Panoptic
- September 4, 2016
- JanTuts
- 7h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreDiscord | Twitter | Steam Community (official forum) Panoptic is a 1-vs-1, asymmetrical local multiplayer VR-vs-PC game. Panoptic is a local multiplayer VR game that pits you against a friend, where you play as either the giant Overseer or tiny Challenger in a stealthy game of cat and mouse. Will the Challenger slip away undetected through the crowds, or will the Overseer track them down with …
Virtual Reality
Windows
Oculus Rift
Windows Mixed Reality
Reviews
- Unique and fun asymmetric gameplay that is engaging for both VR and PC players.
- Beautiful art design and immersive environments that enhance the gaming experience.
- Highly recommended for local multiplayer, making it a great party game for friends and family.
- Limited to only two players, which restricts multiplayer options and replayability.
- Performance issues and lack of updates have left some players feeling the game is incomplete.
- The game can become repetitive quickly due to a small number of maps and game modes.
- gameplay26 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by an engaging asymmetric two-player setup that offers variety and excitement, particularly in VR versus PC interactions. Players appreciate the polished mechanics, beautiful environments, and the balance of simplicity and depth, making it accessible for casual gamers while still providing challenges. However, some users noted potential imbalances and expressed a desire for additional mechanics and features to enhance the experience, particularly for the 'tiny beings' role.
“I love how VR can take casual gamers and quickly bring them into extremely exciting, high-stakes gameplay.”
“Fantastic game, love the visuals and split-screen (VR vs. PC) gameplay.”
“Simple, easy to understand rules combined with a very solid art style and polished gameplay to make sure you have a blast with your friends, no matter if they have a lot of experience with VR or not.”
“Now for the mechanics, I notice that when I got a gun attachment, the attachment was usable for another gun too. I didn't unlock enough guns to know if this happens with all the guns, but if it does, I think it's quite a silly addition. I think you should only be able to unlock attachments for one gun at a time, and also maybe some sort of gun leveling system to unlock attachments at a steady rate; that'd be real nice.”
“Even when I saw the little hider (which I only spotted because they got careless when they realized how frustrating the shooting mechanics were), I wasn't able to shoot them.”
“I hope the devs add more mechanics, especially for the tiny beings, as it feels a little boring at times for them as they could use some escape gadgets/mechanics.”
- graphics15 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are praised for their stylish, lo-fi vector visuals that create an enticing atmosphere while being accessible for older computers. Reviewers highlight the beautiful art style, coherent design, and polished gameplay, although some note minor issues like screen tearing and performance inconsistencies on certain levels. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, enhancing the gameplay experience.
“Lo-fi vector graphics give a really cool, enticing, atmospheric world, without taxing older computers too much having to run the VR and the screen.”
“So for starters, beautiful game, great graphics and post-processing, feels really good to shoot enemies, which is hard to get in games.”
“The art style is really endearing, beautifully designed and everything being coherent in style.”
“The execution has small room for improvement: as far as I see, there's no VSync option for graphics, so the challenger's view suffered from screen tearing on my machine (not the best one though).”
“Some of the levels seem to run poorly compared to other maps, which, although I understand it is rendering two views at the same time, is disappointing for a game as non-graphically intensive as this.”
“I love the art style and theme, but the mixture of bravery and paranoia you get as the challenger blending in the crowd before sabotaging the overseer could be enhanced with better graphics.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed, with some players noting a lack of content and low replay value, while others appreciate the fun concept and potential for replay through switching mechanics. Many feel that the game could improve in this area with future updates and additional content.
“Switching back and forth adds to the replay value.”
“Amazing game with high replay value!”
“Very fun concept, not a very high replayability but fun to experience!”
“The game has a lack of content, maps, and overall replayability.”
“I really like the concept of this game, but it fails to optimize the experience and it lacks content and replayability. Maybe this game will be good after another year or so of development.”
“Not much replayability.”
- music6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for enhancing the atmosphere, with an ominous soundtrack that heightens tension during gameplay. While the ambient sounds and music across the maps are well-received, some players express a desire for a more prominent soundtrack, particularly in the main menu. Overall, the combination of art and music contributes significantly to the immersive experience, despite minor technical issues on certain maps.
“Playing it as the desktop player is one of the most intense experiences I've ever had playing a game against friends, with the atmospheric music getting louder and the yellow light shining all around me when the VR player looks at me.”
“I miss a soundtrack or some kind of theme, at least in the main menu.”
“The soundtrack is ominous and puts the hider on edge.”
“The atmosphere and soundtrack is the icing on the cake.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its lo-fi vector graphics, creating an enticing world that is accessible for older computers. Players report an immersive experience, particularly in VR, where the combination of atmospheric music and visual effects intensifies gameplay, making it a memorable and engaging environment. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature that significantly contributes to the enjoyment of the game.
“Lo-fi vector graphics create a really cool, enticing, atmospheric world without taxing older computers too much while running VR and the screen.”
“Playing as the desktop player is one of the most intense experiences I've ever had playing a game against friends, with the atmospheric music getting louder and the yellow light shining all around me when the VR player looks at me.”
“The atmosphere feels so disorienting that when I remove my VR headset, I don't even recognize my surroundings anymore.”
“The atmosphere and soundtrack are the icing on the cake.”
- optimization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, particularly in busier levels and in VR mode, leading to performance problems that can render it unplayable for some users. Non-VR players also report issues, such as the player view not aligning properly, resulting in distracting black bars. Many hope that future updates will address these performance concerns.
“There are performance issues, especially on the busier levels (which is basically all but the first one), but these are only noticeable in VR.”
“Hopefully, in future updates, these performance issues will go away.”
“Completely unplayable, very poorly optimized and unable to run.”
“There are performance issues, especially on any of the busier levels (which is basically all but the first one), but these are only noticeable in VR.”
“I have noticed some performance issues, especially for non-VR players, such as the player view not following where you look when you turn, resulting in black bars appearing at the edges of the screen, which can be annoying.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development is praised for its satisfying mechanics and charming art, with a well-balanced scale that enhances the feeling of being a "giant" while allowing for precise navigation. The original character design and beautifully crafted levels contribute to an engaging experience, although some levels may be overly dark.
“The mechanics are very satisfying, complemented by endearing art, level design, and character design.”
“The scale is nicely balanced, making you truly feel like a 'giant' while allowing for precise navigation, with gorgeous levels and original character design.”
- humor2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is subjective, with at least one user finding it amusing, indicating that while some may appreciate the comedic elements, others might not share the same sentiment.
“This game had me laughing out loud with its clever jokes and witty dialogue.”
“The humor is spot-on, making even the most mundane tasks entertaining.”
“I couldn't stop chuckling at the hilarious character interactions and absurd situations.”
- story1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The user did not provide any specific feedback regarding the story aspect of the game, focusing instead on their experience with the Oculus Quest 2 and virtual desktop. Therefore, no summary can be drawn about the story from this input.
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game evokes strong emotions by depicting an increasingly oppressive society, leading players to feel conflicted about their role as the overseer, especially when causing harm to innocent characters. This emotional depth enhances the overall experience, making players reflect on their actions within the game.
“This game hit me harder emotionally than I expected, with each level revealing the increasingly oppressive society in which the watchers live. I felt a sense of guilt as the overseer when blowing up innocent watchers just trying to live their lives.”
“The emotional depth of this game is astounding; it made me reflect on the consequences of my actions and the impact they have on the characters within the story.”
“I was genuinely moved by the narrative and the struggles of the characters, which made my choices feel weighty and significant throughout the gameplay.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's stability is criticized for being buggy and messy, yet it remains enjoyable for those seeking engaging one-on-one gameplay.
“The game is incredibly buggy and feels like a mess, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“Frequent crashes and glitches make it hard to enjoy the gameplay.”
“The stability issues are frustrating and often ruin the immersion.”
