Photonic Distress
- August 3, 2018
- GRIP420
Get on Steam"Photonic Distress" is a first/third-person puzzler/platformer where you explore and collect memory fragments in procedurally generated levels within your conscience. Your Photon gun illuminates dark levels and fights enemies, with upgrades like a flashlight and scan grenade becoming available as you collect fragments. The goal is to collect 100 fragments to unlock the final room.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and impressive lighting effects, creating an engaging atmosphere.
- The music is catchy and complements the gameplay well, enhancing the overall experience.
- It offers a unique and original concept with good replayability, making it enjoyable for both casual and hardcore players.
- There are several programming issues, including unresponsive controls and stuttering, which detract from the gameplay experience.
- The darkness can be overwhelming, leading to a frustrating tunnel vision effect that makes navigation difficult.
- Some players may find the game short and the puzzles overly reliant on trial and error, which can be annoying.
- music9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for being catchy and smooth, enhancing the overall experience and helping players get into a flow while playing. Its upbeat tunes and angelic choruses complement the game's visuals, creating a relaxing atmosphere that makes it a great choice for players looking for a break from more intense games. Many recommend playing in a dark environment to fully appreciate the music and its synergy with the game's ambiance.
“The music is catchy and smooth; it won't take long for you to get in a flow with the music and your photon gun! I recommend playing it without any light in your room to enhance the feeling of the game.”
“A big plus while failing and retrying is the in-game music.”
“The lighting, the colors, that slight foggy ambiance, and the little fireflies that spawn around you when you stand still in perfect darkness... the music varies from an upbeat tune to an angelic chorus.”
“What about music?”
- story4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players finding it confusing and desiring more background information. However, others appreciate the unique blend of shooter mechanics with puzzle elements, indicating that the overall gameplay and plot are enjoyable.
“Result: fun game - love gameplay and plot and...finally really like the idea of playing a shooter for puzzling!”
“Man, I don't usually do reviews but hell, I gotta story to tell.”
“The story confuses me a bit.”
“Some more background story would be nice.”
“I don't usually do reviews, but I have a story to tell.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is highly praised for its unique blend of shooter mechanics and puzzle elements, offering a fun and engaging experience. Players appreciate the novel gameplay, strong replayability, and attention to detail in both graphics and sound, contributing to an overall extraordinary gaming experience.
“Plot and gameplay are extraordinary.”
“Novel gameplay, good replayability, and a good eye for details and graphics.”
“Very well made and detailed graphics with fun gameplay and amazing sound.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are well-crafted and detailed, enhancing the overall experience despite not being the primary focus. Players report smooth performance even on lower-end hardware, and the visuals complement the novel gameplay and strong sound design.
“Even though I lack a little in graphics card power, it runs great; I haven't run into any problems.”
“Novel gameplay, good replayability, and a good eye for details and graphics.”
“Very well-made and detailed graphics with fun gameplay and amazing sound.”
“The graphics are not necessarily the main focus of the game, but they aren't that impressive either, as most of the pathways in your subconscious mind are dominated by the black abysses beside it.”
“The visuals feel outdated and lack the detail that modern games offer, making the overall experience less immersive.”
“Character models are poorly designed, and the environments lack texture, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Reviewers note that the game offers solid replayability through its novel gameplay mechanics and attention to detail, appealing to players who appreciate its darker aesthetic.
“For those who don't mind the dark vision, there is replayability at different levels.”
“Novel gameplay, good replayability, and a good eye for details and graphics.”
“For those who don't mind the dark vision, there is some replayability at different levels.”
“The game lacks significant changes in gameplay, making it feel repetitive after the first playthrough.”
“Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to dive back in.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report significant optimization issues, including stuttering during gameplay, failure to switch to native resolution, and problems with keyboard language settings persisting after closing the game.
“Stuttering while almost clipping, resolution failing to change to native, and my keyboard changing to another language even after closing the game.”
“The game frequently lags and has severe frame drops, making it nearly unplayable during intense moments.”
“Despite adjusting the settings, I still experience constant performance issues and long loading times.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized by an oppressive mood and a dense, immersive quality that enhances the overall experience.
“I really like the oppressive mood and dense atmosphere.”
“The game immerses you in a hauntingly beautiful world that feels alive.”
“Every sound and visual detail contributes to an incredibly immersive atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere feels lifeless and uninspired, lacking any real depth.”
“Despite the game's setting, the atmosphere fails to immerse me; it feels flat and unengaging.”
“The oppressive mood is overwhelming, but it often feels more suffocating than atmospheric.”
- stability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, users report strong stability, with many experiencing smooth performance even on lower-end hardware, indicating that the game runs reliably without significant issues.
“Even though I lack a little in graphics card power, it runs great; I haven't run into any problems.”
