Sensorium
- August 28, 2020
- tcordle
Get on Steam"Sensorium is a single-player, open world game that immerses players in a mysterious, abandoned world. The game stays true to the Myst-vania genre, with no direct explanations given and a focus on exploration, puzzle-solving, and discovery. Players must use their senses to uncover clues and figure out how to return home."
Reviews
- Engaging puzzles that creatively incorporate the five senses, providing a unique gameplay experience.
- Short and sweet, with a satisfying difficulty curve that keeps players challenged without becoming frustrating.
- Beautifully crafted with a simple yet effective art style, enhancing the overall atmosphere of exploration and discovery.
- Some puzzles, particularly in the sound and smell areas, can be overly difficult or frustrating, especially for players with hearing impairments.
- The game can feel inconsistent in puzzle design, with some solutions being obscure or requiring excessive memorization.
- Certain areas are too dark or poorly lit, making navigation and puzzle-solving more challenging than intended.
- gameplay29 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Sensorium is characterized by its innovative use of multi-sensory mechanics, offering a delightful puzzle experience that gradually increases in difficulty. While the game excels in exploring various puzzle combinations and provides enjoyable movement mechanics, some players found certain sensory elements, particularly taste and touch, less engaging. Overall, it is praised for its clever interactions and non-linear exploration, making it a compelling choice for puzzle enthusiasts.
“A fun puzzle game that explores its mechanics to the fullest.”
“The sensory theme was well done; I especially liked how 'taste' was implemented as a puzzle mechanic.”
“Overall, a very enjoyable exploration puzzle game with a nice variety of mechanics.”
“As for the actual puzzles that did have consistent, reoccurring mechanics, very few of them were worthwhile.”
“Normally this would mean you'd just dislike 20-40% of the game but then they mix it up so those bad mechanics appear in the other style of puzzles as well, ruining the rest of the game at one point so more than half the game is ruined with them.”
“They are not trivial, but there aren't many that feel like deep, clever investigations of the puzzle mechanics, and the mechanics themselves are not too novel.”
- graphics25 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a simple and clean art style that enhances puzzle visibility and understanding, allowing players to focus on gameplay rather than the environment. While some reviewers noted the visuals as basic or reminiscent of "programmer art," many appreciated the minimalist aesthetic and its effectiveness in conveying the game's themes and puzzles. Overall, the graphics are generally well-received for their clarity and ability to complement the gameplay experience, despite some critiques regarding their simplicity compared to other titles in the genre.
“The art style, in its simplicity and smoothness, makes one focus more on the puzzle rather than the world surrounding them.”
“A fantastic mixture of puzzles, secrets, logic gates, clean simple art style, calming music and a lot of colorful buttons to press.”
“The visuals are complemented by an original soundtrack that is a pleasure to listen to.”
“The ambiance is chill, but the somewhat grating graphical style and clunky player movement don't do the game any favors.”
“Ehhh it's basically The Witness, but the puzzles aren't as interesting and the visuals/world are light years behind.”
“The graphics are basically 'programmer art', but still an enjoyable game.”
- music19 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it pleasant and calming, enhancing the overall atmosphere, while others criticize it for being too sharp and lacking subtlety. Accessibility options, such as a tone-deaf mode, are appreciated, especially for those less musically inclined. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally well-suited to the game, some players noted that the music loops can be short and may detract from the experience.
“The environments and soundtrack are extremely pleasant and relaxing.”
“A fantastic mixture of puzzles, secrets, logic gates, clean simple art style, calming music and a lot of colorful buttons to press.”
“The soundtrack is excellent and has interesting variations depending on your location.”
“Speaking of the music, I think the game's music is, unfortunately, its weakest point -- it's too sharp and not subtle enough, and somewhat ruins the atmosphere of the game, especially in the touch area.”
“The music loops were a little short in some areas, which is unfortunate because the music was actually quite well suited to the atmosphere of the game.”
“Please note that this game would be very difficult to complete for someone who is hard of hearing or visually impaired; I had to turn up the brightness and turn down the music to sufficiently perceive certain puzzles.”
- story8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's story is primarily conveyed through environmental storytelling and scattered objects, creating an intriguing backdrop for players to explore as they solve puzzles. While some players appreciate the atmospheric elements and the sense of discovery, others feel that the narrative lacks depth and cohesion, leading to a somewhat unceremonious conclusion. Overall, it appeals to puzzle enthusiasts who enjoy an experience that unfolds through gameplay rather than traditional storytelling methods.
“Good story that you discover as you play.”
“Sensorium is a satisfying gameplay experience with enough story to be intrigued by, solid content to have hours of fun with, and a ton of extra secrets to find afterwards.”
“All in all, I highly recommend this game to puzzle lovers who enjoy the unfolding of an experience, without dialogue or characters, and with mere suggestions of a backstory.”
“There is no actual story in itself, but lots of objects here and there about the puzzle areas' development.”
“Admittedly, there doesn't seem to be much story to put together - you solve all the puzzle buildings, complete the endgame, and then you win unceremoniously. The puzzles and the general atmosphere (and the soundtrack, which is surprisingly good) are all very enjoyable, and I did get a lot out of this, though I'm not sure exactly how much it'll stick in the memory either.”
“All in all, I highly recommend this game to puzzle lovers who enjoy the unfolding of an experience, without dialogue or characters, and with mere suggestions of a backstory.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its mysterious and inviting qualities, enhancing the overall experience despite some criticisms of the music, which is seen as either too sharp or short-looped. While the puzzles are considered above average, the immersive environment and well-suited soundtrack contribute significantly to the game's appeal, encouraging exploration and engagement. However, some players feel that the lack of a compelling story may diminish the game's lasting impact.
“It's hard to capture the mysterious but inviting atmosphere that this game has, which elevates it beyond its puzzles.”
“The puzzles I consider above average, although not great, but the world and environment have a great atmosphere and are fun and quick to move around.”
“Not quite as ambitious in scope as those, but tightly designed intelligent puzzles and an atmosphere of mystery to encourage deeper exploration and understanding successfully give this game the same feeling.”
“Speaking of the music, I think the game's music is, unfortunately, its weakest point -- it's too sharp and not subtle enough, and somewhat ruins the atmosphere of the game, especially in the touch area.”
“It's hard to capture the mysterious but inviting atmosphere that this game has, which elevates it beyond its puzzles.”
“Admittedly, there doesn't seem to be much story to put together - you solve all the puzzle buildings, complete the endgame, and then you win unceremoniously - the puzzles and the general atmosphere (and the soundtrack, which is surprisingly good) are all very enjoyable and I did get a lot out of this, though I'm not sure exactly how much it'll stick in the memory either.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is solid, with players reporting smooth performance even at 4K max settings, though some minor dips in performance may occur due to VRAM usage. Despite its relatively small file size of 1.29GB, users express a willingness to sacrifice some performance for improved graphical quality, particularly in shadowmaps.
“I didn't encounter any issues with performance or bugs in my playthrough.”
“Given the game takes up a whopping 1.29 GB, I would happily 'pay' the performance cost for some higher quality shadow maps.”
“Performance was solid throughout playing at 4K max settings, with only minor dips due to VRAM usage (I think).”
“Given the game takes up a whopping 1.29 GB, I would happily 'pay' the performance cost for some higher quality shadow maps.”
“Performance was solid throughout playing at 4K max settings, with only minor dips due to VRAM usage (I think).”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is characterized by a reliance on tedious memorization mechanics, which detracts from the overall experience. While puzzle enthusiasts may find enjoyment in the game's easier challenges and hidden secrets, many users feel that the excessive repetition and length make it more frustrating than engaging.
“Good puzzle game with some obscure secrets, but also some obnoxiously tedious bits.”
“I would say this was a fun time for a puzzle-lover looking for something like The Witness (though this is quite a lot easier), with its weakest element being its overuse of memorization as a puzzle mechanic, which is more tedious than challenging.”
“It is long and tedious.”
