Sect-Machina
- September 10, 2023
- daelyte
Mona, a young butterfly, is disguised in the hood of a moth’s design for her own protection. But from what, Mona does not yet know. There are many things about the world Mona has been purposefully kept from knowing. Holed up in her nestroom, she looks out of her window and gazes upon the distant, glittering, twinkling lights of an alluring place which lies near the heart of this unknown world of b…
Reviews
- The art style and character design are vibrant and appealing, showcasing great potential.
- The movement mechanics, particularly the parkour elements, are enjoyable and fluid.
- The game is free and offers a fun, albeit short, experience for players looking for a casual platformer.
- The game lacks a tutorial or clear instructions, leaving players confused about controls and objectives.
- Combat feels repetitive and unengaging, with limited enemy variety and no real consequences for actions.
- The overall experience feels unfinished, with many aspects such as sound design, story, and gameplay mechanics needing significant improvement.
- story31 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The reviews overwhelmingly indicate that the game lacks a substantial story, with many players expressing disappointment over the absence of a clear narrative, motivation, or direction. While some appreciate the art and world-building elements, they feel that the gameplay suffers due to the minimal plot and character development, leaving them wanting a more engaging and cohesive storyline. Overall, the consensus is that the game has potential but requires significant improvement in its narrative aspects to enhance the overall experience.
“Super cute game, I really love the design and concept of a cyber dystopian world with a virus infecting certain bugs. I really wish the game was much longer and more in-depth with the story.”
“It has great potential in its story.”
“Yea, there's room for improvement like the combat system, and I feel like a storyline or lore would give more depth to the game.”
“No story line, no explanation, no motivation.”
“The gameplay feels a little unfinished, and there is no direction or story.”
“Majority of the game's story is told in the store page's description; if I hadn't read that, I'd have no idea the player character was supposed to be wearing a disguise the whole time.”
- music30 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its beauty and charm, while others find it repetitive and lacking variety. Although certain tracks are highlighted as standout moments, many users express frustration over the limited soundtrack and the absence of sound effects, leading to an overall feeling of emptiness in the audio experience. Despite these criticisms, the music is often noted as a strong point, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.
“The art and music are phenomenal in some regards, but lacking in others, for example, the main character's design is quite neat, and is very cool, but the small enemy designs were lacking, in part because they moved fast enough that it was hard to tell what species of bug they took inspiration from.”
“I loved this little gem, its music was clearly the winner out of everything.”
“Brilliant level art, layout, music.”
“In most areas, the music is this extremely repetitive song that gets old real quick.”
“Had to mute the game after realizing just how short the soundtrack was, how quickly it just loops back around and all.”
“The music is very, very repetitive and boring.”
- gameplay27 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a lack of direction and explanation, leading to a disjointed experience. While some appreciate the movement mechanics and visuals, others find the combat repetitive and clunky, with basic mechanics poorly implemented. Overall, the game shows potential but feels unfinished and lacks engaging content, making it less enjoyable than it could be.
“I don't know what the game is about, but I enjoyed the mechanics and the movement.”
“The platforming felt fun and not too challenging, and the dash mechanic worked very well.”
“Even with all that, the game is by no means bad; the environment, characters, and animations look great, and the gameplay feels smooth and responsive.”
“But then the game starts and immediately throws you into gameplay without explaining anything.”
“The gameplay feels a little unfinished, and there is no direction or story.”
“The gameplay is just not that fun.”
- graphics19 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the cute visuals and appealing art style, particularly the cyberpunk aesthetics. However, there are notable criticisms regarding inconsistency in the art style and animation quality, with some sprites appearing poorly designed. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good, they are seen as overshadowing other aspects of the game, leading to a somewhat bare-bones experience.
“Awesome visuals, needs more enemies, good gameplay.”
“I love the art style.”
“The aesthetics are also very nice.”
“I swear this game has the most inconsistent art style ever.”
“The graphics are inconsistent, and the sprites of the literal main character look like they were taken straight out of MS Paint.”
“The art style wasn't cohesive (different size black outlines or none at all) and there was no story, or interactivity other than hitting people.”
- character development4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, players appreciate the character design, particularly the unique and appealing aesthetics of the main character, which some believe could serve as a game mascot. However, while the character's design is praised, the gameplay experience is marred by issues such as repetitive music, inconsistent pixel art quality, and a lack of dynamic elements, leading to a sense of emptiness in the levels. Despite these criticisms, the character's essence and feel contribute positively to the game's potential.
“The character design of the player is so cool, I love being a little bug with a cape.”
“Despite all of the problems, the idea, main character design, music, and the movement are great, and its essence and feel are quite good.”
“The character design is very good; I really think this could be a game mascot.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is criticized for its buggy hitboxes and frequent glitches, leading to a janky experience. Players also note a lack of sound effects beyond weapon swings, contributing to a repetitive atmosphere. While there is potential, the current state leaves much to be desired.
“Hitboxes are buggy.”
“Overall, a game about bugs is buggy; who would have thought?”
“It's so janky that there are no sound effects for anything other than weapon swinging. Hearing the soundtrack again and again drives me insane. The movement glitches from time to time. I see great potential in this game, but it isn't all that impressive. Good luck to the devs, though.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a sense of accomplishment and emotional engagement when mastering challenging mechanics, such as wall jumping, which enhances their feeling of skill. Additionally, unexpected moments, like the slow descent during a screen transition, evoke a sense of wonder and intrigue, contributing to the game's emotional depth.
“This made me feel like I was good at them.”
“Also, one time I was descending through a screen transition and my character began to fall at an extremely slow pace, like when sliding down a wall, despite me not touching anything.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features charming humor through clever puns and jokes, exemplified by playful elements like an advertisement for a fictional music device called an "isopod."
“The little puns and jokes present throughout the game were a charming and humorous addition, such as an advert for a music device called an 'isopod'.”
“The witty dialogue and clever references kept me laughing throughout my playthrough.”
“I loved the quirky characters and their hilarious interactions; they really brought the game to life with their humor.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by humor that contributes to a more immersive and believable world, making the overall experience feel more authentic.
“Such jokes helped add to the atmosphere and made the game world feel more real.”