectly matched with a soothing ambient soundtrack.”
“The beautiful stylized visuals are perfectly matched with a soothing ambient soundtrack.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game repetitive and tedious, as experiences that were initially enjoyable become monotonous when repeated. This leads to a sense of boredom rather than engagement.
“Trying again means repeating the same experience that was neat once, but it quickly becomes boring and tedious the second time around.”
“Grinding feels like a never-ending cycle of repetition, where what was once enjoyable turns into a chore.”
