Particula

About

Particula is a single player and multiplayer casual real-time strategy game. It was developed by Microblast Games and was released on February 2, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Particula is a real-time strategy game that can be played solo or with up to two other players in co-op mode. In this tower defense experience, players must work together to destroy negativity and clear their minds, with smooth visuals, sound effects, and a relaxing soundtrack. The game features random enemies, waves, and bosses, providing a unique experience each time.

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61%

Audience ScoreBased on 793 reviews

graphics45 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game features a unique concept of defending against negative emotions, which adds a refreshing twist to the tower defense genre.
The visuals and soundtrack are calming and aesthetically pleasing, creating a relaxing atmosphere for players.
Cooperative multiplayer mode allows for social gameplay, making it more enjoyable when played with friends.

The gameplay is overly simplistic, with only three types of towers and limited strategic depth, leading to repetitive experiences.
There are only three maps available, which can make the game feel short and lacking in variety.
Controls can be unintuitive, and the absence of a pause option or a clear tutorial can frustrate players.

graphics
89 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
45%
4%
The graphics in Particula receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the minimalist and clean aesthetic that enhances the game's relaxing atmosphere. While some describe the visuals as "nice" and "soothing," others find them basic and lacking in complexity, suggesting that they may not stand out in the crowded tower defense genre. Overall, the graphics are generally seen as a positive aspect, contributing to the game's meditative experience despite some criticisms of their simplicity.
- “Particula’s minimalist visual design uses clean lines, soft lighting, and abstract geometry to build an aesthetic that feels modern and otherworldly.”
- “The graphics are somewhat minimalistic yet very nice, especially for a tower defense.”
- “The graphics are well done and the music is lovely.”
- “The graphics are at a low level.”
- “Weak graphics that get boring really fast.”
- “The graphics are pretty basic and the music is very generic; the biggest problem is it does not stand up against any other tower defense at all.”
music
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
62%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and ambient qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere and providing a soothing backdrop to the gameplay. Many players appreciate the chill electronic melodies that create a hypnotic rhythm, although some note that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time. Overall, the music is considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's relaxing experience, despite some technical issues with volume settings.
- “The glowing orbs that represent enemy units, for example, give each wave a hypnotic visual rhythm that pairs naturally with the game’s ambient electronic soundtrack.”
- “The music, a highlight for many players, creates a sense of tranquility even as waves grow in intensity.”
- “The soundtrack leans heavily on chill electronic melodies that flow seamlessly between stages, creating an emotional throughline that softens the mechanical edges of tower defense.”
- “The soundtrack and music track are more of an annoyance in this game than it should be.”
- “The music is boring because it's only one track and loops and loops.”
- “The game went with this kind of ridiculous new-age motif, complete with soothing music and very general, abstract statements that were trying really hard to be deep and meaningful, but fell very short.”
gameplay
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
68%
13%
The gameplay of "Particula" is characterized by its simplicity and a focus on basic tower defense mechanics, which can lead to a repetitive experience due to limited variety in towers and maps. While the game offers a relaxing atmosphere with a chill soundtrack and smooth visuals, many players find the lack of depth and strategic complexity disappointing, resulting in a gameplay experience that feels shallow and unengaging over time. Despite its artistic style and cooperative multiplayer mode, the overall execution leaves much to be desired, with several users noting issues such as clunky controls and minimal progression.
- “The gameplay is engaging; I spent two hours with it. The graphics are average, but that's okay.”
- “Early levels progress gently, giving players ample time to learn mechanics and experiment with tower placement.”
- “The gameplay focuses on puzzle-solving and creative mechanics that require you to manipulate particles to progress through beautifully crafted levels.”
- “The downside to this gentleness is that it can become repetitive; without major shifts in mechanics or level design, each round starts to blur into the next.”
- “There's absolutely no variety in the gameplay, and no knowledge of how each tower works is required to beat the game.”
- “This game is a joke, there is little to no strategy involved, the multiplayer didn't even work for me and I exhausted the gameplay within 10 minutes.”
story
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
47%
24%
The reviews highlight a mixed reception regarding the story aspect of the game. While some players found the narrative compelling and engaging, others criticized it for being generic or lacking depth, with many noting a significant absence of a cohesive story or direction. Overall, the game's storytelling quality appears to vary widely, with some enjoying its character-driven elements and others feeling it detracted from the gameplay experience.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “So as far as 'story' I was intrigued and entertained.”
- “The motion picture background is beautiful in the way that it tells a deep and compelling story about the presumed young boy it's based on.”
- “Particularly generic tower defense with a bunch of sliders and options to choose from but no story or direction of any kind.”
- “It lacked story and drive.”
- “There is no story mode, only different scenarios and in-game achievements, most of them being related to playing the game once in a higher difficulty level.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
Overall, the game's replayability is limited, with players noting that once all maps are completed, there is little incentive to return. While there are some achievements and trading cards that may encourage replay, the lack of meaningful content and variety diminishes long-term engagement. Players generally find it decent for a few hours of play but not compelling enough for extended replay.
- “It comes with trading cards, which is a nice bonus for those interested in them, and does have in-game achievements to encourage some replayability, at least, but these are not mapped to Steam achievements, which reduces interest in them to many potential players.”
- “Might not have a lot of replay value, but generally quite a decent game to sink a few hours into while listening to some nice music.”
- “There is some replay value in trying to achieve better scores or completing levels in different ways, but it may not be enough to keep players engaged for an extended period of time.”
- “Kinda boring and not much replayability.”
- “No replay value after you're done with all maps.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
Particula offers a serene and meditative atmosphere, enhanced by its ambient audio and minimalist design, making it a relaxing take on the tower defense genre. While some may find the atmosphere too simplistic, it effectively prioritizes accessibility and tranquility, appealing to fans of casual strategy games. Overall, the game successfully creates an immersive experience that complements its straightforward gameplay.
- “Particula, developed by Microblast Games and published by SA Industry, is a minimalist cooperative tower defense game that strives to merge the strategic structure of its genre with an unusually serene, almost meditative atmosphere.”
- “The music and ambient audio elevate the otherwise simple gameplay into something more atmospheric and immersive.”
- “The atmosphere is plain.”
- “In the end, Particula is a quiet, unpretentious game that delivers what it promises: a relaxing take on tower defense that prioritizes atmosphere and accessibility over depth and difficulty.”
- “It seems a bit too simplistic, but what's there could be argued (if you're really into casual strategy or the atmosphere) to be worth the asking price of $10.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game effectively evokes emotions through its minimalist design and a chill electronic soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience. Players appreciate its unique approach to tower defense, where defeating metaphorical 'monsters' symbolizes overcoming real-life struggles, fostering a sense of connection and reflection. Overall, the game leaves a lasting emotional impact, encouraging players to view their challenges in a new light.
- “The simplicity of the UI reflects the game’s minimalist philosophy: focus on the essentials, avoid distractions, and let the visuals and music carry the emotional tone.”
- “The soundtrack leans heavily on chill electronic melodies that flow seamlessly between stages, creating an emotional throughline that softens the mechanical edges of tower defense.”
- “It's not like every other tower defense game out there; it has its own unique elements. The 'monster,' for example, represents the negative effects in life that dismay us or cause us emotional harm, allowing players to defeat the struggles we face in our everyday lives. The gameplay itself is quite fun and enjoyable, especially for a tower defense game.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is initially engaging and can lead to amusing moments, especially in co-op mode with friends. However, the slow pacing between waves detracts from the overall comedic experience, making it feel drawn out at times.
- “At first it was funny and the idea was interesting.”
- “I've had some pretty funny moments with my friends in the co-op mode.”
- “It's funny with your friends on Skype.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its smooth performance on lower-end hardware, aided by a minimalistic art style that avoids visual clutter. However, some users report poor optimization in certain titles, indicating inconsistencies in performance across different games. Success in gameplay relies heavily on strategic planning and incremental upgrades.
- “Success depends on careful planning and incremental optimization—deciding which towers to upgrade, where to place them, and when to adapt to new enemy types.”
- “The Unity engine runs smoothly even on lower-end hardware, and the minimalistic art style ensures stable performance without unnecessary visual clutter.”
- “I mean, yeah, I got them for free, but after trying all three of them, neither is any good, and all of them are optimized poorly.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find grinding in the game to be a mixed experience; while it can be enjoyable and stress-free when done with friends, many also describe it as slow, boring, and tedious.
- “Slow, boring, tedious.”
- “The grinding feels endless and lacks any real reward.”
- “It takes too long to level up, making the game feel like a chore.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users feel that the game's monetization strategy could benefit from increased advertising efforts to enhance visibility and attract more players.