Paradox Vector

About

Paradox Vector is a single player shooter game with fantasy and science fiction themes. It was developed by Schmidt Workshops and was released on October 15, 2020. It received positive reviews from players.

"Paradox Vector" is a first-person shooter game inspired by classics like Doom, Quake, and Half-Life, with a nod to H.P. Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness." The game features vector graphics and non-euclidean geometry, taking place in immense cyclopean structures filled with dangers from the Ancient Ones and their Servitors. It explores a unique concept of what retro shooters would look like if vector graphics were still popular in the FPS genre's early days.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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85%

Audience ScoreBased on 54 reviews

graphics8 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

Paradox Vector features a unique and visually striking art style that combines retro vector graphics with a modern twist, creating an immersive atmosphere.
The gameplay offers a mix of exploration and puzzle-solving, with engaging level design that encourages players to discover secrets and revisit areas.
The soundtrack complements the game's ambiance well, enhancing the overall experience and contributing to the game's otherworldly feel.

The game suffers from a lack of polish, with issues such as poor enemy AI, frustrating checkpoint mechanics, and occasional bugs that can disrupt gameplay.
The second half of the game shifts abruptly from a metroidvania style to a more traditional FPS format, which may disappoint players expecting a consistent experience.
Some players have reported visual discomfort due to the game's rendering quirks, including short draw distances and a lack of clarity in the environment.

graphics
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
70%
8%
The graphics of "Paradox Vector" are widely praised for their unique and nostalgic vector-inspired art style, which evokes a retro aesthetic reminiscent of early arcade games. While many players appreciate the colorful and trippy visuals, some feel that the game does not fully exploit its artistic potential, with certain oversights in the reproduction of true vector graphics. Overall, the visuals are considered a highlight, offering a captivating atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience.
- “It's a very unique and beautiful art style.”
- “The vector-inspired art style of the game is undeniably unique, and as I played, I was intrigued to see not only what the game would look like, but what creative workarounds were being used to make it seem like vector graphics.”
- “The visuals of the game are the highlight for me, which are colorful and very trippy.”
- “The enemy designs are fine, but I don't feel they exploit the art style nearly enough.”
- “The focal point is the vector graphics; everything else feels like an afterthought and just has to be serviceable.”
- “Paradox Vector does not accurately reproduce the aesthetic of vector graphics as promised, with many obvious oversights (bloom, vignetting, response time, basic color intensity and contrast, etc.) even on displays that can accurately emulate vector games.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
43%
19%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising the atmospheric and fitting soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, while others find it repetitive or annoying, leading them to mute it. The ambient tracks effectively complement the game's unique visuals and environments, creating an otherworldly atmosphere, though some players feel a more varied soundtrack would improve the experience. Overall, while the music is a highlight for many, it may not resonate with all players.
- “The soundtrack stands out as the best aspect and is practically reason enough to buy the game on its own.”
- “The soundtrack pairs up well with every environment in the game, and ranges from foreboding to somewhat relaxing.”
- “The visuals look great, the atmosphere is out of this world, the soundtrack is honestly really great and fits almost every instance it's in.”
- “The music was really annoying most of the time and I had to turn it off; also, the constant 'ouch ouch!' really gets a bit much.”
- “My only feedback is that the music is a little bit repetitive; I had to turn it off.”
- “There's no real soundtrack to the game from what I've encountered, but the creepy ambience adds to the atmosphere.”
story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
43%
21%
The story in the game is a blend of Lovecraftian and sci-fi elements, presented in a lighthearted manner, though it is primarily conveyed through text and lacks depth. While the atmosphere is engaging and complements the gameplay, some players feel that the narrative could be more cohesive and that clearer objectives would enhance the storytelling experience. Overall, the story is intriguing but may not be the focal point for players seeking a robust narrative.
- “The story is pleasantly unserious but Lovecraftian and sci-fi pulpy too, even if it's only in text and small as the game itself.”
- “The story is quite interesting, the game progresses smoothly and ramps up the difficulty nicely.”
- “I miss just adventure or survival FPS's within its own single-player story and Paradox Vector was a nice fix.”
- “The atmosphere is blended together so well that it draws you in even though there isn't a ton of storyline.”
- “I was hoping that they would do something creative with such a famous (albeit overused) source material, but the story was rarely a strong point among retro FPS, so that's not much of a complaint.”
- “One issue it has is that you don't have any objective except the main goal and no point of knowing where the next part of the story is, so you can easily miss the story aspects of the game or not figure out what to do next.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The gameplay is generally described as basic and lacking innovation, with a standard and bare-bones approach that discourages exploration. While some players appreciate the atmosphere and story, others criticize the mechanics as frustrating and poorly designed, leading to a mixed reception overall. The unique visual style is noted, but it does not compensate for the gameplay issues that detract from the overall experience.
- “I enjoyed the story and the overall gameplay was good enough for the vibe I want.”
- “The ominous music and audio, like terrifying alarms, as well as the gameplay adds to the cool experience of trying to get out of the mazes.”
- “It reminds me of Christopher Brookmyre's Bedlam in the way that it feels as you progress through the game.”
- “The gameplay is garbage; enemies detect you instantly and move far faster than your projectiles, making them impossible to hit.”
- “However, the gameplay seems a bit basic to me, just running around finding keys and unlocking doors.”
- “Unique visual style, quite standard and bare-bones gameplay, quite rough as in that it feels like a tech demo.”
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
28%
27%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique visual style and otherworldly qualities, effectively immersing players in a mysterious environment enhanced by ambient music and sound design. While some reviewers noted a lack of polish and a simplistic enemy design, the overall ambiance successfully evokes feelings of cosmic horror and intrigue, drawing players into its surreal world. However, a few players found the visuals to be visually displeasing, which impacted their enjoyment.
- “Unique visual style, otherworldly atmosphere, mysterious ambient music, secrets everywhere - all that is cool, although it lacks some polish here and there.”
- “The atmosphere is amazing and will really transport you to another world.”
- “The visuals look great, the atmosphere is out of this world, the soundtrack is honestly really great and fits almost every instance it's in.”
- “The atmosphere is blended together so well that it draws you in even though there isn't a ton of storyline.”
- “It does fit the 'otherworldly' theme, like something that must be depicted this abstractly, but it splits the game's atmosphere: you have the visual style, the weapons, the more industrial levels on one side and the cosmic horror story, most enemy designs, the more natural levels on the other side.”
- “There's no real soundtrack to the game from what I've encountered, but the creepy ambience adds to the atmosphere.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players feel that while the later levels of the game are commendable, the overall emotional impact is diminished by a sense of it being an afterthought, particularly due to the absence of achievements that could enhance the experience.
- “The game takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, making you feel deeply connected to the characters and their struggles.”
- “I was genuinely moved by the story; it resonated with my own experiences and left a lasting impact.”
- “The emotional depth of the narrative is incredible, making every decision feel weighty and significant.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is marred by frequent bugs and glitches, including enemies clipping through walls, players getting stuck in ventilation shafts, and issues with loading save slots that can lead to falling through the level. These problems significantly disrupt gameplay and may require reloading to resolve.
- “Enemies regularly clip through walls with their hitboxes.”
- “Ventilation shafts often get you stuck on corners; jumping can lead to going out of bounds, requiring a reload.”
- “Loading a save slot causes the level to unload, resulting in falling down before the screen fades to black.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users note that while the game may lack polish, recent updates have significantly improved its playability and overall enjoyment, enhancing its replayability.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the level design for its intricate dungeons that encourage exploration and revisiting without feeling tedious, making the grinding experience enjoyable and rewarding.