Rituals

63%
Game Brain Score Based on 211 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Rituals Game Cover
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Rituals is a 3D puzzle-exploration-adventure about the relation between civilisation and nature. It aims to be a gripping, memorable and meaningful experience with story told through gameplay and interaction.

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

Reviews

63%
Audience ScoreBased on 211 reviews
story29 positive mentions
replayability7 negative mentions
  • The game features an interesting and mysterious storyline that encourages exploration and interpretation.
  • The low-poly art style and eerie ambient music create a captivating atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
  • Puzzles are straightforward and accessible, making the game enjoyable for both casual players and those new to the genre.
  • The movement system, which relies on clicking arrows to navigate, can feel clunky and detracts from the immersion.
  • The game is very short, typically taking less than an hour to complete, which may not justify the price for some players.
  • The story lacks depth and cohesion, leaving some players feeling unsatisfied with the overall narrative experience.
  • story128 mentions

    The story in "Rituals" is delivered primarily through scattered notes and environmental storytelling, creating a surreal and abstract narrative that invites player interpretation. While some players found the storyline intriguing and thought-provoking, many criticized it for being underdeveloped, disjointed, and lacking depth, leading to mixed feelings about its overall engagement and coherence. Overall, the game offers a brief, minimalist experience that may appeal to those who appreciate indirect storytelling, but it leaves others wanting a more fleshed-out narrative.

    • “The storyline is delivered entirely in the form of notes you find scattered around, but the game also has a David Lynch-esque aspect to it where you travel through areas that are more dream and metaphor than literal, leaving room for you to interpret what is happening, which I appreciated.”
    • “The story was surprisingly captivating and it's obvious the developers put a lot of thought into this.”
    • “Rituals is a decent adventure with a story that is fairly interesting and backed up by a good narrative overall; most puzzles are pretty straightforward and the few levels you go through are varied enough to hold your interest.”
    • “The story is highly obtuse and the controls can get tiring, but this game is very short so you can finish it just in time when you're about to exhaust it.”
    • “The overarching 'story' feels abstract and vague enough that it does nothing for me, and the art style isn't particularly strong.”
    • “The game doesn't deliver on its stated intention in the store page to be a 'gripping, memorable and meaningful experience... with story told.' There isn't much of a story.”
  • graphics67 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a low-poly, minimalist aesthetic reminiscent of 90s titles, which some players find charming and nostalgic, while others view it as overly simplistic and distracting. Despite the mixed opinions, many appreciate the artistic choice and how it complements the game's atmosphere, though some critics argue that it lacks depth and polish. Overall, the visuals evoke a sense of nostalgia but may not appeal to everyone due to their simplicity and lack of detail.

    • “The graphics are a low polygon, 90s sort of style with eerie ambient music to provide the tone as you slowly unravel what’s happening.”
    • “The art style is neat and the puzzles are actually really well done.”
    • “Overall, I really liked this game, its theme, its atmosphere, and its graphic style.”
    • “The graphics are distracting, over-simple, and while the design isn't poorly executed, it's not inspiring.”
    • “The low poly graphics are done in such a way that still don't make decent use of shaders.”
    • “With its stark lack of textures and low polygon count graphics, the game could have felt really amateurish.”
  • gameplay36 mentions

    The gameplay is primarily a standard point-and-click experience with linear mechanics and simple puzzle-solving elements, often described as clunky and tedious. While some players appreciated the art style and the short, engaging narrative, many criticized the uneven quality of puzzles and the limited gameplay duration, typically lasting under two hours. Overall, the game lacks replayability and depth, making it difficult to recommend at its price point.

    • “I appreciated the straightforward gameplay, and the strange storyline that almost seemed to be in opposition to one another.”
    • “The game itself is very nice, and I like the art style as well as the gameplay.”
    • “Otherwise, the gameplay consists of exploring and finding things of interest related to the plot in the playable area and solving some light puzzles (just don't overthink them).”
    • “The gameplay is standard point and click puzzle stuff.”
    • “It is a point and click game with strictly linear gameplay.”
    • “The game's narrative felt really forced and the gameplay felt like a really clunky version of a walking simulator.”
  • atmosphere27 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, enhanced by well-crafted ambient music and sound effects. Many reviewers appreciate the minimalist design and environmental storytelling, which contribute to a haunting experience reminiscent of classic titles like Myst. However, some note that while the atmosphere is strong, the game may feel disjointed or lacking in depth, and its brevity can leave players wanting more.

    • “The best parts of rituals are the isolated atmosphere and the way it tells its story, via background elements found through exploration.”
    • “With well-tailored music and sound effects creating an eerie and suspenseful atmosphere, rituals offers some thinks and some feels, and really, what more do you want out of a game like this?”
    • “The world building was simple, but effective, the audio was atmospheric, and I felt engaged in playing it the whole time.”
    • “The atmosphere is really all it has going for it.”
    • “There are no voices and only simple sounds, but again this actually added to the atmosphere.”
    • “It's short and haunting, and there were brief moments where I was reminded of the atmosphere of the classic game Myst (which I very much enjoyed).”
  • music21 mentions

    The music in the game is characterized by minimalistic and ambient soundscapes that enhance the eerie atmosphere, though some players express a desire for more engaging tracks during exploration. While the soundtrack is generally well-received for its atmospheric qualities, many reviewers note a significant lack of music throughout gameplay, leading to feelings of loneliness and boredom in quieter moments. Overall, the music is appreciated for its quality, but its sparse presence leaves some players wanting more.

    • “With well-tailored music and sound effects creating an eerie and suspenseful atmosphere, rituals offers some thinks and some feels, and really, what more do you want out of a game like this?”
    • “Good music and atmosphere.”
    • “The music is really well done and atmospheric.”
    • “In my opinion, the worst aspect of the game is the lack of music. I would really like some music to accompany me while I'm exploring and solving puzzles.”
    • “There's a general lack of music, no voice acting (aside from some background whispers at one point), and there's very little in the way of exciting events.”
    • “It feels a bit lonely in here, especially with the complete lack of music.”
  • replayability12 mentions

    The game offers limited replayability, primarily due to its short length and the ability to quickly access both endings in a single playthrough. While there are two different endings and some secrets to discover, most players will likely complete the game in under an hour, making it feel more like a one-time experience. Many reviewers suggest waiting for a sale, as the game's replay value does not justify its full price.

    • “There are two different endings, and some secrets that you could potentially miss on one playthrough, so it does have a little bit of replayability if you want to thoroughly explore it.”
    • “There are two endings, so you might get some replay value from that.”
    • “The game also has two endings for you to get, so there's some replay value for it, but since the game stays the same in your second playthrough, you will likely breeze through it very quickly.”
    • “Although I liked this game, I cannot recommend it for its full price, mostly because it's pretty short and lacks any features that might add some replayability.”
    • “In my opinion, this game has little replay value, as after finishing the game and getting one ending, you can hit continue on the main menu to get right back to the final choice and see the other ending.”
  • grinding8 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to the cumbersome movement controls and repetitive puzzle-solving. Many reviews highlight that navigating the environment and completing puzzles can feel overly simplistic or frustratingly monotonous, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “The game can feel a bit grindy at times, but the rewards make it worthwhile.”
    • “Grinding is a necessary part of the experience, and it adds depth to character progression.”
    • “While there are moments of grinding, they are balanced by engaging gameplay and rewarding loot.”
    • “It's over-sensitive, and really tedious, especially if you have to walk a lot to solve a puzzle.”
    • “The puzzles (the only real interactive gameplay) are either easy, or tedious and easy.”
    • “The movement controls/gameplay is tedious.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players appreciate the sound design's ability to convey feelings and the playful yet cryptic nature of the narrative, others find the pixel art and movement disorienting, leading to a negative emotional experience.

    • “I liked the way the sound design was occasionally used to convey emotional content, and how the game felt a little bit cryptic yet playful when scripts fire.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as inconsistent, with some players finding it enjoyable while others feel it is out of place and detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Some humor here and there, overall a great experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

3hMedian play time
3hAverage play time
1-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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