Shores of Loci
- May 24, 2022
- MikeTeevee
- 4h median play time
Put together virtual living puzzles in fantastical dreamscapes.
Get on Steam"Shores of Loci" is a relaxing exploration and puzzle game set in a stunningly beautiful, surreal world. Players manipulate the environment and solve intricate puzzles to uncover the secrets of Loci, all while enjoying a calming original soundtrack. With a soothing atmosphere and no combat, this is a perfect game for those seeking a peaceful yet engaging experience.
Reviews
- Beautiful graphics and immersive environments that create a relaxing atmosphere.
- Satisfying puzzle mechanics that challenge spatial awareness while being accessible to all skill levels.
- Promising future updates with more levels and content, enhancing the overall experience.
- The game is quite short, with completion times averaging around 2-3 hours.
- Frequent bugs, such as puzzle pieces disappearing or becoming inaccessible, can disrupt gameplay.
- Lack of variety in gameplay and limited storyline make it feel repetitive after a short time.
- graphics12 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning visuals and immersive environments, creating a relaxing atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience. However, some users noted that the resolution can be low and muddy at times, particularly on certain platforms, and expressed a desire for adjustable graphical settings. Overall, the visuals are considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's appeal despite its lack of originality.
“The graphics are gorgeous!”
“Stunning graphics and immersion.”
“It's an extremely well made & nicely polished VR puzzler with some really nice visuals & a great relaxing atmosphere.”
“I would have liked to have seen graphical settings available.”
“Also, there are no graphical options, but you don't really need them; it looks great as it is, especially if you crank up the resolution on your HMD.”
- music8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and meditative qualities, enhancing the overall experience with beautiful and relaxing soundscapes. While some users reported audio bugs, the majority found the soundtrack to be a standout feature, with suggestions for a potential soundtrack DLC due to its appeal. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's immersive atmosphere.
“It's very chill, the music is nice, and overall a very meditative experience. This isn't a 'puzzle game' in the traditional sense, but more of a 'jigsaw game'.”
“The music is very calm, and the visuals are literally jaw-dropping, as in I had a dry mouth afterwards.”
“The game has a soothing soundtrack and nice ambient sounds.”
“This world also had an audio bug for me - the sound effects only came from the right speaker (the background music was still in stereo though).”
“The dev could have made an extra effort by releasing a DLC for the soundtrack alone too.”
“The music is very calm, but it doesn't stand out or leave a lasting impression.”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay is visually impressive and offers a unique jigsaw puzzle experience that challenges players' minds, but it is criticized for being limited in scope, as it primarily involves solving puzzles in a fixed position. While the mechanics, such as the force grab feature, add some depth, many feel that the overall experience is not worth the price given its short duration of about 1.5 hours.
“Visually stunning game that really challenges the mechanics of your mind.”
“You have a force grab mechanic to pick up pieces at a distance.”
“It's a good looking, fun game, but overpriced for 1.5 hours of gameplay.”
“The gameplay is a jigsaw experience.”
“So this is where a little con starts to kick in: the gameplay is just that. You are fixed in one room-scale position, doing a 3D jigsaw puzzle, finishing one stage and transferring to the next, rinse and repeat.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a unique and beautiful visual style that creates a calm and relaxing environment, enhancing the overall experience of the well-crafted VR puzzler. Players appreciate the attention to detail and the polished presentation, which contribute to its immersive quality.
“This is a solid, calm, atmospheric puzzler with a keen attention to detail.”
“The visual and atmospheric style is unique and beautiful, right from the moment you open the game into the intro sequence.”
“It's an extremely well-made and nicely polished VR puzzler with some really nice visuals and a great relaxing atmosphere.”
- story3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Reviewers express a desire for a more substantial storyline, noting that the game feels somewhat repetitive and lacks variety. While some appreciate its core gameplay, they believe that an enhanced narrative could elevate the overall experience.
“I would love for this game to have more substance in terms of storyline.”
“If I had to find anything negative to say, I would probably say that it's a bit of a 'one trick pony' (but then so is Tetris!). I guess some more variety and possibly a bit of a storyline would be welcome here.”
“I would love for this game to have more substance in terms of the storyline.”
“If I had to find anything negative to say, I would probably say that it's a bit of a 'one trick pony'; some more variety and possibly a bit of a storyline would be welcome here.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report that the game experiences significant stability issues in its full version, including bugs that cause puzzle pieces to become inaccessible by falling through the floor, necessitating random button presses to locate them.
“Once the game went to full version, it is buggy with pieces of the puzzle going underneath the floor, and you have to blindly press the trigger in order to find them to finish.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing progress.”
“I experienced constant frame drops and stuttering, which ruined the overall experience.”
