Myrmica

About

Myrmica is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Paranoia Studios and was released on November 12, 2024. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

The year is 2058. In a dystopic future where the USA leads as the de facto only world power, play as Liv: An agent of the S.I.N (Supernatural Investigations Network). You will be sent to an oil station in the middle of the Pacific, stuck in 1982. Your mission? Discover what’s causing problems in the system so the station can continue working without being noticed. But this place is full of secrets…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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100%

Audience ScoreBased on 16 reviews

atmosphere3 negative mentions

The game features a unique and creative narrative with well-defined characters and an engaging plot that keeps players invested.
Time manipulation mechanics are innovative and add depth to the gameplay, allowing for interesting interactions and puzzle-solving.
Despite being a free student project, the game is ambitious and offers a rich experience with a strong atmosphere and emotional depth.

The game suffers from occasional bugs and spelling errors that can disrupt the experience and require restarts.
Graphics are serviceable but could be improved, which may detract from the overall visual appeal.
Some players may find the gameplay linear and text-heavy, which could limit enjoyment for those seeking more action-oriented experiences.

gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The gameplay in this game is centered around innovative time manipulation mechanics that, while not fully explored, offer a unique and engaging experience. Set in a well-crafted world with a tense atmosphere, the time loop feature enhances the gameplay by allowing players to reset and strategize effectively. Overall, the mechanics are intriguing and provide a fresh take on familiar themes, making it an entertaining experience despite some areas needing refinement.
- “Despite the familiar setting on an oil rig, whose anxiety-inducing atmosphere never fails to creep out, and the time loop mechanics a la Outer Wilds, Myrmica feels new, fresh, and unique, rather than derivative.”
- “The basic mechanic of time manipulation and the time loop is masterfully achieved to provide a great interplay between the characters, sometimes in ways the developers may not have predicted.”
- “The mechanics were also really interesting, and I hope to see more games from this team.”
- “It feels a bit proof-of-concept as I think the time manipulation mechanics aren't used to their full extent, but there's a real gem of an idea in this short (free!) game that I had a lot of fun with.”
- “The time loop mechanics, though, make it easier to find a way around them: all you have to do is quit the game and start over from the last time loop sequence.”
- “The basic mechanic of time manipulation and the time loop is masterfully achieved to provide a great interplay between the characters (sometimes in ways the devs may not have predicted).”
story
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The game's story is praised for its intriguing and complex narrative, which unfolds at a good pace and captivates players from the start. While the atmosphere, artwork, and character development enhance the experience, some users noted issues like bugs and spelling errors that detract from the overall enjoyment. There is a desire for further development and support for the game to expand its storyline and improve quality.
- “As the game progresses, the agent can begin to influence changes in the pattern of the day and in the behavior of individual workers, as she pieces together the overarching story and tries to resolve the anomaly to the satisfaction of her mysterious bosses.”
- “I really enjoyed this game for its unfolding story, its atmosphere (including artwork), and its sense of darkness and mystery.”
- “The story grabs your attention from the very first moment; the characters show individual and unique personalities, which help you delve into the plot; and the ambient elements (which I won't spoil) contribute to building a superb gaming experience.”
- “The downsides include spelling errors and several bugs, one of which forced me to restart the game from the beginning because a certain quest didn't start.”
- “It would bring me joy to see this game getting more love from players and quality testers alike, and receive a full debugging, some implementation, perhaps even an expanded storyline, and a price tag, so we could buy it and support the developers in their future endeavors!”
- “This doesn't mean this game is a waste of time; it's just something to indulge in a strange world and uncover a mysterious story.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The atmosphere of "Myrmica" is characterized by its anxiety-inducing setting on an oil rig, enhanced by time loop mechanics that evoke a sense of dread and existential reflection. Players appreciate the game's complex narrative, lifelike characters, and the overall sense of darkness and mystery, which contribute to a unique and immersive experience. The combination of solid plot and atmospheric artwork further elevates the game's engaging ambiance.
- “This is a very ambitious, complex, and atmospheric third-person mystery/investigation game, set on a forbidding oil rig in a bleak alternative future.”
- “Despite the familiar setting on an oil rig, whose anxiety-inducing atmosphere never fails to creep out, and the time loop mechanics a la Outer Wilds, Myrmica feels new, fresh, and unique, rather than derivative.”
- “Being stuck in a time loop, reliving the same daunting day over and over again surely creates tons of atmosphere, but where Myrmica shines the brightest is its solid plot, its existential questions about humanity, ideology, and history, and its lifelike characters.”
- “I really enjoyed this game for its unfolding story, its atmosphere (including artwork), and its sense of darkness and mystery.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The graphics of the game are considered serviceable, with some users noting that while they could be improved, they effectively support the gameplay. Despite being text-heavy and lacking in visual polish, the game's atmosphere and storytelling are praised, highlighting that engaging content can sometimes outweigh graphical shortcomings, especially in a free title.
- “I really enjoyed this game for its unfolding story, its atmosphere (including artwork), and its sense of darkness and mystery.”
- “And while it's vital for any game to have impressive visuals (gaming is a visual medium, after all), there's more to a game than just the graphics.”
- “The graphics here could be a lot better and it's text-heavy. Normally, I find these to be serious issues, but given the value you get for nothing, sometimes the student projects are the best among all the 'free' games on Steam.”
- “The graphics in this game are serviceable enough to carry the gameplay.”
- “The graphics are quite underwhelming and do not match the expectations set by other games in the genre.”