The Broken Ceiling
- October 13, 2024
- Iron Octopus Productions Inc.
Get on Steam"The Broken Ceiling" is a hand-drawn adventure game where you navigate caverns filled with cosmic entities, compelling you to unlock their prison. Drawn in by an inexplicable force, the protagonist's exploration after a tunnel collapse uncovers a world of ancient beings, leading to a complex narrative in an unsettling realm. Your actions will determine the fate of these entities, testing your resolve as you confront the unknown. Remember, your mind and reality itself are at stake.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The art style is exceptional, with unique and beautifully designed assets that enhance the overall experience.
- The game offers a rewarding exploration mechanic that keeps players engaged and encourages them to discover the world.
- The atmosphere effectively captures the essence of eldritch horror, creating a sense of dread and immersion without relying on jump scares.
- The lack of a save feature can be frustrating, as dying means starting over and can detract from the overall enjoyment.
- Gameplay can feel simplistic at times, with a lot of wandering around that may lead to missing important items.
- Navigating the large map can be challenging, especially for new players, which may lead to confusion and repeated deaths.
- graphics12 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and beautiful hand-drawn art style, which enhances the overall experience and atmosphere. Players appreciate the charming visuals and the intricate designs of creatures, contributing to a captivating Lovecraftian narrative. Despite some gameplay simplicity, the engaging visuals and artistic quality make the game highly recommended.
“Broken Ceiling is a charming game built on solid mechanics and an amazing art style!”
“I normally don't do reviews on games but this game had amazing visuals and the art style is so unique and made this game very fun to play and had me hooked.”
“The visuals are honestly beautiful; the different creatures you can find within the caverns all have unique and interesting designs, each with an ancient cosmic feel.”
“The map changes a bit between levels (if you want to call it that), and the graphics get even more elaborate.”
“The broken ceiling is a top-down exploration game with Lovecraftian narrative and visuals.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this top-down, hand-drawn game is characterized by a light source mechanic that requires players to recharge frequently, adding a layer of challenge to exploration. While the mechanics are solid and the art style is praised, some players find the gameplay a bit simplistic and the wandering for items can be tedious, especially when visibility is limited. Overall, the game offers an engaging experience with rewarding exploration, though a more forgiving save system could enhance player enjoyment.
“The gameplay loop rewards exploration, which is something that kept me engaged.”
“I also really enjoyed the light mechanic.”
“This game is definitely worth playing with its low price, engaging visuals, and its challenging but very fitting mechanics that culminate into a great short experience.”
“A simple save mechanic between two major areas of the game would be beneficial to players who died late into the game, but it may detract from the overall challenge the game presents.”
“Light puzzling made unexpectedly challenging by the punishing nature of the central exploration mechanic.”
- story4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story is engaging and well-illustrated, providing a satisfying experience as players navigate through challenges and learn from their mistakes. Its straightforward wording enhances accessibility, making it easy to follow while maintaining interest throughout the gameplay.
“All in all, I had a great time running through this short story!”
“As I played, I noticed that I kept dying from the darkness and found myself learning and exploring new things, feeling more confident as I went through the story.”
“Graphics are nicely illustrated, and the wording of the story is simple and easy to follow.”
- music2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for its atmospheric quality, creating a sense of immersion in a different universe. Reviewers note that the background music is light and non-repetitive, while also effectively enhancing the game's creepy mood.
“The background music is light and not too repetitive like some games, but it gives you the feeling of being in a different universe.”
“The music is very creepy and sets the mood perfectly.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -300 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's replayability due to its multiple endings and the lack of hand-holding, which encourages exploration and different playthroughs.
“As an added bonus, they don't completely hold your hand during gameplay, and there are multiple endings, so there's replayability there too.”
“The game offers multiple endings, but once you've seen them all, there's little incentive to play again.”
“While the game has some replayability due to different choices, the overall experience feels too linear to warrant multiple playthroughs.”
“After completing the game, I found that the lack of significant changes in gameplay mechanics made it hard to justify replaying.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game features an adorable art style that contrasts with a deeply unsettling atmosphere, creating a unique and intriguing experience for players.
“The art style is adorable, but there's a deeply unsettling atmosphere lurking.”
“The game tries to create a spooky vibe, but it ends up feeling more awkward than eerie.”
“Despite the beautiful visuals, the atmosphere feels empty and uninspired.”
