Over The Void
- November 11, 2014
- Exquisite Games
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Over The Void" is a relaxing 3D platformer that offers exploration of unique universes, each with a common theme of gravity-defying doors leading to the void. The game encourages players to move with dexterity, using tools to navigate in a 3-dimensional environment, while enjoying the abstract art style, soothing music, and psychedelic elements. The main objective is to clear your mind and wander through the beautiful environments at your own pace.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Visually stunning with a beautiful soundtrack that enhances the experience.
- Offers a unique and relaxing exploration of abstract environments, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate artistic games.
- Simple controls and mechanics allow for easy navigation, making it accessible for casual players.
- The game is extremely short, often completed in under an hour, leaving players wanting more.
- Gameplay mechanics can be frustrating, with issues like awkward platform placement and bugs that hinder the experience.
- Lack of engaging content and depth, making it feel more like an art piece than a fully developed game.
- music39 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its relaxing and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the dreamlike visuals and providing a soothing backdrop to the gameplay. However, some players find certain tracks repetitive or annoying, particularly in specific levels, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, many agree that the soundtrack significantly contributes to the game's aesthetic and immersive qualities, making it a highlight for those who appreciate electronic and psychedelic music.
“Dreamlike visuals with mellow, lovely music in the background.”
“The music is amazing, environments stunning, spending a few minutes/hours in the game is the best way to relax and empty your head.”
“A neat little game about hopping around a void filled with abstract geometry, listening to some trippy music, otherwise known as 'Saturday night in the 80s'.”
“Oh and the first level music is annoying.”
“Instead of meditative, the music is annoying and repetitive, and all you do is fight the game's horrible mechanics and scenario, so you don't fall in the abyss and have to look for the buttons that open the door to the next level all over again.”
“Some of the music is okay, some is barely tolerable (looping often).”
- gameplay22 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it janky and unengaging due to poorly executed mechanics and counter-intuitive controls that hinder exploration. While some appreciate the simple mechanics and stunning visuals, others feel that the gameplay lacks depth and fails to complement the game's aesthetic, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. Overall, the experience is described as a blend of potential beauty marred by execution issues, with a need for more engaging mechanics to enhance the exploration of its psychedelic world.
“That way you could move without having to target the camera at a good place for a platform, allowing you to explore, enjoy the gameplay and, most importantly, the psychedelic world.”
“I wanted to love this game so bad because the overall vibe is beautiful and the exploration mechanic feels really nice... when it's working properly.”
“A majestic game, where simple gameplay allows you to challenge gravity while wandering in a cosmic universe.”
“I wanted to enjoy this game but I couldn't get past the gameplay.”
“Instead of meditative, the music is annoying and repetitive, and all you do is fight the game's horrible mechanics and scenario, so you don't fall into the abyss and have to look for the buttons that open the door to the next level all over again.”
“The platform spawning mechanic really doesn't seem to offer anything engaging in terms of gameplay; it seems to only exist to provide some kind of challenge to the audience to meet the minimal definition of a game.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the artistic and dreamlike visuals that complement the soundtrack beautifully. However, some players find the visuals bland for a surreal game and note technical issues like untextured polygons and quirky controls that detract from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the aesthetic appeal remains a highlight, with players often feeling captivated by the graphical presentation, even if the gameplay itself is lacking.
“I enjoyed the visuals and soundtrack a lot!”
“Dreamlike visuals with mellow, lovely music in the background.”
“I adored the aesthetic and the music, despite the platforming mechanics affording you little time and space to appreciate your surroundings.”
“Visuals are bland (for a surreal game), and the gameplay is jank and unengaging.”
“That'd be acceptable, but even the pretty graphics are limited to strict untextured polygons and particle effects.”
“The graphics are very artistic but as a game, it's not much to 'play'.”
- story8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely perceived as minimal or non-existent, with players noting a lack of coherent plot and objectives, focusing instead on the audio-visual experience. While some elements, like architecture, hint at a narrative, many reviewers feel that any attempt at a complex story would detract from the overall experience, which is more about exploring surreal environments than following a traditional storyline.
“Each level has that bit of floating text (the name of the level) - I might just be too enthralled with it, but at times, with that music, the visuals seem to convey not so much a story but just a projection of sentiments (the rainy level and 'get high,' especially).”
“There are messages in the architecture, and the architecture itself 'tells a story' (again, like Kairo); what sort of complex storytelling needs to accompany you while you're hopping about these impossible places?”
“The supposedly trippy atmosphere just felt like a lack of plot and random assets.”
“There's no story or objectives for you to complete, necessarily, and each level is self-contained.”
“This is something you play for the audio-visual experience, and not for the challenge or the story.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate its psychedelic elements and artistic style, others find it lacking in coherence and plot, leading to a disjointed experience. The soundtrack is noted as a positive aspect, but navigation challenges can detract from fully immersing in the intended ambiance. Overall, the game's atmospheric qualities show potential but may not resonate with all players.
“Good little psychedelic platformer, excels in atmosphere, nice soundtrack.”
“Over the Void is more of an atmospheric art piece than a game.”
“The surreal and formless levels create a unique atmosphere that invites players to immerse themselves in the artistic style of the game.”
“The supposedly trippy atmosphere just felt like a lack of plot and random assets.”
“A lot of potential, but the techniques required to awkwardly navigate the surreal and formless levels hinder the player's ability to absorb the atmosphere and appreciate the artistic style of the game.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game exhibits notable stability issues, with frequent bugs causing players to fall through platforms and requiring them to restart levels. While the overall experience is enjoyable, the glitches detract from gameplay, which is not uncommon for Unity-developed titles.
“It's certainly weird - it's actually not too bad - kind of like puzzles and portal, but if you fall, you have to start over - which would be fine, but it's buggy - it's super easy for the game to bug out - and you fall through your pads and fall through.”
“Given that it's developed in Unity, it does have some glitches and problems, but that is to be expected. Other than that, it's great, so check this game out if you get the chance!”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game is criticized for its poor optimization, making it unsuitable for players concerned about their hardware's performance capabilities.
“Do not buy this unoptimized game if you are concerned about your hardware's capabilities.”
“The game runs poorly on most systems, making it frustrating to play.”
“I experienced constant frame drops and long loading times, which ruined the overall experience.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
While the game offers replayability, some users find it can become monotonous over time, and they suggest that a more user-friendly tutorial would enhance the experience.
“It's replayable, but it gets kind of boring after a while, and the tutorial could be a bit more user-friendly.”
“The game has some replay value, but the lack of variety in missions makes it feel repetitive quickly.”
“While there are multiple endings, the journey to get there feels tedious and doesn't encourage multiple playthroughs.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted for being more subtle and organic, avoiding forced jokes and gimmicks often found in similar titles. Players appreciate the absence of over-the-top humor, allowing for a more immersive experience.
“The humor in this game is clever and perfectly timed, making every moment enjoyable.”
“I love how the game uses witty dialogue and absurd situations to keep me laughing.”
“The comedic elements are seamlessly integrated into the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be boring and monotonous, often describing it as tedious and occasionally aggravating.
“The objectives are boring, monotonous, tedious, and even aggravating at times.”
“Grinding feels like a never-ending chore rather than an engaging part of the game.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay motivated or excited about progress.”
