System Purge
- April 5, 2022
- Actual Nerds
- 2h median play time
"System Purge" is a single-player first-person shooter game set in a dystopian future. As the last surviving member of a specialized task force, players must navigate through a series of facilities to eliminate rogue AI programs. With a variety of weapons and enemies to face, the game offers a challenging and immersive experience.
Reviews
- The game features tight, responsive controls and well-designed levels that gradually introduce new challenges, making for an engaging platforming experience.
- The art and sound design are exceptional, creating a captivating atmosphere that enhances the gameplay and storytelling.
- It's a short but satisfying game that offers a fair amount of challenge, making it a great value for its price.
- The game is relatively short, which may leave some players wanting more content or replayability.
- There are minor bugs and issues, such as unskippable cutscenes and occasional glitches that can disrupt the experience.
- Some players may find the lack of variety in movement options and repetitive obstacles to be a drawback.
- story24 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as intriguing and rewarding, with a blend of visual storytelling and atmospheric elements that enhance the experience. While some players found the narrative simple or lacking in backstory, many appreciated the world-building and the way the story unfolds through gameplay, encouraging exploration and thought. Overall, the storyline is engaging enough to motivate players through the platforming challenges, despite some inconsistencies and a desire for deeper character development.
“This game is an absolute hidden gem for people who love platformers and visual storytelling.”
“Atmosphere is amazing, story is interesting till the end.”
“The storyline is pretty nice and it will definitely keep you motivated to go through the whole thing; it's pretty rewarding.”
“I don't understand the story, if there is one, but it looks and feels great!”
“Wished that there was a bit more backstory to the characters.”
“This wouldn't usually be an issue since it's an extremely linear game - but to find all of the exposition story and related achievements you need to find terminals which you can easily miss simply by choosing the wrong of two possible paths.”
- atmosphere19 mentions
- 74 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its creepiness, charm, and immersive sound and visual design, creating a compelling experience that enhances the gameplay. While the platforming challenges may not appeal to everyone, those who enjoy atmospheric and engaging environments will find it well worth the price. Overall, the combination of tight controls, solid level design, and a rich atmosphere makes it a standout title in the genre.
“Great atmosphere, tight controls, solid level design, and a bit of world building makes it very enjoyable.”
“The atmosphere is amazing.”
“Definitely worth the price, the art is amazing, the music is very atmospheric, and the level design is great.”
“Not as difficult as similar games, but the atmosphere and world building make up for that.”
“A nice mix of traditional high-speed platforming and the oppressive atmosphere you more commonly see in cinematic platformers.”
“Kind of a 2D precision-esque platformer, but the focus is way more on the atmosphere and horror elements, which are done pretty well, though the platforming itself is still pretty solid!”
- graphics17 mentions
- 76 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their beautiful art style and atmospheric visuals, which effectively enhance the gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the intriguing aesthetics, immersive sound design, and the game's ability to create a creepy and mysterious setting, contributing to its unique charm. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, complementing the challenging platforming mechanics and engaging world-building.
“I was thrilled by the aesthetics and the fact that it looked like a really punishing game.”
“2D platformers have always been one of my favorite types of games, but the art style, horror aspect, and difficult levels made for a genuinely unique game experience.”
“Great world building through visuals and indirect storytelling.”
“The visuals are decent enough, the music is effective and it's even a bit gory in places.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its creative mechanics and intuitive design, with levels that introduce new elements without becoming repetitive. While the movement options are somewhat limited, the game compensates with tight level design and a gradual increase in difficulty. Some minor bugs exist, but they do not significantly detract from the overall experience, making for an engaging and enjoyable playthrough.
“The levels aren't repetitive as new mechanics are added throughout the entire game.”
“All mechanics and obstacles are intuitive and they all get used to their full potential. Very few of the challenges overstay their welcome, and the few that do can still be easily overcome by just being patient.”
“I love how it continuously builds on mechanics and complexity as you progress through the levels.”
“The game is definitely brought down a bit by the lack of variety in movement options.”
“There are some bugs in the game though; most aren't gameplay-impacting, but there's one brief section that has some lag that makes the game feel slow for a bit.”
“There are a couple segments that can be tricky when two mechanics are combined in a tough way, specifically the turret and the motion sensor.”
- music12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting the engaging soundtrack and its synergy with the game's visuals. The soundtrack features standout tracks that evoke strong emotions, while some background music adds an unsettling layer to the gameplay. Overall, the music is considered a significant strength, contributing to the game's immersive and enjoyable atmosphere.
“The pixel art and music are gorgeous and complement each other perfectly. The controls are supremely tight, meaning that every death is due to the player and not unfair mechanics, and the writing and story give you just enough to chew on to spark your imagination without revealing too much.”
“Definitely worth the price; the art is amazing, the music is very atmospheric, and the level design is great.”
“The game is also pretty good looking with a great soundtrack to match.”
“There was also a bit of faint music that would occasionally play in the background that reminded me of circus music, and I found it very unnerving to listen to without knowing where it was coming from.”
“The music when you encounter the first 'clone' was a banger.”
“The visuals are decent enough, the music is effective and it's even a bit gory in places.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers moderate replayability, primarily for players interested in achieving 100% completion, though some users feel that a single playthrough is sufficient and may not warrant multiple runs.
“I honestly don't think this game has a lot of replay value, maybe you can squeeze a second or third run out of it but I'm feeling content with just one.”
“I honestly don't think this game has a lot of replay value; maybe you can squeeze a second or third run out of it, but I'm feeling content with just one.”
“It's a relatively short game, but it has quite a bit of replayability if you're trying to get the achievements.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect due to a long, unskippable cutscene in sector 4 that must be replayed upon dying, which can feel tedious and confusing, particularly for those unfamiliar with the required actions.
“The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I find myself doing the same tasks over and over just to level up, which quickly becomes boring.”
“The amount of time required to grind for resources is frustrating and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”