Plunge
- September 27, 2019
- SpookyBunsGames
"Plunge is a single-player, tactical dungeon-plunging game with ingenious mechanics and impressive graphics. As Billie or other quirky characters, players must battle and outsmart various obstacles to escape a wacky medieval mega-prison and reach freedom in the depths below. Nominated for several awards, Plunge offers a fresh and exciting experience for puzzle and roguelike fans."
Reviews
- The game features a fantastic art style and engaging visuals that enhance the overall experience.
- The gameplay is a unique blend of puzzle and roguelike elements, providing a satisfying challenge that encourages strategic thinking.
- Boss fights are well-designed and add a thrilling element to the game, making each run feel rewarding.
- The last unlockable character has significant balance issues, making it frustrating to play due to its mechanics and damage output.
- Some players have reported bugs that can disrupt gameplay, such as enemies skipping turns or attacks occurring unexpectedly.
- The game lacks a save feature after completing sets of levels, which can lead to frustration if players lose progress after long runs.
- gameplay34 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Plunge is characterized by its simple yet engaging mechanics, blending puzzle and turn-based elements that encourage strategic thinking and quick reflexes. While some players find the repetitive gameplay loop limiting, others appreciate the elegant design and variety introduced through new mechanics and characters. The unique art style and charming aesthetics enhance the overall experience, making it a compelling choice for fans of indie games.
“What makes Plunge unique is how it uses familiar gameplay in an unfamiliar way.”
“Plunge is an absolutely lovely game - the visual aesthetic and the music are instantly charming, and the mechanics are simultaneously elegant and so, *so* fun to play with.”
“The game combines puzzle games and turn-based RPG gameplay pretty well as you try and figure out the optimum direction to slide and stay three steps ahead so you're not cornered or sliding into danger.”
“I don't get how people can play this for hours when it's the same simplistic gameplay loop over and over.”
“This makes the gameplay become relatively stagnant as you attempt to beat the game with more characters.”
“Only complaint I have is that the mechanics are a little bit too basic.”
- graphics23 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and captivating art style, featuring a predominantly black-and-white aesthetic with vibrant splashes of color that enhance the puzzle-like gameplay. Reviewers highlight the cartoonish designs and creative character visuals, often comparing the style to a blend of Dr. Seuss and cyberpunk influences. Overall, the visuals are described as charming and original, contributing significantly to the game's engaging experience.
“However, it’s the predominantly black-and-white aesthetic featuring cartoon graphics and splashes of bright color that really draws you in and complements the puzzle-like feel.”
“Plunge is an absolutely lovely game - the visual aesthetic and the music are instantly charming, and the mechanics are simultaneously elegant and so, so fun to play with.”
“The gameplay is simple but satisfying, yet the game shines most with its art style and character designs: colorful, cartoonish, and highly creative - the descriptor that I would use is 'Dr. Seuss meets cyberpunk.'”
“Obviously, this was a guaranteed loss for me since the fight carried on despite the lack of visuals.”
“I'd say the one thing you'll love or hate is the aesthetic; it's very 'zine' feeling, reminiscent of the r.”
“It either works for you or doesn't and as someone with a gajillion hours of Isaac, I've dealt with worse aesthetics.”
- music10 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as pleasant and fitting, enhancing the overall aesthetic without being particularly memorable or standout. While some players appreciate the soundtrack and its contribution to the game's charm, others feel it lacks the appeal to listen to outside of gameplay. Overall, the music complements the unique art style and engaging mechanics, creating a cohesive experience.
“Plunge is an absolutely lovely game - the visual aesthetic and the music are instantly charming, and the mechanics are simultaneously elegant and so, *so* fun to play with.”
“A very fun puzzle adventure game with a fantastic and punky art style, some chill background music, and an overall wonderful aesthetic.”
“While the music doesn’t stand out too much, the sound effects are pronounced and contribute to Plunge’s simplicity and brutality.”
“The music fits but you'll eventually want to swap in something of your own while the art is spunky and the animation lean without feeling skint.”
“Music is fitting and the art style is extremely original.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
While the game features vibrant and imaginative character designs reminiscent of a "Dr. Seuss meets cyberpunk" aesthetic, players feel that the character development could be enhanced with more backstory and context for both the characters and their world. Overall, the gameplay is enjoyable, but the lack of depth in character narratives leaves some players wanting more.
“The gameplay is simple but satisfying, yet the game shines most with its art style and character designs: colorful, cartoonish, and highly creative - the descriptor that I would use is 'Dr. Seuss meets cyberpunk.'”
“Given how unique the character designs are, a little more backstory for them and the world they inhabit would have been welcome.”
“This didn't bother me much, but given how unique the character designs are, a little more backstory for them and the world they inhabit would have been welcome.”
- story2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story is largely considered minimal, with some players feeling that while it doesn't detract from the experience, additional backstory for the unique character designs and the world would have enhanced the overall narrative.
“This didn't bother me much, but given how unique the character designs are, a little more backstory for them and the world they inhabit would have been welcome.”
“The story is almost nonexistent.”
“Given how unique the character designs are, a little more backstory for them and the world they inhabit would have been welcome.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game offers good replay value primarily through achievements, encouraging players to complete it with different characters for a varied experience.
“The game offers great replay value.”
“To experience the replay value, you'll need to focus on achievements by completing the game with different characters.”
“If you want some replay value, you would have to rely on achievements for completing the game with different characters.”
“The game lacks meaningful choices, making multiple playthroughs feel repetitive and uninteresting.”
“Once you've seen the story, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is described as toxic and suffocating, creating a pervasive sense of danger and unease throughout the world.
“The world oozes its poisonous atmosphere.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players have reported that the game experiences freezing issues when using a teleporter while the ghost potion is active, with this problem confirmed across multiple playthroughs.
“The game freezes when you use a teleporter while the ghost potion is active (confirmed in three separate runs).”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a blend of good humor and artistic elements, contributing to an enjoyable and engaging experience for players.
“The humor in this game is absolutely delightful and perfectly complements the art style!”
“I love how the witty dialogue keeps me laughing throughout the gameplay!”
“The comedic timing in the cutscenes is spot on, making every moment enjoyable!”