The Assembly

59%
Game Brain Score Based on 106 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
The Assembly Game Cover
The Assembly is a good idea with great building blocks for its intended exploration and puzzle mechanics but it feels somewhat undeveloped. It'll no doubt leave you intrigued yet ultimately pining for more.
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"The Assembly" is a narrative-driven virtual reality game that offers a unique and intriguing story similar to acclaimed titles like BioShock, Half-Life, and Dishonored. It boasts a fully realized world with impressive details and a mature approach to storytelling. The game's engaging narrative and gamepad controls make it an immersive and lengthy VR experience, allowing players to become deeply invested in the story and the emotional weight of their decisions.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Virtual Reality
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Oculus Rift
  • Play​Station
  • Play​Station VR
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

59%
Audience ScoreBased on 106 reviews
story42 positive mentions
stability5 negative mentions
  • The game features a compelling story with interesting moral dilemmas and multiple endings, encouraging replayability.
  • The graphics are decent for a game from 2016, providing an immersive atmosphere that enhances the experience.
  • The voice acting is well done, contributing to the overall quality of the narrative and character development.
  • The VR implementation is poorly executed, lacking motion controller support and relying on a cumbersome point-and-click interaction system that detracts from immersion.
  • The game is quite short, typically taking around 3-5 hours to complete, which may not justify the full price for many players.
  • There are significant technical issues, including crashes and a frustrating save system that can lead to lost progress.
  • story90 mentions

    The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players finding it engaging and thought-provoking, particularly in its exploration of moral ambiguity and scientific themes. However, many reviewers criticize the narrative for being convoluted, cliché-laden, and lacking depth, often feeling slow-paced and underdeveloped. While the visuals and voice acting receive praise, the overall execution of the story leaves some players disappointed, especially regarding its conclusion and the simplicity of the puzzles.

    • “The story and gameplay seem interesting enough, but really needs support for index controllers.”
    • “A short and simple game with a story that bases itself upon moral ambiguity, but touches on tough topics like artificial intelligence and corporate science.”
    • “Great story, extremely geek-oriented, moral choices during the game, and I'm sad the game has ended to be honest. I hope for sequels or DLCs, as there are so many side stories inside.”
    • “The story is confusing and gameplay is slow and dreary.”
    • “Worse still, a lot of the story doesn't hang together and doesn't make any sense.”
    • “Almost insultingly simple puzzles, the story is very cliché and extremely slow-paced, and is full of 'pseudo-intellectual' nonsense and so-deep moral dilemmas.”
  • graphics35 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising their quality and immersive presentation, particularly for a title from 2016. While some players highlight stunning visuals and attention to detail that enhance the gaming experience, others criticize the dated appearance and lack of customizable graphics settings. Overall, the graphics are generally regarded as a strong point, though they are sometimes overshadowed by gameplay and story issues.

    • “The presentation, graphics, and gameplay here are absolutely excellent.”
    • “The atmosphere and aesthetic really do help with immersion and they result in a good combination to get easily sucked into the game.”
    • “The graphics are really stunning!”
    • “The world makes not too much sense and feels very graphically dated.”
    • “Pretty graphics just don't cut it when virtually everything else in the game sucks.”
    • “Nice concept, but an under-developed storyline, simple puzzles, and graphical issues make the assembly one of the PSVR launch games to avoid.”
  • gameplay16 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the engaging story and impressive graphics, while others criticize the slow pace, limited interactivity, and lack of support for various VR controllers. Many reviews highlight the standard adventure game mechanics, such as puzzle-solving and exploration, but note that the execution feels underdeveloped and at times tedious. Overall, while the game has potential, it struggles to fully deliver on its VR capabilities and gameplay experience.

    • “Keeps you hooked after getting used to the controls and mechanics (if not using HTC Vive controller).”
    • “The presentation, graphics, and gameplay here are absolutely excellent.”
    • “I did enjoy the story-driven gameplay and would recommend.”
    • “Impressive graphic quality, but the story is confusing and gameplay is slow and dreary.”
    • “The assembly is an ugly, jagged mess that is just plain dull with lengthy load times and nauseating gameplay.”
    • “Most of the gameplay is akin to wandering a floor, finding a key in a locker or a passcode on a computer, then using that to enter an area that was previously locked.”
  • optimization6 mentions

    Overall, the optimization of the game appears to be solid, with many users reporting smooth performance and good image quality. However, some negative reviews suggest that performance issues may be linked to specific hardware setups, such as underpowered PCs or VR configurations. Notably, there are limited graphics options available, which may affect customization for some players.

    • “The image quality and performance is good.”
    • “Had no trouble performance-wise, everything seemed smooth, but I didn’t see any graphics options, so I played with however it was set up.”
    • “I am playing the assembly on a normal screen, no VR for me, but it's very well optimized and feels very good so far.”
    • “I wonder if it is an Oculus thing with people's experience with performance or maybe underspecced PCs.”
    • “Had no trouble performance-wise; everything seemed smooth, but I didn’t see any graphics options, so I played with however it was set up.”
  • stability5 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent crashes and bugs that can lead to frustrating loss of progress due to a poor save system. Players report having to repeat entire levels after encountering glitches, making the overall experience frustrating and unstable.

    • “So, combine a save once every twenty minutes with a buggy game that can't tolerate losing your headset, and you're going to find yourself repeating entire levels... a lot.”
    • “Almost to the end of a level and I accidentally teleport into a wall... the game freezes, crashes, and I'm back at the start of the chapter.”
    • “First, the game is super buggy and freezes or crashes frequently.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive qualities, effectively drawing players into its aesthetic and narrative. Described as a "walking simulator," it emphasizes storytelling and ambiance over puzzles, similar to titles like Firewatch, making it a captivating experience for those who appreciate atmospheric exploration.

    • “The assembly is what I call an atmospheric game.”
    • “The atmosphere and aesthetic really do help with immersion, resulting in a great combination that easily sucks you into the game.”
    • “It's more like Firewatch, where there aren't many puzzles; it's more about taking in the atmosphere and story than exploring worlds and solving puzzles.”
    • “The atmosphere and aesthetic really do help with immersion, resulting in a good combination that easily sucks you into the game.”
    • “It's more like Firewatch, where there aren't many puzzles and it's more about taking in the atmosphere and story than exploring worlds and solving puzzles.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game offers limited replayability due to its short length, but players can explore multiple endings and achievements, which may encourage some to revisit it for a fuller experience.

    • “It has a bit of replayability with multiple endings and achievements.”
    • “While the game is rather short, it offers some replayability.”
    • “I might go back and discover the other Adam options.”
    • “It is quite short and there only seems to be a little bit of replayability. I might go back and discover the other Adam options.”
    • “While the game is rather short, it has some replayability.”
    • “It has a bit of replayability with multiple endings and achievements, though.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be extremely tedious, with frustrations heightened by the lack of saved progress, making the experience feel even more burdensome.

    • “None of the extremely tedious progress was saved.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “I spent hours grinding for resources, only to feel like I achieved nothing.”
  • music1 mentions

    The music, sound design, and voice acting in the game are consistently praised as exceptional, contributing significantly to the overall experience.

    • “The sound, music, and voice acting are just great.”
    • “The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.”
    • “The music is incredibly immersive and adds depth to the game's atmosphere.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke feelings through a blend of sci-fi and medpunk exploration, complemented by touching and rewarding puzzles that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the game's capacity to create a heartfelt connection without being overly challenging.

    • “Wolfie's fine, honey. If you enjoy sci-fi, cyberpunk, and medpunk exploration with a touch of really not difficult but touching and rewarding puzzles, then this is for you.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

50% average critic score

Buy The Assembly

Play time

6hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
6-6hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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