Minimized
- September 15, 2016
- Crystal Box Team
Minimized is a single-player shooter game that offers a unique experience in game design with its minimalist graphics and fast-paced dynamic gameplay. The game features stellar music and challenges the notion that high-quality graphics are necessary for an enjoyable gaming experience. Get ready to feel the beauty of minimalism and immerse yourself in a world of simple yet dynamic gameplay.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique minimalist art style that evokes nostalgia for classic FPS games like Wolfenstein 3D and Blake Stone.
- The soundtrack is highly praised, with many reviewers noting it as the best part of the game, featuring catchy chiptunes and heavy metal music.
- Despite its flaws, some players find the gameplay enjoyable for short sessions, especially if they appreciate retro-style shooters.
- The controls are poorly designed, with issues such as overly sensitive mouse movement and a lack of keybinding options, making gameplay frustrating.
- The graphics can be disorienting and hard to navigate, with minimal textures that often blend together, leading to confusion about pathways and obstacles.
- Many players find the game repetitive and lacking in depth, with a simplistic design that fails to engage for extended play sessions.
- graphics21 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's graphics feature a minimalistic and stylized aesthetic that some players appreciate for its unique charm, reminiscent of retro 2.5D shooters. However, many reviewers find the visuals confusing and difficult to navigate, with issues like poor rendering and a lack of clarity that can detract from the overall experience. While the simplistic design aligns with the game's concept, it may leave players craving more detail and functionality in the graphics settings.
“This game does have a unique art style.”
“The graphics in this game are minimal, like the name and description suggest.”
“+ great stylized visuals for the inner cyberpunk in all of us”
“The primitive and clunky engine actually fits with the spartan visuals and miniscule colour palette, coming together as something that largely looks and even feels a bit like a ZX Spectrum 2.5D shooter would.”
“Super fun for a short while but soon enough the graphics begin to hurt my head and I crave clarity of vision.”
“Sometimes you can overlook entire rooms because of the way the visuals bleed together.”
- music19 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its catchy retro tunes and effective integration with the game's theme. While some players noted issues with the volume control settings, the soundtrack is often highlighted as the standout feature, making the game worth considering for its audio alone. However, those without a nostalgia for retro soundtracks may not find it as appealing.
“Secondly, the soundtrack is absolutely awesome, and the game is worth buying just for it alone.”
“Great soundtrack that meshes perfectly with the theme.”
“The minimalist design is an interesting choice, and the music is actually pretty awesome and is the best part of the game.”
“Of course if you don't have a strong nostalgia towards games of that age and beeper music, steer clear, as you most likely won't enjoy this purchase at all.”
“An unplayable buggy game with a decent soundtrack.”
“For instance, the settings menu needs some work -- on my copy, the 'graphics' slider instead controls the music volume, and the music slider seems to do nothing.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its fast-paced and minimalist design reminiscent of classic titles, while others criticize the controls and technical issues that hinder the experience. Many players noted that the gameplay mechanics require tuning and balancing, and some found the key-hunting aspect less engaging than expected. Overall, while there are elements of enjoyment, significant concerns about controls and performance detract from the overall experience.
“Amazing gameplay.”
“Unlike others, I think the gameplay is fine and didn't have any problems with it.”
“In terms of gameplay, Minimized feels like a polished-up Wolfenstein 3D mixed with more than a pinch of Blake Stone and seasoned with Rise of the Triad, all mixed through a ZX Spectrum monitor -- a comparison I suspect the developers were deliberately aiming for.”
“Unfortunately, the controls are even worse, and not suited to the fast-paced gameplay it demands.”
“I honestly can't speak to the gameplay as I couldn't even finish the first level because of this issue.”
“What I can't cope with is the forced resolution and apparently 15fps gaming, which causes nausea during gameplay, especially if turning fast.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story is often described as confusing, with players struggling to follow the narrative due to unclear presentation and issues with game stability, such as crashes when navigating through story text.
“The controls are confusing, the graphics are confusing (particularly the corners of walls), and the storyline is confusing.”
“The game would crash if I didn't press ESC past the storyline text quite rapidly.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is criticized for its significant stability issues, rendering it largely unplayable, despite having a decent soundtrack.
“An unplayable, buggy game with a decent soundtrack.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is not directly addressed in the provided text, focusing instead on the enjoyable gameplay elements like cool enemies and destructible sprites. Further information on monetization strategies would be needed for a comprehensive summary.
