Siphonopolis
- August 31, 2022
- ApeHardware
Left to rot. Awake once again. Welcome back. One last task. Enter Siphonopolis. Find the heart. https://store.steampowered.com/widget/2050150/ > What am I looking at? This game was originally made some time around 2017-18. It was hard to control and used poor 3d renders for its graphics. The plot was barely there. So it was forgotten and deleted. But it didn’t die. Recovered from beyond t…
Reviews
- The game features a remarkable visual style that is abstract, colorful, and reminiscent of old flash games, creating a unique aesthetic experience.
- The sound design and atmosphere effectively convey a sense of tension and unease, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
- Despite its simplicity, the game introduces unique mechanics and surprises throughout, making it a fascinating and enjoyable experience.
- The game suffers from hitbox and collision issues, leading to frustrating gameplay moments where players can get stuck or die unexpectedly.
- It is highly repetitive, which can detract from the overall enjoyment and engagement with the game.
- There are several bugs present that affect gameplay, making it less polished than players might hope for.
- graphics6 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique art style and atmospheric quality, effectively conveying a sense of decay and tension throughout the experience. Players appreciate the combination of stunning visuals and sound design, which enhance the overall immersion and emotional impact of the gameplay. The graphics contribute significantly to the game's ability to evoke feelings of discomfort and challenge, making it a standout feature.
“Great aesthetics and sound design.”
“After seeing the screenshots, I've immediately become intrigued by the peculiar art style, and it was cheap enough I bought it right away.”
“The visuals, soundtrack, and the atmosphere really sell the feeling of being somewhere that's decaying and deteriorating, and you really shouldn't be in.”
“The graphics look outdated and lack the detail expected from modern games.”
“The character models are poorly designed and feel lifeless.”
“The environments are bland and repetitive, making exploration feel tedious.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by simple mechanics focused on mouse movement and shooting, which initially seem shallow but are enhanced by unique level gimmicks that maintain player engagement. The game effectively balances tension and difficulty, supported by atmospheric graphics and music, creating a compelling experience despite its straightforward controls. Overall, the gameplay is both accessible and varied, ensuring it feels substantial throughout.
“The game is great; the gimmicks it introduced to spice up its simple mechanics were all unique, and not one did overstay its welcome.”
“The gameplay is simplistic, but is present enough for a game to feel like a game, heh.”
“It is played only with mouse and click; it keeps tension all the time, with horrible but magnificent graphics, uncomfortable but well thought out gameplay, and very varied difficulty levels. Even the music gives us that bit of fear and stress.”
“The simple mechanics of moving where you click and shooting at enemies didn't promise much depth at first, but some levels surprised me with the different things you can do with them.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as beautifully haunting, effectively enhancing the atmosphere of decay and tension throughout the experience. It contributes to a sense of fear and stress, complementing the game's remarkable visuals and gameplay. Many players found the soundtrack compelling enough to purchase separately, highlighting its impact on the overall immersion.
“The visuals, soundtrack, and atmosphere really sell the feeling of being somewhere that's decaying and deteriorating, and you really shouldn't be there.”
“It is played only with mouse and click, keeping tension all the time, with horrible but magnificent graphics, uncomfortable but well thought out gameplay, and very varied difficulty levels; even the music gives us that bit of fear and stress.”
“Remarkable visual style and beautifully haunting soundtrack (I even bought it separately).”
“The visuals, soundtrack, and atmosphere really sell the feeling of being somewhere that's decaying and deteriorating, and you really shouldn't be in.”
“Even the music gives us that bit of fear and stress.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have significant stability issues, with users experiencing frequent bugs and poor performance during gameplay.
“Pretty buggy and doesn't play well.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
“I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined the experience.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 200 % positive mentions
- -400 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is effectively conveyed through striking visuals and an immersive soundtrack, creating a sense of decay and unease that enhances the feeling of being in a forbidden, deteriorating environment.
“The haunting ambiance and intricate details create an immersive experience that pulls you into its eerie world.”
“Every sound and shadow contributes to a palpable tension, making the atmosphere feel alive and unsettling.”
“The visuals, soundtrack, and atmosphere really sell the feeling of being somewhere that's decaying and deteriorating, and you really shouldn't be in.”
“The atmosphere feels lifeless and uninspired, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”
“Despite the potential, the atmosphere lacks depth and fails to evoke any real sense of tension or fear.”
- story1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story is praised for its unexpected twists and engaging progression, keeping players invested throughout the experience. Coupled with impressive graphics and well-balanced boss fights, it creates a compelling narrative that enhances the overall gameplay.
“The graphics continued to be amazing till the end, the story went places I wouldn't have expected, and the boss fights were just challenging enough to get angry at, but never so much that I wanted to give up.”