Sumeru

About

"Sumeru" is a 2D physical game where you help a traveler named Yun escape from the Sumerian World. Draw bridges, create stairs, and use a hammer to solve puzzles across 6 levels and 43 scenes. Yun was sucked into this world after finding a gem, and must now overcome challenges to return home in an engaging 6-10 hour adventure.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 25 reviews

music3 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

Sumeru features beautiful hand-drawn art and a tranquil atmosphere, making it visually appealing and relaxing.
The gameplay is simple yet satisfying, with a unique hint system that allows players to solve puzzles at their own pace.
The physics-based puzzles are creative and varied, providing a fun challenge for players who enjoy drawing mechanics.

The controls can be clunky and imprecise, leading to frustration when trying to execute drawn solutions accurately.
Some puzzles have a steep difficulty curve, which can make the game feel tedious and overly challenging at times.
The game lacks a meaningful story and replayability, which may leave some players feeling unsatisfied after completing it.

gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The gameplay is characterized by simple yet satisfying puzzles that vary in objectives and styles, providing a refreshing experience throughout its approximately six hours of playtime. While the core mechanic of free-hand line drawing is engaging, some players feel it lacks polish and can be frustrating at times. Overall, the game offers good value for its price, despite some inconsistencies in execution.
- “The gameplay is simple yet satisfying, with puzzles that are enjoyable without being too challenging.”
- “The gameplay tends to change its objectives up every so often, and even the game style changes to give your mind a break from the platform puzzles.”
- “It lacks polish in terms of presentation, but it succeeds with its gameplay and is well priced.”
- “It's hard to believe a small team made this game, and even harder to believe it's only $4 for the 6 or so hours of gameplay you get out of it.”
- “The main mechanic of this game is that you have to draw your way out of the level, and this game does a poor job at that.”
- “Some levels, especially toward the end, have completely different mechanics.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's story is conveyed primarily through stunning illustrations and cutscenes, creating an ethereal and artistic experience. However, some players find the narrative minimal and lacking depth, leading to frustration with gameplay mechanics that detract from the overall experience.
- “I got charmed by the graphics - artwork-like, ethereal - and the plot told only by the illustrations.”
- “There are beautifully done cutscenes which, as I said, contain the illustrations of certain plot events.”
- “And again: wait for the plot illustrations!”
- “The game is minimal to the point of irritation and lacks basic options or any meaningful story, which is most annoying with controls that overlap character movement with line positioning, meaning you can accidentally screw up with a misclick.”
- “Though it also makes no reference at all to Sumeria in the story.”
- “There are beautifully done cutscenes which contain the illustrations of certain plot events.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The graphics are highly praised for their beautiful, artwork-like quality, reminiscent of titles like Hollow Knight and Okami. The ethereal art style and atmospheric visuals, complemented by a fitting soundtrack, create a captivating experience that effectively conveys the story through illustrations.
- “The artwork is really, really pretty - it reminds me of the best scenes of games like Hollow Knight or Okami.”
- “The atmosphere is really neat, the soundtrack accompanies it really well, and I love the art style.”
- “I got charmed by the graphics - artwork-like, ethereal - and the plot told only by the illustrations.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and complement the art style. However, some players noted that the soundtrack is limited, featuring more unsettling sounds and repetitive themes rather than a diverse musical experience. Overall, while the music fits the game's tone, it may lack variety across different levels.
- “The atmosphere is really neat, the soundtrack accompanies it really well, and I love the art style.”
- “The controls are nice, the music fits, and I think the puzzles are overall well done.”
- “And like those games, the music's quite nice, too.”
- “There was not much music, but more of unsettling sounds and silent melodies.”
- “Art is nice, the puzzles themselves are challenging, but the music is pretty much the same across all levels, mostly consisting of environmental sounds.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of Sumeru is praised for its unique charm, characterized by beautiful hand-drawn art and a tranquil ambiance. The accompanying soundtrack enhances the experience, complementing the art style effectively.
- “Sumeru has a unique charm with its beautiful hand-drawn art and tranquil atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is really neat, the soundtrack accompanies it really well, and I love the art style.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers limited replayability, primarily appealing to players interested in approaching stages through different strategies. However, this aspect may not attract everyone.
- “Sadly, there isn't much replayability unless you want to solve the stages in different ways, but some might be into that.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express frustration with the emotional impact of unexpected character disappearances due to hazards, which can detract from the overall immersion and emotional engagement in the game.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and frustrating, as it often involves struggling with the system and can lead to significant setbacks in progress.
- “With the vast majority of my time spent wrestling with the system, it makes a promising game tedious, and whenever progress can be significantly lost, it becomes very frustrating.”
- “The grinding feels endless and repetitive, turning what could be an exciting adventure into a monotonous chore.”
- “I find myself spending hours on tasks that yield minimal rewards, which makes the game feel more like a job than a fun experience.”