Metaphobia
- February 10, 2020
- Digital Mosaic Games
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreMetaphobia is a dark mystery detective story, inspired by classic adventure games from the 90's. The game has been created with passion not credit cards so it is completely FREE TO PLAY.
Mac OS
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game features impressive rotoscoped animations and pixel art, creating a nostalgic aesthetic reminiscent of classic 90s adventure games.
- The voice acting is well done, adding depth to the characters and enhancing the overall storytelling experience.
- Despite some frustrating puzzles, the game offers an engaging story with unexpected twists, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
- The puzzles can be illogical and require pixel hunting, leading to frustration and the need for external guides.
- The story takes a bizarre turn towards conspiracy theories, which may not resonate with all players and can feel disjointed.
- The ending is abrupt and leaves many plot points unresolved, which can diminish the overall satisfaction of the gameplay experience.
- story194 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it intriguing and well-presented, particularly for a free title, while others criticized it for being predictable, cliché-ridden, and poorly executed in its latter stages. Many appreciated the engaging premise and character backstories, but felt that the plot often fell flat, especially towards the end, leaving loose ends and a rushed conclusion. Overall, while the game offers an interesting narrative and decent voice acting, it struggles with pacing and coherence, leading to a varied reception among players.
“The story is interesting, and I really enjoy how the game feels like it has distinct sections with their own themes and tones.”
“The story may be familiar to fans of old B-movies, but it is well-told, and the expected ending was satisfying.”
“Awesome game, amazing voice acting, and an extremely deep and intriguing storyline.”
“The story isn't anything special, goofy at some points.”
“The plot literally reveals itself in a manner that felt similar to how conspiracy theorists combine 'evidence' that is completely unrelated to each other.”
“The story is the game's weakest point and how much it will affect the player depends on his/her expectations.”
- graphics53 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received a mixed but generally positive reception, with many praising the retro-inspired pixel art and rotoscoped animations that evoke a nostalgic feel reminiscent of 1990s computer games. While some players appreciate the aesthetic and find it beautifully rendered, others note that the low-resolution visuals can make interactions challenging. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, contributing to the game's immersive atmosphere and engaging storytelling.
“The graphics and art style capture the feel of 1990's computer games.”
“I really enjoyed the tone, the retro-inspired graphics, the music and the voice acting creating a wonderfully immersive mystery narrative.”
“The graphics are very nice; pixel art might not be everyone's cup of tea, but this game is a neat example of how one can create precious things with this kind of style.”
“I have no problem with the simple graphics or mechanics in the game; it just wasn't interesting.”
“This game is as close to awful as I am willing to call games that were created to mimic the style and aesthetic of games I grew up playing.”
“Metaphobia just doesn't deliver in any category - from gameplay to graphics to storyline - and even though it pays very close homage to the games that shaped me as a young person, I would never recommend this game to anyone lest it sour their opinion of my favourite genre of game.”
- music35 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many players praising its ability to set the mood and enhance the overall experience. While some found the soundtrack to be forgettable or intrusive at times, others highlighted its effectiveness in building tension and complementing the game's atmosphere. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, with several players expressing a desire to purchase it as a show of appreciation for the developers.
“The sound and music set the tone and round out the experience.”
“The music really sets the scene and I got the spooks a few times.”
“I really enjoyed the tone, the retro-inspired graphics, the music and the voice acting creating a wonderfully immersive mystery narrative.”
“I played with the music turned off.”
“The art style is nice if you're into adventure game studio graphics, music is mostly forgettable, the audio levels were off during the last dialog, I could barely hear what they were saying because the music was so loud.”
“And while there wasn't much music, it was very effective when it showed up.”
- gameplay25 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its nostalgic charm and simple mechanics, while others criticize its linearity and outdated elements. Puzzles are generally easy and lack diversity, leading to a short experience of around 3 to 6 hours, which some found enjoyable despite its flaws. Overall, while the atmosphere and storytelling elements are praised, the gameplay mechanics can be frustrating and may not appeal to everyone.
“Dated, sure, but in a very charming and nostalgic way that doesn’t detract from gameplay (and is a plus if, like me, you prefer retro mystery gaming).”
“I love the style, gameplay, and thematic elements of the game!”
“The kind of story and gameplay that makes you want to keep playing.”
“And the gameplay had some flaws, like not being explicit about where the player needed to go, and there were some elements that were just a little hard to guess.”
“Metaphobia just doesn't deliver in any category - from gameplay to graphics to storyline - and even though it pays very close homage to the games that shaped me as a young person, I would never recommend this game to anyone lest it sour their opinion of my favorite genre.”
“On the gameplay front, Metaphobia is bogged down by some outdated and time-consuming mechanics.”
- atmosphere13 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its suspenseful pacing, high production value, and immersive sound design, including a well-composed soundtrack and fully voiced dialogues. Players appreciate the distinctive characters and atmospheric settings that evoke nostalgia for classic adventure games, despite some criticism of the story and puzzle design. Overall, the combination of pixelated visuals, engaging narrative, and creative puzzles contributes to a compelling and immersive experience.
“It's a very atmospheric adventure game with a surprisingly good production value.”
“Great atmosphere and does a lot with simple resources.”
“Nicely pixelated visuals, immersive story, lots of complex characters, well written dialogues and great voice acting, creative, medium difficulty puzzles, deep dark atmosphere based on conspiracies and secret powers.”
“The atmosphere reminds me of The Dig for some reason.”
“The game, albeit short (with an aloof pace and much exploring, approximately 5 hours to finish), is an exceptional attempt to bring back the mysterious atmosphere of old (yet golden) classics.”
“Nicely pixelated visuals, immersive story, lots of complex characters, well-written dialogues and great voice acting, creative, medium difficulty puzzles, deep dark atmosphere based on conspiracies and secret powers.”
- humor7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its humor, with players finding it consistently hilarious through unexpected twists and amusing character interactions. While some puzzles are noted for their simplicity, they contribute to the overall comedic experience, making the game enjoyable despite minor frustrations. The humor is further enhanced by clever storytelling elements that elicit genuine laughter.
“This game is hilarious!”
“I was musing at one point that it would've been funny if at the end it was revealed that the main character was just some paranoid guy who saw a nonexistent conspiracy all around him.”
“Some of the explanations (back alley - before the island) that brought the story forward made me laugh out loud.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly criticizing the repetitive "find the symbol!" puzzles that detract from the overall enjoyment.
“To the point where it's tedious.”
“It's a tedious and not very fun process.”
“The puzzles are not that hard, just a few tedious 'find the symbol!' puzzles at the end that I dislike.”
- character development2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development received mixed reviews, with some praising it as superb, while others criticized the lack of depth and clarity in the story, leading to an overall negative impression.
“Character development was superb.”
“The depth of each character's backstory adds layers to the overall narrative.”
“I loved how my choices influenced the growth and relationships of the characters.”
“The lack of character development and understandable story progression left a negative impression.”
“Characters feel one-dimensional and their growth is almost non-existent throughout the game.”
“I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; there was no real depth or evolution.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users have reported issues with the game's resolution optimization, indicating that it may not perform well across different display settings.
“The game's optimization for different resolutions is impressive, allowing for a smooth experience on various hardware setups.”
“I appreciate how well the game optimizes performance, making it accessible for players with lower-end systems.”
“The optimization of the game ensures that even in graphically intense moments, the frame rate remains stable and enjoyable.”
“The main issue I had was with the game's resolution optimization.”
“The performance optimization is lacking, leading to frequent frame drops.”
“I found the loading times to be excessively long, indicating poor optimization.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers noted that the characters' emotional responses often lacked depth and credibility, making it difficult for players to connect with their experiences.
