Supraland
- March 25, 2021
- Supra Games UG
- 19h median play time
Supraland is a metroidvania puzzle game from Supra games that is finally making its way to consoles. Our review.
"Supraland" is a single-player, comedy Metroidvania puzzle game, inspired by Zelda, Metroid, and Portal. It features an intriguing story, good mechanics, ingenious visuals, marvelous music, but also includes lots of grinding and bugs. The game encourages exploration of its large, interconnected world, where versatile abilities are used to unlock new areas and uncover secrets. Despite child-friendly visuals, it targets experienced players, offering high replayability and a playtime of 12-25 hours.
Reviews
- Engaging puzzles that require creative thinking and exploration.
- Charming art style and humorous writing that adds to the overall experience.
- Rewarding sense of progression with numerous upgrades and collectibles.
- Combat mechanics are simplistic and can become tedious.
- Some puzzles can be overly obscure, leading to frustration.
- Lack of a map early on can make navigation confusing.
- gameplay684 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay in this game is widely praised for its innovative mechanics, engaging puzzles, and rewarding exploration, often drawing comparisons to beloved titles like Metroid and Portal. Players appreciate the gradual introduction of new abilities that enhance the gameplay experience, although some mechanics can be obscure or poorly explained, leading to occasional frustration. Overall, the game offers a satisfying blend of humor, exploration, and puzzle-solving that keeps players invested and eager to uncover its many secrets.
“I absolutely love such mechanics in games, and here it works very well.”
“The gameplay and the story are addictive, the puzzles are very balanced, the evolution is great, and the liberty of movement and exploration is amazing.”
“The gameplay is fluid and rarely led to frustration.”
“The combat is tedious and feels like a chore rather than a game mechanic.”
“Only complaint is quite a few of the mechanics essential to complete the game were some real stretches of logic, things I'd have never in a million years known were part of the game if I hadn't looked up a walkthrough.”
“Many game mechanics are not explained or established ahead of time, so at several points in the game you'll have to keep trying things until you realize there was something you weren't told about.”
- story577 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally described as simple and light, serving primarily as a backdrop for the engaging puzzles and exploration. While some players appreciate its humor and whimsical nature, others find it lacking depth and character development. Overall, the narrative is seen as a fun, albeit minimalistic, framework that enhances the gameplay experience without overshadowing it.
“The story is simple yet fun and has lots of funny interactions.”
“The story is cute and funny, too!”
“The story is engaging and well written and funny.”
“The story is lackluster but that's not really important since the aim of the game isn't to tell a good story, it's to make a good world to explore in... which it does!”
“The story is minimalistic, with a very basic end-goal that is pretty much there to just get you going.”
“The story is pretty basic but keeps things moving and gives you motivation.”
- graphics382 mentions
- 51 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of Supraland are characterized by a charming, cartoonish art style that evokes a playful, toy-like aesthetic, appealing to both children and adults. While some players noted the visuals are not groundbreaking compared to AAA titles, many praised the vibrant colors and creative design that enhance the game's whimsical world. Overall, the graphics are well-received for their consistency and ability to complement the engaging gameplay and puzzle mechanics.
“Supraland offers a whimsical world filled with vibrant visuals and engaging puzzles.”
“The game's visuals are bright and colorful, with a distinct toy-like aesthetic that fits well with the game's overall theme.”
“The graphics are adorable with all the tiny-giant objects around, the combat is not too difficult and some of the puzzles are fairly challenging.”
“The graphics and art style aren’t anything revolutionary that attempt to rival the likes of realistic triple-A games.”
“The graphics are okay but at times the world looks incredibly sparse and empty.”
“The art style always put me off and made me believe this was a second-grade game, but I was so wrong.”
- humor311 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -1 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness, creativity, and abundance of pop culture references, with many players finding it both engaging and entertaining. Reviewers highlight the witty dialogue, funny easter eggs, and absurd scenarios that contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere, making the gameplay experience enjoyable. While some humor may feel juvenile or overly reliant on references, the overall consensus is that it adds significant charm and fun to the game.
“This game has an amazing sense of humor; all dialogues, easter eggs, etc. are amazing, and some jokes are really hilarious.”
“The story is a lot of fun and has lots of funny interactions.”
“The humor is on point in this game, but the NPCs are also set to give you hints in some places.”
“It's not cute, it's not funny.”
“The jokes fall flat and feel forced.”
“I expected more clever humor, but it just misses the mark.”
- music141 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it simplistic and forgettable, often describing it as stock music that lacks variety. However, the original credits song "Warum Warum," performed by the developer, has been praised as a standout piece that adds charm to the overall experience. While some players appreciated the atmospheric qualities of the soundtrack, others noted issues with repetitive tracks and sections devoid of music, leading to a less engaging auditory experience.
“The world is a whimsical wonderland with the art and music pairing perfectly.”
“The music is fantastic!”
“The atmosphere, the music, the map, the characters, it's a beautiful painting of a game.”
“The only problem I had was with the music; there were sections where the music just stopped, which made those sections feel dull, and the music wasn't great to begin with, but not having music at all was much worse.”
“Sometimes the music is a little janky and repetitive when it's reused, such as the music for dark caves, which is way more intense than it needs to be in many of them.”
“This game has great gameplay, graphics, and design, but the music is just stock music; it's not horrible, it's just what you would expect from stock music.”
- grinding76 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 4 % neutral mentions
- 93 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a mixed experience with grinding in the game, particularly noting that while some aspects, like backtracking and puzzle-solving, can be enjoyable and rewarding, others, especially combat, often feel tedious and repetitive. Many players found the combat to be a chore, detracting from the overall enjoyment, while the exploration and puzzle mechanics generally maintained a balance that prevented the game from feeling overly grindy. Overall, the game offers a blend of fun and frustration, with grinding elements that can detract from the experience, especially in the late game.
“Exploring the world is so much fun, and the backtracking isn't tedious; it's usually well rewarded.”
“No tedious backtracking because of the transport system.”
“The combat is tedious and feels like a chore rather than a game mechanic.”
“Combat in this game unfortunately feels like a tedious chore that only distracts from the actual fun bits, so spending half an hour wracking my brain over a tricky puzzle only to be rewarded with a few extra attack points for a weapon I don’t even use is a huge let-down.”
“I almost fell in love with this game, but between the tedious combat and some of the puzzles just not landing with me repeatedly, my momentum eventually ground to a halt, so I've chosen to give up and stop playing the game.”
- optimization50 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing smooth performance on high settings, while others report significant issues, including low frame rates and stuttering, particularly on certain hardware configurations. Many users suggest that the game is poorly optimized, especially for AMD systems, and recommend adjusting settings for better performance. Overall, while some players find it playable, others advise waiting for optimization patches to improve the experience.
“Great graphics, great exploring, great performance on my laptop - a Dell 9710 playing at 4K on a Dell 3422 ultra-wide.”
“Extremely happy with it, very funny, very well optimized, very well designed.”
“The visuals are beautifully done, and the game runs smoothly without sacrificing detail.”
“My biggest complaint is performance.”
“I replaced my PC in late 2020 with significantly better hardware, and when I went to play the game in early 2022, the performance was terrible, almost to the point of rendering the game unplayable, running below 30fps in most areas, dropping down to 15 in some.”
“Good game, but you need a pretty beefy rig to run well due to the absolutely terrible optimization.”
- atmosphere36 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charm, engaging design, and immersive soundtracks, creating a welcoming and enjoyable environment for exploration and puzzle-solving. Players appreciate the lighthearted and whimsical feel, reminiscent of childhood adventures, though some note a lack of variety in the music and a departure from traditional metroidvania moods. Overall, the atmosphere is described as a delightful blend of creativity and relaxation, making it a perfect escape from daily life.
“The atmosphere, the music, the map, the characters, it's a beautiful painting of a game.”
“Amazing puzzle game with such a feel-good atmosphere.”
“When I first happened across it, I was immediately drawn to the design; it is such an attractive game, and the whole atmosphere is incredibly cheery, without being overly cartoonish.”
“This, in my opinion, kills the atmosphere, where you run around explore, random enemy pops and you hear the same song over and over and over and over again .... a few more songs in future updates would be a really good option.”
“Despite having a basic story and a decent looking atmosphere, the game is still incredibly worth it for its exploration and puzzle solving.”
“The soundtrack could've used a bit more variety but overall it fits really well with the atmosphere of the game and at times I really did enjoy listening to it.”
- emotional20 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a range of emotional responses to the game, from nostalgia and joy to frustration and satisfaction. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke feelings of childhood excitement and curiosity, reminiscent of classic titles like Metroid and Super Mario 64. Overall, the game is praised for its wholesome narrative, engaging puzzles, and the rewarding experience it provides, making players feel both challenged and emotionally fulfilled.
“This is one of the few games that made me feel the excitement and curiosity the way I felt when I was gaming as a kid.”
“I haven't played a game that made me feel quite like this since I first played Metroid when I was 12 years old.”
“Figuring things out in this game is just so emotionally rewarding, I love it.”
- stability18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- -6 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is characterized by occasional glitches and minor texture rendering issues, but these do not significantly hinder gameplay or lead to crashes. Players report some stuttering and bugs that may require reloading, yet many believe these quirks add to the charm and fun of the experience. Despite the presence of these issues, the game is generally considered stable and enjoyable, especially when on sale.
“Runs great on Linux!”
“The game runs smoothly without any major issues.”
“I rarely experience crashes or bugs, which makes for a stable gaming experience.”
“I had stutter problems at first, with FPS over 90 but small freezes every 1-2 seconds.”
“The chest finder sure seems buggy and beeps when there is nothing there.”
“Occasional glitches can result in the need to reload.”
- replayability17 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it low due to its focus on exploration and puzzles, others appreciate the hidden elements and the fun of revisiting the game with prior knowledge. Many users highlight the enjoyment of discovering secrets and completing challenges, suggesting that it offers decent replay value, especially for completionists. The consensus leans towards a positive experience, with several players expressing a desire to replay the game despite its limitations.
“Very replayable in spite of no explicit variation of game elements, but the sheer amount of fun of progressing in the game alone gets me and my kids to replay this game from time to time.”
“Lots of hidden things to explore and find makes for high replayability overall.”
“Replayability: 9/10. I definitely find myself wanting to grab all the chests and destroy all the enemy graves, being the completionist that I am. Although no game leaves the first-time impression twice, I'd definitely replay it.”
“Replayability is low (1.5-2 runs), as the core gameplay is exploration and puzzles, but going through the game faster a second time with a bit more knowledge has a good feel too :)”
“Maybe not much replayability, but I think that's fine.”
“The game is replayable much like Portal, and I'm certain you miss a lot on the first run as well.”
- monetization5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its fair monetization model, featuring a one-time purchase price without microtransactions or loot boxes, which contrasts positively with many modern titles. Players appreciate the inclusion of a demo and the substantial gameplay hours offered, making it a refreshing alternative in the current gaming landscape.
“Microtransactions for a good cause.”
“No BS, no microtransactions, a fair purchase price, a demo which is unheard of these days, and 20-30 hours of gameplay... need I say more?”
“People constantly bash microtransactions and loot boxes and, yes, those surely are awful.”
“The beginning feels flimsy because of the stick figures and trivial narrative, but what got me to buy was the advertisement of how small the map was compared to modern games today.”
“No BS, no microtransactions, a fair purchase price, a demo which is unheard of these days and 20-30 hours of gameplay... need I say more?”
- character development5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally praised for being engaging and well-integrated with interesting power-ups and upgrades. However, some players feel that the storytelling lacks depth, with a focus more on puzzles than on character growth. Despite its amateurish design elements, the character development is still seen as a positive aspect of the overall experience.
“This game is perfect, not too easy and not too hard puzzles, great character development, and there is a bit of fighting to spice up the game.”
“Very nice character development throughout the game, with interesting power-ups and upgrades.”
“The game is very clearly made by an amateur, with the default fonts, JPG HUD elements, and simplistic character designs, but I felt that this didn't take away from the game in any appreciable way.”
“Character design and world aesthetic can feel bland.”
“The game is very clearly made by an amateur, with the default fonts, JPG HUD elements, and simplistic character designs.”
Critic Reviews
Supraland
Little Guy, Big World, Great Puzzles
80%Supraland review
Supraland is a delight with a world that is brimming with secrets to discover. It is slightly too long and does have combat that feels largely superfluous, but the puzzles are consistently inventive and fun.
80%Supraland
Little Guy, Big World, Great Puzzles
80%