Sisyphus Paradox

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In "Sisyphus Paradox," an ordinary person must fight their way back to Earth after being flung across the galaxy, with the help of a mysterious voice in their head. This side-scrolling shoot 'em up game features procedurally generated star maps, persistent bonuses, and multiple builds to try, with 56 unique items and two playable ships. This DRM-free version offers a challenging and replayable experience.

Play Modes

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

Reviews

62%

Audience ScoreBased on 13 reviews

music3 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game features a captivating story and unique artwork, making it a standout in the sci-fi genre.
Gameplay is addictive with a variety of weapons, upgrades, and a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic arcade shooters.
The roguelike elements provide significant replay value, with permanent improvements and a compelling narrative that enhances the overall experience.

The lack of backtracking can hinder quest completion, as players are unable to revisit previous routes.
Some visual and sound effects, particularly for ship damage, could be improved to enhance gameplay clarity.
Auto-targeting weapons seem to overshadow forward-firing options, leading to potential balance issues in weapon effectiveness.

music
6 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy and addictive synthwave soundtrack, which complements the fast-paced action and vibrant visuals. While some users noted that sound effects could be improved, the overall musical experience enhances the gameplay and adds to the excitement.
- “The music is catchy and the visuals are vibrant with very nice details on the big boss enemy ships.”
- “It is a bit challenging to begin with, but also very addictive with equally addictive music!”
- “It has fast-paced action, upgrades for spaceships and weapons, achievements, and a cool soundtrack!”
story
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
40 % negative mentions
The story is generally well-received, featuring an engaging overarching narrative that ties together various gameplay elements, including a variety of enemies and bosses. However, some players noted that the lack of backtracking can hinder quest completion, despite the enjoyable "on the run" trope and appealing artwork. Overall, it presents a promising foundation for future expansions from the indie developer.
- “I really liked the story and the artwork!”
- “You got weapons, upgrades, a snazzy storyline, and procedurally generated maps, and from a startup indie developer too.”
- “Very enjoyable space shooter with a variety of enemies, bosses, equippable items, random encounters, and an interesting storyline.”
- “Sure, I get the whole 'on the run' trope, but by not allowing backtracking, some quests might not be possible to complete.”
- “The overarching story tying it all together is lacking depth and coherence.”
gameplay
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
-20 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as addictive, featuring a diverse loot system and build options that enhance player engagement. It successfully blends nostalgic shoot 'em up mechanics with modern roguelike elements, though players hope for improvements in procedural map generation and narrative depth as the game continues to develop in early access.
- “The gameplay loop can be addictive, and there is enough variety in the loot and builds you can make to keep you entertained.”
- “Borrowing mechanics from roguelike games like FTL and Slay the Spire, it offers a modern variation to the classic side-scroller/bullet hell recipe.”
- “An infectious mix of nostalgic shoot 'em up gameplay and classic graphical style, as well as more modern, updated elements in procedural map generation, unique encounters that modify your run in significant ways, and nuanced, compelling narrative.”
- “Gameplay-wise, as the game is in early access, I would like to see two improvements.”
- “The core gameplay has that nostalgic feel of some arcade space shooters I played when I was younger.”
- “Borrowing mechanics from roguelike games like FTL and Slay the Spire, it offers a modern variation to the classic side scroller/bullet hell recipe.”
graphics
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
-50 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The graphics are noted for their unique and vibrant style, featuring detailed visuals, especially on boss enemy ships. While some users may not be huge fans of the overall graphics, they appreciate the blend of nostalgic and modern elements, enhancing the game's aesthetic appeal.
- “The music is catchy and the visuals are vibrant with very nice details on the big boss enemy ships.”
- “An infectious mix of nostalgic shoot 'em up gameplay and classic graphical style, as well as more modern, updated elements in procedural map generation, unique encounters that modify your run in significant ways, and nuanced, compelling narrative.”
- “I really liked the story and the artwork!”
- “Not a huge fan of the graphics, but they are very unique.”
- “The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
- “The art style is inconsistent, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”
replayability
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-300 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability due to its classic roguelite elements, making it an excellent side-scrolling shooter that encourages players to revisit and experience different outcomes.
- “Excellent side-scrolling shooter with classic roguelite replay value.”
- “The game lacks meaningful choices, making replayability feel tedious.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to play again.”
- “The randomization elements don't change enough to keep the experience fresh on subsequent runs.”