Sylvio: Black Waters

About

Sylvio: Black Waters is a single player action game. It was developed by Stroboskop and was released on July 25, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

In Sylvio: Black Waters, you explore a mysterious planet using a device that lets you hear the spirits of its former inhabitants. Guided by a lone survivor’s voice, you unravel cryptic clues through gravity-defying landscapes filled with eerie, physics-based puzzles. Danger lurks as you uncover the dark secrets entombed within the planet’s haunting depths.

Genres & Tags

Adventure

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

64%

Audience ScoreBased on 25 reviews

story6 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

Sylvio: Black Waters offers a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere with detailed environments and an immersive audio design that enhances the horror experience.
The game features innovative gameplay mechanics centered around audio-based puzzles and exploration, providing a unique form of interaction that sets it apart from other titles in the genre.
The narrative, delivered through conversations and fragmented recordings, creates a compelling mystery that keeps players engaged as they uncover the planet's secrets.

The game suffers from linear level design, forcing players to follow predetermined paths and limiting exploration, which detracts from the overall experience.
Combat mechanics are minimal and often frustrating, with some players finding the inclusion of weapons unnecessary and lacking in impact.
Technical issues, such as bugs and overly dark environments, can hinder gameplay and lead to confusion, making it difficult for players to navigate and enjoy the experience.

story
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
65%
12%
The story in this standalone installment of the Sylvio series is characterized by its atmospheric and eerie storytelling, primarily conveyed through audio-based puzzles and conversations between the main character and Lee. While the narrative is intentionally vague and abstract, blending elements of sci-fi and folk horror, it gradually unfolds, keeping players engaged despite some criticisms of its connection to previous titles. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a compelling aspect, enhanced by strong voice acting and a haunting soundtrack, making it enjoyable both as a standalone experience and for fans of the series.
- “Released on July 25, 2024, this standalone installment in the Sylvio series invites players to explore an enigmatic world, uncovering its secrets through audio-based puzzles and atmospheric storytelling.”
- “The atmosphere is comfortably creepy and the unraveling of the (very light, ever more psychedelic) story kept me intrigued.”
- “It's a refreshing change from the first two games, as the story is slowly revealed through the two's frequent conversations, and it requires less piecing together compared to the earlier titles.”
- “In fact, most of the story here is just kinda 'vague creepy stuff'.”
- “Story-wise, the game's... just okay.”
- “The story of Sylvio: BW feels like its own thing, and as far as I could tell, didn't seem to have any substantial connection to the lore established in the previous games.”
gameplay
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
70%
13%
Gameplay in "Sylvio: Black Waters" primarily focuses on exploration and puzzle-solving, enhanced by a unique gravity mechanic that alters player perception and environment interaction. While the game offers an atmospheric horror experience with light combat and EVP (electronic voice phenomena) elements, many players find the linear level design and simplistic mechanics detract from overall engagement, leading to mixed feelings about its replayability and depth. Despite its innovative ideas, some players feel the gameplay lacks the complexity and challenge needed to maintain interest throughout.
- “Gameplay in Sylvio: Black Waters revolves around exploration and puzzle-solving.”
- “It dealt with a really curious concept of EVP – electronic voice phenomena and made for a really cool and creepy ghost horror adventure with light combat mechanics.”
- “For instance, you enter a new level and everything looks normal; then you find a ladder at a peculiar angle, and as you climb it the world around you turns and shifts, gravity begins moving in a different direction, and now the walls have become the floor. It's a clever gimmick that enables the dev to take what are quite compact levels and make them seem bigger than they actually are.”
- “Anyway, the game could be seen as a walking simulator with light first-person shooter elements; it might be seen as too simple with its mechanics, and some might find it boring.”
- “If I'm brutally honest, the EVP mechanics felt bland by comparison.”
- “But it glitched, and the level didn't load properly - it didn't remember which way the 'world' was meant to be facing, leaving me stuck on a ledge.”
atmosphere
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
23%
18%
The atmosphere in "Sylvio: Black Waters" is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, enhanced by innovative audio-based puzzles and a compelling narrative. Players appreciate the game's dense, melancholic ambiance, which effectively creates a chilling experience, despite some criticisms regarding its darkness and design flaws. Overall, the atmospheric sound design and environments contribute significantly to the game's horror elements, making it a recommended experience for fans of the genre.
- “Released on July 25, 2024, this standalone installment in the Sylvio series invites players to explore an enigmatic world, uncovering its secrets through audio-based puzzles and atmospheric storytelling.”
- “The atmosphere is comfortably creepy, and the unraveling of the (very light, ever more psychedelic) story kept me intrigued.”
- “The atmosphere and sound design are as perfect as ever, and the soundtrack is so good as well. I loved the premise of the story and think it can also be played as a standalone.”
- “However, as someone who enjoys walking sims, exploring character motivations and backgrounds, and the general atmosphere of the Sylvio games, I would recommend it to those who don't mind slogging through some design flaws in search of the overall experience.”
- “Even though it's the most hostile and unknown environment yet, it does not create much tension or atmosphere like the first two games had.”
- “The atmosphere is very dense, transitioning from ominous to melancholic, but never stressful.”
music
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
31%
23%
The music in the game is highly praised for its atmospheric and haunting qualities, with memorable tracks that enhance the storytelling and exploration experience. The ambient synth soundtrack complements the desolate environments, creating a captivating atmosphere, while optional song lyrics can be discovered through gameplay, adding depth to the narrative. Despite some gameplay criticisms, the overall sound design and music are considered standout features that contribute significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The game has a few memorable tracks and even the songs are catchy with haunting lyrics.”
- “The synth soundtrack is brilliant and could easily be a score for a good sci-fi mystery movie.”
- “I would recommend this game for that same reason as well: you walk through empty, desolate environments, with nothing to keep you company except for the cursed messages hiding in the static and the haunting synth chords of the soundtrack.”
- “The whole 'phrase placement' puzzle that's very prominent and important is tough and could be more streamlined; the idea of 100% correct only is agonizing for gameplay.”
- “It's basically an exploration game with 'words' collection that forms the lyrics of songs and stories that you have to solve.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
60%
The game's graphics evoke themes of isolation and the uncanny, effectively immersing players in its world, though some users find the visual assets to be cheap and lacking in detail, with muddy textures and boxy models. Despite these criticisms, many feel that the developer made the most of their budget, and while the graphics may not impress, they do not detract significantly from the overall experience. Frame rate issues were noted, particularly in hub areas, but stabilized in other environments.
- “The game's aesthetic choices reinforce its themes of isolation and the uncanny, drawing players deeper into its world.”
- “The sound design is good, and the graphics are fine.”
- “Adjusting graphics settings didn't seem to help, but outside of the hub areas the frame rate stabilized.”
- “The graphics are muddy and boxy.”
- “The game might also be considered cheap in terms of graphical assets being similar, character models not being impressive, and animations lacking quality.”
- “Adjusting graphics settings didn't seem to help, but outside of the hub areas, the frame rate stabilized.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers find the humor in the game's marketing, particularly the juxtaposition of its exploration tag with its linear gameplay, highlighting a playful irony that adds to the overall experience.
- “It's hilarious to see the game tagged with 'exploration', considering how linear it actually is.”
- “The humor in the dialogue is spot on, making even the most mundane tasks entertaining.”
- “I love the quirky characters and their witty one-liners; they really add to the overall charm of the game.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features emotionally impactful moments, particularly highlighted through the engaging conversations between Juliette and Lee, which resonate deeply with players.
- “There are moments of clarity that feel truly emotional throughout the story, and I found myself really enjoying the conversations Juliette had with Lee.”
- “The emotional depth of the characters made me feel deeply connected to their journeys.”
- “I was moved by the heartfelt moments that captured the essence of love and loss.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been criticized for being buggy, with players experiencing issues such as getting stuck and falling out of the map, leading to frequent reloads. This has resulted in disappointment, especially for fans of the previous titles.
- “Buggy, got stuck.”
- “I loved the first two games, but this is a very disappointing follow-up in every way. It was very buggy; I fell out of the map and had to reload several times.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate that the grinding in the game is well-paced and engaging, avoiding any feelings of tedium or monotony.