Polarity
- July 15, 2016
- Bluebutton Games
- 3h median play time
"Polarity is a clever action game with puzzle-platforming that offers an incredible single-player experience and a full-featured co-op campaign for 2 players, both with compelling gameplay, pretty visuals, and an ingenious soundtrack. The separate coop campaign features 15 levels and a kinetic 2-player versus mode. However, expect lots of grinding, some bugs, and laughter throughout."
Reviews
- gameplay358 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Polarity" is characterized by its unique polarity-switching mechanic, which allows players to interact with colored objects in a puzzle-platformer format reminiscent of "Portal." However, many reviews highlight significant issues, such as a poorly functioning jump mechanic, simplistic puzzles, and a lack of depth in utilizing its core mechanics, leading to a generally short and underwhelming experience. While some players appreciate the fun and engaging aspects of the gameplay, the overall consensus suggests that it falls short of its potential, often feeling like an incomplete or overly simplistic version of more polished titles in the genre.
“The level design is smart; gameplay is very good, the music is fantastic & inspired.”
“Polarity has a cool mechanic and some really good use of the mechanic in their puzzles.”
“The gameplay is solid, the physics are mostly solid (excluding bugs), the graphics are a bit lackluster, but are generally clean and consistent, it has trading cards, it's a good time and the game goes on sale enough to be worth its sale price.”
“The gameplay is rather lackluster.”
“The game is far too short; I beat all the single-player levels in under an hour, including bonus levels, and it doesn't leverage the mechanic that it sells itself on.”
“The main mechanic isn't particularly original and isn't used creatively.”
- story270 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for being minimal to non-existent, with many reviewers noting that it serves merely as a backdrop for the puzzles rather than a compelling narrative. Most players found the plot to be underdeveloped, consisting of only a few sentences at the beginning and end, which fails to engage or provide context for the gameplay. While some appreciated the focus on puzzles over story, the overwhelming consensus is that a more substantial narrative could enhance the overall experience.
“The story is basically a sad attempt to put a goal for the characters.”
“It is not a super in-depth story but it tries to at least give a reason to why we are doing this instead of a game without no reason for doing these puzzles.”
“The game is void of any real plot or humor, but those things aren't needed here.”
“There is no story to speak of, no real twists in the formula, and it's also not much of a challenge.”
“The end of the game has a small dialogue sequence where the mystery man is talking to you but gives nothing to the story described on the home page.”
“The plot is practically non-existent, but that's not really a bad thing.”
- graphics212 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users describing them as simplistic, unpolished, and reminiscent of older titles. While some appreciate the clean and minimalist aesthetic, others criticize the visuals for being bland and lacking variety, often comparing them unfavorably to more polished games like Portal. Overall, the graphics are seen as functional but not impressive, serving their purpose in a casual puzzle game context.
“The graphics are easy on the eyes, simple, clean, and aesthetically appealing.”
“The graphics are nice and the stage puzzles are okay.”
“I really like the art style in the game and it ran smoothly.”
“The graphics are rather unpolished (more so the UI than the world graphics), and the level graphics have no variety.”
“The graphics are bland and mediocre.”
“The graphics look like they are straight out of Halo CE and the puzzles are equally poor.”
- music105 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as ambient and soothing, providing a pleasant background that complements the puzzle-solving experience without being intrusive. While some players find it forgettable or generic, others appreciate its calming qualities and retro electronic vibe, noting that it enhances the overall atmosphere of the game. However, there are mixed opinions on its volume and variety, with some players wishing for more diverse tracks.
“The level design is smart; gameplay is very good, the music is fantastic & inspired.”
“The soundtrack has a nice ambient, soothing quality that I think really suits the gameplay.”
“Great game, a very calming background song while you make your way through varying difficulty puzzles.”
“The soundtrack is incredibly forgettable, but honestly it's nice background noise that doesn't assault your senses when you're figuring out how to solve the puzzles.”
“The music and sound effects are poor.”
“The soundtrack is limited and even though it is in theme with what the game offers, you will eventually grow tired of hearing that same tune all the time.”
- stability58 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
The game is plagued by numerous stability issues, including frequent glitches that affect movement, jumping mechanics, and visual elements, leading to a frustrating experience for players. While some users noted that the game is playable despite these bugs, many described it as an unfinished product with significant technical flaws that detract from its overall enjoyment. Overall, the game's stability is a major concern, with many recommending waiting for updates before playing.
“This does puzzles very well, and it runs great.”
“The game is almost bug free; it handles pretty well.”
“It runs great on low-end computers or high-end.”
“Definitely not made to last either, seemingly the game glitches nowadays and if you're not externally capping your game to 60fps, jumping is borderline impossible as the extra frames seem to affect the physics or game tick timings.”
“That would be bad enough, but the game is also the most buggy, unfinished mess I have ever seen on Steam in nearly a decade of using the platform.”
“The game is laughably made, being easily broken and I found glitches that would've been found in five minutes of actual playtesting, such as getting red batteries through blue gates by simply switching polarity halfway through and grabbing it again, and morphing through horizontal moving blocks by simply sitting in its way.”
- humor29 mentions
- 97 % positive mentions
- -7 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally perceived as lacking, with many reviewers comparing it unfavorably to the comedic elements of "Portal." While some players find enjoyment in local co-op play, leading to humorous moments, the solo experience is often described as dull and unoriginal, lacking the charm and wit that made similar games engaging. Overall, the game is seen as a missed opportunity for humor, with many noting that it feels like "Portal without the humor."
“Soulful, character-rich story with an emphasis on humor.”
“When you start this game, read the 'read me' in-game :D it's funny.”
“And its local co-op campaign is funny to play :)”
“I know it's not funny.”
“The jokes fell flat and felt forced.”
“I expected humor, but it just missed the mark.”
- atmosphere20 mentions
- 70 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its enjoyable and immersive qualities, blending old-school charm with a futuristic aesthetic. While the ambient soundtrack and art style contribute positively to the experience, some reviewers note that it lacks the depth and polish of more established titles like Portal. Overall, it is considered a competent entry in the atmospheric puzzle genre, providing a satisfying backdrop for gameplay despite some repetitive audio elements.
“This and the quiet, ambient soundtrack really create a satisfying atmosphere that sets a good mood for solving the puzzles.”
“The atmosphere is fairly good, even though it really doesn't need to be amazing in a game so gameplay driven.”
“The atmosphere is absolutely the same; however, the game includes no portals at all, more like cubes and laser stuff mixed with some ninja-jump-skill way of playing.”
“One could argue that it gives the game some sort of old-school atmosphere.”
“The futuristic atmosphere, even with its simplicity, is kind of charming.”
- replayability18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is largely criticized, with many players noting a lack of engaging content beyond the initial playthrough. While some mention the potential for co-op play and collectibles to encourage replay, the absence of leaderboards and a compelling single-player experience significantly diminish its long-term appeal. Suggestions for improvements include community-created levels and customization options to enhance replay value.
“+ collectibles and achievements, as well as the co-op campaign, encourage replayability.”
“While this game was short, it was good, but if it was longer and had a different amount of replayability, it would be even better.”
“If players could create their own levels and share them with the community on the Steam Workshop, it would improve the game's replay value.”
“No story or replay value.”
“Finished in about an hour of casual play, but I don't really see it offering much single-player replay value.”
“The main campaign doesn't have any replayability.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is largely viewed as tedious and unengaging, with players finding the collection of items and completion of puzzles repetitive and lacking in interest. Many noted that the movement mechanics and level design contribute to a frustrating experience, making the overall grind feel more like a chore than an enjoyable challenge. Overall, the grinding elements detract significantly from the game's appeal.
“This feels like a tedious requirement as hunting for the cubes is not particularly interesting and they are often hidden behind corners or in alcoves.”
“None of the collectibles were hard to get, so I skipped some that were a long distance away because gathering that is not interesting, only tedious.”
“Polarity mingles in tutorials from start to finish, as if testing my patience for repeating the same handful of puzzle types for hours on end, chuckling to itself at how cleverly it has hidden its simplicity by placing it within tediously large levels that have a habit of breaking halfway through and forcing you to restart.”
- optimization7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is generally criticized, with reports of stuttering and jittery performance even on capable hardware, leading to discomfort for some players. While it maintains a solid 60 FPS for some, the lack of customization options and poor menu quality detracts from the overall experience. Overall, it is deemed not well-optimized, with mixed performance results across different setups.
“The game looks simplistic and the performance remains at a solid 60 FPS.”
“Great performance even on my older PC.”
“Runs smoothly.”
“Barely any option customization, menus are in terrible quality, stuttering which causes frequent headaches, tedious and boring puzzles with no personality or motive to complete them. I do not recommend this game at all, although I feel like it's not completely unplayable at least if you don't mind the headaches.”
“-somewhat jittery, even at 120fps on a 144hz G-Sync monitor, either due to poor optimization or locked V-Sync.”
“-not the best optimized game.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be rewarding, as successfully navigating the mechanics and solving puzzles gives a sense of intelligence and accomplishment, akin to the satisfaction derived from games like Portal.
“Made me feel like a genius.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized as a cash grab, with some puzzles being frustrating enough to detract from the overall experience.
“Some puzzles feel so aggravating that I nearly gave up on this cash grab.”
“The monetization strategy is so aggressive that it overshadows the gameplay experience.”
“It feels like every aspect of the game is designed to push you towards spending more money.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development is minimal, with players noting a lack of focus on story and character progression, as the game primarily revolves around robotic characters engaged in tests without clear motivations.
“The game doesn't really focus on story or character development; it feels like you're just playing as robots without any real purpose.”
“Character development is almost non-existent, leaving players feeling disconnected from the characters.”
“There’s a lack of depth in character arcs, making it hard to care about their journeys.”