Please, Don't Touch Anything is a challenging button-pushing simulation that places you in front of a mysterious panel with a red button. With numerous mind-blowing surprises and riddles to solve, you must scavenge the room for clues, tools, and buttons while avoiding the urge to push the red button. The Oculus version offers 5 new puzzles and overhauled endings for those who have already played the original game. However, touching anything is strongly discouraged.
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many players praising its memorable and immersive quality that enhances the overall atmosphere. The soundtrack features a mix of catchy chiptune and ambient tracks, often described as both nostalgic and fitting for the game's themes, making it a highlight for many reviewers. While some found the music repetitive or annoying at times, the majority agree that it significantly contributes to the game's charm and enjoyment, with several players expressing a desire to purchase the soundtrack separately.
“The soundtrack is really well made; sometimes I find myself listening to it every now and again, and it really spices up the endings.”
“The music is great and contributes to the game's mystic tone.”
“The pixel art is great, and the music is excellent, making you want to keep prodding and poking away.”
“It's just a nice looking game with adequate sound effects and rather forgettable music that's just used to bookend each ending or set a tone.”
“The background music gets pretty grating pretty fast, but I'm sure that's intentional.”
“You just stare at the screen and listen to boring, repetitive music.”
graphics
127 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
52%
2%
The graphics of the game are predominantly characterized by a charming pixel art style that effectively enhances the overall atmosphere and immersion, with many players praising its nostalgic and appealing aesthetic. While some reviews note that the visuals can be simplistic or occasionally bland, the combination of clean animations and a fitting soundtrack contributes to a cohesive and enjoyable experience. Overall, the graphics are well-received, with many considering them a highlight of the game despite some minor criticisms.
“Visually, the game adopts a minimalistic pixel art style that effectively conveys the atmosphere of mystery and intrigue.”
“The gorgeous pixel-art style and soundtrack lend themselves to an atmosphere which is somehow both nostalgic and original.”
“The retro pixel art style is lovely, and there are some top-notch little animations as well—obviously very talented artists working on this game.”
“The visuals are bland with moments of inspiration but generally unremarkable, and even become kind of annoying.”
“There's terrible retro pixel graphics, limited controller and graphics options, and a snide smug artsy pretentious 'this is art so you must give it a 10/10, peon!' attitude.”
“The graphics are very simple, and the layout is very basic (I mean, how hard can it be to not touch anything?) There's more to this than first meets the eye.”
humor
96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The game's humor is a mix of clever references, quirky scenarios, and light-hearted moments, often eliciting laughter through its absurdity and unexpected outcomes. While many players appreciate its comedic elements and the satisfaction of discovering humorous endings, some find the humor to be hit-or-miss, with a few references feeling outdated or repetitive. Overall, it offers a fun and entertaining experience, particularly for those who enjoy puzzle-solving with a comedic twist.
“The game is a blend of humor, tension, and creative puzzle-solving, all set around a bomb that may or may not go off depending on your choices.”
“It's fun, it's funny, it's well written, it's interesting, it's minimalistic and it does more with 'one' button than most AAA games do with 500 hours of content.”
“This game is hilarious to me, the combination of inevitable doom (there is only one button, after all) and searching out the secrets to find all the alternate endings.”
“Not funny.”
gameplay
91 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
66%
5%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its intriguing puzzles and unique mechanics, while others criticize it for being repetitive, lacking responsiveness, and having obscure solutions that can lead to frustration. Many noted that the game is short, with limited replay value, and while it offers moments of fun and challenge, it often requires external guides to progress, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the gameplay is described as simple yet engaging, but it may not satisfy those looking for depth or a longer playtime.
“A solid 'think outside the box' puzzle game that, while it isn't very long with its 25 endings, has high quality art, music, and new mechanics that keeps it fresh for its shorter runtime.”
“The gameplay reminds me of dreams I've had, poking at some strange machine as more buttons and mechanisms appear from seemingly weird places.”
“The amount of charm and heart that has gone into the simple gameplay and graphics, and the amazing soundtrack all wrap it up into a wonderful experience.”
“The game is not as responsive as it could be (there seems to be a slight input delay), which is part of the charm but takes away from the gameplay.”
“The gameplay revolves around a series of constantly escalating puzzles that you must solve to unlock various endings, which are short and generally meaningless as it resets you to stage 1 each time.”
“There's a big disconnect between what the game's mechanics/aesthetics signal you to do, and what the designers actually intend you to do.”
story
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
71%
16%
The game is largely criticized for its lack of a coherent story or narrative depth, with many players expressing disappointment over the absence of a plot or character development. While some enjoy the puzzle mechanics and pop culture references, the overall consensus is that the game fails to provide a meaningful storyline, leaving players wanting more substance and cohesion in their experience.
“The game lacked a grand overarching story or deep lore which could have greatly enhanced the experience; this is replaced with random references to pop culture and some cryptic imagery, which were still enjoyable to discover.”
“Some players may find themselves desiring a more fleshed-out story or clearer explanations for the events that unfold.”
“It's unfortunate that there isn't any kind of grand mystery or story to bring it all together, but maybe the point is that the player controls which way this short story goes.”
“If you're hoping for something with a plot or storyline, this won't be for you.”
“It's all for nothing, as there's no narrative or story whatsoever.”
“There is no story here.”
replayability
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
49%
33%
Overall, the game's replayability is generally considered low, with many players noting that once all endings and secrets are uncovered, there is little incentive to revisit it. While some achievements may encourage a second playthrough, the consensus is that the game becomes stale quickly and lacks depth for repeated enjoyment. Players appreciate the initial experience but often find themselves unlikely to return after completing the game.
“Deceptively simple but with a lot of replayability.”
“I gotta say, for the simplicity of this game, it's got a ton of replayability, and it's super enjoyable seeing what you can do!”
“The achievements offer some level of replayability.”
“The game's replayability is somewhat limited once you have uncovered all the endings and secrets.”
“Unfortunately, the game doesn't really have any replay value once you've gotten all the endings.”
“There's absolutely no replayability at all, unless you like to see the same endings.”
emotional
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game "Please, Don't Touch Anything" elicits a range of feelings, from frustration and confusion to satisfaction and amusement. Players often express a sense of intrigue and addiction as they grapple with the paradox of a game centered on restraint, leading to moments of joy and accomplishment when they finally engage with the controls. The experience is described as both captivating and thought-provoking, with a soundtrack that enhances the emotional journey.
“The premise of 'Please, Don't Touch Anything' is deceptively simple: you sit in front of a mysterious control panel with a single instruction to refrain from touching anything while your colleague is away.”
“The soundtrack is actually very touching, and I would recommend picking it up.”
“Made me think, made me laugh, made me feel my $5.00 was well spent.”
grinding
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
9%
88%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and frustrating, with many players noting that the puzzles often lack logic and require excessive trial and error. While some find enjoyment in the challenge, the repetitive nature of tasks and the need for guides to achieve certain endings detracts from the overall experience, leading to a sense of boredom and low reward for the effort invested. Overall, players suggest that the game may be fun initially, but it quickly becomes a grind that tests patience.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The perfectionist achievement was very tedious and unfun; making me restart after a number of minor and accidental misclicks, as well as a bug that happened on ending 19.”
“A lot of pointless fiddling, some of it tedious, all of it nonsensical, with no payoff.”
“Restarting the game to make another attempt is quick, but actually figuring out how to get a lot of the endings stops being fun and starts being tedious.”
atmosphere
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
45%
11%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its engaging and unique qualities, combining minimalistic pixel art with a captivating soundtrack that evokes feelings of mystery and nostalgia. Players appreciate the blend of spooky elements and clever puzzles, which enhance the overall experience, although some note a lack of depth outside the main gameplay. Overall, the atmosphere is described as both immersive and thought-provoking, making it a standout feature of the game.
“The thrill of following tracks and going on an adventure... the atmosphere created by the music and the theme... I've always loved this game.”
“Visually, the game adopts a minimalistic pixel art style that effectively conveys the atmosphere of mystery and intrigue.”
“Furthermore, the gorgeous pixel-art style and soundtrack lend themselves to an atmosphere which is somehow both nostalgic and original.”
“While there are numerous 'let's play' series and playthroughs posted on various media sites, the simple color scheme and gameplay makes the atmosphere quite creepy.”
“Outside of the actual puzzles, there is little of interest, no interesting atmosphere or minigames like Pony Island, and no philosophy or humor like Stanley Parable.”
“The game's atmosphere made me just want to see the endings and references as soon as possible, and stop figuring anything else out.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players expressing satisfaction with its performance, while others report significant issues, particularly on Windows 10, leading to lag even on lower-end systems. Overall, many users feel that the game is poorly optimized despite its simple graphics.
“Overall pleased with the performance and everything in general.”
“This game isn't optimized for Windows 10, so that's why I refunded the game.”
“On top of that, the game is poorly optimized (yes, this pixel 2D static thing gives me lag).”
“Your computer specifications don't matter due to the game's graphics and optimization.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some users report a lack of glitches and smooth performance, others describe it as buggy. The simple graphics contribute to a generally stable experience, but concerns about bugs remain prevalent.
“Buggy.”
“The game's graphics are simple, and I didn't run into any glitches while I played.”
“(No one likes glitches, okay?) It even had nice music to accompany it.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for resembling a cash grab, with users feeling that it falls short of expectations set by its advertisements. Many perceive it as a low-quality experience akin to a flash game filled with ads, rather than a polished product worthy of its price on Steam.
“You know, the ones that aren't a quick cash grab for the suckers who will play anything and find something positive to say about it to justify their money down the drain?”
“Looked very promising in the advertisement.”
“This is the level of a flash game with ads, not a game on Steam.”