Somber

About

Somber is an atmospheric action-platformer that takes place in the semi-open world of Gloom. A hand-painted game filled with stunning environments, Somber demands absolute precision from players who wish to unlock its many secrets.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 12 reviews

gameplay3 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

The game features beautiful visuals and a charming atmosphere, with fascinating backgrounds and a distinct art style.
Gameplay is accessible and fluid, with plenty of checkpoints that make it easy for new players to navigate challenging sections.
The game runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, maintaining a solid frame rate and providing a fitting atmospheric soundtrack.

The game is quite short, lasting around an hour, which may feel insufficient for its price and leaves players wanting more content.
Controls can be unresponsive and not user-friendly, limiting the gameplay experience, especially for those who prefer using a mouse.
The level design and overall gameplay mechanics feel underdeveloped, with some platforming sections being too loose and breakable.

story
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The story is described as loosely structured, with an unclear twist that leaves some players feeling unsatisfied, particularly regarding the ending. While the atmospheric music and voiceover enhance the experience, many reviewers express a desire for a more developed narrative akin to games like Ori. Overall, the visuals are praised, but the story itself may not meet all players' expectations.
- “Love the story feeling, but I don't think I reached the true ending.”
- “The game features very fitting atmospheric background music and sounds, as well as a voiceover to guide the player through the story.”
- “I like this game a lot and hope there is more like it, or more to the story in the future.”
- “The plot is loosely sketched and ends with a twist I don't even really understand.”
- “I love the story feeling, but I don't think I reached the true ending.”
- “If you consider just the gameplay and the story, I'd say no; if you look at how much effort was put into the visuals and then add the gameplay and the story, then maybe yes.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beauty and aesthetic appeal, featuring impressive environment art, character design, and a cohesive color palette. While some reviewers note that the visuals may feel somewhat one-dimensional, the overall artistic effort enhances the gameplay experience, contributing to a moody and engaging atmosphere.
- “I really love this aesthetics: the whole environment art, character, VFX, color palette.”
- “Nice and fun game with beautiful visuals!”
- “You... tried...? Like, visually this is very pretty, I won't deny that... maybe a bit one-note, but it's an aesthetic that works.”
- “If you consider just the gameplay and the story, I'd say no. If you look at how much effort was put into the visuals and then add the gameplay and the story, then maybe yes.”
- “A fun and challenging platformer with an incredibly moody and somber art style!”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The gameplay in "Somber" features familiar metroidvania mechanics, such as unlocking abilities like double jump and dash, reminiscent of titles like Ori and Hollow Knight. While the grapple mechanic shows potential for interesting platforming, the overall moment-to-moment gameplay lacks polish and doesn't feel satisfying. Despite its shortcomings, the game offers good value for its price, with around an hour of playtime and some replayability through collectible upgrades.
- “The gameplay of 'Somber' reminded me a lot of other metroidvanias like Ori and Hollow Knight - abilities are unlocked as you play the game like double jump, dash, etc.”
- “I picked up 'Somber' during the Steam Autumn Sale for around 5 bucks, which is great value for around 1 hour of gameplay and even some replayability to collect all in-game upgrades and items.”
- “The grapple mechanic is pretty cool and, with some polish, could be used in interesting ways.”
- “The gameplay of 'Somber' reminded me a lot of other metroidvanias like Ori and Hollow Knight - abilities are unlocked as you play the game, such as double jump, dash, etc.”
- “If you consider just the gameplay and the story, I'd say no. However, if you look at how much effort was put into the visuals and then add the gameplay and the story, then maybe yes.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its charming and artistic backgrounds, complemented by fitting background music and sound effects. Players appreciate how these elements work together to create an immersive experience that enhances the storytelling.
- “A charming, short game - I loved the atmosphere of the world; the backgrounds are fascinating works of art.”
- “I love the atmosphere that is built in this game.”
- “The game features very fitting atmospheric background music and sounds, as well as a voiceover to guide the player through the story.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's music is praised for its atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall experience with fitting background sounds and effective voiceovers that guide players through the story. Reviewers highlight the beautiful combination of music and scenery, contributing to the game's immersive environment.
- “The game features very fitting atmospheric background music and sounds, as well as a voiceover to guide the player through the story.”
- “This game is beautiful with both music and scenery!”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game demonstrates excellent stability, particularly on the Steam Deck, where users report smooth performance without significant issues.
- “The game runs great on the Steam Deck.”
- “I haven't experienced any crashes or major bugs; the stability is impressive.”
- “The performance is smooth, and I can play for hours without any issues.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
300%
Players find "Somber" offers good replayability, particularly for those interested in collecting all in-game upgrades and items, making the hour-long gameplay feel worthwhile, especially at its low price point.
- “I picked up 'Somber' during the Steam Autumn Sale for around $5, which is great value for about 1 hour of gameplay and even offers some replayability to collect all in-game upgrades and items.”
- “I picked up 'Somber' during the Steam Autumn Sale for around $5, which is great value for about 1 hour of gameplay, but the replayability is limited to collecting all in-game upgrades and items.”
- “After finishing the game, I found little incentive to replay it. The story doesn't change, and the gameplay feels repetitive on subsequent runs.”
- “While the game offers a few different paths, the lack of meaningful choices makes replaying it feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is praised for its excellent optimization, featuring fast loading times and a smooth experience without any stuttering or crashes. Users report no issues, indicating a well-optimized performance overall.
- “Excellent loading times, no stuttering or crashes, no issues whatsoever.”
- “The game runs smoothly on my system, with optimized settings that enhance performance.”
- “I appreciate the attention to detail in optimization; it really makes a difference in gameplay experience.”