Matter
- December 14, 2018
- Concrete Games
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Matter" is a single-player, sensational platformer game with good visuals and a relaxing, dynamic soundtrack. Explore a mystic and expressive world where matter evolves and lives around you. Created by Concrete Games, "Matter" offers a disorienting and exotic adventure, promoting pleasure without violence, frustration, or competition.
Reviews
- The game features stunning visuals and an engaging, evolving soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- It's a unique and surreal journey that offers a trippy, immersive atmosphere, making it feel like an interactive art piece.
- Despite its short length, the game provides a memorable experience that many players find worth the price.
- The game is very short, typically taking around 30-40 minutes to complete, which may leave some players wanting more content.
- Some players experience motion sickness due to the game's fast-paced platforming and camera movements.
- There are technical issues reported, including performance problems and a lack of options for adjusting graphics settings.
- music31 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its captivating and immersive qualities, often described as a standout feature that evolves with gameplay and enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to sync with visuals, creating a unique atmosphere that feels both rhythmic and interactive, akin to an electro-psychedelic journey. While the gameplay may be simplistic, the combination of vibrant music and stunning visuals makes it a memorable and enjoyable experience, particularly for fans of abstract and musical games.
“The music is fantastic for the game, with each level having its own unique sound and feel.”
“The world and soundtrack viscerally react to you as you play.”
“The visuals, sounds, and music are really hypnotic and transport you on an electro-psychedelic journey.”
“Matter is certainly interesting, as it combines zen with intensity well through its vibrant soundtrack, but that's about all, to be honest.”
“It's not a game as much as it's an interactive music visualizer.”
“Absolutely bizarre experience; glitchy, different, and even the music took me on a whole other journey.”
- graphics28 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and beautiful art style, creating an immersive and memorable experience that complements the exceptional sound design. However, some users report performance issues, such as stuttering at high settings and overly bright visuals when graphics quality is reduced, which detracts from the overall aesthetic. Despite these concerns, the game's abstract visuals and ambient music are considered a highlight, making it a worthwhile experience for those drawn to its artistic presentation.
“Brilliant little game/experience with incredible sound design and graphics.”
“The graphics are great and really original and abstract.”
“The audio and graphics immerse you into literally the most beautiful universe I've ever seen in a video game.”
“Reducing the graphics unfortunately removes a lot of the beauty of the game, which is why I bought it in the first place.”
“Lowering the graphics quality by a lot makes the game run smoother, yes, but other than destroying how the game looks visually, it actually becomes so bright that key objects in the distance become nearly impossible to see.”
“Matter overall, while having a really trippy and ambient concept that I often love seeing, misses the mark completely with its nauseating graphic filters and deceptive computer spec recommendations.”
- gameplay17 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay features solid controls and engaging mechanics that evolve with the music, creating a rhythmic experience that enhances the atmosphere. However, many players find the mechanics repetitive and simplistic, leading to a lack of depth and variety, which may not appeal to those seeking a more complex gaming experience. While the visuals and music are praised, the overall gameplay may feel limited, making it more suitable as a brief distraction rather than a deep, immersive experience.
“There are some cool mechanics, the backgrounds have some diversity in the craziness, but the best part is the music (a little Akira style) that evolves with the action, and sometimes it looks like all the area is pulsing to the rhythm of the music!”
“Its controls are solid, and its gameplay isn't too repetitive if you get into the music.”
“Level design is absolutely beautiful, and controls are simple, but mechanics emerge nicely.”
“A nice quick distraction if you have some spare cash, but the gameplay got a little too repetitive for me, but that's just me.”
“The gameplay is not much, just jump around and clicking, but the visual and music is very good.”
“Simple mechanics.”
- story10 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's story is perceived as lacking depth and clarity, with players expressing confusion, especially in the latter parts. While some acknowledge the presence of a narrative, it is not presented in a conventional manner, leading to a desire for more substance and coherence. Overall, the story feels minimal and underdeveloped, leaving players wanting more.
“There is a story in matter, but not in a common narrative sense.”
“I really wish there was a little more substance in the realm of story, as I got pretty confused in the latter parts of the game.”
“There is no story; the worlds are cutesy, and the end is weirdly still rewarding.”
“If there's some sort of very complicated story behind it, I can't see it.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique and immersive qualities, enhanced by catchy music and a well-paced progression through its chapters. Reviewers note that it successfully combines atmospheric elements with engaging gameplay, creating a psychedelic and emotionally impactful experience. However, it may appeal primarily to those who enjoy atmospheric platformers, as its abstract nature can be challenging to grasp.
“What we have here is an amazing, weird, atmospheric experience...”
“Great game that achieves to do this very hard trick: being an atmospheric game with enough gameplay to keep you busy.”
“There is a definite epochal progression in atmosphere through three pairs of chapters and a denouement, which is reflected in the pacing and complexity of the gameplay challenges.”
“Great game that achieves to do this very hard trick: being an atmosphere game with enough gameplay to keep you busy.”
“And on top of that, you get a musical synesthesia to link atmosphere and platformer... for this price, I definitely recommend giving it a look.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for causing noticeable stuttering at high graphical settings, despite maintaining over 60fps, leading to an overall disappointing performance even on systems that meet the recommended specifications. While the visuals and gameplay may attract some players, performance issues detract from the experience.
“The visuals and gameplay look interesting from the trailer, but I encountered some performance issues that affected my experience.”
“Despite my computer exceeding the recommended specs, the overall performance of the game was disappointing.”
“Has a very strange, unpleasant stuttering at 'high' graphical settings despite being well above 60fps.”
“It started off promising, but the performance of the game as a whole was abysmal even though my computer more than met the recommended specs.”
“If the visuals and gameplay look interesting to you from the trailer, I would say get it, but I had some issues with it that mostly had to do with performance.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it lacking due to a short completion time, others praise its dynamic changes that enhance replay value significantly.
“The game dynamically changes, and its replay value is top-notch.”
“Each playthrough offers new challenges and experiences, making you want to dive back in.”
“With multiple endings and varied character paths, the replayability keeps you engaged for hours.”
“Only took 32 minutes to complete, though, with little replay value.”
“The game feels like a one-and-done experience; there's not much incentive to play again.”
“After finishing the main story, I found no reason to revisit the game.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's stability is criticized for being clunky and buggy, indicating that while there is potential in its concepts, the execution falls short due to technical issues.
“There's potential, but the game's ideas are executed through clunky, buggy means.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I encountered numerous glitches that disrupted my experience and made it frustrating.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
“Grinding takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Matter prioritizes establishing an emotional tone over hindering player progression, allowing for a more immersive and heartfelt experience.
“Matter focuses on creating an emotional tone rather than on obstructing progression.”
“The game masterfully evokes a range of emotions, making every moment feel impactful.”
“I was deeply moved by the character arcs and the heartfelt storytelling throughout the game.”
