Spiral

About

"Spiral is a single-player, third-person role-playing game with a poetic vision of cognitive degeneration. As Bernard, a roleplaying-veteran and introspective writer, you'll explore five stages of his life and help him reconnect with memories from his past. With its interesting plot and good graphics, Spiral offers a wholesome story of navigating the increasing instability of the mind."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

98%

Audience ScoreBased on 61 reviews

story26 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

Spiral offers a deeply emotional and immersive narrative that effectively portrays the experience of cognitive degeneration, allowing players to connect with the protagonist, Bernard, on a personal level.
The game features charming characters, genuine dialogue, and a variety of engaging mini-games that provide a fun and light-hearted contrast to the heavier themes of the story.
Visually stunning with a unique art style, Spiral combines beautiful 2D and 3D graphics with a captivating musical score, enhancing the overall emotional impact of the gameplay.

Some players experienced minor bugs and technical issues, such as getting stuck on objects or objectives not completing properly, which can detract from the overall experience.
The audio levels for voice lines and sound effects can vary, leading to moments of inconsistency that disrupt immersion.
Certain gameplay elements, like the D&D-style mini-games, felt out of place for some players and detracted from the main narrative focus of the game.

story
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
64%
4%
The story of *Spiral* follows Bernard through five poignant chapters of his life, exploring themes of memory, family, and cognitive decline with empathy and depth. Players are immersed in a beautifully crafted narrative that balances emotional weight with lighthearted puzzles, making for a compelling and interactive experience. The game's portrayal of dementia is both sensitive and innovative, leaving a lasting impact on players who appreciate story-driven games.
- “Folklore games truly accomplished their mission of wanting to display the person behind the illness and how it can affect every portion of their life and how they remember it.”
- “The storytelling is truly poetic, mirroring cognitive degeneration in a way that is deeply emotional and immersive.”
- “By the end, I found myself in tears—not just because of the story, but because it captured a perspective we rarely see: that of the person living with dementia.”
- “These elements are fine, but I was solely interested in the protagonist's story, so I would have just as happily pressed an arrow key to progress the story and skip all of that.”
emotional
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its deeply emotional and immersive atmosphere, featuring a heartfelt narrative and well-written characters that resonate with players. Many reviewers noted that it evokes strong feelings, often leading to tears, as it explores themes of nostalgia and personal growth through the protagonist's journey. Overall, it is described as a touching experience that combines engaging gameplay with a captivating story, making it a standout emotional journey in gaming.
- “It is an emotional journey with well-written characters.”
- “The emotional depth of the narrative is unparalleled; I found myself deeply invested in the characters and their struggles.”
- “The storytelling is truly poetic, mirroring cognitive degeneration in a way that is deeply emotional and immersive.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
59%
14%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with highlights including the humorous "holy pizza" song and a fitting musical score that enhances the overall experience. However, some players found certain tracks, particularly in the board game scenes, to be less enjoyable and distracting, leading to a desire for more varied music. Overall, the soundtrack contributes to an immersive atmosphere, though it received mixed ratings, averaging around 6/10.
- “The 'holy pizza' song had me rolling and the whole 'D&D' experience was beautiful.”
- “Second, I have to say: the dialogue, art design, music, and voice acting are all great, and they work together well to create a moving tale.”
- “Its stunning visuals and immersive soundtrack create a world that feels truly alive.”
- “And at the same time, the other music choices were well-fitting for the areas they played, maybe not tracks I would want to listen to for as long as I had to while in certain scenes, such as the board game scenes.”
- “It's music was more rock/grunge and although fitting, I found myself wanting something a bit less stifling since we spent a significant amount of time there.”
- “You could hear the main spiral tracks playing, while the board game music played too, which did distract from immersion at times.”
gameplay
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
35%
15%
The gameplay offers a blend of relaxing and engaging experiences, with a completion time of 6 to 10 hours depending on player thoroughness. It features stylized visuals, delightful characters, and a heartfelt narrative, though some mechanics, like fishing on controller, have been noted as needing improvement. Overall, players appreciate the variety and meaningfulness of the gameplay, despite minor annoyances.
- “It offers stylized visuals, delightful characters, a heartfelt narrative, and a strong mix of relaxing and engaging gameplay with a lot of variety.”
- “Interesting mechanics, funny moments, and throughout really smooth and colorful gameplay.”
- “I mean those that had super-complex and rewarding gameplay, fantastic open worlds, big world-building, etc. but this is among the most meaningful games I have ever experienced and that is, to paraphrase Bernard, more than enough.”
- “The game has a couple of small annoyances in terms of mechanics; the fishing on controller leaves a lot to be desired, although I have been assured that the devs are working on that.”
- “Gameplay: 6.5/10”
- “I am writing this review with about 3 hours of official gameplay, playing demos, etc.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's graphics are widely praised for their stunning art style, reminiscent of "James and the Giant Peach," and feature a beautiful blend of 2D visuals that enhance storytelling. Reviewers highlight the immersive and stylish graphics, alongside a captivating soundtrack that brings the game world to life, although some note that the graphical fidelity may not match the high art direction. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's emotional impact and engaging gameplay.
- “It offers stylised visuals, delightful characters, a heartfelt narrative, and a strong mix of relaxing and engaging gameplay with a lot of variety.”
- “Its stunning visuals and immersive soundtrack create a world that feels truly alive.”
- “The 2D art style was particularly beautiful as well, and the idea of blending both into a game for a stronger use of storytelling was well done.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by witty banter and amusing moments that provide a lighthearted contrast to the more serious elements of the story. Players appreciate the engaging mechanics and the overall vibrant gameplay that enhances the comedic experience.
- “Full of funny banter.”
- “These puzzles often offer a humorous reprieve from the heavier parts of the story.”
- “Interesting mechanics, funny moments, and throughout really smooth and colorful gameplay.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as deeply emotional and immersive, drawing players into its world and enhancing their overall experience.
- “Deeply emotional and immersive atmosphere.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of voice and dialogue in the game has received high praise, with users commending the quality of the dialogue and the performances of the voice actors and actresses.
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report that while there are some glitches present in the game, they do not significantly hinder gameplay or progress.
- “There are some glitches, but nothing preventing me from continuing.”
- “There are some glitches, but nothing preventing me from continuing.”

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