Shape of the World

About

Shape of the World is a first-person exploratory adventure game set in a beautiful, surreal forest that grows and evolves around you. Wander through lush, organic environments filled with exotic plants and animals, all while manipulating the world’s shape and uncovering hidden paths. With a sense of wonder and whimsy, this serene game encourages players to explore at their own pace, making for a unique and relaxing experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 128 reviews

music28 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

Beautiful visuals and a stunning soundtrack create a relaxing and immersive experience.
The game offers a unique, meditative exploration of a surreal world that evolves as you move through it.
It's a short but engaging experience that can be enjoyed as a form of interactive art, appealing to fans of walking simulators.

The gameplay is minimal and can feel repetitive, with a lack of clear direction and objectives.
Many players experienced technical issues, including crashes and slow movement that can lead to frustration.
The game is quite short, which some feel does not justify its price, especially given the limited content.

music
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
44%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to create a calming atmosphere, often described as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. Many players highlight the seamless integration of the soundtrack with the visuals, likening the experience to being inside an album cover or an interactive music video. While the game may be short and somewhat repetitive, the exceptional soundtrack is frequently recommended as a reason to play.
- “Beautiful game with lovely music and journey.”
- “The music is very pleasant, and it rises and falls through the game in a very seamless way.”
- “The mood, colors, and shapes that you see when you play almost perfectly match the sounds, instruments, tones, and rhythms that make up the soundtrack.”
- “Don't get me wrong, the visuals are nice, as is the music, but it's a little too repetitive to be enjoyable.”
- “It's heavy on music, but isn't a music creator.”
- “There will be sounds and music by another mushroomhead, and a 'journey of discovery through the gentle psychosis of a man thing searching for meaning in a universe of lost purpose' or some such nonsense.”
graphics
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
45%
9%
The graphics of the game are generally described as beautiful and visually appealing, with a minimalistic aesthetic that enhances the exploration experience. However, some players find the visuals to be repetitive or chaotic, detracting from overall enjoyment, and there are concerns about technical issues affecting performance. While the graphics are often praised as a highlight, they are sometimes criticized for lacking innovation and depth.
- “Found this hidden gem on Steam sales and was absolutely blown away by the soothing visuals and smooth controls of this game.”
- “I have never played this game in 2D, but the visuals in VR are stunning.”
- “A stunning world exploration experience, as smooth and powerful in its music as it is in its visuals.”
- “Unfortunately, there are also no settings for the visuals.”
- “Visuals are nothing new; I've seen them many times before. Sometimes it's even chaotic, and with that minimalistic pastel graphic, it's totally destroying the experience.”
- “I ran into a seemingly irremediable graphics problem where resolution or screen refresh seems to be totally out of whack. The screen rolls in horizontal bars like an old TV, and the colors are wrong.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
64%
14%
The gameplay is characterized as minimal and primarily focused on exploration rather than traditional mechanics, with players navigating beautiful environments and engaging in simple activities like tree planting and activating platforms. While some mechanics, such as launching from rocks, can feel janky, the overall experience is described as relaxing and visually stunning, making it suitable for those seeking a short, atmospheric escape rather than a challenging game. Overall, it lacks depth and complexity, appealing more to fans of walking simulators and atmospheric adventures.
- “A really unique experience; I enjoy the concept of being able to chain clicks on trees to keep in the air and move quickly. It could easily be a mechanic in some sort of PvE game.”
- “The soundtrack was beautiful and the gameplay relaxing, almost to the point that I subconsciously began falling asleep!”
- “Gameplay, if you want to call it that, consists of navigating through various environments, activating platforms which will unlock magical 'pathways' that build, step-by-step (accompanied by a very pleasing sound effect), to spirit you at great speed deeper into the game, and at times traversing these feels more like a rollercoaster than a walkway.”
- “Basically no gameplay.”
- “There isn't any real gameplay as such, but in a few places it got a bit tricky finding the way forward.”
- “The game's basic play mechanics can be summed up by various seemingly unconnected activities.”
atmosphere
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning visuals and calming, surreal qualities, enhanced by fantastic music. Players appreciate the immersive experience of exploring a psychedelic nature, making it a must-try for fans of walking simulators and atmospheric adventures, though it may not appeal to those outside the genre. Overall, the ambience is described as beautiful and captivating, creating a unique and tranquil environment.
- “The ambience and atmosphere is absolutely stunning.”
- “A visually stunning and absolutely gorgeous atmospheric adventure.”
- “You explore a world and enter a beautiful atmosphere and experience the beauty of what Hollow Tree Games have created.”
story
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The game's story is largely criticized for its absence, with many reviewers noting that it lacks a traditional narrative or plot, leaving players to create their own interpretations. While some appreciate the beautiful visuals and atmospheric elements, others feel that the lack of a structured story detracts from the overall experience, resulting in a game that may not resonate with everyone. Overall, the narrative is described as minimal or non-existent, focusing instead on personal reflection rather than a cohesive storyline.
- “+ beautiful visual 'story' without a plot.”
- “Another criticism is the game doesn't have a story but honestly, I have no idea why such a game requires one; to add one would really just muddy the focus of the game.”
- “You walk aimlessly, no story, no narrative, and worse of all, no payoff.”
- “Its story is mainly whatever goes on in the player's head at this exact moment, and as such may not be for everyone.”
- “There is no story, there is no advanced gameplay, and this is quite obvious from the get-go, before you even buy it.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the chill sound design and find satisfaction in mechanics like tree planting, others feel the game lacks a meaningful emotional connection, especially when compared to titles like Journey. Some users report feeling overwhelmed or negatively affected by the experience, indicating that the game may not resonate emotionally for everyone. Overall, it seems to cater to a range of emotional responses, from relaxation to discomfort.
- “Some things that really stuck out were the sound design, which is very chill and emotional (especially while high, I don't know if that was intentional but it really enhances it), as well as its tree planting mechanic, which for some reason was very satisfying for me.”
- “I think the inevitable comparison is to Journey, which is a triumph of both aesthetics and emotional connection.”
- “This game made me feel really bad after about 30 minutes of playing; I had to take 3 breaks while playing to clear my head.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
The game offers a unique replayability factor, particularly for those seeking a calming atmosphere, making it feel meditative in a way that distinguishes it from typical walking simulators.
- “Replayability is somewhat inherently good if you are looking for a calm atmosphere.”
- “Feels oddly replayable as a meditative experience in a way that most 'walking sims' don't.”
- “Feels oddly replayable as a meditative experience in a way most 'walking sims' don't.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits some initial bugs that may affect faster play styles, but these issues are generally minor and seem likely to be addressed quickly by the responsive development team. Overall, a more cautious approach to gameplay is recommended to avoid glitches.
- “In hindsight, the game and its controls favor a slower, more cautious play style, as attempting to speed run will likely expose glitches such as these.”
- “A little bit buggy in the early going, but the kinds of little things that feel like quick fixes, and given the responsiveness of the team, I expect nothing less.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, as boosting speed through repetitive actions like clicking on trees can become monotonous over time.
- “You can boost your speed by clicking on trees and such, but that can become quite tedious after a while.”