Splice
- June 13, 2012
- Cipher Prime Studios
Get on Steam"Splice is an experimental puzzle game with a unique concept of rearranging cells into target structures. With over 75 levels, it offers an engaging and artistic puzzler experience, challenging players to visualize sequential shapes and exercise their problem-solving skills. Winning the Best Puzzle Game of the 2011 Intel Level Up contest, Splice immerses players in its microbial world with fabulous visuals and a perfect soundtrack."
Reviews
- The game features a beautiful soundtrack that enhances the overall experience and is often described as relaxing and enjoyable.
- Splice offers a unique and challenging puzzle experience that gradually increases in difficulty, providing a satisfying mental workout.
- The minimalist design and aesthetics of the game are visually stunning, creating an immersive environment for players.
- The lack of a tutorial or clear instructions can lead to frustration, as players may struggle to understand the mechanics and objectives.
- Many players find the game to be short, with limited replayability, making it feel less valuable for its price.
- Some puzzles have inconsistent difficulty levels, leading to a frustrating experience where certain levels are either too easy or excessively challenging.
- music58 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beautiful piano soundtrack, which enhances the relaxing and immersive experience of the puzzle gameplay. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as soothing, ambient, and even hypnotic, making it a significant reason to play the game. While some note that the music can become repetitive over extended play sessions, the overall consensus is that it greatly contributes to the game's appeal and atmosphere.
“The music is pretty nice, and the cells have a nice, satisfying wobble.”
“The piano soundtrack of the game fittingly underlines the beauty of the game, even if it can get repetitive if you play for too long.”
“The accompanying soundtrack will leave you with a serene feeling of relaxation and most likely give you a new appreciation for the piano.”
“Having to hear the music blasting full volume constantly is lazy software development.”
“Although the music is a very harsh allegro piano solo that ends up being more annoying than soothing.”
“The game has very attractive graphics and an average ambient piano music to complement it.”
- graphics24 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their minimalistic and aesthetically pleasing design, featuring smooth visuals that enhance the immersive experience. Players appreciate the thematic coherence between the gameplay and the art style, noting that the graphics are sharp and beautiful, contributing to the overall appeal of the game. However, some users have reported glitches, particularly in windowed mode, which can detract from the visual experience.
“Splice's immediate appeal is in its visuals; minimalistic, smooth, and aesthetically pleasing.”
“The graphics are pretty, and incredibly smooth for what it is.”
“An absolutely beautiful puzzler with pleasing aesthetics, and the music flows seamlessly with the unique art style.”
“The controls and visuals are kind of awkward.”
“Only glitch I've found is that it does not like windowed mode; in fact, none of the graphics show up, so you just get a background, tinkly music, and bloops as you click blindly at the ninja genes.”
“Similar in aesthetics to Osmos.”
- gameplay18 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Splice is characterized by its minimalist design and unique mechanics that gradually introduce players to the puzzle dynamics. While some players find the puzzles straightforward and easy to master, others struggle with the initial learning curve and feel the game lacks depth for extended play. Overall, the game offers satisfying challenges and a cohesive aesthetic experience, but may not provide enough complexity or replay value for those seeking a more intricate puzzle experience.
“Each level introduces new cell mechanics gradually to get you accustomed to the dynamics of the game.”
“I just love the feel of this game, the music, the simple but at times challenging gameplay; it just feels right.”
“The game has fantastic music, deceptively simple gameplay, and one of their hallmark intuitive UIs.”
“If only the main gameplay was explained, then players could have some understanding of what is happening.”
“However, I just can't wrap my head around the mechanics of these puzzles very well.”
“Don't do it if you really want a brain-wracker of a puzzle (Splice's are usually pretty straightforward, once you figure out the basic moves); you need more than an hour or two of gameplay to justify paying for a game, as there's not yet a randomly generated puzzle feature, so once you've done all the puzzles, there's not any ongoing challenge to come back to.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotional impact, primarily driven by its evocative piano music that enhances the experience of solving puzzles. Its aesthetic and simplistic design, combined with the emotional depth of the soundtrack, creates a profound connection that can even bring players to tears.
“The only puzzle game that almost made me cry because of the music.”
“Aesthetic, simplistic style challenging puzzler that serenades you with emotionally evocative piano solos as you gene-splice yourself into angelic sequences.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability, with players feeling it lacks sufficient value for multiple playthroughs. While the initial experience is enjoyable, many believe it would be more worthwhile at a lower price point.
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, characterized by a beautiful piano soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers note that the combination of engaging puzzles and a mesmerizing ambiance creates a unique and enjoyable environment.
“The soundtrack is beautiful, and the atmosphere is great.”
“A simple, yet fun and unique puzzle game with a beautiful piano score and an almost mesmerizing atmosphere.”
- story1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The story is engaging and satisfying for many players, but those who favor puzzle games with a strong narrative or who are averse to repetitive elements may find it less appealing.
“The story feels disjointed and lacks depth, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“Character development is minimal, leaving the plot feeling flat and uninteresting.”
“The narrative is predictable and fails to offer any surprising twists or emotional impact.”
