The Collage Atlas
- April 19, 2024
- John William Evelyn
Get on Steam"The Collage Atlas" is a hand-drawn adventure game where players explore a dream-like world and shape its growth and soundscape through their movements. With intricate details and hidden secrets, the game encourages exploration and discovery while touching on themes of agency, memory, and hope. The dynamic soundtrack, featuring vocals by Frankie Rose, adds an extra layer of immersion to the player's journey.
PC
Windows
Cloud
Reviews
- The game features stunning hand-drawn graphics and a beautiful soundtrack that creates a relaxing and immersive atmosphere.
- It offers a unique blend of art and poetry, providing a thoughtful and emotional experience that resonates with players.
- The gameplay, while simple, encourages exploration and appreciation of the intricate details, making it a soothing journey rather than a challenging one.
- The gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks complexity, which may not appeal to players looking for more challenging mechanics.
- Some players found the narrative and messages to be vague or disconnected, making it difficult to fully engage with the story.
- The game is relatively short, which may leave some players wanting more content or depth.
- graphics10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning art direction, featuring a striking papercraft aesthetic and hand-drawn visuals that evoke deep emotional responses. Players appreciate the meticulous design and the immersive, dreamy world it creates, often highlighting the combination of visuals and soundtrack as a powerful experience that enhances the overall gameplay. Many reviewers recommend the game primarily for its beautiful graphics, making it a worthwhile experience even for those who may not finish it.
“Absolutely beautiful game, I loved the art style and the soundtrack, really good if you want to play something relaxing - a dreamy world you can immerse yourself in and reflect.”
“The power the soundtrack holds combined with the hand-drawn graphics is mind-blowing. Very few games have made me cry, and this game will make you feel things. You will cry when playing this game; I'm not sure they're happy tears or sad tears or even a mix of both, but if a game can invoke that much emotion and awe...”
“The artwork is stunning and well worth the price of admission.”
“I was initially drawn to it because of the striking visuals which were so painstakingly created, and I wondered if that was going to be all it had to offer.”
“Again, didn't finish it though so maybe that would have gotten better further on and I'd still recommend it for the visuals alone, just need a bit more patience than I have.”
“I'll not give it away, it's best really to dive into this one on the basis of the aesthetic and sound alone.”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally described as basic and minimalistic, focusing on following the narrative with some interactive elements, making it feel more like interactive art than a traditional game. While it offers a visually stunning experience and a flowing structure, some players find it repetitive and lacking in mechanical depth, leading to mixed feelings about its overall engagement. Replaying chapters for achievements adds some replay value, but those seeking more complex gameplay may be disappointed.
“Well, it appears you're going on some sort of journey, and it's no mere walking simulator either; it actually has some gameplay!”
“The instructions are built into the gameplay, so everything flows naturally.”
“The game drops various mechanics that are easy to intuit, and there's enough here that it never gets boring.”
“The gameplay is really basic, just follow the narration to get to the end, but to get all the achievements you will definitely have to replay it (luckily you can choose the chapters with the missing pages).”
“The gameplay and challenge is very minimal and, as one other reviewer said, it is closer to interactive art.”
“Visually stunning and I liked the sound, but I found the gameplay a bit too boring for my tastes.”
- story8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's story, while brief, is beautifully crafted and evokes the essence of a Robert Frost poem, intertwining a delicate mystery with personal themes. Players appreciate the artistic direction and the way simple puzzles enhance the narrative experience, although some find the storytelling fragmented, resembling separate quotes rather than a cohesive plot. Overall, the story is praised for its emotional depth and stunning message.
“This game is pretty short, but what it lacks in length it makes up for in beauty and story.”
“I was intrigued by the delicate mystery and the personal story that was being unveiled.”
“The story itself is like living a Robert Frost poem.”
“Like separate quote tiles in a store, rather than conveying a proper story.”
“And then there's the story, the message the game conveys, it's stunning.”
- music7 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its emotional depth and ability to evoke strong feelings, often described as beautiful and soothing. The combination of the soundtrack with the game's hand-drawn graphics creates an immersive and reflective experience, making it a standout feature that enhances the overall gameplay. Players appreciate the music's role in crafting a dreamy atmosphere, contributing to both relaxation and emotional engagement.
“The power the soundtrack holds combined with the hand-drawn graphics is mind-blowing. Very few games have made me cry, and this game will make you feel things. You will cry when playing this game; I'm not sure they're happy tears or sad tears or even a mix of both, but if a game can invoke that much emotion and awe...”
“Absolutely beautiful game. I loved the art style and the soundtrack; really good if you want to play something relaxing - a dreamy world you can immerse yourself in and reflect.”
“Good lord, I could go on about that sound design and the music in general for a while; it's so good.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its beautiful hand-drawn graphics and powerful soundtrack, which together create a deeply moving experience that can evoke a range of feelings, from joy to sadness. Players describe it as wholesome and uplifting, leaving a lasting emotional impact that resonates long after gameplay. Overall, it is praised for its ability to make players feel profoundly, often leading to tears, whether happy or sad.
“The message is wholesome and uplifting, leaving me with a warm feeling that stuck around long after I finished.”
“The power the soundtrack holds combined with the hand-drawn graphics is mind-blowing. Very few games have made me cry, and this game will make you feel things. You will cry when playing this game; I'm not sure they're happy tears or sad tears or even a mix of both, but if a game can invoke that much emotion and awe...”
“An emotional experience, a poem where you are part of the tale, intricately hand-drawn.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its cute and relaxing qualities, featuring a stunning world that evokes a poetic ambiance. Fans of narrative-driven experiences like "Dear Esther" will likely appreciate its charming and immersive environment.
“This is a cute and relaxing atmospheric puzzle game.”
“Lovely atmosphere; if you liked Dear Esther, you should definitely try this one.”
“Absolutely stunning world with a very relaxed, poetic atmosphere.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, players report minimal performance drops, with most experiencing stable frame rates around 60 FPS, suggesting that optimization is generally effective and unlikely to cause issues for the majority of users.
“I only saw a few performance drops from 60.”
“I doubt any players will have performance issues.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding in the game to be non-tedious and easy, viewing it more as a relaxing sequence of events rather than a frustrating chore.
