Mendel
- September 6, 2018
- Owen Bell
Get on Steam"Mendel" is a serene science creativity sandbox set on a distant planet. Collect and breed samples from exotic flowers to create new hybrid plants, observing their genes merge and mutate. With no goals or objectives, it offers a relaxing environment to experiment, create, and appreciate the beauty of genetics, earning the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Public Understanding prize for its scientific inspiration.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a relaxing and meditative experience, allowing players to experiment with plant breeding and create a diverse array of hybrids.
- Players appreciate the charming graphics and whimsical atmosphere, which enhance the enjoyment of cultivating a colorful garden.
- The mechanics of combining plants based on traits provide a satisfying sense of progression and achievement as players work towards specific goals.
- The game can become tedious due to limitations on plant propagation and the slow pace of gathering plant samples.
- Performance issues arise when the number of plant entities increases, leading to slower gameplay and occasional instability.
- Some players find the sound effects annoying and would prefer more options to customize or mute them.
- graphics3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The graphics are considered adequate, effectively serving their purpose while creating a whimsical atmosphere. Although not groundbreaking, the visuals feature charming elements like swaying plants, appealing to a specific demographic of gamers.
“Graphics are not amazing, but adequate for the purpose, and the wind blowing through the higher plants makes them sway prettily.”
“The boxy yet smooth graphics promote a whimsical atmosphere and creativity.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players report that recent changes have negatively impacted the game's performance, making it less playable due to various optimization issues.
“Too many changes, and the game becomes less playable due to performance issues.”
“The optimization is lacking, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering.”
“Despite the interesting gameplay, the poor optimization makes it frustrating to play.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's boxy yet smooth graphics contribute to a whimsical and creative atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience for players.
“The boxy yet smooth graphics promote a whimsical atmosphere and creativity.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly when it involves repeatedly traveling between locations to collect items like bulbs.
“This makes it a little tedious to jet forth between plants to gather bulbs.”
