Pion

About

Pion is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Oliver Chime and was released on January 18, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

A fast-paced sci-fi top-down shooter with roguelike elements. Pilot exotic hovercraft and battle your way through ancient drones and defense systems to retake Earth. Collect powerful weapons and technology from the remnants of Earth's techno-cults.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 44 reviews

gameplay10 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

Fast-paced gameplay with a smooth flow and satisfying combat.
Variety of weapons and ships adds depth and replayability to the game.
Challenging difficulty that keeps players engaged and coming back for more.

Controls are sluggish and can feel awkward, making gameplay frustrating at times.
The game lacks clear goals and can feel pointless due to its design.
Difficulty spikes can be harsh, especially transitioning between levels, leading to sudden and overwhelming challenges.

gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
27%
17%
The gameplay is characterized by a blend of smooth, fast-paced mechanics and solid roguelike elements, offering a fun and engaging experience despite some clunky controls and AI issues. While the indie charm is evident in the game's presentation, optimization and intuitive mechanics are areas that require improvement. Overall, players appreciate the enjoyable gameplay, which shines through the minor technical shortcomings.
- “Don't be put off by such nitpicks, the gameplay is superb!”
- “The fluidity of Pion's gameplay is truly what makes the game shine.”
- “Fast-paced gameplay with a super smooth flow, that not only looks great but also provides some seriously butt-clenching moments!”
- “However, it still needs a bunch of work for optimizations, gameplay, and fixes for the AI, as they are seen blowing up their own buddies and running into walls.”
- “However, buried within the mildly clunky controls and somewhat non-intuitive game mechanics, there is a solid rogue-like element.”
- “The hacked together menu, slowly viewable pilot and ship properties, odd pilot pictures, and loading screen freezes let you immerse into the true one-dev gameplay-first indie gem feel.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game offers significant replayability, with players finding it enjoyable and easy to return to, despite criticisms regarding its lack of style and originality. Overall, it is well-crafted for repeated playthroughs.
- “Will definitely keep playing this as the replayability is fun and easy.”
- “It's a one-man project that is really well made; it has a lot of replayability but lacks style and originality.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is described as odd yet surprisingly fitting, with many users finding the soundtrack to be interesting and well-suited to the overall experience.
- “The soundtrack is... interesting.”
- “The soundtrack is... odd, but surprisingly fitting.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics are highly praised for their quality, contributing to an immersive gameplay experience. Players find the visuals impressive, particularly during explosive moments, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “Pair that with the great visuals, the game simply feels amazing to play.”
- “The graphics are stunning and enhance the overall experience.”
- “The vibrant colors and detailed environments make every moment visually captivating.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is characterized by a disjointed menu system, slow loading of pilot and ship properties, and frequent loading screen freezes, which contribute to an overall sense of a rough, indie development experience.
- “The hacked together menu, slowly viewable pilot and ship properties, odd pilot pictures, and loading screen freezes let you immerse into the true one-dev gameplay-first indie gem feel.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game requires significant optimization improvements, particularly in gameplay mechanics and AI behavior, as players have reported issues such as AI characters causing friendly fire and getting stuck on obstacles.
- “However, it still needs a bunch of work for optimizations. Gameplay and fixes for the AI are crucial, as they are seen blowing up their own buddies and running into walls.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story is generally engaging, though some players found it overshadowed by technical issues, such as difficulties in configuring the controller settings. Overall, while the narrative has potential, these gameplay hurdles detracted from the overall experience.