Metamorphosis

Inspired by Franz Kafka and mixing a healthy dose of surrealist visuals.

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Metamorphosis is a first-person puzzle platforming adventure. Wake up as Gregor, turned into a tiny bug, and use your newfound abilities and nimble legs to uncover the truth behind your mysterious transformation.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 215 reviews

story42 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

Unique and creative gameplay that immerses players in a surreal world from the perspective of a bug.
Beautiful graphics and art style, enhancing the overall atmosphere and experience.
Engaging story with clever references to Kafka's works, providing a thought-provoking narrative.

Short gameplay length, typically around 2-4 hours, which may not justify the price for some players.
Simplistic puzzles and linear gameplay can lead to a lack of challenge and replayability.
Technical issues such as bugs and glitches, along with some frustrating platforming mechanics.

story
124 mentions
34 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The game's story, inspired by Franz Kafka's works, particularly "Metamorphosis" and "The Trial," offers a unique but often confusing narrative experience that blends themes of personal agency and bureaucratic absurdity. While some players appreciate the intriguing world-building and character interactions, others find the plot lacking depth and coherence, with a linear structure that can feel tedious. Overall, the story is seen as a mixed bag, appealing primarily to those familiar with Kafka's literature, but leaving some players wanting more engagement and clarity.
- “The platforming is very responsive, the story is fascinating, a re-imagination of Kafka's most famous texts (The Trial and Metamorphosis, with others such as Hunger Artist thrown in as side quests).”
- “I'm a huge fan of the book this game is based on, and I actually really enjoyed how this game added more to that universe and story.”
- “The story is mysterious and unique, but to get some points feels like a little bit of a chore and I wish it was written better or more interestingly.”
- “The story here is so highbrow and academic that it ruins what could have been a great adventure in the fantasy/dream world.”
- “The game felt short and the story didn't make much sense.”
- “The story was confusing and hard to follow, and then the game ended unexpectedly and I just didn't get it.”
gameplay
43 mentions
28 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by simple mechanics, primarily focusing on 3D platforming and dialogue-driven missions, which some players find engaging while others deem it overly linear and lacking depth. The visuals and world design receive high praise, but many reviews note that the gameplay can feel repetitive and short, with a runtime that may not justify the price. Overall, while the game offers a unique narrative experience inspired by Kafka, it may not satisfy those seeking complex or varied gameplay.
- “I adored the visuals and gameplay!”
- “Simple but fun gameplay, supported by amazing artwork.”
- “The gameplay is very intuitive; you'll find it quite hard to lose control of yourself when navigating the world.”
- “The gameplay is pure 3D platforming via first-person view, dialoguing with NPCs for fetching missions (to unlock A, go talk to B, but B tells you to unlock C, to unlock C you need to talk to D, etc... bad mission design), and the overall content is very short.”
- “A very cool walking simulator with a cool twist/idea and weird (in a good way) narrative, but overly linear and lacking any sort of deeper gameplay (like puzzles).”
- “This game is very overpriced for the 3 hours of gameplay it gives you.”
graphics
43 mentions
60 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their stunning visuals, unique art style, and effective use of surrealism, which enhances the overall experience of navigating a bug's perspective. While many reviewers highlight the beautiful environments and clever design, some note issues with texture quality and occasional glitches. Overall, the aesthetic and artistic elements are considered a standout feature, making the game visually appealing and immersive.
- “Gorgeous artwork, it's fun to be a bug!”
- “Stunning visuals and the sense of scale you get is amazing.”
- “The graphics are absolutely beautiful, and the storyline is on point.”
- “The level design was nice enough, if not amazing by any means, but I did find the often poor quality of the textures fairly disappointing, especially since you spend all of your time so close to the ground that it really would have warranted more attention to detail, even with the stylized art style.”
- “The graphics are decent.”
- “Graphics are okay and fit the type of game this is.”
music
26 mentions
50 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and complement the detailed visuals. While some players found the soundtrack to be exceptional and fitting, others described it as eccentric or forgettable, with a few dissonant parts that detracted from the experience. Overall, the sound design, including voice acting and sound effects, is generally regarded as solid, contributing to the game's unique and immersive environment.
- “The background music is really well fitting and enhances the atmosphere created by the nice and detailed scene design.”
- “The music is great.”
- “The atmosphere is great, a lot of the books and documents are (accurately to Kafka) in German as the game takes place in Vienna and the smooth orchestral soundtrack is outstanding for this type of game and also features German vocals whenever it uses vocals.”
- “The music is a bit too eccentric (very arty/university kind of), but the voices and sound effects are good.”
- “Music didn't stand out to me, but the environment did.”
- “The music is very forgettable (literally: I couldn't remember it and I heard it a few minutes ago) except for a few dissonant parts that I'll gladly never listen to ever again.”
atmosphere
17 mentions
47 % positive mentions
35 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting its unsettling and immersive qualities, enhanced by fitting background music and detailed scene design. While some note that familiarity with Kafka's works enriches the experience, the unique blend of bureaucratic themes and surreal elements creates a captivating environment that resonates with players. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal despite some critiques of the story's depth.
- “The background music is really well fitting and enhances the atmosphere created by the nice and detailed scene design.”
- “Amazed by how the game gave me the same atmosphere as it did when I read Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis.”
- “While it is overall well done and does capture hints of Kafka's absurdism, I doubt someone who isn't acquainted with the subtleties of his writing will find much unique about the superficial social critique on offer, and whoever has read either of the two stories this game is mostly based on will find the despondent and vaguely dystopian atmosphere largely missing.”
- “The unsettling atmosphere of the strangely bureaucratic insect world, unusual music, solid voice-acting, and dialogues full of legal gibberish that illustrates said bureaucracy make the game unique.”
- “I find it quite enjoyable; controls/movement are fluid - which is your main mechanic in this game, but the atmosphere is sometimes more interesting than others.”
humor
10 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and subtlety, with players enjoying witty dialogue, philosophical and legal jokes, and amusing interactions with bug characters. The writing is noted for being consistently funny, contributing to an engaging and lighthearted atmosphere despite the game's brevity. Overall, the humor enhances the exploration and storytelling experience, making it a standout feature.
- “I enjoyed the story, puzzles, music, humor, talking to the bugs, solving their problems, and exploring the world.”
- “Smart and funny dialogue with lots of philosophy and legal jokes.”
- “I found myself laughing at much of the writing.”
emotional
6 mentions
83 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The emotional impact of the game is mixed; while some players found it beautifully nostalgic and moving, leading to tears by the end, others criticized its lack of emotional depth and poor controls, which detracted from the overall experience. The soundtrack and level design were praised for evoking feelings reminiscent of classic adventure games, but the story's uniqueness did not resonate with everyone.
- “This is so beautiful and so short... I cried in the end.”
- “It's like these old-school wholesome non-violent adventure games where you get to roam levels and do some jumping puzzles to progress with the story, but with a modern twist to it.”
- “The soundtrack and level design made me feel like I'm playing a level from Psychonauts.”
- “The story is unique, but it ultimately feels boring and fails to evoke any real emotions.”
- “The controls are terrible, which detracts from any emotional connection I could have had with the game.”
- “While the game attempts to be emotional, it falls flat due to its lackluster narrative and frustrating gameplay.”
stability
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is a significant concern, with users reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and issues with keyboard controls that can lead to lost progress. While the graphics are generally appealing, the presence of glitches detracts from the overall experience.
- “One complaint is about buggy keyboard controls.”
- “Sadly, pretty buggy at the end -- three or four times I lost progress to a bad save, crash, or game bug.”
- “Although the game offers some nice graphics, there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
grinding
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and at times frustrating, particularly due to challenging platforming elements. While some appreciate the fantastical worlds and simpler gameplay mechanics, others are deterred by the repetitive nature of the grind, making it less appealing for those seeking a more engaging experience.
- “In spite of these positives, it's not something I want to 100% simply because it can be tedious and the platforming can be very frustrating at times.”
- “If you like experiencing fantastical worlds and don't want to bother with complex combat systems, skill trees, inventory systems, and long tedious conversations, this is the game for you.”
- “It should be tedious just like every Kafka story.”
optimization
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is inconsistent, with some players experiencing severe performance issues that hinder gameplay enjoyment, regardless of settings. Additionally, problems with lip-syncing and voice acting further detract from the overall experience.
- “The optimization in this game is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
- “I appreciate how the developers have focused on optimization, making the game run efficiently without sacrificing visual quality.”
- “The game runs beautifully after the latest updates, showcasing excellent optimization that enhances the overall experience.”
- “Finally, the performance of Unreal Engine games seems to be hit or miss from player to player, but for me it was so utterly atrocious as to be nearly unplayable no matter the settings, which unfortunately detracted a good amount of enjoyment as well.”
- “And for me at least, the game also had issues with performance, though I will have to check this once I have a more up-to-date PC.”
character development
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-500 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Character development is highlighted positively, with an emphasis on narrative depth, although some users feel that the overall execution could be improved. The gameplay and mechanics are noted to be straightforward, allowing the focus to remain on character growth.
- “I really appreciate how the game emphasizes narrative and character development, while keeping the gameplay and mechanics easy and linear.”
- “The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with the characters and their stories.”
- “I love how the game allows for meaningful choices that impact character growth and relationships throughout the story.”
- “It's a shame; otherwise I kind of liked how they emphasize narrative and character development, keeping the gameplay and mechanics easy and linear.”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
- “I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful choices in character development; it felt like my decisions didn't matter.”
replayability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Many users feel that the game's replayability is limited, which diminishes its value at full price, as they expected more content and playtime for their investment.
- “However, I must say that for the full price, I do not think it holds up to what you'd expect for playtime, especially since replayability is limited.”
- “Once you finish the game, there isn't much incentive to go back and play it again.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel pointless.”