Quasimorphosis: Exordium

Wishlist full gamehttps://store.steampowered.com/app/2059170/Quasimorphosis/ About the GameQuasimorphosis: Exordium is a roguelike RPG with the atmosphere of space horror. You have to take the role of a PMC operator. There is a small story of a great tragedy onboard the Frantseva-7 station. We are an independent team of developers who appreciate a good roguelike and old-school spirit. Our direc…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 141 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

Quasimorphosis combines elements of classic roguelikes with a dark sci-fi theme, offering a unique and engaging gameplay experience.
The game features impressive pixel art graphics and sound design, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
As a free game, it provides significant replayability with its procedural generation and challenging mechanics, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.

The game can be overly punishing due to its heavy reliance on RNG, leading to frustrating experiences where players may die from lack of resources or bad luck.
Some players find the lack of tutorials and explanations for game mechanics confusing, which can hinder the initial enjoyment.
The inventory management system can feel tedious and cumbersome, detracting from the overall gameplay experience.

gameplay
19 mentions
26 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as solid and intuitive, featuring a satisfying loop that combines survival mechanics with combat, reminiscent of a turn-based top-down shooter. Players appreciate the balance between managing resources, health, and sanity, although some mechanics, like inventory management and loot systems, can be frustrating. Overall, the game offers engaging mechanics and a steep learning curve that enhances replayability, despite some areas needing refinement.
- “Seriously solid gameplay, intuitive, very satisfying.”
- “As for the game mechanics, the terror level that in turn influences the behavior and aggressiveness of the enemies is particularly interesting.”
- “It's a perfect satisfying loop of gameplay that I can't get enough of.”
- “Loot mechanics are annoying; in an attempt to be difficult, the game becomes micromanaged with an uncomfortable UI.”
- “The health/infection mechanics are a little confusing at this point, as I've died to bleeding or secondary reasons a few times already, but even at that, I'm having a blast!”
- “By not granting experience for kills, it radically changes the gameplay, as the incentive becomes finding loot, and not taking damage, as replacing HP is often so much harder than replacing bullets.”
graphics
13 mentions
38 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their retro 16-bit pixel art style, which enhances immersion and suits the genre perfectly. Players appreciate the attention to detail, such as visible equipped loot and environmental effects, contributing to a gritty, atmospheric experience. While some find the pixel graphics can make visibility challenging, the overall design and aesthetic are considered a highlight, adding depth and character to the gameplay.
- “Love the graphics and immersion.”
- “Its retro 16-bit style graphics are really well done. Best of all, equipped loot is visible on your character, so there's a satisfying dynamic cosmetic aspect of the game when you loot.”
- “The quality of the pixel graphics, their style, and the overall design of the characters, enemies, environment, etc. are, in my opinion, the highlight of Quasimorphosis.”
- “The pixel graphics only makes things harder to see.”
- “I love me some turn-based games with bad graphics.”
- “Haven't met any bugs, controls are very comfortable, pixel graphics is okay.”
atmosphere
7 mentions
71 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
29 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning graphics, immersive sound design, and a brooding ambiance that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the combination of visual and auditory elements that create a tense and soulful environment, making it a standout feature of the game. The brutal setting and well-designed enemies further contribute to the game's compelling atmosphere.
- “It is hard to see from the store screenshots, but the game is beautiful and atmospheric, with a good dose of graphics and ambiance.”
- “I love it when a game has good atmosphere – a good combination of ambience, sound effects, and graphics, making for an overall very soulful feeling to a game – and this one sure has that.”
- “Sound design is equally suited to creating a brooding, tense atmosphere punctuated by the screams and imprecations of the various horror entities that inhabit the derelict station.”
- “Easy controls, easy to pick up, really tense atmosphere.”
replayability
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
-20 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The game is highly regarded for its replayability, with players eager for the full release due to its engaging mechanics and steep learning curve that encourages improvement over time. The absence of meta progression, similar to titles like Nethack and Caves of Qud, further enhances its replay value, making each playthrough feel unique and challenging. Overall, while still in early access, it offers a solid foundation for repeated gameplay experiences.
- “All in all, an exceptional game with tremendous replayability and a great intro to the universe in preparation for the full game's release.”
- “This is what makes Nethack and Qud so replayable, given that there is no meta progression.”
- “Steep learning curve adds replayability value, as you get better as you play more and learn the mechanics and enemy behavior.”
- “This is what makes NetHack and Caves of Qud so replayable, given that there is no meta progression.”
- “The steep learning curve adds replayability value, as you get better the more you play and learn the mechanics and enemy behavior.”
- “This masterpiece is in early access, therefore there is a lot to be worked on, but it has a lot of challenge and a decent amount of replayability right now.”
story
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The story is considered nominal and not central to the gameplay, with some reviewers suggesting that traditional narrative elements are unnecessary in this context. However, it introduces an interesting mechanic where players balance sanity and power, adding a unique layer to the experience. Overall, the narrative is seen as secondary to the game's innovative mechanics.
- “The story supports a novel mechanic where your sanity decreases but you increase in power as time goes on, so there's a balance between sanity and skill bonus.”
- “Also, this 'engine' could easily be used for a non-procedural storyline game with serious functionality.”
- “The plot is nominal (who needs it in such games anyway?).”
- “As for the story... a bright man once said, 'never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.'”
music
3 mentions
33 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a notable absence of music in the game, with some users highlighting that the sound design is minimal and lacks a musical component. This lack of music may detract from the overall experience for players seeking a more immersive auditory environment.
- “The sounds and music are also on the level.”
- “There is no music.”
- “There's a lack of music.”
- “The sounds and music are also lacking.”
grinding
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be less tedious than in other titles, as it discourages excessive clearing of levels and promotes a more strategic approach to resource management. However, the inventory management of unwanted items can still be cumbersome. Overall, the game balances resource expenditure with exploration, making grinding feel less obligatory.
- “The game does not encourage mindless grinding and total clearing of levels at all; most likely, you will spend more health, ammo, and food than you will find.”
- “Tedious inventory management of trash drops.”