Red Matter
- November 10, 2018
- Vertical Robot
- 5h median play time
Get on Steam"Red Matter" is a story-driven virtual reality game set in a alternate Cold War era. As an astronaut for the "Empire," you explore a mysteriously deserted Volgravian base on Saturn's moon, Titan. Uncover the truth behind the Soviet-inspired Volgravians' research and the ominous "Red Matter" substance they created.
PC
Virtual Reality
Windows
Oculus Quest
Oculus VR
PlayStation
PlayStation VR
PlayStation VR2
Reviews
- Stunning graphics and immersive atmosphere that enhance the overall experience.
- Engaging puzzles that are challenging yet satisfying to solve.
- Interesting story with a unique sci-fi setting that keeps players intrigued.
- The game is quite short, typically taking around 2-4 hours to complete.
- Controls can be clunky and unintuitive, leading to frustration during gameplay.
- Some puzzles may feel too easy or straightforward, lacking depth and challenge.
- story361 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally described as intriguing and atmospheric, often set against a backdrop of cold war themes and space exploration. While many players appreciate the immersive storytelling and engaging plot twists, several reviews note that the narrative can feel short, disjointed, or lacking depth, with some expressing a desire for more character development and a more satisfying conclusion. Overall, the combination of visuals, atmosphere, and story elements creates a compelling experience, though opinions vary on its execution and length.
“The story is intriguing, but like everything else, there's far too little of it.”
“The storyline is imbued with mystery, featuring subtle elements of horror that add to its allure without being overly frightening.”
“The story is great, and so is the worldbuilding of the game.”
“It is, however, really short and has a lackluster story.”
“The story has some potential, but doesn't really go anywhere here.”
“The story is the weakest part of the game.”
- graphics196 mentions
- 76 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising their stunning detail, immersive environments, and impressive visual effects, particularly for a title of its age. Players noted that the visuals contribute significantly to the game's atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience, although a few found them simplistic compared to modern standards. Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, making the game visually appealing and engaging.
“The graphics were gorgeous, played everything cranked to the max and damn was it beautiful at times.”
“The graphics are gorgeous, with phenomenal lighting and really detailed textures, and everything works so smooth in VR.”
“Beautiful graphics, tight controls, perfectly paced story.”
“Some reviewers are praising the graphics, but I found them to be far too simplistic.”
“It is a really small game at less than 3GB, and the graphics are simply not that good.”
“Graphics are okay for a 2018 VR game but nothing fancy either.”
- atmosphere102 mentions
- 81 % positive mentions
- 16 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, enhanced by stunning visuals, effective sound design, and a compelling setting that evokes feelings of mystery and unease. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a unique ambiance, often likening it to a blend of sci-fi and horror elements without relying on jump scares. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the enjoyment of the gameplay experience.
“The atmosphere here kept me constantly engaged.”
“The game has amazing visuals and a really good, immersive atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere is incredible, and even though I wouldn't classify the game as horror by any means, be ready to feel on edge during most of the game.”
“The atmosphere makes it feel like it and there are some parts that are a little scary, but I wanted to be traumatized.”
“Or to be more accurate, the atmosphere and general setup got me excited for something that did not happen.”
“What the game lacks in difficulty and duration, it makes up for in atmosphere and story.”
- gameplay66 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally well-received, featuring unique mechanics and engaging puzzles that strike a balance between being satisfying and straightforward, though some players found them too simplistic. The game offers a short experience, typically lasting around 2-4 hours, with a linear progression and some tedious elements like translation mechanics. Overall, it combines solid mechanics with immersive environments, making it a fun, albeit brief, VR adventure.
“The gameplay is great; no wonder others like to compare it to HL: Alyx. Not many games of this type come close.”
“The graphics are wonderful, gameplay is fairly intuitive, and the puzzles strike a nice balance between intricate enough to feel rewarding and straightforward enough to rarely be frustrating.”
“The gameplay felt smooth; I didn't run into any glitches at all.”
“The mechanics to solve the puzzle are a bit simplistic.”
“I completed the game in 2 hours, and that's with being heavily slowed by the movement mechanic (no instantaneous teleport or even just standard walking, you point where you want to go and your character slowly jetpacks to that position, and there's also a limited range on that) and all the time spent 'translating' (the game is all written in another language, requiring you to 'scan' all documents and text so the game can give it to you in English).”
“The gameplay is 100% linear, you walk around in a base scanning stuff - mostly because they are in some unknown language so you scan them to read what is written on them.”
- music27 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and create a cinematic experience, while others find it repetitive and forgettable. Many appreciate the soundtrack's alignment with the game's visuals, contributing to a compelling ambiance, but a significant number of users express frustration over the lack of variety, leading to a diminished overall enjoyment. Overall, while the music is noted for its quality and atmospheric contribution, its repetitiveness detracts from the experience for some players.
“I liked the story, the music, and the atmosphere.”
“Really enjoyed the audio, especially the music.”
“The soundtrack is nice and builds the atmosphere well.”
“The whole game feels so fake and pretend; it was driving me nuts, and the soundtrack never changes. It's always the same annoying soundtrack.”
“I would only recommend this game if you gave it to your 8-year-old to play with a pack of Twizzlers and some headphones playing the Street Surfers soundtrack, with the entire in-game sound and subtitles turned entirely off because the game is more interesting and better without any sound or subtitles at all.”
“Music was forgettable.”
- replayability14 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 36 % negative mentions
The game is generally criticized for its lack of replayability, with most reviews noting that it offers only a short experience of 2-5 hours and no significant incentives to replay. While some players appreciate the initial experience, they suggest waiting for a sale due to the limited content compared to other games in the same price range. Overall, the consensus is that the game feels more like a one-time experience rather than one that encourages repeated play.
“I don't see there being much replay value in this for me; however, it's something I'll share with my parents, and get some extra playtime and value that way.”
“Would rank this as one of my favorite VR games, although there's barely any replay value.”
“While I still recommend this game, I think you should wait for a good sale; don't pay full price for a 4-5 hour experience with zero replayability.”
“The game's certainly not bad, but compared to games like Budget Cuts, which, for the same price point, has far more content and various additional modes for replay value beyond the main story, it's definitely overpriced.”
“However, the game is short and has no replay value.”
- optimization13 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for delivering smooth performance across a range of hardware, with many users reporting stable frame rates and minimal issues. While some noted minor control optimization concerns for specific VR controllers, the general consensus highlights that the graphics are well-optimized and the game runs efficiently, even on mid-range systems.
“Additionally, the graphics are well optimized and my PC was able to play the game with minimal issues.”
“Simple yet beautiful graphics, runs smoothly on my mid-range PC using an Oculus Rift.”
“I only have an RX 480 with 8GB of memory and an i7 3770 non-K CPU with 16GB of memory, and this game's performance was smooth and flawless, a credit to the programming prowess of the developers.”
“I don't have this stuttering issue in other games.”
“Performance and/or Linux specific bugs.”
“My only small complaint is the controls aren't optimized for the Index controllers; you basically play on the old Vive wands.”
- grinding9 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with many expressing a desire for more engaging content rather than extended filler. While some appreciate the unique mechanics, the general consensus is that the puzzles and gameplay can become monotonous, detracting from the overall experience.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“I didn't care for the puzzles at all and found them to be mind-numbingly tedious.”
“I'd rather have few-hour long experiences rather than a game that has '200 hours of content' that's just the same grindy filler with no substance.”
“While the booster style mobility is novel and really cool in certain areas, it's a bit tedious.”
- stability7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 71 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many players report smooth gameplay and effective controls, there are notable issues such as random freezes, crashes when accessing the options menu, and occasional graphic glitches. Despite these problems, the core game mechanics function well, contributing to an enjoyable experience.
“Other than that, the game runs great and looks great with an interesting story and setting.”
“Really good game, had no glitches and featured nice, challenging puzzles as well as chess.”
“The major issue with this game is that it randomly freezes for whatever reason, requiring you to kill the process and restart from the same save game location.”
“A little buggy for me; just going into the options menu would crash the game, but the actual game mechanics worked very well with no issues.”
“The controls on the index work great, but there are a few graphic glitches that are not due to the hardware.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game emotionally immersive, likening it to a space horror movie that effectively draws them into its narrative and setting. The combination of mystery, intrigue, and emotional depth creates a compelling experience that resonates with players, making them feel as if they are truly part of the story.
“The game made me feel like I was part of a space horror movie, something I wish more games had.”
“I adore the story and setting, and it really made me feel like I was rooting around a Russian space base.”
“Enough mystery and intrigue to get you going, and also touching.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is well-executed, featuring story-driven moments and clever, funny elements like a creative computer-hacking puzzle and amusing videotapes that provide a lighthearted contrast to the game's subtle, eerie atmosphere. Players appreciate the blend of humor with engaging gameplay and beautiful visuals on a strange planet.
“It has a wonderful, funny, and creative computer-hacking puzzle!”
“For devs - the videotapes were so funny! Thanks for that tension reliever.”
“It's well done, story-driven, with super background music, some funny moments, a constant subtle scary atmosphere (without any monsters or jump scares), and has some beautiful views on a strange planet.”
