Qbeh-1: The Atlas Cube
- May 14, 2014
- Liquid Flower
- 20h median play time
"Qbeh-1: The Atlas Cube" is a first-person puzzle-platformer game. Players must navigate through various levels by manipulating building blocks and solving complex puzzles to unlock the power of the Atlas Cube. The game features a minimalist art style and physics-based puzzles that require creativity and spatial reasoning skills.
Reviews
- The game features a very good atmospheric design with beautiful graphics and a soothing soundtrack, creating a relaxing experience.
- The puzzles are well-balanced in difficulty, providing a motivating challenge without being overly frustrating.
- The game encourages exploration with hidden collectibles, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to the gameplay.
- The platforming mechanics can be frustrating, with precise jumps required that may lead to frequent restarts from checkpoints.
- Some players find the gameplay repetitive, as the core mechanics do not evolve significantly throughout the game.
- The lack of a clear narrative or story can make the experience feel empty for some players.
- music109 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the overall experience with soothing, ambient tracks that fit seamlessly with the visuals. Many players find the soundtrack to be a standout feature, creating a serene environment that encourages relaxation and immersion, although some noted that it can become monotonous over time. Overall, the combination of beautiful graphics and a captivating soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it a recommended choice for those seeking a tranquil gaming experience.
“Probably the most serene gameplay and music combination I've ever experienced.”
“The atmosphere, the soundtrack, and the simplicity work extremely well together.”
“The soundtrack is soothing, calming, and sometimes strange; it creates the mood of the world you find yourself in.”
“Something about the soundtrack, unless I experienced a glitch which stopped the music entirely, so I only got ambient ghostly wind sounds.”
“I also think the game is rather boring and the music is monotonous.”
“Best way to hear those collectables is turning off the music.”
- gameplay84 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Qbeh-1: The Atlas Cube is characterized by its imaginative puzzle-platforming mechanics, offering a relaxing experience with serene music and straightforward puzzles. While some players appreciate the simple mechanics and exploration elements, others find the gameplay slow and repetitive, particularly in later levels where new mechanics are introduced too late. Overall, the game is praised for its aesthetics and atmosphere, but it suffers from a lack of depth and engaging story elements, leading to mixed feelings about its long-term enjoyment.
“Qbeh-1: the atlas cube is an imaginative, substantial puzzle-platformer with a fair amount of varied game mechanics.”
“Probably the most serene gameplay and music combination I've ever experienced.”
“The puzzles are also really nice, and more mechanics are added throughout the levels so it doesn't get boring at all; there's also some hidden things you can look for, which are sometimes really hard to find (or to get to) which I really like.”
“Agonizingly slow gameplay.”
“While it was relaxing at first, fall damage + death resetting your progress + mediocre platforming mechanics really ruin the game's relaxing atmosphere.”
“I haven't run into anything I could call a puzzle, more just tech demos for the gameplay elements, and the fact that the gate that takes you to the next level is always just around some random corner after one of these mechanical challenges makes it hard to be interested in progression.”
- graphics60 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful aesthetics, immersive environments, and smooth visuals that create a relaxing atmosphere. However, some players noted issues such as repetitive design, graphical glitches, and a lack of detail in certain areas, which detracted from the overall experience. Overall, while the game features stunning visuals and a pleasing soundtrack, it may not consistently deliver on graphical quality across all levels.
“The graphics are gorgeous and the music is nice and serene, but the flaws in this game make it not worth your time.”
“The levels are incredibly made and the graphics are beautiful so the player can see awesome things from heights and etc.. addicting game.”
“The graphics and music create an amazing atmosphere that gives a deep personal feel and therapeutic touch to the game.”
“Well, I think I decided to refund the game about the 5th level because the 3rd, 4th, and 5th levels just began to bore me with said gameplay loop I enjoyed to begin with and the soundtrack and visuals were getting worse for wear.”
“Graphics very blurry with VR.”
“Personally, I had some graphical issues with the trees in the game flickering black lines and there were a few places I found where I could trap myself in a block here and there or even make blocks disappear, but with these lingering teething issues aside, the graphics and gameplay in general was inspiring.”
- atmosphere55 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Qbeh-1: The Atlas Cube" is widely praised for its serene and immersive qualities, enhanced by a beautiful soundtrack and visually striking environments. Players appreciate the game's ability to create a calming yet engaging experience, with each level offering unique atmospheres that contribute to a sense of exploration and tranquility. Despite some critiques regarding gameplay mechanics, the overall ambiance is considered one of the game's strongest aspects, making it a compelling choice for fans of atmospheric puzzle games.
“The atmosphere, the soundtrack, and the simplicity work extremely well together.”
“The atmosphere is breathtaking, the soundtrack one of the best I've ever heard, and there's enough game here to keep you busy for a while.”
“There’s such a strong sense of atmosphere to many of the locations, such ethereal beauty, enhanced by a haunting, often plaintive soundtrack that creates a perfect musical ambience that’s barely noticed because it fits in so well, but which will haunt you once it’s gone.”
“The game gives off this lonesome atmosphere of being trapped in an endless void of cubes.”
“While it was relaxing at first, fall damage + death resetting your progress + mediocre platforming mechanics really ruin the game's relaxing atmosphere.”
“One wrong step at any moment could mean your death, creating a persistent atmosphere of tension and dread.”
- story48 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game "Qbeh-1: The Atlas Cube" is widely noted for its lack of a cohesive story, with many reviewers stating that it features no narrative elements or character development. While the atmospheric design and puzzle mechanics are praised, the absence of a storyline leaves the gameplay feeling somewhat disconnected and repetitive for some players. Overall, while the game is enjoyable for puzzle enthusiasts, it would benefit from a more engaging narrative to enhance immersion.
“Qbeh-1: The Atlas Cube is an atmospheric first-person puzzle platformer by Liquid Flower that takes players on an inspired quest through a variety of divergent worlds, each filled with new mysteries and secrets to uncover.”
“What makes games like The Talos Principle and Portal 2 so fantastic is the combination of challenging puzzles and a slowly unfolding story.”
“Story was a mystery the whole way through, but the art style and the gameplay made up for that!”
“There’s no story.”
“The only real negative I can mention is the lack of a story tying all the levels together.”
“Each puzzle took on a sameness, because there was no story to drive it forward, no sense that behind the next door would be some revelation.”
- grinding9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is criticized for being excessively tedious and repetitive, particularly due to the frequent need to redo puzzles after dying and the limited checkpoint system. Players find the mechanics, such as the inability to place blocks in certain areas, contribute to a frustrating experience that feels unnecessarily drawn out. While some enjoy the game overall, the grinding elements can detract from the enjoyment by making progress feel laborious.
“This starts really nicely but falls flat with its extremely tedious and repetitive puzzles.”
“It gets old quick, especially with the great many instakill pits that respawn you at far-too-infrequent checkpoints, forcing you to repeat the earlier tediousness.”
“You end up having to redo a lot of stuff if you die between checkpoints, and it's just... really tedious.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with most players reporting only minor bugs that do not significantly impact gameplay. While some users have encountered occasional glitches, they are often specific and not disruptive to the overall experience, indicating a well-polished product despite its relatively new release.
“Decent, if occasionally somewhat buggy and a bit monotonous little experience.”
“- You put a cube onto a wall, but it glitches out and disappears.”
“One small complaint I have is that it can be a little buggy at times, but not enough to be annoying to deal with.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has been criticized, with users noting that it may be affected by current Oculus drivers and the performance issues related to the Rift's direct mode, which detracts from the overall experience. However, some players appreciate the simple gameplay and relaxing ambiance despite these optimization challenges.
“Simple laid-back gameplay, great performance, and a relaxing ambiance!”
“Unoptimized.”
“This could be in part due to the current Oculus drivers and the performance impact of using the Rift's direct mode, but anyway, it ruins the experience.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers decent replayability, particularly for players who enjoy completing every aspect of the game, such as achieving 100%. The inclusion of a level editor adds an engaging element, though it may present some challenges in usability.
“This is an interesting game; the levels have a decent amount of replay value, especially if you are someone that likes to 100% games. The level editor is quite fun but can be difficult to use.”
“The levels have a decent amount of replay value, especially if you are someone who likes to 100% games, but the level editor can be quite difficult to use.”
“There is some replayability, but it feels limited.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is tied to the challenge of completing it in one sitting without mistakes, which creates a sense of tension and urgency. Players feel a heightened emotional investment as they navigate dangers like falling and poison, emphasizing the stakes involved in their journey.
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is characterized as a humorous puzzle experience, blending clever challenges with comedic elements that enhance the overall enjoyment.
“This game is filled with clever jokes and hilarious scenarios that keep you laughing while you solve puzzles.”
“The humor in this game is top-notch, with witty dialogue and amusing character interactions that make every level enjoyable.”
“I love how the game combines challenging puzzles with a lighthearted sense of humor that never fails to brighten my day.”