Pneuma: Breath of Life

About

Pneuma: Breath of Life is a single player shooter game with a mystery theme. It was developed by BULKHEAD and was released on February 27, 2015. It received neutral reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

"Pneuma: Breath of Life" is a first-person puzzle game that explores themes of consciousness and existence. You play as a god-like being, Pneuma, who must solve increasingly complex puzzles to uncover the truth about their own creation. The game features stunning visuals and a thought-provoking narrative that challenges players to question their perception of reality.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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72%

Audience ScoreBased on 155 reviews

story17 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Visually stunning environments with beautiful graphics that enhance the gameplay experience.
Clever and innovative puzzle mechanics that challenge players' perception and critical thinking.
Engaging narrative with philosophical themes that provoke thought and introspection.

The game is very short, typically taking only 2-4 hours to complete, which may not justify the price tag.
The narration can be annoying and overly verbose, detracting from the overall experience.
Puzzles can be too easy or poorly communicated, leading to frustration rather than satisfaction.

story
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
58%
11%
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its philosophical themes and character development, while others find it self-indulgent and distracting from the puzzle-solving experience. The narrative is often described as interesting but short, with a charming aesthetic and a satisfying ending, though some critiques highlight its pretentiousness and lack of depth. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay, appealing to those who enjoy exploration and self-discovery, but may not resonate with players focused solely on puzzles.
- “Clever and fun puzzles, interesting story.”
- “Not to mention the very interesting story, and a (metaphorically) explosive ending!”
- “The puzzles are difficult and the narrative/story is excellent; if you figure out the difficult puzzles and make it to the end, the ending is something amazing that I haven't seen in any other game, it's incredibly unique.”
- “The story is told through a narrator who believes he is god, and who spouts all kinds of philosophical nonsense throughout the entire game.”
- “The game's world looks great and the narration is very well done, but the story isn't interesting and sometimes comes across as a bit pretentious with its constant attempts at being philosophical.”
- “Extremely short, simple puzzles, unpolished graphics, and a story that has been told better in other games.”
gameplay
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
72%
6%
The gameplay of "Pneuma: Breath of Life" is characterized by its innovative puzzle mechanics centered around sight manipulation, which can be both engaging and frustrating due to unclear mechanics and occasional repetition. While the game features visually stunning environments and a philosophical narrative, players have noted that the puzzles can range from overly simplistic to confusing, detracting from the overall experience. Despite its unique approach, some reviewers feel the gameplay lacks depth and can feel derivative, recommending it primarily for those interested in its aesthetic and philosophical themes.
- “Pneuma: Breath of Life is an extraordinary puzzle game that stands out with its visually stunning world and deeply immersive gameplay.”
- “What truly sets the game apart, though, is its innovative puzzle mechanics that involve manipulating the very fabric of the world around you.”
- “The combination of clever mechanics, stunning visuals, and a deeply philosophical narrative creates an unforgettable experience that will stay with you long after you’ve finished playing.”
- “If there are any that are difficult, it's because their mechanics are poorly defined or poorly communicated, and that's literally the only source of difficulty.”
- “Unfortunately, though there are some original puzzle mechanics, the game as a whole feels very derivative of other games, most notably of 'The Talos Principle' in its look, feel, and thematic discussion.”
- “The game is very short, and the puzzles are very easy, with the occasional one having such obscure mechanics that it becomes more of an annoyance than a challenge.”
graphics
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
21%
6%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals, detailed art style, and immersive ambiance, making it a highlight of the overall experience. While some users noted occasional graphical glitches and a sterile appearance, the majority praised the beautiful design and realistic lighting. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point, enhancing the gameplay and puzzle-solving elements.
- “First off, the graphics are gorgeous, beautiful, and detailed!”
- “With really beautiful and stunning graphics, an interesting approach to the puzzle genre, Pneuma: Breath of Life is a game that should be experienced.”
- “Great looking graphics, tight controls, and puzzles that are just hard enough to give you a little surge of pride as you make your way through the game.”
- “The graphics look fine for an indie puzzle game, although they do look very sterile at the same time.”
- “There are a lot of graphical glitches, though.”
- “Extremely short, simple puzzles, unpolished graphics and a story that has been told better in other games.”
music
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
46%
23%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful, ambient score that enhances the atmosphere and adapts to the environment, creating an immersive experience. Reviewers appreciate its relaxing nature, varied tracks, and ability to evoke different emotions, from majestic to slightly creepy, without being distracting. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's overall appeal.
- “The soundtrack complements this, with a beautiful, ambient score that changes to match the tone of the environment, pulling you deeper into the world.”
- “I love how relaxing the music is and doesn't keep looping on the same track.”
- “The soundtrack was varied and always set a good tone.”
- “The music is often absent.”
- “At least one of the tunes contains some long, low notes that made my speakers rumble, so I had to turn down the music volume through the game menu.”
- “Same with the soundtrack, the music was sometimes a tad creepy, sometimes really majestic.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is noted for its humor, featuring witty narration and amusing soliloquies that enhance the experience, particularly through the character's existential musings. While the humor is generally well-received, some players found the presentation to be awkward at times, especially at the beginning. Overall, the blend of clever puzzles and playful commentary creates an entertaining atmosphere that resonates with players.
- “The game starts off humorous, with your character thinking he's the center of the universe with an 'oh, I'm amazing, because I made this amazing place!' Later, he starts questioning what's going on, and instead of following the kind of philosophical tone the game is developing, he dives straight into an existential crisis.”
- “Listening to the narrator is hilarious and has humorous remarks about society and us as people.”
- “From clever challenges to sleek visuals, playful humor to a stimulating theme, as long as you can stomach the thought of your hand not being held, it's a pretty entertaining ride from start to finish.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
14%
The game's atmosphere is described as polished and detailed, evoking a holy Roman-era setting complemented by soothing, atmospheric music that enhances the experience. While many find it enjoyable and fitting for a puzzle game, some players feel that excessive dialogue detracts from the intended relaxing ambiance. Overall, it is recommended for fans of atmospheric puzzle games.
- “The atmosphere makes it look like a holy ground in a Roman era... but very polished and detailed!”
- “When there is music playing, it's demure and atmospheric - almost spherical, which fits the game's theme of 'I am (a) god'.”
- “Very soothing, enjoyable, and atmospheric.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Overall, while the game visually impresses and runs smoothly with certain settings adjusted (like turning off anti-aliasing), many users report significant performance issues, particularly low framerates even on the lowest settings. There is a consensus that further optimization is needed to improve fps and reduce judder.
- “For the most part, it runs smoothly (especially if you turn off anti-aliasing) and always looks amazing.”
- “But the performance is very bad; it dropped my framerates even on the lowest settings.”
- “-2 because of performance; the developer needs to do some updates to fix the framerates.”
- “Needs optimization for better FPS so the judder isn't so bad.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight a divide in emotional engagement, with some players feeling disconnected during key moments, leading to a lack of impact, while others found the story and gameplay deeply moving, evoking strong emotional responses.
- “I love everything about this game; the gameplay, the story, and the ending almost made me cry.”
- “Emotional whiplash.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game offers some replayability for achievement hunters and speedrunners, but many players feel its short length and lack of challenge diminish its overall value, making it less appealing to revisit unless specifically aiming for completion.
- “It was also good that there was a significant amount of replayability if you want to go back and get all the achievements.”
- “Its lack of challenge or replayability, as well as its very short length, makes it absolutely not worth its full price.”
- “There is some replay value for speedrunners; apparently, I missed two puzzles and all of the secrets. I'm not sure I'd consider it worth going back if I didn't intend to run it.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The stability of the game is mixed, with some users praising its beautiful graphics and solid puzzles, while others report frequent graphical glitches, including lighting issues and persistent black panels. Overall, the experience may be marred by these inconsistencies.
- “Beautiful graphics, bug-free, solid puzzles.”
- “There are a lot of graphical glitches.”
- “There are lighting glitches and black panels that might go away, or not.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly in the final section, which detracts from the overall experience. Achievements are also noted as requiring excessive effort, contributing to a sense of frustration.
- “It made the last section of the game tedious.”
- “I beat the game in less than 2 hours, and the only reason I'm at 3 hours is because I went back to unlock a few achievements (which are incredibly tedious, by the way) and because I paused for a bit to microwave and eat some chicken nuggets.”

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50%Critics’ scoreBased on 8 critic reviews

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4h Median play time

3h Average play time

3-5h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Pneuma: Breath of Life is a shooter game with mystery theme.

Pneuma: Breath of Life is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and others.

On average players spend around 3 hours playing Pneuma: Breath of Life.

Pneuma: Breath of Life was released on February 27, 2015.

Pneuma: Breath of Life was developed by BULKHEAD.

Pneuma: Breath of Life has received neutral reviews from players and neutral reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its optimization.

Pneuma: Breath of Life is a single player game.

Similar games include The Turing Test, The Talos Principle, Lightmatter, The Room, RiME and others.

Pneuma: Breath of Life

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