September 30, 2021
ACE Team

The Eternal Cylinder

The Eternal Cylinder is a gorgeous adventure game that features one of the most compelling stories I've seen in years. Its strict linearity may be frustrating for some, but that slight downside is vastly outweighed by this game's many strengths.

85%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, stability

89% User Score Based on 820 reviews

Critic Score 81%Based on 11 reviews

Platforms

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About

The Eternal Cylinder is a single player open world simulation game. It was developed by ACE Team and was released on September 30, 2021. It received positive reviews from both critics and players.

"The Eternal Cylinder" is a survival adventure game where players control a herd of creatures called Trebhums. Explore a procedurally generated alien world, avoid the destructive path of the Cylinder, and evolve your Trebhums through eating various flora and fauna, gaining new physical attributes and abilities. Each Trebhum can have different mutations, allowing for diverse gameplay and puzzles solutions.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 820 reviews

story116 positive mentions

grinding22 negative mentions

The Eternal Cylinder offers a unique and captivating experience with its bizarre concept and surreal art style, making it a standout title.
The game features a rich narrative and emotional depth, allowing players to form attachments to their Trebhum characters as they navigate a beautifully designed alien world.
The gameplay mechanics, including the mutation system and the constant threat of the Cylinder, create an engaging and dynamic experience that keeps players invested.

The game suffers from frequent crashes and performance issues, particularly on lower-end devices, which can disrupt the gameplay experience.
Some players find the AI companions frustrating, as they can easily die in unfair situations, leading to a sense of helplessness and the need for save-scumming.
The platforming elements can feel janky and unresponsive, making certain sections of the game tedious and frustrating to navigate.

story
272 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
53%
4%
The story of "The Eternal Cylinder" is widely praised for its creativity, emotional depth, and engaging narrative, centering on the survival journey of a tribe of creatures called Trebhum as they navigate a bizarre and perilous world. Players appreciate the philosophical themes and the unique storytelling approach, often delivered through a captivating narrator, although some find the pacing uneven and certain gameplay mechanics frustrating. Overall, the narrative is considered a strong driving force of the game, enhancing the immersive experience despite occasional clarity issues.
- “I love this game, I was so amazed by the story of survival and the journey for the survival of these creatures.”
- “The story is beautifully presented, the creatures are adorably weird, and the monsters are imaginatively grotesque.”
- “The eternal cylinder is a game oozing with charm at every moment; its story is interesting, wacky, scary, and surprisingly mature in its themes and presentation.”
- “The only problem I have with this game is not being able to obtain certain mutations and foods after certain points in the story.”
- “But on the other hand, I see cylinder minions looking like monsters from a body horror movie; I see the apocalyptic story, and in general, the story is not fun but sad.”
- “This game is 3-4 hours of content and story stretched over 12 hours of extremely tedious gameplay with janky (but fun at times) controls and major 'fatal error!' crashes.”
gameplay
168 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
64%
7%
The gameplay of "The Eternal Cylinder" is characterized by a unique blend of exploration, survival mechanics, and tribe management, though it often suffers from repetitiveness and clunky controls. While many players appreciate the innovative mechanics and engaging story, some find the gameplay loop simplistic and occasionally frustrating, leading to mixed feelings about its overall execution. Despite its flaws, the game's charming art direction and intriguing world help maintain player interest throughout the experience.
- “The gameplay is fantastic too, it has a lot of emphasis on creating your family of Trebhum and building them out as you want, for example, maybe you need some more storage so you forage for the materials to mutate a Trebhum into a big-boi blob.”
- “The gameplay loop is quite simple, but to me that only adds to the charm.”
- “The gameplay is fun, the soundtrack and visuals are really great.”
- “Game is interesting mainly due to its oddness, but with never evolving gameplay, it can grow a bit stale.”
- “This game is 3-4 hours of content and story stretched over 12 hours of extremely tedious gameplay with janky (but fun at times) controls and major 'fatal error!' crashes.”
- “The devs don't understand their own game, with countless bad design decisions that subtract from the otherwise quirky and unique gameplay.”
graphics
92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
49%
3%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their beauty and unique art style, with many players praising the stunning visuals and immersive alien environments. While some users experienced technical issues such as stuttering and crashes related to graphic settings, the overall consensus highlights the game's breathtaking graphics, especially when utilizing RTX features. The combination of visuals, sound design, and world-building contributes significantly to the game's appeal, making it a standout experience for players who appreciate artistic design.
- “The graphics are out of this world, absolutely breathtaking on max settings.”
- “The art style alone is gorgeous, even more so combined with the soundtrack and graphics.”
- “The visuals and the soundscape are great, maybe the strongest points of an already well-made game.”
- “The game is also a bit stuttery no matter the graphic settings (lowering everything didn't really help).”
- “The graphics are mediocre, the mechanics are frustrating, and things like collision detection are not implemented right.”
- “5 times I had to reinstall my graphic drivers (clean install with DDU each time) before figuring out that graphic settings were causing issues.”
music
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
23%
4%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its beauty, variety, and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. The soundtrack is described as stunning, immersive, and fitting for the game's alien world, contributing significantly to the sense of wonder and engagement. While some noted minor issues with sound balancing, the overall consensus is that the music is a standout feature that elevates the game's presentation and emotional impact.
- “This soundtrack is one of the most beautiful I've ever heard.”
- “The soundtrack is incredible, the creature designs are super alien and unique and the gameplay, whilst not super challenging, is engaging enough to keep you from getting too relaxed or bored.”
- “Add to that the fantastic electronica soundtrack and you’ve got yourself a game that’s not just fun to play, but also immerses you deeply in a genuinely alien world and the mysteries buried there.”
- “Also, even if excellent, the soundtrack and sound effects are poorly balanced, resulting in very loud bits at times.”
- “The soundtrack and overall gameplay loop were enough to keep my interest through the whole experience, but I'm afraid I probably won't be replaying this soon.”
- “Music-wise, this game is also a big step up with an effective and beautiful OST.”
grinding
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
17%
73%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often feeling forced to repeat lengthy and monotonous tasks due to janky controls and a lack of clear guidance. Many reviews highlight that the gameplay stretches a limited amount of content over an excessive duration, leading to a sense of irritation rather than enjoyment. Overall, while some elements may not seem grindy at first, the necessity for preparation and repetitive actions contributes to a generally grind-heavy experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Farming is a key aspect of the game.”
- “Almost no grinding required, which is refreshing.”
- “After a bunch of hours gathering food and water gets tedious and the escapes from the cylinder lose their charm.”
- “This game is 3-4 hours of content and story stretched over 12 hours of extremely tedious gameplay with janky (but fun at times) controls and major 'fatal error!' crashes.”
- “The controls are janky, there is a lack of direct guidance, the narrator only hints you at what needs to be done, your trebhum will die randomly and unfairly to enemies you didn't know existed, there's all sorts of problems with this one which makes it tedious and generally irritating to play.”
humor
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its quirky and whimsical nature, featuring funny creatures with amusing voices and names. Players enjoy the lighthearted interactions and the charming design of the characters, particularly the trebhums, which add to the overall fun and engaging experience. The game's humor is described as a key element that enhances its appeal, making it a delightful choice for fans of quirky, creature-based gameplay.
- “I play funny creatures with funny voices.”
- “This game deserves so much more popularity, it's so beautiful and fun, the little aliens are funny and cute looking, and also like how you have to adapt to the environment you get put in next, and just an all-around great experience.”
- “The creatures have funny names and you play as funny little things called trebhums.”
atmosphere
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
36%
7%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its charming and engaging qualities, enhanced by a captivating narrator and music. While it maintains a family-friendly dialogue, it also features moments of tension and mild fright, particularly with some hostile creatures, creating a unique blend of mystery and charm. Overall, the visuals and ambiance contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it an immersive experience.
- “A narrator and music that create a great atmosphere.”
- “An absolutely amazing game with a charming atmosphere.”
- “The look and atmosphere of this game are awesome.”
- “Some of the hostile creatures can be a bit frightening when they come at you, and the atmosphere at certain points can feel a bit disturbing.”
emotional
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a blend of wholesome charm and underlying creepiness, fostering a deep attachment to the adorable creatures players control. The gameplay emphasizes themes of family, survival, and exploration, evoking a sense of nostalgia and wonder reminiscent of childhood gaming experiences. Additionally, the narrative conveys a poignant sense of urgency and loss, as players grapple with the potential extinction of their kind in a beautifully bizarre world.
- “The idea of your little Trebum family, the idea of growing and keeping your family safe offered a beautiful, societal, and emotional aspect to the gameplay.”
- “At the same time, the entire game is permeated by this emotionally engaging feeling of potentially being the last of your kind, facing the imminent annihilation of an entire world.”
- “You'll find none of these flaws here, as the world of the Eternal Cylinder is evocatively bizarre, the storytelling is engaging and surprisingly emotional, and the gameplay is polished and predominantly player-driven.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability has been criticized for frequent bugs and glitches, including crashes and low frame rates, which detract from the overall experience. However, many players still find the game enjoyable and consider the issues to be non-game-breaking, allowing them to appreciate its qualities despite the technical shortcomings.
- “But in 96 minutes, I spent more time troubleshooting bugs than actually playing and enjoying myself.”
- “I barely get above 10 fps and I have constant freezes, and I don't think it's my system's fault.”
- “Despite having glitches like the game crashing when loading or entering the shrine, I give this game a 10/10; best indie game I have ever seen.”
character development
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
Character development in the game is highlighted through intricate designs and interactions among creatures, showcasing a blend of ecological themes and character evolution. Players appreciate the depth of character arcs, particularly in the antagonist, enhanced by strong animations and sound design. Additionally, elements like mutations and team dynamics contribute to a rich narrative experience.
- “As a person interested in character design, along with zoology, the ecology and interactions between creatures was really something.”
- “His animations, sound design, music, and most importantly of all, character design, really made him an intriguing antagonist.”
- “Character development in the form of mutations, cannibalism, team building, and team management.”
- “Character development in the form of mutations, cannibalism, team building, and team management.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
49%
38%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing inconsistent performance, including frame rates stuck between 40-50fps regardless of settings, and occasional crashes. While some users noted that the game ran well for the most part, the consensus leans towards it being poorly optimized.
- “Slight performance issues sometimes but otherwise fantastic all the way through.”
- “The game is very poorly optimized.”
- “I had a few performance issues, and I also had the game crash on me two times, but it ran fine for me the majority of the time.”
- “Performance is weird; I had the game always at 40-50fps no matter what setting (RTX 2070).”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players express a desire for enhanced replayability, particularly through the addition of an endless mode, which they believe would significantly increase the game's longevity and appeal. While some users note limited replay value due to a simple story, others mention opportunities for collecting items as a way to extend gameplay. Overall, the consensus suggests that the game could benefit from more features to boost its replayability.
- “This game is a masterpiece and I want to play it forever. Adding an endless mode would significantly enhance its replayability and attract more players.”
- “There is some replay value if you want to collect items.”
- “The potential for an endless mode could greatly increase the game's replayability, making it even more appealing to a wider audience.”
- “Story is very simple and has no replay value.”
- “Some replay value if you want to collect stuff.”
- “If you can add an endless mode, please do! This game is a masterpiece and I want to play it forever. I know it will be hard to code for one person, but trust me, it will add replayability that will attract more players.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is not explicitly addressed in the provided texts, which focus more on the visual and auditory experience. Therefore, no specific insights on monetization can be derived from these reviews.