The Body Changer
- October 15, 2015
- TheShortAndTheTall
- 3h median play time
Get on SteamA single player metroidvania 3D game with cooperative gameplay. Find out what's going on by taking control of distinct characters and change between them whenever you want. An unique mix of 3rd person shooter and challenging puzzles!
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The Body Changer features a unique body-switching mechanic that adds depth to puzzle-solving and gameplay.
- The puzzles are well-crafted and challenging, providing a satisfying experience for players who enjoy strategic thinking.
- The game has a distinct art style that, while minimalist, creates an immersive atmosphere fitting for its sci-fi setting.
- The graphics are often criticized as being poor and unappealing, leading to a lack of visual engagement.
- Controls can feel clunky and the character movement is slow, which detracts from the overall gameplay experience.
- The game suffers from long loading times and lacks sufficient checkpoints, making backtracking tedious and frustrating.
- graphics25 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the unique cel-shaded art style and vibrant colors that contribute to a distinct atmosphere, while others criticize the visuals as bland and lacking variety. Despite the polarized opinions, many agree that the graphics are easy to run on various systems, making the game accessible. Overall, the aesthetic is seen as subjective, with some finding it refreshing and others feeling it falls short of expectations.
“I actually adored the graphic style, which has been the reason for a lot of criticism; I believe it's necessary to play the game a bit to understand it.”
“The cel-shaded look gives the game a very stylized aesthetic, and it'll also make its appearance stand the test of time, unlike those of other games that try to look as realistic as possible.”
“The art-style choice creates a nice atmosphere, and is still detailed.”
“The graphics are rather poor and you get tired/bored with this look pretty quickly.”
“Controls and movements are sluggish, graphics are very bland and sterile (the washed out cell shading effect doesn't do it for me), and in my case the game wouldn't even start without completely deactivating audio.”
“Graphically the game does not offer anything special, the enemy models are color swaps of the same 4 so no variety under this aspect and the scenarios textures are almost nonexistent.”
- gameplay22 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a blend of classic and modern mechanics, featuring challenging combat, a unique body-switching mechanic, and metroidvania elements that encourage exploration and puzzle-solving. While some players appreciate the strategic approach and variety of puzzles, others find the combat somewhat clunky and the overall pace more relaxed compared to typical action games. Overall, the game offers a refreshing experience with its original mechanics and engaging gameplay, though it may not appeal to those seeking fast-paced action.
“Combat mechanics are very classic (and hard in my opinion :d), but also introduce some more modern features, like the barrel roll, the ability to attack from behind, stun, and trip enemies; the game also offers a scripted melee attack, the v-blade attack, which is a very powerful weapon as well.”
“Let's summarize: it's a third-person shooter with an original body-switching mechanic, a lot of puzzles, and its own speed and rhythm, sure not frenetic but more calm like old classics.”
“And that's before we get onto the fantastic 'body-switching' mechanic - which adds that extra bit of ingenuity to make it a really fun game.”
“That was where I started to sour on the gameplay, actually.”
“The gameplay isn't much better.”
“- slightly clunky combat mechanics.”
- story13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around a mission to restore a tampered water facility in space, with a backdrop involving synthetic beings and themes of purity versus infection. While the narrative is described as simple and lacking depth, it contributes to an eerie atmosphere, though many players feel it falls short for an adventure game. Overall, the story serves as a basic framework for gameplay rather than a compelling narrative experience.
“A short movie explains how this facility was recently tampered with by unknown forces, and our mission will be to restore it.”
“Also worth mentioning is the backdrop story and notably the art style, which help provide an authentic, otherworldly (and eerie) atmosphere.”
“The story is really simple (from what I've seen so far) but does not weaken the whole game in any way.”
“You're going to have to pick bits of the story out of the utilitarian opening and extremely concise terminals everywhere, but you seem to be stationed on some water facility out in space.”
“Story-wise, the game does not offer anything special. Sure, it's still in alpha stage, but I expected something more than 'you are there to fix the mess, bye.' After all, this is an adventure game, and the story, at least in my opinion, is really important.”
“The story is simple, almost non-existent, but I didn't really miss it.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is a mixed bag, with some players praising its immersive and detailed sci-fi setting reminiscent of films like "Moon," while others find it dull and lacking charm. The blend of survival horror elements adds tension at times, but the overall experience can feel sterile for some. Overall, the art style and sound effects contribute positively to the atmosphere, creating a compelling yet occasionally inconsistent environment.
“Nice atmosphere, the action plays better than expected, using the blade is fun and the puzzles are very well done.”
“Immersive atmosphere if you like mystery sci-fi (the movie Moon comes to my mind).”
“The atmosphere felt dull, and I got no real entertainment factor.”
“The game's atmosphere feels sterile, void of any charm or interest.”
“The atmosphere feels like a space base on a distant planet, where your character has to take control of the base and try to maintain it stable before it becomes damaged from an unstable contaminated atmosphere.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game demonstrates strong optimization, offering good graphics and performance without requiring high-end hardware, which is commendable. While users express hope for further content and enhancements, such as improved storytelling and potential co-op features, the developers are actively addressing feedback to refine controls and maintain performance. Overall, it is considered a very good game with solid optimization.
“Right now it's a very good game with good graphics and great performance.”
“Developers are also listening to all the feedback and improving the control scheme and the already good performance of this game (you don't need a monster PC to play this game and that's really a feat!)”
“The game has potential, but it desperately needs optimization. With only two developers, I'm not confident it will reach its full potential, which includes not just a functional game, but also enhancements like a better story and voice acting.”
“Optimization is sorely lacking in this game. It feels unfinished and could greatly benefit from more content and polish.”
“While the game is enjoyable, the optimization issues really hold it back. It needs significant improvements to deliver a smoother experience.”
- music2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is limited, with only a few tracks that are easily forgettable, except for a repetitive 10-second battle theme that plays continuously during fights. Overall, the soundtrack lacks variety and fails to leave a lasting impression.
“The music tracks are few, and you are probably going to easily forget there's any music at all, aside from the 'battle theme,' which is a 10-second theme repeated until the battle ends, really.”
“The music tracks are few, and you are probably going to easily forget there's any music at all, aside from the 'battle theme,' which is a 10-second theme repeated until the battle ends, really.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by its amusing mechanics, particularly the ability to swap between human-like mannequins to solve puzzles, though some reviewers note that the humor may not be particularly innovative.
“This game is an action-adventure full of puzzles, featuring a funny mechanic where you can swap your body between human-like mannequins to solve puzzles and progress in your adventure.”
“The humor in this game is cleverly woven into the gameplay, making even the most challenging puzzles enjoyable and light-hearted.”
“I love how the characters deliver witty one-liners that keep the mood light, even during intense moments of the game.”
