Primordialis

About

Primordialis is a single player simulation game. It was developed by kaliuresis and was released on July 2, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

Primordialis is a single-player physics-based roguelike simulation where you design unique fish using over 60 cell types with varied functions. Engage in exceptional gameplay by creatively building creatures equipped with venomous tentacles, electrical shocks, or other abilities to survive and explore the mysterious primordial depths. The game offers about five hours of immersive, imaginative play.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 652 reviews

gameplay22 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

The game offers a unique blend of creativity and complexity, allowing players to build and customize their creatures in endless ways.
The gameplay is engaging and addictive, with a satisfying roguelike experience that encourages experimentation and learning from failures.
The art style and physics are impressive, creating a vibrant ecosystem where players can interact with various lifelike enemies and environments.

The tooltips and descriptions for cell upgrades and mechanics are often vague, leading to confusion and frustration during gameplay.
The game can be punishingly difficult, with sudden deaths from off-screen attacks or unclear mechanics that can deter casual players.
There is currently no save system or checkpoints, making it frustrating to lose progress after long runs, which can discourage players from continuing.

gameplay
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
52%
6%
The gameplay is characterized by its complex mechanics and emergent systems, drawing comparisons to Noita while offering a more accessible entry point. Players appreciate the depth of the creature-building and roguelike elements, though many find the lack of clear explanations for mechanics and the steep learning curve frustrating. Overall, the game is praised for its addictive nature and potential for creativity, despite some concerns about accessibility and clarity in gameplay.
- “If you like emergent gameplay to a concerning extreme, awesome critters, wacky combos between strange mechanics, and genuinely really fun roguelike mechanics, get this game.”
- “The building mechanics are incredibly complex and in-depth, and it's fun to just experiment and see what you can create with limited resources.”
- “Extremely satisfying creature creator, fun and addictive gameplay.”
- “Many cell descriptions are incomplete, and many mechanics are totally unexplained.”
- “The game doesn't explain itself; none of the intentionally convoluted mechanics are really given the light and explained, making it hard to observe and self-learn.”
- “If you are the kind of player who gets discouraged by such mechanics, I would steer clear of this game, because the randomness of cells can get really frustrating.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
43%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many players enjoying the depth, creativity, and engaging rougelike elements that keep the experience fresh. However, some users express concerns about a lack of replayability, suggesting that individual experiences may vary. The diverse mechanics and physics contribute to a significant amount of replay value, making it appealing for those who enjoy experimentation and challenge.
- “Super replayable, super fun, and lets you get super creative.”
- “The physics and various implementations of cells available make for an incredible amount of replayability.”
- “I think that the gameplay itself as a roguelike system keeps the game interesting and very replayable, albeit frustrating when I lose.”
- “There is no replayability.”
- “The game lacks any incentive to play again after finishing it.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's nothing left to draw you back in.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The music in the game is highly praised, with users highlighting its quality, expansive sound design, and perfect fit for the gameplay. Many consider it a standout feature, enhancing the overall experience and contributing to the game's appeal.
- “Lastly, the music is super good.”
- “Not to even mention the music, it's perfect and expansive, just as the game is.”
- “You're missing out on the greatest sporelike gameplay, sound design, and soundtrack Steam has to offer.”
- “Music is fire, by the way.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and unnecessarily prolonged, particularly due to the need to explore every corner of the map for experience points and resources. The repetitive nature of collecting items and the manual save file management further contribute to a frustrating experience, detracting from overall enjoyment.
- “Which would not be a problem for me, I like Noita after all, but after that tedious stage right before, that 'f*ck you' hits really hard and makes the game unnecessarily longer to finish in my opinion.”
- “Also, having to scout literally every corner of the map for XP and nodes feels a bit tedious, though I haven’t yet figured out a better solution for that.”
- “I just find it tedious to place a few weapon cells that are going to immediately change after I get a massive group of cells in like 30 seconds after killing the same first enemy.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of silly deaths and amusing creature designs, often leading to unexpected and funny moments. Players find joy in creating quirky builds, particularly in later stages, although the game's challenging nature can make reaching those points infrequent. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay experience.
- “It's also funny (but also a tad frustrating) to see a stupid or silly death.”
- “Fun game, for some reason my creatures end up having slightly phallic shapes, but it's funny!”
- “Fun starts with interesting builds which are quite possible from the 3rd biome where you can actually find a lot of cells and cook up something very funny to play.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game demonstrates solid stability during gameplay, though some users have reported high CPU temperatures as a concern.
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or major bugs.”
- “I've experienced consistent performance, even during intense gameplay.”
- “The stability of the game allows me to enjoy long sessions without interruptions.”
graphics
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning visual style and creative cell type combinations, with many users considering it one of the prettiest games they've seen in a long time. Despite its simplicity, the visuals effectively complement the engaging game mechanics.
- “I love the graphic style and enjoy all the interesting cell type combinations.”
- “Visuals: the prettiest game I have seen in a long time.”
- “Despite how small it was, its game mechanics annihilate its simple yet still stunning graphics.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is generally well-received, with users expressing satisfaction with the overall experience, though some mention frustration with external advertising, such as Spotify ads, which can detract from gameplay.
- “You'd have no idea by the advertising.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's robust mechanics that enable extensive theorycrafting and build optimization, allowing for deep customization and strategic planning.
- “The game allows for some insane theorycrafting and build optimization.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While Primordialis is praised for its gameplay, some players express a desire for additional features that could enhance emotional engagement, such as the ability to create cells that interact in more dynamic ways, like orbiting around the main body. This suggests that players are looking for deeper emotional connections through gameplay mechanics.
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game's story, highlighting its complexity and difficulty. Many have invested significant time into the game, indicating a strong commitment to its narrative and community. Overall, the story is seen as a challenging yet integral part of the gaming experience.
- “I have personally been here since the very start of the game. I have over 335 hours in it. I've seen the beginning of the community, and I will stay here until it ends or dies off. If it doesn't, I will be here forever. I cannot put into words how much I love this game, but the story is incredibly impactful.”
- “I have personally been here since the very start of the game. I have over 335 hours in it (the game used to just be the demo). I've seen the start of the community, and I will stay here until it ends or dies off. If it doesn't, I will be here forever. I cannot put into words how much I love this game, but damn... the story is hard to follow.”