Pluviophile

About

Pluviophile is a single player action game. It was developed by Tonguç Bodur and was released on June 11, 2020. It received positive reviews from players.

"Pluviophile" is a single-player adventure game with exceptional visuals and an awesome soundtrack, offering a slow-paced, atmospheric journey through a rainy wilderness. Accompanied by a poem from Julius Cawein and an original score by Pınar Karabaş, the game provides a immersive experience of tranquility and introspection. Progress is saved at the start of each chapter, making it easy to take breaks during this short, but impactful journey.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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89%

Audience ScoreBased on 193 reviews

music43 positive mentions

story9 negative mentions

The game features a beautiful atmosphere with stunning graphics and a calming soundtrack, making it a relaxing experience.
It's a short and sweet walking simulator that allows players to enjoy a peaceful stroll through a rainy forest while collecting flowers and reading poetry.
The game is very affordable, providing good value for those looking for a meditative experience without the need for complex gameplay.

The gameplay can feel repetitive and linear, with players often getting stuck on a fixed path and having to backtrack to find glowing flowers to progress.
There are technical issues such as texture pop-ins and a lack of optimization, which can detract from the overall experience.
The poetry and narrative elements may not resonate with everyone, and some players may find the lack of a clear story or deeper gameplay disappointing.

music
92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
49%
4%
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and beautiful qualities, often described as soothing piano compositions that enhance the serene atmosphere of the lush, rainy environments. While some players found certain tracks to be less fitting or too upbeat for the game's melancholic tone, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack significantly contributes to the immersive experience, making it a highlight for many. The combination of relaxing music and stunning visuals creates a tranquil ambiance that resonates well with fans of walking simulators and nature-themed games.
- “Roam through lush forests and beautiful countryside, accompanied by the music of Pınar Karabaş and the sound of lightning and thunder heard in the distance, conveying an underlying sense of mystery just waiting to be explored.”
- “The soundtrack is haunting and mostly soft piano pieces.”
- “Taking a virtual walk on a rainy day in the forest, accompanied by calming music - a relaxing experience that I enjoyed very much!”
- “The music was also a bit too upbeat for me personally; I expected a little more melancholy and not the happy little music number that played most of the time.”
- “I ended up turning off the music as I felt it was intrusive.”
- “The music is minimalist, repetitive, with a mood to be walking in the forest.”
graphics
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
26%
7%
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their beauty and detail, creating a relaxing and immersive atmosphere, with many players noting the stunning visuals and vibrant environments. However, some users reported graphical issues such as texture pop-in and blurriness due to post-processing effects, indicating that while the graphics are impressive, there is still room for improvement. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a treat for players who enjoy scenic experiences.
- “Beautiful graphics, soothing rain, and calming music.”
- “First the good: amazing graphics, really detailed, great colors, just amazing.”
- “Each world built by Tonguç Bodur is unique in its beauty, but in Pluviophile, the author outdid himself and created a truly stunning environment, in which the lush and vibrant visuals blend perfectly with poetry snippets by Madison Julius Cawein.”
- “I did notice that sometimes there were some graphical issues when going too far away from objects (mainly leaves) which left textures rendering poorly.”
- “As for the most part, the visuals in Pluviophile are quite mundane and plain.”
- “The visuals feel so cheap, I don't even know if there was any effort put into this.”
atmosphere
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
23%
8%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beauty and immersive qualities, particularly in its depiction of a rainy forest setting that evokes feelings of calm and nostalgia. Players appreciate the combination of ambient sounds, graphics, and music that create a unique and relaxing experience, although some note that certain sound effects can feel repetitive or artificial. Overall, the game is celebrated as a serene walking simulator that effectively captures the essence of nature and tranquility.
- “Such a good and beautiful game, the atmosphere was outstanding for such a cheap game.”
- “The rain, thunder, and fog create a great atmosphere based in the woods; it almost feels comforting and relaxing playing this game because of the brilliant atmosphere created.”
- “Simply a beautiful game, it has a peaceful, unique atmosphere.”
- “The thunder in the background is another example; it often sounds too similar, and the time intervals are also too similar. There is not much atmosphere; you just hear far too few bird noises, and the wind is not really there either.”
- “The fact that you need to use a flower on certain spots to progress takes you out of the ambience of the game, and your first instinct is to look for said flower rather than taking in the atmosphere.”
- “It is almost constantly raining, and there are even rumbles of thunder and flashes of lightning in the distance, adding to the atmosphere.”
gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
76%
12%
The gameplay is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, primarily revolving around simple mechanics of walking and collecting glowing flowers with minimal interaction. Many reviewers describe it as a walking simulator with linear paths and little narrative or puzzle complexity, making it feel more like a scenic experience than a traditional game. While some appreciate the visuals and relaxing atmosphere, the overall consensus is that the gameplay is shallow and repetitive, offering little beyond a brief, aesthetically pleasing stroll.
- “The mechanics of the game are remarkable: the player remains in the same place and is faced with an obstacle.”
- “Not a lot of narrative depth, let alone mechanical depth, but if you want to spend 45 minutes or so walking through some pretty, relaxing UE4 environments, you could do a whole lot worse.”
- “But it also has a light puzzle-solving mechanic where you must find flowers to advance.”
- “The gameplay, if you can call it that, is walking through the forest and finding flowers, which glow and are distinct from other plants in the game, so are difficult to miss.”
- “There's no gameplay, no story, no exploration, no characters, no general purpose... well, honestly, there's just nothing except a short scenic route to walk.”
- “I have nothing against the 'collect thing and bring here' game mechanic, but there really isn't anything to see on your way to get the same flower over and over and bring it to the orange glowing circle to open a path to continue seeing... well, not much.”
story
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
52%
36%
The game's story is widely criticized for being virtually nonexistent, with many players describing it as a repetitive walking simulator that lacks depth and engagement. While some appreciate the atmospheric and poetic elements, the overall consensus is that the narrative is vague, poorly executed, and fails to provide a compelling experience. Players seeking a strong storyline or interactive fiction will likely be disappointed, as the game primarily focuses on exploration with minimal narrative structure.
- “If this was an adventure game, with a dark and mysterious story, set in the middle ages ... well that would be something!”
- “ one of the best stories”
- “It is more poetic, atmospheric, and spiritual than story-driven.”
- “It's too repetitive and closed in to work as a walking sim, the plot is too boring and vague to work as interactive fiction, the text is too bland to have any profundity and as a result it all gets dull very quickly.”
- “No main story, just a boring walking simulator where you collect flowers to unlock some poorly written text poetry. The game could have been more fleshed out and unfortunately this just felt lazy.”
- “There's no gameplay, no story, no exploration, no characters, no general purpose... well, honestly, there's just nothing except a short scenic route to walk.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke strong feelings, ranging from beauty and nostalgia to fear and discomfort. Players report experiencing deep emotional responses, including tears and a sense of being alive, though some find that certain elements, like creepy voices, detract from the overall experience. Overall, it is recommended for those seeking a poignant and immersive emotional journey.
- “The game has a poetic beauty, which, if you are not very well emotionally, can bring you to tears.”
- “It made me cry.”
- “This game made me feel alive, while scaring the shit out of me.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with users noting that while it showcases good graphics, it still has significant room for improvement. Many players report high resource usage, likening it to excessive energy consumption, and criticize the lack of detail in environments like forests, which detracts from overall performance.
- “A lot of work has been put into the optimization, and I respect that. It looks quite good graphically, but there is still a lot of room for improvement, especially regarding visuals and performance.”
- “The game uses Unreal Engine, but my PC consumes a lot of resources, almost like it's mining bitcoins in the background. It's not 100% optimized, especially considering the high energy prices.”
- “The forests are not too detailed, which indicates that the game requires high graphics performance just to render simple environments that could be visually improved.”
- “The forests are not too detailed, as the game requires high performance to appreciate even simple forests, which appear vaguely cared for visually.”
- “While a lot of work has been put into it and I respect that, it looks quite good graphically, but there is still a lot of room for improvement in terms of visuals and performance.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and time-consuming, with some suggesting it requires an excessive investment of 30-50 hours for minimal rewards. While some appreciate the scenery, the overall sentiment leans towards frustration with the repetitive nature of the grind.
- “I like observing the landscapes, but the game is incredibly tedious and wasn't for me.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “No 30-50 hours of grinding useless stuff.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The humor in the game is subtle and situational, with players finding amusement in the contrast between the serene forest setting and the tension of feeling lost. The notes scattered throughout the game add a layer of wit, enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate the lighthearted moments that emerge even in potentially stressful situations.
- “Funny, I didn't notice it was a game by Tonguç Bodur, then realized it has to be while playing, based on having played some Drizzle Path games.”
- “The notes are funny.”
- “It was a pleasant experience to have a walk through the forest on a rainy day and stay dry, though in a couple of moments I thought: 'C'mon, it's not funny anymore, I'm lost in the woods!'”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game offers some replayability, primarily due to its appealing visuals and sound design, which encourage players to revisit the experience rather than for varied gameplay.
- “The game offers a lot of replayability with its diverse choices and multiple endings, making each playthrough feel unique.”
- “I love how every run can be different due to the random events and character builds, keeping the experience fresh.”
- “The variety of gameplay modes and challenges encourages me to come back and try new strategies every time.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Overall, the game's stability is generally positive, with only minor glitches and bugs reported that do not significantly detract from the experience. Players find these issues to be infrequent and not overly noticeable.
- “This game has a lot of stability issues that really detract from the overall experience.”
- “I encountered frequent crashes that made it difficult to enjoy the game.”
- “The game is plagued by bugs that disrupt gameplay and make it frustrating to play.”