Quell

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Quell is a captivating single-player puzzle game featuring ingenious graphics and a perfect soundtrack. The objective is to slide a water droplet around a window-pane, collecting pearls while avoiding spikes. With its gentle music and ambience, Quell offers an engaging, challenging experience with a touching side narrative about love, loss, and nostalgia, providing a haunting and memorable journey for players.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 153 reviews

music25 positive mentions

atmosphere3 negative mentions

Quell offers a relaxing and calming puzzle experience with a soothing soundtrack and beautiful visuals.
The game features a well-designed difficulty curve, gradually introducing new mechanics and challenges as players progress through the levels.
Players appreciate the dual objectives of completing puzzles in the fewest moves possible while also searching for hidden gems, adding depth and replayability to the gameplay.

Some players feel that the game is overly simplistic and lacks complexity, leading to a repetitive experience, especially in the earlier levels.
The mobile origins of the game are evident, with some technical limitations and a lack of customization options for controls, which can frustrate PC gamers.
Certain puzzles, particularly in the later stages, can become frustratingly complex, leading to reliance on guides or hints to complete them.

music
57 mentions
44 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its soothing and relaxing qualities, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Many players appreciate the calming soundtrack, which features beautiful piano and instrumental jazz elements, making it ideal for meditation and relaxation. However, some users express disappointment over the lack of a separate soundtrack release and note that while the music is generally enjoyable, it can occasionally evoke a somber tone.
- “You might even catch yourself synchronizing the droplet's movements to the rhythmic cadence of the soundtrack; it's that enthralling.”
- “Quell delivers a soothing puzzle-solving experience with its combination of simple gameplay mechanics and mesmerizingly relaxing soundtrack.”
- “Sadly, there is no separate OST for this series, and it's actually the only big negative point here - the soundtrack is extremely relaxing and tranquil, and very good for meditation.”
- “I didn't listen to the music, so if you really care about the music of your puzzle games, check some of the other reviews.”
- “The music in this puzzler game is so relaxing, so much so that if you get stuck, it is almost impossible to rage because the music is so calming!”
gameplay
33 mentions
24 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Quell is characterized by its gradual introduction of new mechanics, providing a blend of artistry and challenge that keeps players engaged. While some reviews note a tendency towards repetition due to limited mechanics, others highlight the clever puzzle design and gratifying challenge of optimizing solutions. Overall, the game offers a relaxing experience with simple controls, a soothing soundtrack, and a satisfying difficulty curve, making it appealing for puzzle enthusiasts.
- “In essence, Quell goes beyond being just a simple relaxing puzzle game; it seamlessly blends artistry and challenge, introducing new mechanics as you progress.”
- “Working out the optimal pathing to shave off excess moves in order to get the perfect score is highly gratifying, especially when the levels are misleading or have occasional twists in their mechanics.”
- “Quell delivers a soothing puzzle-solving experience with its combination of simple gameplay mechanics and mesmerizingly relaxing soundtrack.”
- “There aren't many mechanics, so it gets repetitive.”
- “The puzzles are relatively simple, similar, and with few mechanics, but have an added challenge of finding the optimal solution and hidden gems within them.”
- “Especially if it's on sale: there aren't many hours of gameplay here.”
graphics
28 mentions
32 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users criticizing the simplistic and dated 2D art style, likening it to low-effort flash games, particularly in the mobile version. However, some players appreciate the calming aesthetics and how the visuals complement the gameplay, describing them as clean and effective, even if not visually impressive. Overall, while the graphics may not stand out, they contribute to a relaxing gaming experience.
- “The biggest advantages of the game are the graphical and musical layers, which combine perfectly with puzzles - making the game not frustrating, but very relaxing.”
- “There are calm, pastel backgrounds, beautiful artworks, and peaceful music.”
- “The soundtrack and visual art style add to the already great game, and help ease you into a relaxing state.”
- “While there are options to change the resolution for the mobile app, all this does is scale up the simplistic 2D art assets used to make the mobile app, which makes little or no difference to the graphics quality.”
- “Considering this is being evaluated as a PC game, having the graphics phoned in like this isn't going to result in a high quality, visually impressive game that PC gamers are used to seeing.”
- “The mobile app features somewhat lazy, simplistic 2D graphics, of the type you normally expect to see in low effort flash/browser games and mobile apps.”
story
13 mentions
23 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The storytelling in the games is praised for its creativity, utilizing visual elements and backgrounds to convey narratives without words, featuring distinct stories for each game, such as those of a soldier, a painter, and an old man. While some players appreciate the subtlety and ambiance of the storytelling, others find the narrative elements lacking or feel that certain entries in the series do not deliver as effectively. Overall, the games manage to engage players with their unique approach to storytelling, even in a genre typically devoid of narrative depth.
- “The experience is a treasure trove of storytelling.”
- “By solving the puzzles (each game has more than 100 of them, plus a bunch of hidden ones) you will reveal a story, told by backgrounds, silhouettes, things, and pictures without any use of words.”
- “Accompanied by a soft and relaxing soundtrack, there's a slight hint of a personal story being told by the background images and specific year dates.”
- “I guess the balance was a little broken in Quell Reflect, since I didn't like the puzzles and the story here in general. I used the guide for some of them, and as I can remember (I completed the whole series more than a year ago), there was less content in general in that game.”
- “Games of this series are the only completely story-free puzzle games ever that have managed to keep me entertained for more than a few minutes.”
- “There's no story, but I don't expect that from a puzzle game.”
atmosphere
5 mentions
20 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its relaxing and cozy qualities, enhanced by a soothing soundtrack and player-friendly controls. Reviewers appreciate the overall design, which contributes to a calming experience, making it enjoyable and replayable. The combination of challenging puzzles and a harmonic ambiance creates a delightful environment for players.
- “An enjoyable and simple puzzle game with a relaxing soundtrack and atmosphere.”
- “The overall design and style of the game itself both create a very cozy atmosphere, which adds some points for the replayability.”
- “I just love the calm atmosphere as well as the puzzles that work a bit like ice floor mazes in Pokémon games.”
- “Quell is a quite challenging puzzle game with a harmonic atmosphere.”
replayability
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game offers a cozy atmosphere and features like jewels and "par" challenges that enhance replayability, particularly in the later stages. However, many players feel that there is limited replay value once the game is completed, making it more suitable for casual play rather than extensive replay. Despite this, it remains a highly recommended title for those seeking a relaxing experience.
- “I liked the ease of play, but it also presents enough of a challenge in the later stages and adds some replay value with the jewel and 'par' features.”
- “The overall design and style of the game create a very cozy atmosphere, which adds to the replayability.”
- “Sadly, there isn't much, if any replay value to be had after you beat the game, but it's still a title I'd highly recommend, either this or its mobile ports to anyone who wants a 'simple' game they could just relax to after a long, hard day at work.”
- “I don't really know what to say in terms of replayability, but I still love this game all the same.”
emotional
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be deeply engaging, as the heartwarming narrative unfolds alongside the puzzle-solving experience, creating a profound journey that enhances the overall gameplay. The combination of challenging puzzles and a touching story adds significant depth to the player's experience.
- “While you ponder over the puzzles, you'll uncover a heartwarming narrative, akin to stumbling upon a hidden gem.”
- “It's an emotional journey that adds profound dimension to the game.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Quell is criticized for its monetization strategy, being perceived as a cash grab from mobile developers rather than a genuine PC game, as it offers a simplistic pathing puzzle experience that fails to justify its price on Steam.
- “Quell is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it were a real PC game. It's not; it's a cash grab from greedy mobile developers. The game is a very simple pathing puzzle game.”
- “The monetization in this game feels exploitative, with constant prompts to spend money on features that should be included in the base game.”
- “I was disappointed to find that progress is heavily gated behind paywalls, making it frustrating to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, as achieving completion often requires perfecting levels and replaying them to discover hidden items.
- “Achievements are tedious, requiring you to perfect each level and play it a second time to find a hidden jewel.”
- “The grinding feels endless, making progress feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
- “Leveling up takes far too long, and the repetitive tasks become frustrating rather than rewarding.”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Users report that the game's controls exhibit occasional bugs, particularly due to its design for touchpad use while relying on mouse pointer swipes instead of traditional arrow keys, which can lead to a less stable gameplay experience.
- “The controls are sometimes buggy; the game is designed for touchpad use, but it relies on mouse pointer swipes instead of arrow keys.”
- “The game frequently crashes, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I experienced numerous glitches that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
optimization
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-500 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The game offers a well-optimized experience for players, featuring additional challenges that cater to perfectionists seeking optimization and hidden gems for those who enjoy exploration.
- “A simple puzzle game with a lot of extra challenges for perfectionists and those who enjoy hunting for optimization challenges and hidden gems in every stage.”
- “The game offers a wealth of optimization challenges that keep you engaged and striving for perfection.”
- “For players who love to optimize their gameplay, this game provides endless opportunities to refine strategies and discover hidden elements.”
- “The game has a lot of potential, but the optimization is lacking, making it frustrating for players who want to achieve perfection.”
- “While the puzzles are engaging, the optimization challenges feel poorly designed and often lead to unnecessary frustration.”
- “The hidden gems in each stage are a nice touch, but the optimization aspect is so poorly implemented that it detracts from the overall experience.”
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Users find the humor in the game to be exceptionally entertaining, often describing it as "too funny" and highlighting its ability to elicit genuine laughter.
- “I don't know about you, but that's just too funny!”
- “The humor in this game had me laughing out loud at every turn!”
- “I love how the game blends clever jokes with hilarious situations!”