Parallax

About

"Parallax" is a single-player puzzle game featuring spectacular mechanics of moving between two overlapping black-and-white worlds. With good graphics and soundtrack, players solve mind-bending levels using switches, boosters, and gravity. Prepare to think outside the box and expect your brain to melt.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 124 reviews

gameplay12 positive mentions

story6 negative mentions

The game features clever puzzle design that challenges players to think critically and spatially, with a satisfying difficulty curve that escalates nicely.
Its minimalist black and white aesthetic is visually striking and enhances the gameplay experience, making it easy to focus on the puzzles.
Parallax offers a unique mechanic of switching between two dimensions, which adds depth and complexity to the puzzles, making for an engaging and mind-bending experience.

Many players found the puzzles to be overly simplistic or linear, lacking the 'aha' moments that make puzzle games truly rewarding.
The game suffers from a lack of narrative or context, which can make the experience feel hollow and less engaging over time.
Some mechanics, such as the player hitbox and certain level designs, can lead to frustrating moments where players fall off platforms or get stuck, detracting from the overall enjoyment.

gameplay
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
55%
9%
The gameplay in this puzzle game is characterized by simple mechanics that gradually evolve into more complex challenges, providing a satisfying difficulty curve. While many players appreciate the elegant design and creative puzzles, some criticize the slow movement and certain player-hostile mechanics that can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a polished and visually appealing experience, though opinions vary on its engagement level and challenge.
- “Very satisfying how complex the puzzles can be with only a few simple mechanics.”
- “Just the right amount of mind-bending -- the mechanics are introduced nicely and the level designs are challenging but not cruel.”
- “The puzzle mechanics are minimalistic but they all blend really nicely.”
- “I hate to say it, it's very polished looking (and I didn't get very far, maybe it switches it up later on) but the gameplay thus far is extremely dull.”
- “The gameplay is your regular first-person puzzle game: puzzles take a long time and the character walks like a turtle with a controller stuck up its arse.”
- “Overall it's another run-of-the-mill first-person puzzle platformer with slow and sticky kinesthetics and core mechanics which are more akin to busywork.”
graphics
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
64%
12%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a strikingly minimalistic aesthetic, primarily utilizing a two-color palette that shifts as players progress through levels. While some players appreciate the clarity and stylish monochrome visuals, others find the graphics to be overly simplistic, lacking in detail beyond the basic black and white scheme. Overall, the visuals are described as sleek and fitting for the puzzle genre, enhancing the gameplay experience without unnecessary distractions.
- “The art style that this game is implementing looks really nice: with two-colored worlds that switch colors if the player passes one of them.”
- “The pure black and white visuals work surprisingly well, along with the musical change between dimensions.”
- “Even if Parallax doesn't break any new ground in the audiovisual department, its simple yet futuristic-looking monochromatic art style along with electronic beats lend themselves well to the game, creating a pleasant overall experience.”
- “The graphics sometimes seem more 'bare' than 'minimalist'.”
- “There's not much to it though, no story, no graphics beyond black and white.”
- “The graphics are simple and you can change the two colors involved, but you are still limited to only two colors.”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
45%
30%
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its absence, with many reviewers noting that it lacks a coherent plot or narrative. While some appreciate the focus on puzzle-solving without the need for a storyline, others express a desire for a more immersive experience akin to games like "Portal" or "Antichamber," which offer richer environments and thematic depth. Overall, the consensus is that while the gameplay is enjoyable, the lack of a story detracts from the overall experience for those seeking a narrative-driven game.
- “TTP is immersed in a story which drives and motivates the player (much like Myst or Portal) with its mystery and philosophical ideas.”
- “Good game overall, but I would have enjoyed it more if it was a bit more like Antichamber with some kind of 'story' or at least some more character involvement. Not that Antichamber had any story, but you get more involved when there is a larger world to explore.”
- “If you want all the puzzle content of 'Portal' without the heavy story of 'The Talos Principle', this is the game for you.”
- “There doesn't appear to be any resemblance of plot or story.”
- “There is no story, no environments or landscapes to explore, nothing -- just level after level of puzzles.”
- “There's no story or enemies in the game, although it does have a weird inter-dimensional atmosphere and some mood music.”
music
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
59%
18%
The music in the game is generally described as calming and atmospheric, enhancing the overall experience with downtempo electronic tunes in the "light" zone and ambient sounds in the "dark" zone. While the soundtrack is praised for its fitting and relaxing qualities, some users noted its repetitiveness and lack of variety, with only a few instrumental tracks. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's aesthetic, though some players wished for more thematic depth and customization options.
- “The music for this game isn't too energetic, which helps you get in a thinking mood.”
- “And the music adds to the atmosphere, playing downtempo electronic music in the 'light' zone and ambient noise in the 'dark' zone.”
- “The soundtrack provides an excellent mood, relaxing, zen.”
- “Music can become a little bit repetitive, because it really is just another one of those simplified instrumental tunes, and features approximately 4 or 5 of them.”
- “Really my only complaints would be that there aren't customizable color schemes and there's no thematic music on the dark side of all the puzzles.”
- “-no real music, just ambience”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
The game offers moderate replayability, primarily through the challenge of achieving perfect runs and faster completion times after mastering the puzzles. While some players feel that replay value diminishes after initial completion, others appreciate the depth added by striving for high scores. Overall, it caters well to fans of first-person puzzle games seeking additional challenges.
- “Overall, it's a very satisfying puzzle game, with just that little bit of replay value for the perfect runs to help you get more out of it.”
- “The first time you play any level is generally a struggle to understand what's going on, but scoring through the number of actions adds another level of depth and some replayability for a perfect score.”
- “The game's price is perfect for its length of 4 chapters with 8 levels each, and it still has a lot of replayability to offer after completion.”
- “Although I must say, after mastering all the puzzles, there isn't much replay value.”
- “The game's price is perfect for its length of 4 chapters with 8 levels each, but it still lacks significant replayability after completion.”
- “The replay value is raised quite a lot by challenging yourself to beat each level as fast as possible.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a calming and monotone ambiance, enhanced by downtempo electronic music in lighter areas and ambient sounds in darker zones. While lacking a narrative or enemies, it creates a unique inter-dimensional feel that contributes to the overall immersive experience.
- “The music adds to the atmosphere, playing downtempo electronic music in the 'light' zone and ambient noise in the 'dark' zone.”
- “There's no story or enemies in the game, although it does have a weird inter-dimensional atmosphere and some mood music.”
- “The music is calming, which contributes to the monotone atmosphere that lessens the frustration of falling off the edge you weren't paying attention to.”
- “The music enhances the atmosphere, featuring downtempo electronic tracks in the 'light' zone and ambient noise in the 'dark' zone.”
- “There's no story or enemies in the game, but it does create a strange inter-dimensional atmosphere accompanied by some mood music.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Parrallax generally offers smooth performance with occasional frame rate drops upon entering new levels. While it lacks a feature to track best level performances, it compensates with a more detailed in-game timer and a dedicated timer for speedrun mode.
- “Parallax runs smoothly with only a few frame rate drops when you enter a new level.”
- “While it still doesn't keep track of best performance, the game now has a much more detailed in-game timer, and in speedrun mode, there's a timer for your full run as well.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's approach to grinding, noting that it avoids excessive length and tedium by implementing original ideas effectively, resulting in a sleek and enjoyable experience.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its stability, featuring a well-executed design free from bugs and glitches, which enhances the overall experience.