The Colossus Is Coming: The Interactive Experience
- November 4, 2021
- Conner Rush
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreAll seems calm. The multitude of towering trees sway in the breeze... But something feels wrong. Something is watching you, something omniscient. The feeling that you may not be alone grows ever-stronger... It's coming... find the tapes...
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and atmospheric experience, effectively creating a sense of unease and dread.
- It's free to play, making it accessible for anyone interested in a short interactive experience.
- The art style and sound design are praised for their quality, contributing to the overall ambiance of the game.
- The gameplay is very short, often completed in about 15 minutes, leading to a feeling of it being more of a demo than a full game.
- Many players found the story confusing and lacking depth, with some describing it as boring and unengaging.
- Technical issues, such as screen flickering and bugs related to achievements, detracted from the overall experience.
- story18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its eerie and suspenseful elements, particularly through the use of audio tapes to uncover the narrative. However, others find the story confusing, unengaging, or lacking depth, leading to a sense of disappointment in its execution. Overall, while some praise the unique storytelling approach, many feel it falls short in delivering a compelling experience.
“A really cool short story.”
“Beautiful graphics and very good sound effects and story!”
“You take control of an unnamed protagonist as you uncover the story of a mysterious colossus through a series of cassette tapes.”
“Like the story made no sense to me.”
“A boring 15 minute 'demo' where you walk around in circles in a small area and listen to a dumb and pointless story.”
“Its not really a story and more importantly it's no good.”
- music13 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The music aspect of the game is primarily viewed as a promotional tool for the artist's album, auric echoes, with mixed opinions on its quality. While some reviewers appreciate the unique approach and find the soundtrack fitting for a thriller, others criticize the music as subpar and suggest that it may not be worth the time unless one is already a fan of the genre. Overall, the experience is seen more as an artistic endeavor than a traditional game.
“The game is an extension of the music album of the same name by auric echoes.”
“Haunting sound design, including pieces of music and samples from the auric echoes album.”
“Let's be clear, this is not a video game - this is a 'listening experience' for a music artist.”
“The dev didn't lie, this was just made to promote his music album, which in my opinion is not that good, but to be fair, everyone has different music tastes.”
“Really, even if you are into the kind of music genre he makes (experimental rock), this demo is still a complete waste of time.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized by a blend of mystery, suspense, and dread, enhanced by beautiful visuals and impressive sound design. While some players found the overall experience lacking in engagement, many praised the game's ability to create a captivating and immersive environment. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature, offering a short yet impactful interactive experience.
“No fluff, just providing an atmosphere of mystery, some dread and anticipation.”
“Quick little atmospheric experience that looks good and has great sound design.”
“Beautiful and atmospheric visuals, making full use of the Unity HDRP.”
“The atmosphere feels empty and lifeless, lacking any real sense of immersion.”
“Despite the game's attempts at creating tension, the atmosphere falls flat and fails to engage.”
“The world feels sterile and uninspired, making it hard to feel any connection to the environment.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their beautiful and atmospheric visuals, effectively utilizing Unity's HDRP. However, some users experienced significant visual stuttering on high settings, which was largely resolved by switching to medium graphics.
“Beautiful graphics and very good sound effects and story!”
“Beautiful and atmospheric visuals, making full use of the Unity HDRP.”
“The art style is impressive and adds to the overall experience.”
“I will say that I had significant visual stuttering on high graphics (my computer can handle it), but that was almost entirely resolved by putting it on medium.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay features straightforward mechanics that are easy to grasp, complemented by an engaging story. Overall, players appreciate the simplicity and narrative integration of the gameplay experience.
“The mechanics are simple and the story is nice.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is generally well-received, with smooth performance noted during gameplay, though some users experienced significant visual stuttering on high graphics settings. Switching to medium graphics effectively resolved these issues for those affected. Overall, the game is short, taking about 15 minutes to complete, and is manageable on various settings.
“You're in a small wooded area where you collect cassettes to play. They're not difficult to find, and the whole game can be completed in approximately 15 minutes, but the performance is done well.”
“I will say that I had significant visual stuttering on high graphics (my computer can handle it), but that was almost entirely resolved by putting it on medium.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users have reported issues with stability, particularly noting that the handgun achievement is prone to bugs, which can be frustrating.
“The only thing that's a bit annoying is that the handgun achievement seems to be buggy.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of effort akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
“I spent hours grinding for minimal rewards.”
