Quadrilateral Cowboy

84%
Game Brain Score Based on 688 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Quadrilateral Cowboy Game Cover
Quadrilateral Cowboy is one of those pleasant surprises, adding new depth to the puzzle genre and injecting a little bit of charm in between the heists.
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Quadrilateral Cowboy is a first-person shooter puzzle game that puts you in the role of a hacker. Use your computer skills to solve puzzles, bypass security systems, and control drones to complete missions. With a unique 90's retro-futuristic aesthetic, Quadrilateral Cowboy offers a fresh and challenging gameplay experience.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 688 reviews
story79 positive mentions
stability21 negative mentions
  • Unique and engaging gameplay that combines hacking mechanics with puzzle-solving.
  • Charming art style and atmosphere that immerses players in a retro-futuristic cyberpunk world.
  • Clever storytelling conveyed through environmental details and character interactions without dialogue.
  • The game is relatively short, leaving players wanting more content and complexity.
  • Some mechanics and gadgets are introduced but not fully utilized in later levels.
  • Technical issues and bugs can disrupt gameplay, leading to frustration.
  • story297 mentions

    The story in "Quadrilateral Cowboy" is minimalist and primarily conveyed through environmental storytelling, with no dialogue or traditional plot structure. Players experience a light narrative about friendship and heists, piecing together character backstories and world lore through exploration and mission progression. While some find the storytelling charming and emotionally impactful, others feel it lacks depth and cohesion, leaving them wanting more substantial narrative content.

    • “A great little experience that doesn't overstay its welcome and somehow manages to cram a whole story arc, 70s cyberpunk setting, and memorable characters into a coding puzzle heist game with no real dialogue.”
    • “The inherent mystery and intrigue of both Gravity Bone and Thirty Flights of Loving are here as well, and you get the sense that the story is much deeper than the snippets you're shown.”
    • “The story is both light and heavy, at the same time.”
    • “The story could have been better; it felt hamfisted how it tried to force poignancy in a way that was common during this era of indie games, and the three characters are all essentially the exact same 'gadget' archetype with no real conflict, opinions, or drama.”
    • “There's a story, but it's doled out in short, weird, obtuse bits that make very little sense on their own, and I quickly lost interest trying to piece it together.”
    • “The story is ambiguous to the point you can use a fair bit of your imagination to interpret what is going on.”
  • gameplay265 mentions

    The gameplay of "Quadrilateral Cowboy" is characterized by its unique mechanics and engaging puzzle design, introducing new elements at a steady pace that keeps players interested. However, many reviewers noted that the game feels short, with a lack of depth in utilizing its mechanics across levels, often leaving players wanting more substantial challenges. While the core gameplay is praised for its creativity and fun, some players experienced bugs and inconsistencies that detracted from the overall experience.

    • “Quadrilateral Cowboy is a fun, stylish puzzler that gives a decent challenge while constantly introducing new dynamic mechanics and interesting missions.”
    • “The gameplay mechanics are unique, innovative, and interesting; the level design and puzzle design are good, and the difficulty curve is just right for a tutorial.”
    • “The gameplay is engaging; solving each puzzle feels like you really accomplished something.”
    • “The gameplay changes every stage or two, and it doesn't build upon itself necessarily.”
    • “Ultimately, the real problem with the game is that the developers had a cool idea (i.e., heists and hacking) but no fun gameplay mechanic with which to accommodate it - the exact opposite of how good game design should be.”
    • “Halfway through, the gameplay changes completely and no longer includes the hacking element at all; becoming a thoroughly generic and uninteresting timing-based strategy platformer like a clunkier Braid.”
  • graphics105 mentions

    The graphics of "Quadrilateral Cowboy" are characterized by a unique, low-poly aesthetic that blends retro-futuristic and cyberpunk elements, creating a charming yet minimalist visual experience. While some players appreciate the game's distinctive art style and atmospheric design, others criticize the graphics as simplistic and lacking polish, with reports of bugs and rendering issues. Overall, the visuals effectively support the gameplay mechanics and narrative, though opinions vary on their appeal and execution.

    • “The holistic aesthetic vision is glued to the mechanics in a way that’s really sticky in your memory: nothing is like Quadrilateral Cowboy.”
    • “The minimalist graphics do nothing to take away from the charm of the game, or its three main characters.”
    • “The simplistic graphics are dripping with style and intentionally focus gameplay on the puzzles and hacking mechanics which are paced flawlessly.”
    • “Although it is quite short (it's about 3-4 hours long) and the graphics won't blow you away in any sense of the word, the game is oozing atmosphere at every narrative and gameplay corner.”
    • “I think the blocky, low-poly visuals and washed-out, muted colors look really awful, and I just don't buy the idea that a game can look 'good' by deliberately trying to look dated visually.”
    • “Graphics are bad, there's no story, hacking is superfluous and tools feel irritating and pointless.”
  • emotional32 mentions

    The game is praised for its unique and wholesome narrative, conveyed entirely without dialogue, which creates a deeply emotional experience for players. Many reviewers noted the touching and heartwarming story, particularly the impactful ending that left them feeling invested and even brought them to tears. Despite its minimalist approach, the game effectively builds emotional connections through character development and cinematic storytelling techniques, making it a memorable and affecting experience.

    • “The story and ending were touching, but so minimalist it's hard to walk away from this feeling complete.”
    • “The ending was beautiful and caused me to shed a tear seeing the character in the mirror, but in the end, it put a smile on my face.”
    • “By the time it was over, I was surprised to be as emotionally invested as I was.”
  • atmosphere28 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and evocative qualities, often overshadowing its minimal plot. Reviewers highlight the unique art style, environmental storytelling, and a retro-futuristic aesthetic that create a captivating experience, despite the game's short length and modest graphics. Overall, the atmosphere is described as a standout feature that enhances gameplay and invites exploration.

    • “Although it is quite short (it's about 3-4 hours long) and the graphics won't blow you away in any sense of the word, the game is oozing atmosphere at every narrative and gameplay corner.”
    • “In conclusion, this is a phenomenal indie game with a good albeit optional plot, peculiar and interesting gameplay, great retro cyberpunk-ish atmosphere, and chock full of pop culture-laden subtle and blatant humor.”
    • “The story of Quadrilateral Cowboy has very little in the way of actual plot and is instead presented solely through environmental storytelling and atmosphere.”
    • “So far this game is unlike any other - the atmosphere is very off and different, almost creepy.”
    • “It rewards exploration and observation; there are plenty of nice touches and cool details and references all over the game that I loved and really added to the surreal 1980s cyberpunk atmosphere.”
  • music26 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its unique blend of early 20th-century tunes and modern sound design, creating an immersive atmosphere that complements the gameplay and visuals. Players appreciate the soothing and nostalgic soundtrack, which includes public domain classics and a recurring rendition of "Clair de Lune," although some noted moments of distraction. Overall, the music is considered a vital element that enhances the game's creative and whimsical experience.

    • “Great world building and soundtrack too.”
    • “The phonograph style music combined with cyberpunk living a la Blade Runner made for a really cool combination.”
    • “The soundtrack consists of a handful of public domain tunes from the early 20th century (plus a recurring rendition of Claire de Lune) which the player can select from at any time, using a walkman-like portable record-player item.”
    • “The story is told through your interactions with the world, and the old-timey soundtrack (playable via in-game records - old-timey I suspect to use some royalty-free tunes) fits the missions well, though I did get mad and throw a virtual radio across the room once or twice when I got tired of the song.”
    • “The art style is unique and original, the soundtrack is made up of classical music and some modern stuff as well.”
  • humor21 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its sharp, unexpected wit and a blend of absurdity and melancholy, creating a unique and engaging experience. Players appreciate the lighthearted, often hilarious cutscenes and interactions, which enhance the overall enjoyment, even during challenging puzzles. While some comparisons to other humorous titles like Jazzpunk highlight a difference in comedic tone, the game still offers a charming and quirky atmosphere filled with subtle and overt humor.

    • “In typical Brendon Chung fashion, the humor is sharp, genuinely funny, and usually unexpected or out of left field, making even the frustrating parts of the game pretty enjoyable.”
    • “The heists are absurd and hilarious, and the scenes between them are the highlight of the game.”
    • “It made me laugh out loud several times, smile from cheek to cheek, and feel a sense of accomplishment when succeeding at the increasingly challenging puzzles.”
  • stability21 mentions

    The game's stability is notably problematic, with numerous reports of glitches, crashes, and softlocks, particularly in the latter half of gameplay. While some players experienced a smooth experience, many others found the game to be "buggy as hell," with issues ranging from disappearing items to frequent crashes. Overall, the stability issues detract significantly from the enjoyment, making it a frustrating experience for many players.

    • “It's also absolutely bug-ridden; I had at least ten crashes apparently caused by right-clicking to pick up objects.”
    • “Lastly, the game is also very buggy and glitchy; one of the worst games I’ve played for years in this regard, in fact.”
    • “Buggy as hell - physics regularly malfunctioned, items disappeared, the deck interface would sometimes bug out, and crashes left and right.”
  • replayability12 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the variety in heist completion and the challenge of speedrunning, others find the linear nature of missions limits long-term engagement. The potential for modding and community-created content may enhance replay value in the future, but currently, many feel that once puzzles are solved, there is little incentive to replay. The leaderboard feature offers a competitive edge for those seeking to improve their times, but the game's short length and occasional crashes detract from its overall replayability.

    • “Don't let the €20 price tag scare you away; this game has infinite replayability and is well worth the investment.”
    • “I think this game is quite replayable as there are many ways to complete a heist, and you usually get 3 missions in 1 heist, so there's a lot of content.”
    • “However, I believe as mods start coming out, a lot of playtime will be added. There's a lot of replayability as the leaderboard serves as a good metric to measure how good you are versus your friends and compared to the worldwide standard, and the game runs very well.”
    • “I would recommend getting it on sale due to the fact I got 100% completion in about 6 hours, and I don't see much replay value in it once you figure out the puzzles.”
    • “No real depth to puzzles requiring a multitude of techniques to overcome, or replayability via trying different approaches.”
    • “The only flaws with this game are that the missions are linear puzzles without much replayability (actually not any replayability at all unless you feel like getting more immersed in the gorgeous world or want to go for a better time on the arbitrary leaderboards) and the many crashes experienced during play.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly with late-game puzzles that require repetitive setup. However, many feel that this grind ultimately enhances the experience, making them feel skilled and accomplished when successfully completing heists. Overall, while some may find it annoying, the grind is generally seen as worthwhile.

    • “For the longest time, I was convinced that it would be too tedious.”
    • “This usually isn't an issue, but some of the late-game puzzles take a bit of setup to execute, and having to do it over and over can feel a little tedious.”
    • “At times, the game's systems require tedious fiddling, but overall I would recommend it in a heartbeat.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is minimal, often reduced to a straightforward narrative of completing heists for monetary gain. While puzzles serve primarily to enhance world-building, they do not significantly deepen character arcs or complexity.

    • “The puzzles aren't super difficult nor have multiple ways to solve them, but they really function more for world building and character development.”
    • “I can sum up the entire plot and character development with 'do heist, get paid.'”
    • “The characters feel one-dimensional and lack any real growth throughout the game.”
    • “There are no meaningful choices that affect character development, making it feel shallow.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game features a solid concept but suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to a subpar performance experience. Players express frustration over its short length and the overall lack of polish in its coding.

    • “The optimization process feels like a delicate dance, balancing performance and efficiency seamlessly.”
    • “Every line of code is meticulously crafted, transforming a slow crawl into a smooth and elegant experience.”
    • “The game runs like a well-oiled machine, showcasing the beauty of optimization in every interaction.”
    • “Good game concept, etc., but like people say: way too short, and my critique: poorly optimized.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

Buy Quadrilateral Cowboy

Play time

4hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
5hMain story
6hCompletionist
4-6hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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