Stop and Breathe

About

Stop and Breathe is a single player casual puzzle game. It was developed by One Must Imagine Games and was released on February 11, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

Stop and Breathe follows Ace, a teen trapped in a distorted mind world after a panic attack, who must use controlled breathing techniques to overcome anxiety. Players solve puzzles and navigate platform challenges while learning belly breathing to manage stress. The game blends calming mechanics with thoughtful gameplay to promote serenity.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 29 reviews

emotional3 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features well-designed puzzles and a charming aesthetic, making it visually appealing and engaging.
It effectively introduces breathing techniques that can help players manage anxiety, providing a calming experience.
As a free game, it offers a short yet enjoyable experience that is suitable for casual players and younger audiences.

The breathing mechanics can feel tedious and disrupt the flow of gameplay, detracting from the overall experience.
Puzzles are often too simple, leading to a lack of challenge and engagement for more experienced players.
The character design and story elements may not resonate with all players, potentially limiting its appeal.

gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The gameplay is centered around a breathing mechanic intended to help players manage panic attacks, but many reviewers find it detracts from the overall experience, making it feel tedious and irrelevant. While the game features straightforward puzzle platforming reminiscent of titles like Trine and Limbo, the reliance on breathing techniques to unlock puzzles often leads to a lack of engagement, with players expressing a desire for the mechanic to have a more significant impact on gameplay. Overall, the concept shows potential but may not resonate well with those seeking a more traditional puzzle platforming experience.
- “This is a very simple, straightforward game that has you doing breathing techniques in order to unlock puzzle mechanics, and it works.”
- “I hope they expand the breathing mechanic so it may have a bigger impact on the puzzles; apart from that, it's a really solid puzzle platformer.”
- “I'm fond of puzzle platformers with good environmental design, and this game has potential, though the character design and story may not appeal to everyone.”
- “The gameplay is completely spoiled by the premise of stopping and breathing.”
- “The game is all about stopping and taking a breather before starting the puzzle, but in the end, I think this didn't really add anything to the game's mechanics, and after a few rooms, I found myself just running to the breathing space so I could get started with the puzzles.”
- “I would give it some critique because the gimmick of the game becomes slightly tedious from a pure gameplay perspective.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their appealing aesthetics and art concepts, particularly highlighting the vibrant environments and smooth animations that create an immersive experience. While some reviews note the game's casual nature and limited scope, the overall visual presentation is considered impressive and engaging.
- “And speaking of the world, the graphics are absolutely amazing.”
- “Every environment feels alive, with soft lighting, smooth animations, and a dreamlike aesthetic that pulls you in.”
- “It’s a free, very short and easy game, the aesthetics and art concepts are nice; it’s clearly for casual and easy-going players.”
- “Given the scope of the game (and its resources for development), I will avoid cherry-picking and commenting on details such as the general graphics or the animations.”
- “The graphics are underwhelming and fail to meet modern standards, making the game feel outdated.”
- “The character models lack detail and the textures are often blurry, which detracts from the overall experience.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its quirky and heartwarming narrative, blending humor with a sense of innocence. Players appreciate the simple yet impactful messages conveyed through the protagonist's unique experiences, creating a casual and wholesome atmosphere that resonates on an emotional level.
- “Sweet, short and heart-warming puzzle game, pretty simple and not too complicated, but the message hits the right places.”
- “Pretty good casual and wholesome puzzle game.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its relaxing and chill vibe, which is considered its greatest strength.
- “The game’s chill atmosphere is its biggest strength.”
- “The haunting soundtrack perfectly complements the eerie visuals, creating an immersive experience.”
- “Every corner of the game world is filled with rich details that enhance the overall ambiance.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, suggesting that the repetitive nature of the gameplay can detract from the overall experience.
- “The grinding aspect of the game feels overly repetitive and lacks variety, making it a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
- “I found the grinding to be excessively time-consuming, which detracted from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- “The constant need to grind for resources becomes tedious and takes away from the fun of exploring the game's world.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The story is described as fun and endearing, appealing to fans of puzzle platformers, but some users express disappointment with the character design and overall narrative, suggesting it may not resonate with everyone.
- “This was a fun and endearing little story.”
- “I would probably skip this game due to the character design, story, and breathing mechanic.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The review suggests that the game's optimization is impressive, potentially exceeding expectations and prompting curiosity about its underlying performance capabilities.
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game has received mixed feedback, with some players finding certain segments, like the 'zen' part, to be underwhelming and lacking in engagement.
- “The part that is the 'zen' part, where I'm standing still in the game with two keys held down in real life and the music does a little trill - that part is disappointing.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers express disappointment in the character development of the game, citing poor character design and an unengaging story as significant drawbacks. This lack of depth in character portrayal may deter fans of puzzle platformers who appreciate strong narrative elements.
- “I'm fond of puzzle platformers with good environmental design, games like the Trine series, The Pedestrian, Limbo, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons, etc. As it is, I would probably skip this game due to the character design, story, and breathing mechanic.”