Nix Umbra
- November 19, 2021
- ilzard
- 67h median play time
Get on SteamNix Umbra is an action-packed, pixel art metroidvania game. As the enigmatic Nix, players explore a vast interconnected world, battling shadow beasts, acquiring new abilities, and uncovering the mysteries of a once peaceful land plunged into darkness. With challenging gameplay, beautiful pixel art, and a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack, Nix Umbra offers a rich and immersive experience.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and trippy atmosphere, filled with bizarre visuals and sound design that create an immersive experience.
- Players appreciate the mystery and challenge of figuring out the mechanics without explicit guidance, making each run feel fresh and engaging.
- The game has a strong replayability factor, with many secrets to uncover and a global leaderboard that encourages competition.
- The lack of clear mechanics and guidance can lead to confusion and frustration, making it difficult for players to progress or understand the game.
- Some players find the gameplay slow and tedious, with a significant grind required to unlock content, which may deter those seeking a more fast-paced experience.
- The game may not appeal to everyone due to its esoteric design and the absence of traditional horror elements, leaving some players feeling detached from the experience.
- gameplay28 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Nix Umbra is characterized by a slow-paced, atmospheric experience that blends collection and survival elements, often leaving players feeling disoriented due to its lack of clear mechanics and tutorials. While the sound design and visuals create an immersive and eerie environment, the gameplay can feel tedious and inconsistent, with RNG playing a significant role in the experience. Players seeking a more intense, fast-paced action may find the gameplay lacking, but those who appreciate a more methodical approach may enjoy the exploration of its hidden mechanics and secrets.
“You'll run around with no clue of who you are or what is going on and you'll see trees light on fire and mushrooms and flying skulls and birds and all sorts of weird stuff, but as long as you know the basic mechanics of the game and continue to play, you'll learn new secrets about the game with each run.”
“The subtle way enemies and the environment appear and disappear from your sight, the sounds that surround you at all times, and the gameplay that is never explained create an atmosphere of dread and despair but in an exciting way.”
“If you are looking for a spooky game full of arcane mystery, addictive gameplay, and the satisfaction of a global leaderboard then this is the game for you.”
“Because ultimately there is no grand mystery to discover for those seeking discovery and the mechanics can be buggy and inconsistent, including obstacles and enemies literally spawning in front of you, which is a deal breaker for those looking to chase personal bests and leaderboard positions.”
“Nix Umbra is much slower than any other arena shooter I’ve ever played, and without some sort of guide or tutorial, many of the mechanics would be completely lost on me.”
“The core gameplay boils down to a relatively slow-moving, nigh-combatless arena shooter with limited mechanics: you're walking through a sparsely-wooded forest, the only light sources being the stars and the very sword in your hand.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is a polarizing aspect among reviewers, with some praising its eerie and suspenseful qualities that evoke dread and despair, while others argue it lacks depth and fails to deliver genuine horror. Many highlight the effective use of sound and visual design, suggesting that the atmosphere significantly enhances the experience, particularly for fans of atmospheric horror. Overall, it is recognized as a unique and immersive environment, though opinions on its effectiveness vary widely.
“The subtle way enemies and the environment appear and disappear from your sight, the sounds that surround you at all times, and the gameplay that is never explained create an atmosphere of dread and despair but in an exciting way.”
“It's definitely not a game for everyone, but I like its atmosphere.”
“Great atmosphere, sound and art direction.”
“There's a lot of very floral writing in many other reviews here that oversell the atmosphere of the game.”
“You could argue that the horror is in the eerie, suspenseful atmosphere… but this game has no atmosphere.”
“Some atmosphere.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are characterized by a unique and striking aesthetic that immerses players in a dark, low-resolution world, though this intense art style can make navigation challenging. While some players appreciate the bold visuals and sound design, others find the lack of clarity frustrating, leading to mixed feelings about the overall experience. Despite its high price point, those who resonate with its distinct aesthetic may find it rewarding.
“The aesthetics are everything and like nothing I've seen before.”
“Excellent visuals and perfect sound design (play with headphones).”
“Due to the game’s intense art style, it can be fairly difficult to tell where these crystals are located, and player progress is hindered as a result.”
“You're thrust into a strange, sensory-deprived world of darkness and low-resolution graphics, just barely able to see eldritch things beyond the treeline, without a single tutorial box to guide you.”
“The sound design is integral to the gameplay, and the visuals, as noted by all other reviewers, are absolutely striking and simultaneously bleak.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and heavily reliant on RNG, often leading to long hours spent aimlessly searching for resources like crystals. Many report that a significant portion of their playtime is dedicated to this repetitive farming, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
“The gameplay here can speed up the further you get into a run, but actually getting to that point can be a tedious slog, and one which depends almost entirely on RNG.”
“83 hours of tediously walking around in the dark looking for the slightest indication that there’s a shiny gem hovering about somewhere nearby.”
“About 80% of my playtime was spent just farming crystals whilst watching YouTube on my second monitor.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's stability is criticized for its buggy and inconsistent mechanics, with issues such as obstacles and enemies spawning unexpectedly, which can significantly hinder players aiming for personal bests and leaderboard rankings.
“The mechanics can be buggy and inconsistent, with obstacles and enemies literally spawning in front of you, which is a deal breaker for those looking to chase personal bests and leaderboard positions.”
“The game frequently crashes, making it nearly impossible to enjoy the experience without constant interruptions.”
“I encountered numerous glitches that not only disrupted gameplay but also made it frustrating to progress through levels.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight the game's high replayability, noting that its immersive and moody atmosphere makes it a worthwhile investment for players seeking a rich experience.
“It's clear from the get-go that this game has a lot of replayability, and for the price, it's pretty much a no-brainer if you're looking for something moody and immersive.”
