The Elision Effect

About

"The Elision Effect" is a surreal puzzle game set in an empty, liminal office space. Players must search for an exit while navigating different mechanics in each room. The game features a low-resolution, low-poly graphical style and aims to create an eerie atmosphere, although it contains no traditional horror elements. Please note a photosensitivity warning for a small percentage of players.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 208 reviews

graphics16 positive mentions

story6 negative mentions

The game features a unique aesthetic and atmosphere, reminiscent of titles like The Stanley Parable and Superliminal, providing a charming and surreal experience.
Puzzles are engaging and often clever, offering a satisfying challenge that encourages exploration and replayability for achievements.
Despite its short length, the game is well-polished and enjoyable, with a calming vibe and interesting mechanics that leave players wanting more.

The game is extremely short, with many players completing it in under an hour, leading to feelings that it serves more as a tech demo than a full experience.
Puzzles can be overly simplistic, lacking depth and complexity, which may disappoint players looking for a more challenging gameplay experience.
There is little to no narrative or story to engage players, making the overall experience feel somewhat hollow and underwhelming.

graphics
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
41%
9%
The graphics of the game are praised for their unique and charming aesthetic, combining extreme pixelation with global illumination and a glitchcore/webcore style. Reviewers highlight the attention to detail and immersive quality of the visuals, which contribute to the overall atmosphere of the short puzzle experience. While some describe it as a generic liminal space game, the distinct art style and interesting wireframe graphics at the end are noted as standout features.
- “Short, interesting puzzle game with a really unique aesthetic and lots of attention to detail.”
- “The visuals are an interesting combo of extreme pixelation and global illumination, and there's some really interesting wireframe graphics at the end that are pretty novel.”
- “A short atmospheric puzzle game with great graphics and music.”
- “In the end, it’s kind of just a generic liminal space type game with a PSX aesthetic.”
- “It's not a bad game, it worked fine, graphics were kinda cool, premise seemed interesting, I should have loved it.”
- “- the glitchcore/webcore aesthetic”
music
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
39%
17%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its ability to create a calm yet eerie atmosphere reminiscent of a 90's office setting. While some users noted a lack of memorable tracks, others highlighted the beautiful and atmospheric quality of the music, enhancing the overall experience of the escape/puzzle game. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's charm and immersive environment.
- “Lovely little escape/puzzle game with beautiful music and a handful of charming ideas.”
- “A short atmospheric puzzle game with great graphics and music.”
- “I really don't recall if there was any music.”
- “Wanted to crawl through the wall to find the source of the music in the first few rooms, but that's okay.”
- “The overall visual design and music create a uniquely calm atmosphere while also making it feel like something's out to get you.”
atmosphere
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
78%
22%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming, uncanny, and calming qualities, effectively capturing the essence of liminal spaces and storytelling through environment design. While some players found the atmosphere engaging and well-crafted, others felt it could benefit from more depth and creepiness. Overall, the combination of great graphics and music contributes to a uniquely immersive experience, though opinions vary on its effectiveness in enhancing gameplay.
- “It's a short little game with simple puzzles and a very charming, uncanny, and yet calming atmosphere.”
- “I cannot recommend it enough, it has a really well done atmosphere, pulls off the concept of a liminal space really well, manages to tell a story purely through environment and level design, and makes you think outside of the box, in a way that is rarely executed so well and cleanly.”
- “The overall visual design and music create a uniquely calm atmosphere while also making it feel like something's out to get you.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The gameplay is characterized by inventive mechanics reminiscent of Superliminal, offering a fun experience despite its brevity. However, some players feel let down by the simplicity of the puzzles, which primarily involve clicking on objects to interact with them. Overall, while the game is enjoyable and creative, its short length and straightforward gameplay may not satisfy everyone.
- “It has similar vibes to Superliminal but with entirely different mechanics.”
- “This was a fun little game with some clever mechanics.”
- “It's a bit like a mild fever dream, full of inventiveness and fun gameplay mechanics despite its shortness.”
- “My issues are the length, and the gameplay.”
- “And gameplay wise, I just felt let down by the 'puzzles'.”
- “Gameplay is simply click on objects to open, turn off, or otherwise interact with them.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
30%
60%
The game is criticized for its lack of a traditional narrative, with no clear story, plot, or character motivation, leading to an underwhelming conclusion. However, some players appreciate the atmospheric design and the way the environment conveys a sense of story, effectively creating a compelling experience through its liminal space concept. Overall, while the narrative is minimal, the game's setting and design evoke a unique storytelling approach.
- “I cannot recommend it enough, it has a really well done atmosphere, pulls off the concept of a liminal space really well, manages to tell a story purely through environment and level design, and makes you think outside of the box, in a way that is rarely executed so well and cleanly.”
- “Unfortunately, the game lacks any kind of story or narrator to help motivate play and distract from the lack of novelty, and the ending, while reasonable, is mostly 'ok you won' and underwhelming.”
- “There is no story about who you are or what you should be doing.”
- “There is no plot or mystery.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a distinct office-themed humor, characterized by relatable "watercooler" jokes that resonate with the everyday experiences of employees. This comedic style adds a lighthearted touch to the overall gameplay.
- “The game features a very relatable office employee type of humor throughout.”
- “It's filled with watercooler humor, if you will.”
- “The humor really captures the essence of everyday office life.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
The game is considered somewhat short, but the opportunity to replay it for achievements enhances its replayability.
- “Overall, it was a bit short, but going through it again to unlock all of the achievements added significant replay value.”
- “Overall, it was a bit short, but going through it again to unlock all of the achievements added significant replay value.”
- “Overall, the game felt a bit short, but replaying it to unlock all the achievements did provide some replay value.”
- “The game is quite brief, and while attempting to collect all achievements adds some replayability, it still feels lacking.”
- “Despite its short length, revisiting the game for achievements offers a slight boost in replay value, but it's not enough to keep me engaged long-term.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players found the game's emotional impact particularly resonant, especially regarding themes of gender identity and personal experiences related to bathroom usage. The inclusion of a trans pride sticker in a bathroom stall was noted as a meaningful artistic choice that fostered relatability and connection to the narrative.
- “I had a personal takeaway regarding being trans in relation to bathroom usage. It felt relatable, and seeing the little trans pride sticker in one of the bathroom stalls made me feel as though going from the male to female room was an intentional artistic decision.”