Meridian 157: Chapter 1

About

"Meridian 157: Chapter 1" is a point-and-click adventure game where you play as a forensic meteorologist investigating a strange anomaly off the coast of Alaska. After becoming trapped in an abandoned facility on a remote sub-Arctic island, you must explore the complex, solve puzzles, and uncover the truth behind the mystery of the 157th meridian. The game features a custom soundtrack and sound effects for an immersive and creepy atmosphere.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 226 reviews

story30 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

The game features a great mix of puzzle difficulties, providing both easy and challenging puzzles that keep players engaged.
The hint system is generous and well-implemented, allowing players to progress without getting too frustrated.
The atmosphere and graphics, while simple, effectively contribute to the overall experience, reminiscent of classic point-and-click adventure games.

Some puzzles lack logical coherence, leading to frustration and reliance on hints or external solutions.
The game can feel short, with some players completing it in just a few hours, which may not justify the cost for everyone.
Technical issues such as glitches and crashes have been reported, impacting the overall gameplay experience.

story
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
55%
4%
The story in the game is described as intriguing and engaging, with a mix of light backstory and detailed plot elements that keep players curious about the unfolding narrative. While some reviewers noted that the story is not the main focus and can feel minimal at times, it effectively complements the gameplay and puzzles, creating a compelling atmosphere. Overall, players express a desire to continue exploring the story in future chapters, indicating that it successfully hooks their interest despite some criticisms regarding its depth and pacing.
- “I will definitely try out the second chapter, since the story has me hooked!”
- “The puzzles were fantastic, being a very good mix of easy and difficult ones with a large chunk being pleasantly middle-ground. The storylines are quite detailed and very interesting.”
- “They absolutely nailed the story, atmosphere, puzzle engagement, pace, and most of all music.”
- “There is a light backstory to the series, but it is not important to the gameplay and is dripped out very slowly.”
- “The story could have been better told, but for this price, one cannot complain about that.”
- “This chapter had minimal story, so you only learn a few things but nothing substantial.”
graphics
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
41%
9%
The graphics received mixed reviews, with some players finding them flat and dated, while others praised their distinctiveness and clarity. Many noted that while the visuals can be decent or even excellent, technical issues like glitches detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are considered passable but not groundbreaking, with a few standout moments in atmosphere and design.
- “I liked the graphics, the music and sound were great, and it was pretty easy to understand what you needed to do.”
- “Graphics is distinct and neat.”
- “Great graphics and atmosphere, puzzles are just right.”
- “The graphics are starting to look dated by modern standards but are passable.”
- “Graphics are pretty sucky, also.”
- “Graphics kept glitching where things in my inventory would disappear and also the camera to take snapshots just didn't work at all.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
46%
13%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and overall experience, with many reviewers noting its fitting and non-intrusive nature. The soundtrack effectively complements the game's themes, creating a sense of immersion, whether through relaxed tunes or more intense, frightful compositions. Overall, the music is considered a standout element that significantly contributes to the game's storytelling and emotional engagement.
- “They absolutely nailed the story, atmosphere, puzzle engagement, pace, and most of all music.”
- “I loved the relaxed music while I was trying to figure out what to do.”
- “Non-intrusive music (and for once I did not mute the music as it really adds to the experience).”
- “Frightful music fills the game background well.”
- “Music feels somewhat inspired by EVE Online.”
- “Good mix of lighting, sound effects, and music really makes you feel like you're alone (or maybe not...) in a creepy, abandoned location.”
atmosphere
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
25%
15%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its successful blend of spooky elements, well-designed backgrounds, and engaging music, creating a dark and foreboding environment. While some players noted issues with the control scheme and puzzle logic, the overall ambiance remains a highlight, contributing to a compelling and immersive experience. The combination of great graphics and a chilling atmosphere enhances the gameplay, making it a standout feature.
- “Puzzles are solid, the story is vague but interesting enough to make you want to learn more, and the atmosphere is perfectly spooky.”
- “Great graphics and atmosphere, puzzles are just right.”
- “Design of backgrounds and interactive objects is well thought out and adds to a dark foreboding atmosphere.”
- “They absolutely nailed the story, atmosphere, puzzle engagement, pace, and most of all music.”
- “Relaxed atmosphere, and chill point and click.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The gameplay primarily focuses on engaging puzzles reminiscent of masyu, sudoku, and nonograms, supported by a generous hint system that maintains player momentum. While the visuals and soundtrack are commendable, the light backstory is not integral to the experience. The well-implemented camera mechanic adds a unique touch, enhancing the overall puzzle-solving experience.
- “Really fun puzzles, and a generous hint mechanic to keep the flow so you don't lose steam.”
- “Honorable mention to the camera mechanic which is really well implemented; wish all puzzle games had something like that.”
- “There is a light backstory to the series, but it is not important to the gameplay and is revealed very slowly.”
- “If you are a fan of masyu, sudoku, or nonograms, you will absolutely adore this game, because 90% of the gameplay revolves around solving puzzles built around that sort of puzzle.”
- “The gameplay feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged for long periods.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is generally considered fairly buggy, with users reporting various glitches and errors, particularly in the prologue. While some players are willing to overlook these issues due to the game's price, the lack of manual save options exacerbates the stability problems, leading some to abandon the game altogether.
- “I can forgive bugs and glitches, no game is perfect, but allowing manual saves would solve so many issues.”
- “Probably won't bother finishing it as it's pretty buggy to play.”
- “Glitches - in the prologue, I encountered an error with some of the images.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly when puzzles feel forced and require random guessing rather than logical problem-solving. While the storyline is appreciated, the repetitive nature of certain puzzles leads some to abandon the game altogether.
- “I liked the storyline; however, I quit playing when the puzzle became completely tedious and I was having to randomly enter 5 numbers in the safe just to try to hit the right combination.”
- “Puzzles for the sake of puzzles just become tedious.”
- “There are a few that I suffered through to solve the correct format myself without any help, but it quickly just becomes tedious.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews indicate that the game's replayability is high, with players finding multiple reasons to revisit it, such as varied gameplay experiences, different character choices, and engaging storylines that change with each playthrough. Overall, users appreciate the depth and diversity that encourage repeated play.
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, with users reporting frequent crashes and problems with screens not loading properly.
- “Unfortunately, there were some performance issues, primarily with screens not properly loading and the game frequently crashing.”