RUN: The world in-between
- August 31, 2020
- LaTeamRun
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"RUN: The World In-Between" is a fast-paced platform game with procedurally-generated levels, drawing inspiration from Celeste, Dead Cells, and others. Dodge traps, collect gems for unlocks, and improve your score in this challenging and replayable experience. The game offers accessibility options and a speedrunner mode, with artistic direction by Encre Mecanique and music by Thomas Barrandon.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Reviews
- The game features fluid controls and satisfying platforming mechanics, making it enjoyable for speedrunning and parkour enthusiasts.
- The pixel art and animations are visually appealing, complemented by an upbeat and immersive soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- The procedural generation of levels adds variety and replayability, keeping the gameplay fresh and challenging.
- The difficulty spikes too quickly, making it frustrating for players who may not have the skills to keep up, leading to excessive deaths and a grindy experience.
- The procedural generation can hinder the learning process, as players may not encounter challenging patterns again after dying, making it hard to practice and improve.
- Some mechanics, like wall clinging and falling speed, can feel unresponsive or unintuitive, leading to frustrating moments during gameplay.
- music20 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its upbeat and engaging quality, perfectly complementing the fast-paced gameplay and enhancing the overall experience. Many players noted that the soundtrack is not only enjoyable but also addictive, making it suitable for both gaming and casual listening. Overall, the music is considered top-notch, rivaling some of the best indie titles, and contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
“It matched the vibe perfectly and was honestly something I would bump while working if I downloaded the soundtrack.”
“Music is top-notch (I'd say rivalling some of the best indies out there), stunning pixel-art and animations that get you hyped!”
“Hard as hell, but you can't really get mad while that soundtrack bops in the background.”
“This game would be incredible if it took a more level-based story approach, perhaps reaching different locations and slowing down with some different music and focusing more on dialogue.”
“Apart from that, the art style is so coherent with the game as well as the sound/music.”
“I didn't feel the need to turn off the music during my first 1.5 hours of playtime.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by engaging platforming mechanics reminiscent of titles like Celeste, featuring a unique chase mechanic that encourages speed and precision. While the core mechanics are enjoyable and well-executed, some players find the procedural generation in later levels can lead to frustrating experiences due to inconsistent difficulty. Overall, the game offers a satisfying blend of challenge and aesthetic appeal, making it a compelling choice for fans of the die-and-retry genre.
“The game's main mechanic is basically the Super Mario 3D Land cosmic clone / Celeste Chapter 2 Badeline ghost; you're always followed by something that mimics your movement and tries to kill you, forcing you to go fast (you can disable it in the options if that makes the game too stressful, though which is always nice to have).”
“Gameplay loop will keep you playing for a good while and losing track of time.”
“Fun platformer in the style of Celeste, with an interesting level progression mechanic.”
“Some base mechanics like wall jump exist, but dashes reset on wall jumps here, unlike in Celeste.”
“This game is not designed for lore and you have to love die & retry mechanics to embrace it completely.”
“Procedural generation mechanic does get old at the late game where you keep dying to difficult rooms yet the RNG doesn't favor you enough to let you practice consecutively, and thus the end game feels like rolling for a combination of easier rooms to pass a level.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics are highly praised for their beautiful and coherent art style, which enhances the overall aesthetic of the game. Users appreciate the attention to detail and the balance between clarity and visual appeal, noting that the visuals remain engaging without becoming repetitive.
“The art style looks really good without looking too pixelated.”
“Beautiful graphics.”
“Apart from that, the art style is so coherent with the game as well as the sound/music.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game offers high replayability through its polished speedrunning mechanics, semi-randomized levels, multiple difficulty modes, and an endless mode. Players can enjoy additional content and challenges, especially if they aim for 100% completion. Overall, it provides a compelling reason to revisit the game after the initial playthrough.
“Really polished speedrunning-focused platformer with a ton of replayability in the form of semi-randomized levels and 4 difficulty modes, in addition to an endless mode.”
“I finished it around the 3h40m mark only to be surprised with... actually, better that I don't spoil anyone, but just know that there is replayability to the title.”
“Replay value: quite high if you're after 100%.”
- story2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story is perceived as minimal but effectively establishes the game's mood. Reviewers suggest that a more structured, level-based narrative with varied locations, music, and dialogue could significantly enhance the overall experience.
“The story seems minimal, but it effectively sets the mood.”
“This game would be incredible if it adopted a more level-based story approach, perhaps exploring different locations, incorporating varied music, and focusing more on dialogue.”
“The story seems minimal, but at least it sets the mood well.”
“This game would be incredible if it took a more level-based story approach, perhaps reaching different locations and slowing down with some different music and focusing more on dialogue.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game repetitive and tedious, often feeling compelled to repeatedly tackle the same level, which detracts from the enjoyment of learning new patterns.
“It literally feels like you're grinding the same level over and over again.”
“This just makes training some new patterns tedious.”
