Sipho
- September 30, 2023
- All Parts Connected
- 20h median play time
Get on Steam"Sipho is a single-player Science Fiction Strategy game with 20+ hours of playtime, where you create your own creature using various body parts, each with unique functions for movement, attacking, and support. Customize your creature, choose your playstyle, and battle powerful enemies to climb the food chain. With an emphasis on strategy, Sipho offers a unique and complex underwater world to explore."
Mac OS
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game offers a lot of creative builds and combos, allowing for unique gameplay experiences.
- The graphics and sound design are well-crafted, creating an engaging atmosphere.
- The developers are responsive to community feedback and have added features like a creative mode.
- The game can feel repetitive and lacks sufficient content, leading to a short overall experience.
- Movement mechanics can be frustrating, with players often getting stuck on scenery or having difficulty navigating.
- Progression can be slow, and the lack of a save feature can lead to frustration after dying.
- gameplay48 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a fun and creative system for building and evolving creatures, offering a variety of mechanics and replayability through different builds and bosses. However, many players find the core gameplay loop repetitive and lacking in depth, with minimal progression and poorly explained mechanics, leading to a sense of boredom after a few hours. While the game shows potential for future updates and expansions, it currently feels limited and linear, with a need for more structured content like campaigns or missions.
“The gameplay is fun, and the entire system of building your little monstrosity feels really good.”
“It has a ton of replayability with interesting bosses and mechanics as well as parts.”
“Both the growing and fighting aspects of gameplay are good, and there are plans to add more content during early access to expand on the possible combinations for both.”
“Very basic gameplay with no progression.”
“This mechanic is very confusing with no explanation; then I finished that run again after which I was tremendously bored and had to kill myself to end what seemed like a constant loop.”
“Past that, the game has very little direction with only a 20-second tutorial of 'kill, get DNA, evolve' but explains little to nothing about the rest of the game mechanics like power-ups, stealth, or that creatures have cores that are the only real important part to kill.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are described as having a unique charm and an impressive art style, contributing to a cohesive vibe with the music. However, many users criticize the graphics for being confusing, as the distinction between foreground and background elements is often unclear, leading to frustration in navigation. Overall, while the potential for high-quality visuals exists, the execution leaves much to be desired, with some reviewers suggesting that improvements could elevate the graphics significantly.
“The art style is amazing as well.”
“With better graphics, you're talking 9/10.”
“The graphics and music give off the same overall vibe, despite being entirely different art media.”
“You cannot tell where you will get stuck (why graphics gets an F-).”
“Additionally, the art style and direction for the game make it very bleak and boring (at least on the levels I was sent to; it may be random, generated levels) and because of this, it is sometimes hard to tell where you can and can't go because background objects look like foreground walls and foreground walls look like backgrounds, and mixed into those are foreground objects that you can still go through as if they were bushes in an Assassin's Creed game.”
- replayability16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the interesting bosses and mechanics that encourage experimentation with different builds, others feel that the limited scope and repetitive gameplay diminish its long-term appeal. Many reviewers suggest that the game could benefit from additional content to enhance replay value, as the current offerings may not sustain interest beyond the initial playthrough. Overall, it seems that enjoyment of the replayability largely depends on individual preferences regarding the core gameplay loop.
“It has a ton of replayability with interesting bosses and mechanics as well as parts.”
“Sipho has great replayability if you get satisfaction from the core gameplay loop and trying out different builds, but the scope of the game is very limited and may not be for everyone.”
“Lots of replay value for an early access game.”
“Looks like an interesting concept at first, but after an hour and a few instakilled bosses, I feel like the game already showed me everything I can potentially achieve or unlock, and that really doesn't add promise to its longevity/replayability.”
“The only real complaint I have is that replayability is lacking.”
“In short, I did not find enough replayability considering the genre.”
- story8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's story is criticized for being underdeveloped, with players completing it in under two hours and expressing a desire for a more substantial campaign or missions. While some enjoy the gameplay and bosses, many feel that the lack of a compelling narrative detracts from the overall experience, suggesting the need for additional modes and content to enhance engagement.
“Beat the story in under 2 hours; it looks like it's meant to be played in creative.”
“Hello, I think this is such a good game with good bosses, but I would like to have more power-ups like damage, health/shield power-ups, and maybe even a fever power-up that you can use to instantly kill enemies. I got the idea of installing this game from YouTube, and most games I get inspired to play are because of YouTube. I want to support future development, so I recommend different modes for the game like story mode, free-for-all, team fight, and other options.”
“But the game lacks any interesting gameplay or story.”
“Beat story under 2 hours; it looks like it's meant to be played in creative.”
“Gameplay is good, but the game would be better if you had more to accomplish, like a campaign or missions.”
- music6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as very loud and polarizing, with some players enjoying its vibe while others find it off-putting, leading them to turn it off. Despite the differing opinions, the music and graphics are noted to share a similar overall atmosphere, although the levels can sometimes appear gloomy.
“The graphics and music give off the same overall vibe, despite being entirely different art media.”
“The levels can look a bit gloomy at times, and I personally hate the soundtrack so much I turned it off.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by a clever reference to the Deseret alphabet, where a letter resembles the character from "Among Us" and is humorously pronounced as "gay," showcasing a blend of cultural and internet humor that resonates with players.
“The Deseret (Mormon) alphabet contains a letter that looks like 'Among Us' and is pronounced like 'gay', which is so cosmically funny.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight the emotional depth of the game, noting its polished presentation and heartfelt effort that distinguishes it from similar titles like Spore's cell stage. This emotional resonance contributes significantly to the overall experience, making it more impactful for players.
“I'm sure plenty of people will compare it to Spore's cell stage, and in a way it kind of is, but with all the polish and heartfelt effort that only a non-EA game can provide.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, contributing significantly to its appeal, despite it being a standard entry in the build-your-spaceship combat genre. While it excels in creating an engaging environment, it faces stiff competition from similar titles, each with their own limitations.
“The game thrives on its atmospheric elements, creating an engaging experience that stands out in a crowded genre.”
“The atmosphere is immersive and captivating, drawing players into its unique world.”
“The game's atmospheric design enhances the overall gameplay, making each moment feel significant and memorable.”
