Rolling Sun
- June 2, 2015
- Mystik'Art
Rolling Sun is a 3D platformer adventure game with a unique aesthetic. Players control a mystical stone ball, guided by ancestral spirits, navigating through levels filled with puzzles and enemies. The game is set in a beautifully stylized world inspired by ancient cultures and myths.
Reviews
- The game features beautiful graphics and environments that are visually stunning.
- The soundtrack is nice and adds to the relaxing atmosphere of the game.
- The game has potential for fun gameplay mechanics, especially with the physics of rolling a ball.
- Controls are clunky and unresponsive, making gameplay frustrating and difficult.
- The camera angles are poor, often obscuring the player's view and leading to confusion.
- The game feels more like a tech demo than a fully realized game, lacking depth and replay value.
- graphics236 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and detail, often described as stunning and visually impressive, particularly for a platformer. However, many users report performance issues, requiring high-end hardware to run smoothly, and some experience bugs and optimization problems that detract from the overall experience. While the visuals are a strong point, they are often overshadowed by gameplay shortcomings and technical difficulties.
“Absolutely gorgeous graphics, just amazing.”
“The graphics are tremendous.”
“It definitely shines with the graphics, they are stunning.”
“Level 3 was mired with graphical bugs.”
“The UI is buggy as all hell, the graphics on all high look low, game optimized terribly (running GTX 1060 on 720 high getting 20 fps at times), and no volume settings.”
“Even when running on the minimal graphics settings on a strong, capable computer, the highest fps achieved is around 15-16fps, rendering the game utterly unenjoyable and unplayable.”
- music107 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as nice and soothing, contributing positively to the atmosphere, but it suffers from repetitiveness and a lack of variety, with only two tracks available. Many players express frustration over the inability to adjust the volume or turn off the music, leading to a distracting experience. Overall, while the sound quality is appreciated, the limited options and monotony detract from the enjoyment.
“Simple yet fun platformer, gorgeous visuals and enticing soundtrack.”
“A luscious graphical delight with relaxing tranquil music to match.”
“The music is nice and so are the graphics and physics.”
“The music is okay but gets repetitive quickly.”
“No audio settings so music is always at max volume.”
“1) Songs are rather repetitive, so they get old fast.”
- gameplay72 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players describing it as boring, repetitive, and lacking in challenge or variety. While the graphics are praised for their quality, the mechanics are criticized for being clunky and unresponsive, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the game feels more like a visually appealing demo than a fully realized product, with significant improvements needed in gameplay mechanics and controls.
“Interesting physics mechanics, and personally I kind of enjoyed it.”
“You use your own weight to activate switches, raise and lower platforms, etc. As a platformer, it is pretty basic, but it does well with what it can offer in terms of gameplay mechanics.”
“The gameplay is quite fun.”
“Imagine trying to play Super Mario with oven mitts on while holding the controller in a tub of grease, and that's the rolling sun gameplay experience.”
“The gameplay is dead boring, there isn't really any strategy and you get infinite lives so it doesn't matter.”
“Gameplay is totally lacking, you just roll, roll, roll and roll some more, no puzzles, no killing things, no variety, the gorgeous graphics are wasted.”
- optimization33 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues even on high-end systems, often struggling to achieve playable frame rates at low settings. Users have noted significant drops in performance during gameplay, particularly in later levels, and a lack of fluid mechanics, indicating that the game is overly demanding for its graphical fidelity. Overall, the consensus is that the game requires substantial optimization improvements to enhance the user experience.
“First level plays very smoothly, but noticeable performance drops start to occur later.”
“Performance: on my older mainstream enthusiast computer (i5-750, 760 gtx), I was getting good framerates on high graphics @ 1080p.”
“While it can be demanding on performance due to being built in CryEngine 3, it is absolutely beautiful.”
“This game is horribly unoptimized, and even on current-day gaming computers you can barely play at low settings without killing your wallet for a high-end machine.”
“The UI is buggy as all hell, the graphics on all high look low, game optimized terribly (running GTX 1060 on 720 high getting 20 fps at times), and no volume settings.”
“- the optimization is almost nonexistent, & the menu is incomplete.”
- story14 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for being nonexistent, with players noting a lack of narrative and enemies, resulting in an empty experience. While the visuals are praised, they do not compensate for the absence of a compelling storyline, making it feel unimportant in the overall gameplay.
“Somehow this reminds me of a story I wrote once.”
“It took me 1.5 hours to complete the main story (6 levels) and 4 extra levels.”
“There aren’t any enemies to speak of, no story… it is just a rather empty experience.”
“The story is just about nonexistent, just so you know.”
“As far as the storyline, there really isn't any.”
- stability14 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is severely lacking, with numerous bugs affecting the user interface and control mechanics, leading to frequent freezes and poor performance even on capable hardware. Players report significant frame rate drops, clunky controls, and a lack of customizable settings, making the overall experience frustrating and difficult to manage.
“The UI is buggy as all hell, the graphics on all high look low, game optimized terribly (running GTX 1060 on 720 high getting 20 FPS at times), and no volume settings.”
“For me, it freezes when starting, loading, changing parameters, even when exiting the game.”
“Also, some jumps lead to milliseconds of freezes and then suddenly push your ball into orbit.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -12 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised, with reviewers highlighting its captivating soundtrack, impressive graphics, and overall immersive experience. While some players noted initial control difficulties, the strong ambiance and level design contribute to a positive impression, making it a recommended title for its atmospheric qualities.
“This game has great atmosphere and also it has a good price, so I definitely recommend it.”
“Amazing atmosphere; at the beginning, the ball is a little difficult to control, but hey, it's a ball of rock.”
“It is a well-done game; the level design, the graphics, and the atmosphere are all fantastic.”
“The ambience capturing soundtrack, graphics, and atmosphere are commendable, but they are not enough to elevate this game to a positive rating.”
“While the soundtrack and graphics contribute to the atmosphere, they ultimately fall short of making the game enjoyable.”
“The atmosphere is lacking, and despite some redeeming qualities in the soundtrack and graphics, it doesn't save the overall experience.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is profoundly impactful, with players expressing that it can evoke intense feelings, often leading to tears during late-night play sessions.
“Now let me tell you how this could make a person want to cry at 3 a.m.”
“That's how it can make you want to cry.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is perceived as heavily reliant on showcasing the CryEngine's resources, leading some users to feel that the game serves more as an advertisement for the engine rather than a standalone product. This focus on engine promotion may detract from the overall gaming experience.
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game visually appealing but often tedious and overly challenging, particularly for those who may not be as experienced with complex gameplay mechanics.
“Beautiful but tedious and too hard for a point-and-click senior like me.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players find that "Rolling Sun" offers an enjoyable experience for a limited number of levels, but overall, it lacks significant replay value, with only the potential to revisit the first level in a trials format.
“Rolling Sun is good for a couple of levels and offers something new, but I don't see any replay value except maybe remaking the first level in a trials game.”
- humor2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find humor in the subtle details of the game, such as the tiny red placement markers for missing graphics, which add an unexpected comedic touch. This element of humor, while not overt, contributes to the overall enjoyment of the experience.
“I love how the game incorporates humor in unexpected ways, like the tiny red placement markers for missing graphics. It's not obvious, but it's quite funny!”
“The humor in this game is subtle yet effective, making even the smallest details, like the missing graphics markers, a source of amusement.”
“The game has a knack for blending humor into its design, turning little quirks like the red markers into a delightful surprise.”