Sphaera
- June 26, 2018
- Chilla's Art
Get on Steam"Sphaera is a relaxing exploration game where you play as a small sphere in a vast grass field filled with animals. Collect and interact with animals, and experience a day/night cycle as you uncover the world created by a higher power. With Nvidia Ansel support, capture your animal encounters in stunning detail."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has pretty visuals and a relaxing atmosphere, making it enjoyable for players seeking a peaceful experience.
- It offers a unique zen-like state where players can collect items and appreciate nature, which can be therapeutic.
- The music and colors are nice, contributing to a calming environment that some players find enjoyable.
- The game lacks clear objectives and feels empty, leading to confusion about what to do and diminishing replay value.
- Many players experienced performance issues, including lag and glitches, which detracted from the overall experience.
- The game is considered overpriced for the limited content it offers, with some suggesting it should be significantly cheaper.
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, described as nice and relaxing, though some reviewers feel it lacks the depth of other titles like Proteus. While the overall audio experience is considered pretty, it is noted that the game may feel somewhat empty beyond its sound design.
“It's actually a great relaxing game with good music.”
“The graphics, sounds, and music are pretty.”
“The graphics, sounds, and music are pretty, but other than that, it's empty.”
“The music isn't as good as Proteus, but it has its moments.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are visually appealing and create a beautiful atmosphere, but they can feel superficial and lead to a lack of engagement over time. The stylized visuals may limit the player's perspective, making progression less clear, which can detract from the overall experience.
“Sphaera is a game that has pretty visuals and a spiritual/philosophical atmosphere.”
“But as it is, it feels more like a graphics test and becomes boring very fast.”
“The graphics, sounds, and music are pretty, but other than that, it's empty.”
“Overall, the game has a similar structure to Proteus, but the progression is less apparent off the bat because the graphics are very stylized and your view is artificially limited by the grass.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players feel that the game lacks depth in its storytelling, suggesting that additional lore and narrative elements would significantly enhance the overall experience. Many gamers prefer a well-defined background and clear objectives to engage more fully with the gameplay.
“Even just a few more pieces here and there to add some lore and story to the world would have made this game 200% more fun.”
“Some people like to play a game where there is a background story, action, and a really specific goal.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers minimal replayability, with users noting a lack of achievements and expressing boredom shortly after starting, indicating that it may not hold players' interest for long.
“There are no achievements, very little replay value, and I was bored after 30 minutes.”
- gameplay1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The gameplay is heavily influenced by Katamari, featuring similar mechanics and objectives that revolve around collecting and accumulating items in a whimsical manner.
“The mechanics and goals of the game feel inspired by Katamari.”
“The gameplay is incredibly engaging and keeps you coming back for more.”
“The controls are smooth and intuitive, making it easy to dive right in.”
“The mechanics and goals of the game feel uninspired and derivative, reminiscent of Katamari but lacking originality.”
“Gameplay is frustratingly repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged for long periods.”
“The controls are clunky and unresponsive, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Sphaera is praised for its stunning visuals and a deeply spiritual and philosophical atmosphere, creating an immersive experience for players.
“Sphaera is a game that has beautiful visuals and a spiritual, philosophical atmosphere.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report significant performance issues, even on high-end systems capable of running demanding games like Ark on ultra settings, indicating that optimization may be lacking.
“I was aware of the performance issues, but I thought my computer, which can run Ark on ultra settings, would be able to handle this game.”
“The optimization in this game is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
“I appreciate how the developers have focused on optimization, making it accessible for a wider range of hardware.”
“I knew what I was getting into with the performance issues, but I figured my computer that can play Ark on ultra could handle this.”
“The optimization is so poor that even high-end systems struggle to maintain a stable frame rate.”
“It's frustrating to see such potential in the game, but the optimization makes it nearly unplayable at times.”
