Periphery Synthetic

About

"Periphery Synthetic" is a game where you explore musical playgrounds across a desert planet, ocean world, and icy moon. Gather materials to unlock new abilities and uncover secrets that reveal the true purpose of your expedition. With no combat or risk of death, take your time to fully enjoy the synthesized music and sounds of this immersive experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

100%

Audience ScoreBased on 26 reviews

story3 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game offers a unique and immersive auditory experience, making it accessible for blind players and focusing on exploration without the need for visuals.
It features a relaxing atmosphere with a calming synth-like musical score that enhances the gameplay and encourages players to explore at their own pace.
The game is praised for its simplicity and minimalism, providing a refreshing break from more complex games while still being engaging and enjoyable.

There are performance issues, including audio stuttering and crackling, which can disrupt gameplay and require players to restart the game periodically.
The slow movement speed in the early game may not appeal to everyone, making it feel sluggish compared to more fast-paced titles.
The lack of a traditional HUD or indicators can initially confuse players, requiring a learning curve to fully appreciate the sound-based navigation.

music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The music in the game features a synth-like score that dynamically responds to player actions and the environment, creating a calming yet engaging atmosphere. Reviewers appreciate how the soundtrack enhances the overall artistry and gameplay experience, providing both relaxation and informative cues. Overall, the music is considered a significant and enjoyable aspect of the game, complementing its simple yet satisfying mechanics.
- “The synth-like musical score, influenced by your actions and the environment, creates a calming yet exciting atmosphere.”
- “While crafted with relaxing, simple gameplay, a pleasant soundtrack, and satisfying rumble feedback, this game is definitely worth the humble price tag.”
- “I have tried in past few games incorporating sound, music, and beats into gameplay.”
- “The sounds and music add to the artistry, but also convey quite a lot of information.”
- “And that it is best to mainly just listen and react accordingly to music changes.”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The gameplay is described as incredibly simple, reflecting its low price, yet it stands out for its impressive integration of accessibility features. This seamless blend of sound, music, and gameplay mechanics enhances the overall experience, making it more inclusive for players.
- “In terms of gameplay, it's obviously incredibly simple (as reflected by the price), but wow, what an incredible step forward in terms of accessibility.”
- “What truly sets this game apart is how seamlessly it blends accessibility with gameplay.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
50%
33%
The game currently suffers from significant optimization issues, including stuttering and audio problems that worsen over time, prompting players to frequently restart the game. The developers are aware of these issues and are actively addressing them while maintaining communication with the community.
- “The developer is aware of the performance issues and is actively working on them, maintaining communication with players on the Steam forum and the game's itch page.”
- “There are some performance issues at the time of writing; stuttering and audio pops and crackles will start to happen fairly soon into a session, and get more frequent the longer you play, so most people affected by that issue will likely want to close and reopen the game within half an hour.”
- “The dev knows about the performance issues and is working on them, and is actively communicating with players in the Steam forum and on the game's itch page.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics of "Periphery Synthetic" are described as secondary to its sound design, with a focus on creating a relaxing and accessible metroidvania experience. The visuals are not complicated, allowing players to enjoy exploration without the pressure of combat.
- “Overall, Periphery Synthetic offers a unique first-person and accessible Metroidvania experience that’s perfect for anyone looking to relax and explore without the pressure of combat or complicated visuals.”
- “But then, once I realized it's more about the sound than visuals.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players report that while the main story and upgrades can be completed in about 15 hours, certain achievements require significant grinding, which may detract from the overall experience.
- “I 'finished' the game in around 15 hours, which means I discovered all of the story and got all the upgrades, but I still have two grindy achievements left.”
- “The grinding in this game feels excessive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “After completing the main story, I found myself stuck in a tedious grind just to unlock the remaining achievements.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
100%
Players report that the game's story can be fully explored in approximately 15 hours, during which they can also obtain upgrades and achievements, although some achievements may require additional grinding. Overall, the narrative is engaging enough to encourage players to complete it alongside other gameplay elements.
- “I finished the game in around 15 hours, during which I discovered all of the story, obtained all the upgrades, and completed all but two grindy achievements.”
- “The narrative was captivating and kept me engaged throughout my entire playthrough.”
- “The character development and plot twists made the story truly memorable.”
- “I 'finished' the game in around 15 hours, which means I discovered all of the story as well as obtained all the upgrades and completed all but two grindy achievements.”
- “I 'finished' the game in around 15 hours, which means I discovered all of the story as well as obtained all the upgrades and completed all but two grindy achievements.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere is characterized by a calming yet exciting ambiance, enhanced by a dynamic synth-like musical score that responds to player actions and the surrounding environment.
- “The synth-like musical score, influenced by your actions and the environment, creates a calming yet exciting atmosphere.”