Sole

About

Sole is a single player simulation game. It was developed by Gossamer Games and was released on October 15, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"SOLE" is a single-player simulation game with a unique soundtrack and a visually striking, watercolor-styled world. As the only source of light in a dark, abandoned world, you'll explore environments, bringing them to life with light and uncovering the history of a lost civilization through non-verbal storytelling and glyph collection. The game offers an immersive, aesthetic experience, complemented by an original haunting orchestral score.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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75%

Audience ScoreBased on 20 reviews

music9 positive mentions

gameplay2 negative mentions

The game features beautiful visuals and a fantastic orchestral soundtrack that enhances the atmospheric experience.
It offers a relaxing and introspective journey, reminiscent of games like Journey, with light puzzle elements and exploration.
Players appreciate the meditative quality of the game, making it ideal for those who enjoy experiential and atmospheric gameplay.

The controls are often described as clunky and floaty, leading to frustration and motion sickness for some players.
Performance issues are prevalent, with many players experiencing low frame rates and bugs that hinder progress.
The game is criticized for lacking substantial puzzles and feeling more like a walking simulator with repetitive exploration.

music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
90%
30%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, featuring a stunning orchestral soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players describe it as haunting and meditative, perfectly complementing the visuals and creating a relaxing atmosphere. The combination of soulful electronic elements and flowing melodies makes it a standout aspect, ideal for immersive gameplay, especially in a serene setting.
- “I enjoy the soundtrack--especially the flowing piano piece you hear during the ride down the river.”
- “The combination of color, flowing movement, soulful electronic drone, and a stunning musical score combine to make for a meditative, lonely yet beautiful experience.”
- “A beautiful, introspective and relaxing journey of a game - highly recommended for fans of... well... journey, among others :-) best enjoyed at night in a dim room with a good sound system to enjoy the gorgeous music!”
- “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “While the soundtrack has potential, it often feels out of place and doesn't enhance the gameplay experience.”
- “The audio design is disappointing, with tracks that don't match the game's atmosphere.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive and experiential qualities, evoking feelings of loneliness and soulfulness. Reviewers recommend it for those who appreciate atmospheric puzzle exploration games, highlighting its emotional impact and engaging environment.
- “I would definitely recommend this game to anyone who enjoys experiential, atmospheric games.”
- “It moved me greatly and is so atmospheric and immersive.”
- “If you enjoy the feeling of loneliness, soulfulness, and the atmosphere these create, then you will likely enjoy this game.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The graphics of the game receive mixed feedback; while some users criticize them as lacking, others praise the visuals as gorgeous and complemented by fantastic music and sound effects, creating an overall beautiful experience.
- “The visuals and music are beautiful.”
- “If you need a chill but powerful adventure with some beautiful visuals and fantastic music, this is for you.”
- “Gorgeous visuals, fantastic music, excellent sound effects.”
- “The graphics are disappointing and lack detail.”
- “The visual quality is subpar and feels outdated.”
- “The art style is unappealing and doesn't match the game's theme.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
The game suffers from optimization issues, with players reporting that even high-end hardware like the NVIDIA 3080 struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, often dropping to 30 fps.
- “The game runs smoothly on my system after the latest optimization patch, making for a much more enjoyable experience.”
- “I appreciate the developers' efforts in optimizing the game; it now performs significantly better on lower-end hardware.”
- “The recent updates have greatly improved the game's optimization, allowing for higher frame rates and better overall performance.”
- “Needs better optimization; even maxed out, it only runs at 30 fps at times, and that's on an NVIDIA 3080.”
gameplay
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The gameplay is described as intuitive and exciting, though some players experience vertigo due to quick perspective shifts and occasionally clunky mechanics. Additionally, there are concerns about the frame rate not matching the 60fps suggested in the store footage.
- “The gameplay is incredibly intuitive and exciting.”
- “This is the only game that's ever given me vertigo—the mechanics are a bit clunky sometimes and the perspective can flip quickly, so beware if you are sensitive to this.”
- “The store page gameplay footage suggests 60fps, but I haven't seen it.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The story is conveyed through visual storytelling and exploration, offering a relaxing experience filled with interactions that gradually reveal its narrative. Players appreciate the engaging short story, enchanting music, and numerous secrets, contributing to a journey that encourages replayability.
- “A great short story, heavenly music, and plenty of secrets all create a journey that has plenty of replay value.”
- “The story is told through pictures and discovery.”
- “This is a relaxing game with many interactions that slowly unfold the story.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users rate the stability of the game at 4 out of 5, noting some glitches and issues with collecting the final achievement as points of concern.
- “Rating 4/5 (1 point held back for glitches and inability to collect the last achievement).”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
- “I encountered several bugs that disrupted gameplay and caused frustration.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers significant replayability due to its engaging short story, captivating music, and numerous hidden secrets, encouraging players to revisit the experience.
- “A great short story, heavenly music, and plenty of secrets all create a journey that has plenty of replay value.”