Oneiros
- March 27, 2020
- Coal Valley Games
Oneiros is a single-player arcade game with an intriguing story and spectacular graphics. As you help Liam escape his surreal and changing reality, you'll explore a beautiful, detailed world, interact with fully voiced characters, and solve puzzles. The game features advanced lighting and effects, psychedelic visions, and even includes mini-games within an interactive laptop.
Reviews
- The game features a unique blend of surreal visuals and engaging puzzles that keep players invested.
- Many players appreciated the humor and charm of the game, particularly the interactions with the quirky characters.
- Despite its short length, the game offers a satisfying experience with a good balance of challenge and exploration.
- The voice acting and dialogue were frequently criticized for being annoying and poorly executed, detracting from the overall experience.
- Inventory management was a common pain point, with players finding it cumbersome and frustrating to handle items.
- Several reviews noted that the game felt short and the ending was abrupt, leaving players wanting more closure.
- story56 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it predictable and lacking depth, often describing it as generic or cliché. While some appreciated the charming delivery and engaging gameplay elements, others criticized the abrupt ending and lack of plot twists. Overall, the narrative is seen as a loose thread connecting the game's visually stunning and puzzle-rich experience, with some players expressing hope for further exploration of its characters and themes in future titles.
“The visuals were out of this world, good storytelling, and great puzzles... hats off to developers in creating this masterpiece - can't wait to see more.”
“I liked the story and how we weren't given much information till the end, receiving only little bits in flashbacks throughout.”
“Oneiros is an absolutely fantastic experience that falls on blind eyes: it’s realistic yet mysterious approach to world building, the bright color palette, ways in which the story progresses, transitions throughout the journey, comedic moments, strategic methods regarding puzzles, and enjoyability from beginning to end.”
“The story isn't inventive; it's quite generic.”
“There isn't really any plot twist, and you quickly realize what's happening to the main character, so the ending isn't surprising in any way.”
“The story fell flat, and the ending was abrupt.”
- graphics29 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the imaginative and surreal art style, as well as the overall visual quality. While some players find the visuals to be stunning and fitting for the game's narrative, others express disappointment with certain aspects, such as washed-out colors and inconsistent art styles. Overall, the graphics are generally regarded as a strong point, contributing positively to the game's experience despite some minor flaws.
“The visuals were out of this world, good storytelling, and great puzzles... hats off to developers in creating this masterpiece - can't wait to see more.”
“The surrealist art style, the music, the humor... everything has been masterfully brought together thanks to the imagination of the developer to create a very beautiful puzzle game.”
“Some highlights to note: graphical quality is incredible, worlds are very imaginative and humorous, the visual style gets varied a ton, the story covers a lot of ground and is very open-ended.”
“Aesthetic is kinda pleasing, but overall a disappointment.”
“Not really a game, more a graphic story about teenagers getting into trouble, very trippy graphics quite a bit of the time.”
“Sadly, with the graphical design and the protagonist's cheeky voice lines, this is only a mediocre walking simulator / adventure game.”
- music23 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the surreal setting, with many reviewers highlighting it as a standout feature. Players appreciate the soundtrack's integration with the gameplay, noting that it complements the puzzles and overall experience beautifully. While some mention that the story may feel disjointed, the music consistently receives accolades for its excellence and memorability.
“The music is atmospheric and complements the game's surreal setting really well.”
“The surrealist art style, the music, the humor... everything has been masterfully brought together thanks to the imagination of the developer to create a very beautiful puzzle game.”
“The music is awesome and perfect for the setting, and now I want to play it on repeat.”
“I turned down the voice audio and the music audio, but that did nothing.”
“The music stands out as a highlight, while the story is forgettable and only exists as a very loose thread between sections.”
“The music, the details, jokes, the plot, it's all fine.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its light-heartedness and creativity, with players enjoying funny moments, quirky characters, and surreal elements that enhance the overall experience. Many reviews highlight the integration of humor with imaginative storytelling and unique puzzles, making for an entertaining adventure that keeps players engaged. The inclusion of absurd clips and amusing details adds to the charm, contributing to a delightful atmosphere throughout the gameplay.
“But I still enjoyed my playtime when I just accepted using a walkthrough liberally and decided to continue for the weird story and world the game presents, which was a lot of fun, including some absolutely ridiculous full-length clips from a number of MST3K-level movies played in full FMV style in a movie theater level, which were hilarious.”
“A puzzle game that takes you to strange places, with nice humor, and an interesting story.”
“The surrealist art style, the music, the humor... everything has been masterfully brought together thanks to the imagination of the developer to create a very beautiful puzzle game.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a mix of charming elements and frustrating mechanics, with some players noting a lack of variety and a reliance on tedious platforming segments. While the puzzles and unique mechanics in different areas provide some enjoyment, the overall experience is marred by short length and generic storytelling. Despite these issues, some players found the gameplay engaging enough to maintain their interest, particularly in the escape room segments.
“It is very charming, has a good story told through gameplay and little story pickups.”
“Cool puzzles, interesting story, fun gameplay, sometimes can make you a little fuzzy.”
“Each place you are in is very different and you use different mechanics in each one.”
“Sure it has some cool set pieces, but overall the game is short and mostly focuses on the frustrating gameplay (at one point, it even makes you do first-person platforming!!), completely ruining the experience for everyone.”
“Not big on the story though, quite a generic sad story and the gameplay still could have been more varied.”
“Some mechanics are just annoying, like not being able to carry around objects.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its captivating and surreal qualities, enhanced by effective use of color, lighting, and music. Players appreciate the dreamlike setting and how it complements the overall experience, contributing to an enjoyable and immersive gameplay.
“The game's use of color and lighting is pretty nice, creating a dreamlike atmosphere that is both captivating and unsettling.”
“The music is atmospheric and complements the game's surreal setting really well.”
“Honestly, this game is amazing, great story, great music, great atmosphere.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the chaotic item mechanics and cumbersome safe puzzles. This repetitiveness detracts from the overall experience, leading to a lack of satisfaction by the game's conclusion.
“I found this game to be annoying and tedious.”
“The items spin like crazy and it's difficult to set them straight; also, dealing with the locks of the safe puzzles is tedious.”
“Unfortunately, by the halfway point, it's a tedious trek with too much toilet humor for the ending to feel in any way satisfying.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game is generally perceived as lacking in replayability, with users indicating that it does not offer enough incentive to revisit after the initial playthrough.
“I wouldn't say the game has replay value.”
“Once you complete the game, there's little incentive to play it again.”
“The lack of varied outcomes makes replaying feel tedious.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is generally viewed as lacking, with performance issues noted, although one character's voice acting stands out as exceptional.