Stonefly

74%
Game Brain Score Based on 96 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Stonefly Game Cover
Stonefly is a beautiful work of art with an oddly but enchanting gameplay waiting to be experienced!
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"Stonefly is a single-player fantasy platformer RPG with a good plot, masterful visuals, and a memorable soundtrack. Pilot a unique wind-powered mech to traverse and battle across a magical forest, in a journey to recover a stolen family heirloom. Harness the power of the wind to outsmart and defeat various bugs in strategic combat."

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

74%
Audience ScoreBased on 96 reviews
story19 positive mentions
grinding20 negative mentions
  • The game features a stunning art style and beautiful visuals that create an enchanting atmosphere.
  • The combat system is unique and offers a variety of abilities, making battles engaging despite some initial awkwardness.
  • Exploration is rewarding, with a satisfying upgrade system for the mech and a charming story that adds depth to the experience.
  • Combat can feel chaotic and frustrating, with issues like being knocked off platforms and unclear hitboxes leading to a lack of control.
  • The game suffers from repetitive gameplay and resource grinding, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.
  • There is a lack of voice acting and some technical issues, such as camera problems and navigation difficulties, that hinder the experience.
  • story68 mentions

    The story of "Stonefly" is a charming yet simplistic coming-of-age tale set in a beautifully designed miniature world, where players navigate through a quest to retrieve a stolen mech. While the narrative is engaging and emotionally resonant, it suffers from underdeveloped characters, lack of voice acting, and abrupt pacing, leaving some players feeling disconnected from the story's potential. Overall, the game offers a visually stunning experience with a serviceable plot that could have benefited from deeper world-building and character development.

    • “The story, though short, is emotionally packed in a very natural way that's hard to explain.”
    • “It's one of the best games in recent memory that has done such a great job blending the final message of the story with the major mechanics and systems in the game.”
    • “A heartwarming coming-of-age story set in a fantastical world reminiscent of the microcosmos film.”
    • “The story is so incredibly bad - the characters are underdeveloped, motivations are all over the shop, character 'arcs' are jarring - but most insulting is how little the story links to the beautifully designed world.”
    • “Maybe the effort to help the team out would be worthwhile if there were some sense of personality to any of the characters in the game, though the thrust of the story (your pa's bug-mech is stolen! go get it!) is limp, and the lack of any voice acting or banjo-like grunts and effects to imbue some life to dialogue makes for a total snoozefest of a story, with developments that didn't make much sense given the characters and, frankly, ones I simply didn't care about.”
    • “The story of this game is serviceable but is hindered by abrupt scene transitions and awkward dialogue with odd pacing.”
  • gameplay48 mentions

    The gameplay in "Stonefly" features a unique blend of exploration, combat, and resource gathering, with a variety of mechanics that can be both engaging and visually stunning. However, players have noted issues with repetitiveness, cumbersome combat mechanics, and frustrating terrain navigation that detract from the overall experience. While the game offers a satisfying core loop and beautiful aesthetics, it struggles with balance and clarity in its mechanics, leading to a mixed reception regarding its gameplay depth and enjoyment.

    • “This gameplay is very varied with several different effects that can be used on the bugs, like a whirlwind that raises them into the air to be pushed easier, or a decoy pearl that attracts the attention of all of them.”
    • “Beautiful, unique, and fulfilling gameplay that embodies the emotions the narrative is communicating.”
    • “The core of the game is really good: explore the semi-open world, fight enemies, and complete some linear missions. Player progression feels rewarding as you gain upgrades during your playthrough that enhance your arsenal in battles.”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay is just so repetitive, boring, and actually tedious.”
    • “The combat especially takes some getting used to, with how the smallest hit will send you ragdolling out of arenas, or how some hits seem to come out of nowhere, or how the pushing enemies out of the arena mechanic takes out a lot of the feedback that would normally come with killing enemies in other games.”
    • “Despite a gorgeous world, stunning sketchbook visuals, and fantastic music, Stonefly is actively dragged down because of its frustrating and cumbersome combat mechanics that create situations that are a pain to tackle.”
  • graphics45 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their fantastic art style, stunning character and environment designs, and a mesmerizing atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the beautiful, colorful visuals and the effective pairing of art and music, creating a charming aesthetic. However, some note that while the graphics are impressive, they do not compensate for the game's frustrating mechanics and unresponsive controls.

    • “The art style, animations, maps, and everything are incredibly beautiful.”
    • “The visuals are very pretty and customization options are a wonderful touch.”
    • “The art style in this game is fantastic; every area you explore, enemies you find, and characters you meet are stunning. Everything is colorful and the designs are great.”
    • “So legit all the parts are just for aesthetic appeal as far as I can tell.”
    • “But nah, all customization is just aesthetics.”
    • “From the start you'll notice this studio's striking art style which while tending towards the beige still pleases the eye.”
  • music34 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its unique and immersive qualities, enhancing the overall experience with a beautiful soundtrack that complements the art style. However, some players note that the music can become repetitive, lacking variety between exploration and combat scenarios. Overall, it contributes significantly to the game's atmosphere, making it a standout feature despite some gameplay criticisms.

    • “The soundtrack is great, adds a lot to the immersion.”
    • “Natureboy Flako knocked this out of the park, and the soundtrack has a mixture of really nice and chill sounds for exploration paired with higher BPM tracks that pick up diegetically as you encounter greater swarms.”
    • “This game is hella rad - the gameplay is highly addicting, the music is awesome (I've listened to the soundtrack multiple times by itself), and the art direction is beautiful.”
    • “Indeed, the music is unique (but sadly very repetitive), the story is very intriguing, and the art direction is amazing.”
    • “Scripted cutscenes would nearly be silent if music wasn't constantly playing in the background.”
    • “It's a shame, because the idea is a unique one, and the presentation is really something to marvel at, with an original soundtrack that, occasionally, reminded me of the terrific disasterpiece score for Hyper Light Drifter.”
  • grinding20 mentions

    Reviews highlight that grinding in the game is often tedious and repetitive, detracting from the overall experience. Players find the resource gathering and combat mechanics to be frustratingly monotonous, with navigation issues compounding the problem. While some appreciate the abundance of resources available, many feel that the grinding elements hinder the enjoyment of the gameplay and story progression.

    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay is just so repetitive, boring, and actually tedious.”
    • “I got this game on the strength of having liked Creature in the Well a lot, then stuck it out through the awkward and annoying combat, the boring resource grinding and getting punished for trying to explore the levels by constantly glitching outside the map and having to return to camp, only to be eventually treated to an absolutely horrendous final mission, a pointless boss fight, and a daft conclusion to the story.”
    • “Even with all that, the game's not very hard, just tedious and annoying.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heartwarming and natural storytelling, which resonates deeply with players, creating a captivating experience that can be hard to articulate. The combination of gorgeous visuals, unique gameplay, and a coming-of-age narrative contributes to a strong emotional connection, although some players felt certain moments lacked the intended impact. Overall, the game successfully immerses players in a heartfelt journey that leaves a lasting impression.

    • “The story, though short, is emotionally packed in a very natural way that's hard to explain.”
    • “It's not a bad story by any means, and the ending is heartwarming to say the least.”
    • “A heartwarming coming-of-age story set in a fantastical world reminiscent of the microcosmos film.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game has been criticized for its stability, with users reporting numerous bugs and glitches that hinder maneuverability and exploration. These issues contribute to a frustrating experience, particularly during combat and traversal.

    • “As others have stated, this game is buggy.”
    • “Speaking of maneuverability, traversing the world is a confusing and buggy mess.”
    • “The combat simply isn’t much fun, and exploring runs the risks of glitches.”
  • character development3 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by its charming and original character and mech designs, which feature unique quirks that enhance their appeal. While the artwork, animation, and music are praised, some users feel that the gameplay itself does not match the quality of the character design. Overall, the visual and aesthetic aspects contribute positively to the character experience.

    • “Additionally, character designs (and mech designs) all have little quirks that create all sorts of charming little flares that I can't help but smile at whenever I see.”
    • “This game is beautiful, original, fun and difficult combat, cute bug mechs, great character design.... get it!”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highlighted by its fantastic art style and mysterious lore, creating a mesmerizing experience that captivates players. However, there is a sense that the potential of this atmosphere is not fully realized in the overall gameplay.

    • “Fantastic art style, mysterious lore and characters, mesmerizing atmosphere... it could have been a wonderful game.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Players note that the presence of unlockable upgrades and multiple mech options contributes to a solid level of replayability, encouraging exploration of different strategies and playstyles.

    • “There are upgrades that can be unlocked for certain resources you acquire, and with several different mechs available, I imagine there is significant replayability here.”
    • “The variety of choices and paths you can take in the game encourages multiple playthroughs, making it highly replayable.”
    • “Each playthrough feels fresh due to the random events and different strategies you can employ, enhancing the overall replayability.”
    • “The game lacks meaningful choices, making replayability feel forced rather than enjoyable.”
    • “Once you've completed the main storyline, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
    • “The limited variety in missions and objectives makes replaying the game feel tedious.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

64% average critic score

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Play time

10hMedian play time
10hAverage play time
10-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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