The Endless Empty
- August 20, 2018
- Erik
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"The Endless Empty" is a first-person exploration game set in a desolate, surreal world. Play as an unnamed protagonist searching for answers and uncovering the mysteries of a long-abandoned civilization. Featuring atmospheric visuals, minimalist narrative, and a haunting soundtrack, unravel a thought-provoking and enigmatic journey.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a captivating story that explores heavy themes like depression and death, presented with a unique and surreal art style.
- The soundtrack is exceptional, enhancing the emotional depth of the game and fitting perfectly with its aesthetic.
- Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke strong emotions and provoke thought, making it a memorable experience.
- The combat mechanics are often described as generic and tedious, detracting from the overall experience.
- There are numerous typos and grammatical errors throughout the game, which can be distracting for players.
- Some players found the pacing uneven, with the game ending abruptly and leaving them wanting more closure.
- story104 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The story of the game is a deeply engaging and abstract exploration of life, death, and the psyche, presented through a unique aesthetic that combines surreal art and experimental music. Players appreciate its emotional depth and the way it captures the feeling of navigating a dying mind, although some find the ending anticlimactic and the gameplay lacking. Overall, the narrative stands out as the game's strongest element, making it a compelling experience for those open to its unconventional storytelling.
“Surreal abstract art and setting, plus some post-rock/experimental instrumental music, with a storyline that takes you through your death providing insights through an absurdist lens?!?”
“It captures a unique aesthetic that leans into the uncanny and weird but manages to hold itself back and still tell a genuinely great story.”
“The story is the strongest part in my opinion, supported by the art throughout the chapters.”
“Okay now I've beaten the whole game, and I still want to recommend it, but I gotta say there's a whole lot of typos in this game, which I feel like is a bit of a shame in a story-reliant game.”
“The symbolic ending to the story was poignant, but I am unsatisfied by the lack of a conclusion for the character of [spoiler] death [/spoiler], which was built up as the [minor spoiler] primary antagonist [/minor spoiler] of the entire game.”
“Its potential as a concept was unfortunately limited by its equally limited resources, and, as such, anyone seeking to explore a similar concept in the future will have any success with their interpretations cheapened with accusations of unoriginality, even though I think there are many different ways to tell this story.”
- music92 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its exceptional quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, fitting seamlessly with the surreal visuals and narrative. Many players noted the soundtrack's unique blend of styles, with standout tracks that evoke strong emotional responses, although some found certain pieces repetitive or jarring at times. Overall, the music is considered a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and storytelling.
“The soundtrack fits perfectly for each section, and it's just a damn good soundtrack!”
“The music fits the aesthetic perfectly; it matches the surreal nature well.”
“Fantastic game, deeply emotional story I really connected with and a lovely soundtrack.”
“Honestly, if the visuals and music are not doing it for you, you will be extremely disappointed.”
“Unlike other 'weird' RPG Maker games like Hylics, the endless empty never feels like it's trying to accommodate its player: the music is as loud as it is noisy (downright painful to listen to at times) and the graphics are inconsistent and nonsensical.”
“What will keep you awake, staring at the ceiling at 3am, is the febrile, noise-laden soundtrack, the disturbing artwork and the coffee-bitter writing.”
- graphics76 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of "The Endless Empty" are characterized by a unique and striking collage art style that blends surreal and psychedelic elements, creating a captivating visual experience that enhances the game's narrative. While the visuals are often praised for their originality and thematic relevance, some players note technical limitations inherent to the RPG Maker engine, which can detract from the overall experience. The accompanying soundtrack is also highlighted as a standout feature, effectively complementing the game's unsettling aesthetic.
“The endless empty is a game that can seem strange and opaque at first due to its dadaist collage visuals, but what lies beneath and between is one of the most original, creative, and utterly moving game narratives I have ever played through.”
“Visuals are outlandish and psychedelic, though there are obvious connections to what they all represent in reality; surprisingly, there wasn't anything thrown in completely unnecessarily, almost every asset had some connection to the chapter it was tied to.”
“The graphics, art design, music, and atmosphere are all spot on.”
“The graphics are harsh and simple.”
“Honestly, if the visuals and music are not doing it for you, you will be extremely disappointed.”
“Unlike other 'weird' RPG Maker games like Hylics, The Endless Empty never feels like it's trying to accommodate its player: the music is as loud as it is noisy (downright painful to listen to at times) and the graphics are inconsistent and nonsensical.”
- gameplay58 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 24 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally considered the weakest aspect of the game, characterized by standard RPG Maker mechanics that feel sluggish and unengaging. While the combat and puzzles serve primarily as a means to progress the story, they lack depth and can become tedious, especially towards the end. However, the game's strong narrative, art, and music often compensate for these shortcomings, making it more of an experience focused on storytelling rather than gameplay.
“The game is a very unique blend of excellently produced music, art, and writing that far makes up for the barebones gameplay.”
“Yes, the RPG mechanics seem to be fodder for the art and story, but the art is very well done, and it's hard to fault the game for lack of interesting combat.”
“5.) RPG mechanics work well, and the game is turn-based but designed in a unique way where it's a fresh take on turn-based combat.”
“The mechanics are sluggish and at times frustrating.”
“The gameplay is easily the weakest aspect of the game.”
“Overall, I would give the endless empty a 6/10 for having a stunning aesthetic, an interesting story that was not exploited for its potential, and for gameplay that feels more like the price of experiencing the story rather than supplemental material to it.”
- grinding14 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
Overall, the grinding aspect of the game is described as not overly burdensome, with many players noting that while it isn't a highlight, it doesn't detract significantly from the experience. However, combat becomes tedious and lengthy towards the end, leading to repetitive gameplay that can feel grindy, especially in longer battles. Despite these issues, the game remains engaging enough for players to push through.
“It wasn't awful, and it's not grindy or annoying, but it's definitely not the highlight.”
“The combat was never really fun at all, which was totally fine in the beginning parts because fights were short and easy, but towards the end they were very, very long and grindy. I'd just do the exact same moves over and over to win, and it would take several minutes to fight one enemy.”
“Other than the missed marks, the gameplay for most of the game was enjoyable, although the fights towards the end of the game became very long, boring, and tedious.”
“The combat is serviceable at best, a tedious distraction at worst.”
- emotional12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its deeply emotional narrative that explores themes of human strife and death, evoking strong feelings of shock and confusion. Players connect with the heartfelt story, enhanced by a powerful soundtrack featuring emotional instrumentation. Overall, it is described as a challenging experience that resonates on a profound emotional level.
“I don't think I've ever played a game that made me feel like I was experiencing the shock and confusion of death to this level.”
“This is a heartfelt, challenging game.”
“Fantastic game, deeply emotional story I really connected with and a lovely soundtrack.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its artistic and surrealistic qualities, effectively enhanced by impressive graphics, art design, and a well-curated soundtrack that reinforces the narrative. Notably, Chapter 1 is highlighted for its solid portrayal of anxiety, contributing to an immersive experience that captivates players even if they cannot run the game. Overall, the combination of visual and auditory elements creates a compelling and atmospheric environment.
“The graphics, art design, music, and atmosphere are all spot on.”
“Nice story and narration with an atmospheric, surrealistic art style!”
“Even though my computer cannot run it, I am still attracted by the artistic atmosphere conveyed in it.”
“+ solid atmosphere, especially on chapter 1 [spoiler] which is about anxiety [/spoiler]”
“It not only has an impressive amount of tracks for the amount of game but is also used very effectively in its placement, reinforcing the atmosphere and narrative.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game effectively blends humor with serious themes, using wit and surreal elements to engage players without trivializing the subject matter. Reviewers praise its creativity and storytelling, highlighting its unique and entertaining approach to humor.
“What this game does exceptionally well is tackling heavy themes with wit and humor, without disrespecting the subject matter or the audience.”
“Super creative game, with a great story and a sense of surreal humor.”
“This game is funny and silly; it deserves more attention.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight that character design is a standout element of the game's visual presentation, praised for its quality and creativity. However, the level design, while varied and fitting, is noted to be less polished, suggesting a deliberate choice to emphasize character development within the game world.
