Neoproxima
- March 25, 2024
- Lonestone Studio
"Neoproxima" is a single-player Role Playing game set in an alternate 1975, where the Cold War has expanded to space. As Farah, leader of a treasure hunter team, you're trapped in a time loop after pressing the wrong button in Kairos' Colony. Each loop, explore the world, encounter unique characters, and search for clues with your limited willpower and time to find a way out of the time loop. Facing the trauma of death and 70s-era technology in this intriguing sci-fi adventure.
Reviews
- Engaging story with clever twists and well-developed characters that keep players captivated throughout the experience.
- Beautiful art style and atmospheric soundtrack that enhance the overall immersion in the game's unique setting.
- Offers a fresh take on the time loop genre, combining elements of exploration and light puzzle-solving in a narrative-driven format.
- The game suffers from various bugs, including typos and awkward translations in the English version, which can be distracting.
- Some players found the pacing to be inconsistent, with a linear prologue that may deter initial engagement before the gameplay opens up.
- The game is relatively short, leaving some players wishing for more content and ending variations.
- story29 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its clever twists, engaging narrative, and well-developed characters, effectively blending time loop mechanics with exploration and puzzle-solving elements. While it is somewhat linear, players appreciate the freedom to uncover the plot at their own pace, and the writing is generally well-received despite minor errors. Overall, it is considered a captivating and immersive experience, particularly for fans of story-rich games.
“The story is full of clever ideas, twists, and surprises.”
“I genuinely enjoyed seeing the story unravel bit-by-bit from one loop to another.”
“The time loop story is extremely cleverly written, offering a lot of unforeseen twists, crazy events, bizarre encounters, surprising findings, tragedy, drama, tension, and sometimes a bit of humor.”
“While some parts do feel overly linear, you are otherwise free to unravel the story at your own pace in whichever order you choose.”
“But after 15-30 minutes, the game changes completely, suddenly involving many story trails, planning, basic puzzle solving, and even dice rolls.”
“Without replaying the game entirely I cannot tell, but it seems like there might be quite a bit of difference in the storyline based on how you tackle the puzzles; but, then again, there might not be.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Neoproxima is a blend of visual novel elements with exploration and time loop mechanics, reminiscent of titles like Outer Wilds and Citizen Sleeper. While it leans heavily on narrative, it incorporates minor interactive features and inventory puzzles that enhance the experience, making it more engaging than a typical text-based adventure. Overall, players appreciate the well-executed story and varied gameplay elements, despite some minor inconsistencies in the mechanics.
“Felt like a scientist/explorer myself, so I guess the story and gameplay converge pretty well.”
“The gameplay is surprisingly varied and goes far beyond what other text-based adventures have to offer, and visually Neoproxima also stands out from the sometimes very boring competitors in this genre.”
“There are minor but refreshing gameplay elements, such as using items, slight interactions in a 3D world with an isometric perspective, and even a time mechanic.”
“Well, except that the point and click tag isn't really right... it's more of a visual novel with some minor gameplay elements tacked on.”
“The gameplay ends up being much more like a classic inventory puzzle adventure than anything else, although with a bit of a rogue-like feel, due to the time loops.”
“This reminded me a lot of Citizen Sleeper (or, at a bit more of a stretch, games like Roadwarden, Vargus or Sunless Sea/Skies -- unlike those titles, there are no roleplaying mechanics in this) in the sense that what carries this is a very well-told story supported by enough gameplay elements to make it more than just a visual novel.”
- music7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its chill and atmospheric qualities, blending downtempo, low-fi electronic, and dream pop elements that enhance the overall mood. Reviewers note that the soundtrack is used sparingly yet effectively, complementing the captivating story and beautiful art. Despite some minor language issues, the combination of music and ambient sounds creates a compelling and immersive experience.
“The soundtrack is super chill and spacey, with mixes that land somewhere between downtempo, lo-fi electronic, and dream pop.”
“The really good pieces of music were used very discreetly and alternate gently with ambient noises.”
“The music and ambient are used sparingly and suit the mood well.”
“The soundtrack could not have been better.”
“The ambiance is particularly well done.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features skillfully written characters that deliver a strong emotional impact, with unexpected moments that resonate deeply. Its beautiful visuals complement the emotional narrative, creating several poignant scenes that leave a lasting impression on players.
“Skillfully written characters add a strong emotional punch, although the biggest tearjerker moment came from an unexpected side.”
“A beautiful game, both visually and emotionally.”
“I don't want to drop any spoilers, but the characters are solid and there are a few truly emotional moments in there!”
- graphics3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their stylish art style and effective simplicity, contributing positively to the overall atmosphere and storytelling of the game. Users appreciate how the visuals complement the gameplay and enhance the experience.
“Great game, liked the art style, story, and overall atmosphere.”
“The writing is phenomenal, the time loop concept is extremely well executed, the graphics and gameplay are simple but very effective.”
“Stylish audio and visuals help too.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its captivating art style and well-crafted story, which maintains logical coherence and culminates in a brilliant finale. Players appreciate the vivid descriptions of environments and events that enhance the overall immersive experience, making it a standout feature of the game.
“Great game, liked the art style, story, and overall atmosphere.”
“The story always remains logical right up to the brilliant finale, which clarifies all open questions. Although text-based, a wonderful atmosphere develops through very good descriptions of environments and events, which captivated me.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is interwoven with its cleverly crafted time loop narrative, featuring unexpected twists and bizarre encounters that add a lighthearted touch amidst the drama and tension. Players appreciate the well-developed characters and the occasional comedic moments that enhance the overall experience.
“The time loop story is extremely cleverly written, offering a lot of unforeseen twists, crazy events, bizarre encounters, surprising findings, tragedy, drama, tension, and sometimes a bit of humor.”
“The characters are awesome, and the game can be funny at times, too.”