Spider: Rite of the Shrouded Moon
- August 5, 2015
- Tiger Style
- 12h median play time
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
Get on Steam"Spider: Rite of the Shrouded Moon" is a game where you play as a spider, building webs and hunting insects with behaviors based on real-world time and weather, which are reflected in the game via your location. The game features a deep scoring system and leaderboards, offering a unique blend of action, strategy, and puzzle gameplay. Explore the Blackbird Estate and uncover its hidden secrets as you progress through this immersive experience.
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Reviews
- The game offers a unique and engaging experience as players take on the role of a spider, with fun gameplay mechanics centered around web construction and bug-catching.
- The atmosphere is enhanced by beautiful art, a captivating soundtrack, and a mysterious narrative that encourages exploration and puzzle-solving.
- The integration of real-time weather and moon phases adds depth and replayability, making each play session feel fresh and intriguing.
- The requirement to play during specific moon phases and weather conditions can be frustrating, potentially locking players out of content and progression.
- Some puzzles are overly cryptic, which may deter casual players and lead to a sense of confusion rather than enjoyment.
- The music does not always fit the game's atmosphere, and the controls can feel unresponsive at times, impacting the overall gameplay experience.
- gameplay58 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a blend of fast-paced strategy and puzzle-solving, featuring unique mechanics like planning webs and interacting with insects that vary by time and weather. While some players appreciate the depth and originality, others criticize it for being overly simplistic and lacking in engaging mechanics, leading to a disconnect between its artistic elements and gameplay complexity. Overall, the game offers a mix of fun, challenging puzzles, and a captivating atmosphere, though opinions on its execution vary significantly.
“The gameplay is fast-paced and strategic, as you plan webs and tackle moving insects.”
“Long story short, the gameplay is interesting and entertaining; I could replay some of the levels for hours non-stop, and while optional, the story is still very interesting to uncover.”
“This is one of the most original games ever, while still being a solid success in 'fun' and 'puzzley head-scratching.' The action mechanics keep me coming back, as the plot rolls out like an ancient treasure map.”
“Really barebones gameplay, literally abandoned in favor of 'art' and 'story'.”
“Absolute disdain for actual gameplay.”
“Especially when the main gameplay is so basic it's almost scandalous.”
- music32 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the soundtrack as lovely and nostalgic, enhancing the gameplay experience, while others find it mismatched with the game's atmosphere and even irritating. Despite the varied opinions, many agree that the soundtrack is a highlight, contributing to the overall enjoyment of the game. However, there are criticisms regarding its suitability for the game's eerie setting, leading some to prefer ambient sounds instead.
“I could listen to the soundtrack for hours.”
“I think the soundtrack alone is enough reason to get it; it's very lovely and makes me a little nostalgic.”
“It has something for everyone - deep puzzles, beautiful art, nice music, a little science, and casually addicting gameplay.”
“And on a side note: in my opinion the game's OST doesn't match the game's atmosphere at all.”
“The music is weird; you'd expect something atmospheric and somewhat creepy since it's an old-style mansion with all the spooky fixings.”
“The quiet, lush furnishing adds to the eerie feeling of 'what the heck happened here?' I turn off the music and listen to the rain or ambient sound.”
- story20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The story is conveyed through environmental storytelling, found objects, and cryptic hints, creating a non-linear narrative that some players find compelling while others deem too obscure. While the game is praised for its originality and engaging mechanics, the narrative elements are seen as lacking depth and not significantly enhancing the overall theme. Players appreciate the exploration aspect reminiscent of titles like Gone Home and Bioshock, but some feel the story does not cohesively tie into the game's central themes.
“This is one of the most original games ever, while still being a solid success in 'fun' and 'puzzley head-scratching.' The action mechanics keep me coming back, as the plot rolls out like an ancient treasure map.”
“Not an easy beast to describe; it's a puzzle game, but not in the traditional Tetris/Portal sense; it's a platformer where you have to plan out your actions; it has environmental storytelling comparable to Gone Home and BioShock, and it's much more than the sum of its parts.”
“The story isn't straightforward and is told via found objects, paintings, secrets, and background hints.”
“- really barebones gameplay, literally abandoned in favor of 'art' and 'story'.”
“It doesn't add anything to the game theme (neither to the spider story nor the mansion story).”
- graphics14 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are praised for their beautiful art style and artistic design, featuring 2D graphics with large sprites and smooth animations. The aesthetic is described as appealing and enhances the overall gameplay experience, despite some thematic elements that may not be suitable for all players. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's charm and replay value.
“A kind of 'puzzle' game, with nice and responsive controls, fairly good graphics and a weather system to add some replay value.”
“Beautiful art style, spectacular soundtrack, great animations, clean controls, fun gameplay, etc. The game is worth the full price but if you want to wait for sales then go ahead.”
“It's beautiful, aesthetically, it's simple, functionally, it's challenging, contemplatively... I'd say, get this game even if you're arachnophobic.”
“-2D graphics based on big sprites and collision hulls.”
“The graphics are artsy, but they lack depth and detail.”
“The imagery used may not appeal to everyone, especially those with a fear of spiders or bugs.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its unique combination of sound, art direction, and controls, creating a satisfying experience. However, some players feel that the original soundtrack does not align with the expected creepy ambiance of the old-style mansion setting, detracting from the overall atmosphere. Despite this, the game's visual and auditory elements are noted to work well together, contributing to a fantastic atmosphere.
“The atmosphere and sound, art direction, controls, and everything come together nicely to be pretty unique. I think the trailer gives a good representation of the strangely satisfying feel - don't expect much in-game voiceover though, the lore is minimal and in the background.”
“+ fantastic atmosphere”
“The music is weird; you'd expect something atmospheric and somewhat creepy since it's an old-style mansion with all the spooky fixings.”
“In my opinion, the game's OST doesn't match the game's atmosphere at all.”
“The atmosphere and sound, art direction, controls, and everything come together nicely to be pretty unique, but don't expect much in-game voiceover; the lore is minimal and in the background.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers extensive replayability through its engaging puzzle mechanics, responsive controls, and various features like a dynamic weather system and a day/night cycle. Additionally, a multitude of achievements tied to specific actions encourages players to explore different strategies and playstyles. However, some players find the obscure nature of these features to be a mixed blessing.
“But there are all these obscure features that are added into the game to try to make it more interesting - a day/night cycle so you can try to add some replayability in, a crapload of achievements for very arbitrary actions like 'attack insects in this exact order'.”
“A kind of 'puzzle' game, with nice and responsive controls, fairly good graphics, and a weather system to add some replay value.”
“Replayability is extensive.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional impact of the game to be profound, particularly noting a heart-wrenching ending that evokes strong feelings. The combination of strategic gameplay elements and the emotional narrative creates a compelling experience that resonates deeply with players.
“The end is heart breaking and warming at the same time :)”
