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.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Beautiful graphics and immersive environments create a relaxing atmosphere.
- The puzzles are engaging and provide a satisfying experience as you piece together intricate landscapes.
- The game is accessible for all skill levels, making it a great introduction to VR puzzle games.
- The game is quite short, with many players completing it in under three hours.
- Several bugs cause puzzle pieces to become invisible or fall through the floor, hindering gameplay.
- Lack of variety in gameplay and limited content may leave players wanting more.
- graphics24 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 8 % 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, and the lack of graphical settings was a missed opportunity. Overall, the visuals are considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's appeal despite its simplicity.
“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.”
- music16 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and meditative qualities, enhancing the overall experience with beautiful and soothing soundtracks. While some users reported audio bugs, the majority found the music to be a highlight, contributing to a relaxing atmosphere that complements the stunning visuals. Many players expressed a desire for a soundtrack DLC, indicating a strong appreciation for the game's audio design.
“The game has a soothing soundtrack and nice ambient sounds.”
“Controls are good, the menu also shows your progress, which is nice, and the music is very relaxing.”
“This world also had an audio bug for me - the SFX only came from the right speaker (the background music was still in stereo though).”
“The dev could have made an extra by releasing a DLC for the soundtrack alone too.”
“The music is very calm, and the visuals are literally jaw-dropping, as in I had a dry mouth afterwards.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is visually impressive and offers a unique jigsaw puzzle experience that challenges players' minds; however, it is criticized for being repetitive and limited to a single room scale, leading to a short playtime of about 1.5 hours. While the mechanics, such as the force grab feature, add some depth, many feel the game is overpriced for the content provided.
“Visually stunning game that really challenges the mechanics of your mind.”
“The gameplay is a jigsaw experience.”
“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.”
“But we are talking about a video game here, so the presentation and being 'artistry' alone doesn't cut it; so how's the gameplay, you may ask.”
“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.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for its unique and beautiful visual style, creating a calm and relaxing environment that enhances the puzzle-solving experience. Reviewers highlight the game's attention to detail and polished presentation, contributing to an immersive and enjoyable atmosphere from the very beginning.
“This is a solid calm, atmospheric puzzler with a keen attention to detail.”
“The visual and atmosphere 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.”
- story6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Reviewers express a desire for a more substantial storyline in the game, noting that it currently feels simplistic and lacking in variety. While some appreciate the core gameplay, they believe that an engaging narrative could enhance the overall experience.
“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'; I guess some more variety and possibly a bit of a storyline would be welcome here.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have significant stability issues in its full version, with bugs causing puzzle pieces to become inaccessible by falling through the floor, requiring players to blindly search for them to complete tasks.
“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.”
