PsiloSybil

90%
Game Brain Score Based on 131 reviews
  • graphics
  • music
  • gameplay
PsiloSybil Game Cover
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"PsiloSybil is a single-player 3D platformer game, currently in Early Access on Steam, with a planned full release in December 2022. The game, reminiscent of Crash Bandicoot and early 32-bit games, features beautiful graphics and challenging gameplay as you play as Sybil, a plucky mushroom, on a psychedelic journey to defeat the lord of the hogs. The game currently includes 22 out of 24 planned levels, with features such as NPC mushrooms to save, time trials, and an experimental arcade mode."

  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

90%
Audience ScoreBased on 131 reviews
graphics16 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • PsiloSybil is a challenging platformer that captures the essence of early Crash Bandicoot games, offering tight controls and unique level designs that keep players engaged.
  • The game features a charming aesthetic reminiscent of PS1 graphics, with creative level themes and memorable boss fights that provide a satisfying challenge.
  • Players appreciate the unlimited lives system and generous checkpoints, which help mitigate frustration while still delivering a tough gameplay experience.
  • The game's difficulty can feel excessively punishing, with some players finding the hitboxes and depth perception issues to be frustrating and unfair.
  • Certain levels and mechanics, such as the time trials and specific boss fights, are criticized for being overly difficult and potentially discouraging for casual players.
  • Some players feel that the level design lacks clarity, leading to moments of trial and error that can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
  • graphics36 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their faithful emulation of the PlayStation 1 aesthetic, featuring charming low-poly designs, vibrant colors, and nostalgic textures that evoke classic titles like Crash Bandicoot. While some users noted minor graphical quirks and a few underwhelming object designs, the overall visual presentation is considered polished and engaging, enhancing the gameplay experience. The ability to toggle settings for a sharper look further allows players to appreciate the game's artistic style, which combines retro elements with modern polish.

    • “The aesthetics are so ridiculously polished and on point I cannot praise them enough.”
    • “Charming, nostalgic visuals, complete with the classic PlayStation 1 texture warping.”
    • “Its great fun and really a great test of skills, the visuals are very faithful to the PS1 era and I love the attention to detail the dev has put into the many animations and textures.”
    • “Even graphical quirks like polygon snapping and miscolored edges are recreated.”
    • “The dated graphics are really on par with that PS1 aesthetic, which is awesome.”
    • “So many indie games like Frogun have 'retro low poly' graphics that look more like Nintendo DS games or something, but Psilosybil nails the true low poly console aesthetic by having more limited textures blended with vertex colors, same as you’d see in Crash Bandicoot’s or Banjo-Kazooie’s fur on their in-game models (though some Psilosybil models have too much vertex color and not enough textures, in my opinion).”
  • music19 mentions

    The music in the game is generally described as a mixed bag, with some tracks being enjoyable while others can feel repetitive or grating. While many players appreciate the creative level themes and the nostalgic vibes reminiscent of classic games, others find the soundtrack inconsistent, leading some to prefer playing with alternative audio. Overall, the music is considered decent but not standout, with varying quality across different levels.

    • “Great music.”
    • “The controls are snappy and responsive, the OST is pleasant, and the difficulty almost never feels unfair.”
    • “Very difficult but not impossible by any means-- the controls are super tight and feel great, the levels are super interesting and fun to learn, the time trials are extremely satisfying to master, the music is an addictive drug, and the game is wonderful to look at.”
    • “Had to turn the music off at one point because it became grating.”
    • “Beyond that, though, other aspects of the presentation feel somewhat subpar, particularly the music, which I occasionally found to be rather grating.”
    • “The music is suitable, but honestly it’s not the best and I mostly play this game while listening to videos and stuff.”
  • gameplay16 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity, drawing heavy inspiration from the original Crash Bandicoot, with basic mechanics focused on jumping and attacking. While some players appreciate the level design and the nostalgic feel, others criticize it for being overly simplistic and reliant on trial-and-error, leading to moments of frustration. Overall, the gameplay is functional and visually appealing, but it may not offer enough depth for those seeking more complex mechanics.

    • “As for the gameplay, I really liked the level design, even if many didn't like it.”
    • “A distillation of the formula with simple mechanics but requiring high precision and skill to master within the levels.”
    • “The levels flow very well and the developer has nailed the fun rhythm that Crash gameplay should exemplify.”
    • “In the gameplay department, it is excessively simple and very similar to Crash Bandicoot 1 specifically.”
    • “A lot of the gameplay is intentionally unfair from the very beginning.”
    • “The only big gripe I have with the game is that it often falls into 'trial and error' gameplay, meaning some obstacles can’t reasonably be anticipated and avoided by the player until they’ve died to them a couple of times.”
  • character development5 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by its wacky and charming character designs, which are memorable and visually appealing, particularly the standout faceless boars. While the aesthetics and animation effectively capture a nostalgic PS1 style, the overall character development lacks depth, with some players finding the level design incoherent.

    • “The character designs are all fun and memorable, with the faceless boars being the breakout stars.”
    • “As far as the good, the general aesthetics are solid and emulate the PS1 style pretty well in terms of environment, character design, and animation.”
    • “And that's before mentioning the colorful landscapes and unique character designs.”
    • “Character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “The characters are one-dimensional and their arcs are predictable, leaving little room for growth or surprise.”
    • “I found the character interactions to be lacking, which made it difficult to invest in their stories.”
  • story2 mentions

    The story is praised for its simplicity and classic appeal, focusing on a straightforward plot of defeating enemies and rescuing friends, which is complemented by well-designed adversaries.

  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as it often requires completing every level without dying, which they feel lacks engaging challenge and becomes monotonous.

    • “Both essentially boil down to 'do every level in one go with no deaths' and that's just not an interesting challenge to me; it's a tedious one.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
    • “I find myself doing the same tasks over and over again, which takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the attention to detail in gameplay mechanics, such as the timing of attacks, which enhances the player's connection to the experience and evokes a sense of satisfaction and engagement.

  • stability1 mentions

    Users report significant stability issues, particularly with buggy level geometry and poorly timed moving platforms, which detract from the overall gameplay experience.

    • “I got disrespected way too many times by a level's buggy geometry and the developers' cheeky timing for moving platforms.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing progress.”
    • “I encountered numerous glitches that completely broke my experience, forcing me to restart levels.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Players highlight the game's strong replayability due to its engaging platforming mechanics and challenging bosses, encouraging them to revisit levels to collect all the tokens.

    • “Great platforming, great bosses, and excellent replay value to collect all the tokens in each level.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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