The Game of Sisyphus

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In "The Game of Sisyphus" , you step into the mythological tale, becoming Sisyphus, tasked to roll a boulder up a mountain. With various obstacles and the boulder's inertia to consider, patience is key in this slow-paced, challenging experience. New boulders can be earned, increasing the difficulty, making each accomplishment a hard-fought victory.

Play Modes

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

Reviews

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 121 reviews

music3 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The game offers a unique retelling of the Sisyphus myth, providing a meditative experience that encourages reflection and patience.
Many players find the game relaxing and enjoyable, appreciating its slower pace and the sense of accomplishment upon reaching the summit.
The game features a variety of boulders with different properties, adding replayability and a sense of progression for those who enjoy the challenge.

The physics and level design can be frustrating, particularly in sections like the ice area, where control feels arbitrary and punishing.
Many players find the gameplay tedious and lacking in challenge, with minimal skill progression and repetitive sections that can lead to boredom.
The game suffers from technical issues, such as poor input display and inconsistent physics, which detract from the overall experience.

grinding
8 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious rather than challenging, often comparing it to repetitive tasks that lack meaningful progression. While some appreciate the immersive experience, many express frustration with the monotonous nature of the gameplay, which can lead to stress without the satisfaction of overcoming difficult challenges. Overall, the grinding is seen as a significant drawback that detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
- “When I first started playing this game, I kept complaining how the game wasn't hard but tedious.”
- “Gets a bit tedious and stressful after a while, but without the immediate reward you get upon passing a hard part, because you can see there's more ahead, but you can't see the top, just a straight line.”
- “Interesting game, had some promise, the first hour was kinda fun but then the realization comes that the game doesn't really get harder, just tedious.”
gameplay
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its slow pace and demand for patience and focus, appealing to fans of simple mechanics but potentially frustrating for those who prefer faster action. Players noted the need for more recovery options after mistakes, especially when learning new mechanics, and criticized the repetitive nature of certain stages, suggesting that minor graphical changes could alleviate this issue. Overall, the controls require careful mastery, adding depth to the experience but also increasing the risk of failure.
- “Would recommend if you're a fan of simple mechanic games where you just need some patience and focus to master it.”
- “Before delving too far into the gameplay and stage design of this game, the first thing that should be mentioned is how the controls actually work. It's easy to get a false impression of the controls if you base the movement entirely on Sisyphus himself, as simply pushing him against the boulder to move it upwards will only get you so far. Mastering the pushing of the boulder requires the use of the mouse buttons to turn the boulder from one side to the other or to prevent it from falling out of your grasp and back down the long trail you worked so hard to climb up.”
- “The slow-paced gameplay of the game of Sisyphus will likely put off players who are not into games that demand a careful approach with plenty to lose with a mere slip of focus.”
- “Sure, you'd fail more, but losing progress wouldn't be nearly as painful and the actual gameplay itself would be a bit more involved.”
- “Maybe add some mechanic that would give you at least some chance to recover from mistakes, especially when you are approaching new mechanics.”
- “The slow-paced gameplay of the game of Sisyphus will likely put off players who are not into games that demand a careful approach with plenty to lose from a mere slip of focus.”
story
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The game's story is a modern retelling of the Greek myth of Sisyphus, emphasizing themes of patience, perseverance, and the futility of seemingly endless tasks. Players experience Sisyphus's eternal punishment as a lesson rather than mere entertainment, reflecting on the deeper meaning behind his struggle against the gods.
- “But as I went through each level and after I learned the story of Sisyphus, I realized this game isn't a game for fun difficulty; it's a punishment.”
- “The game is meant to be a lesson, as is the story of Sisyphus, of patience, perseverance, and seemingly meaningless tasks.”
- “When I first heard of this most unusual game and its development several weeks back, I was quite intrigued as to what kind of experience one would have when going into what appears to be a retelling of the ancient Greek mythology of Sisyphus in his quest to atone for his misdeeds against the gods for having both cheated death as well as extreme cruelty towards his guests by means of rolling a boulder up atop the mountain Tartarus as part of his divine punishment.”
graphics
3 mentions
33 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are criticized for lacking intentional and varied level design, leading to a repetitive experience, particularly with one stage being reused multiple times with minimal changes. However, the inclusion of different visual effects for purchasable 'boulders' adds some replayability and visual interest. Overall, the visuals do not significantly enhance the fun factor of the game.
- “Further replayability is added for those who seek to make the trip once more, as gold and coins earned from overall performance and each hike to the top can be used to buy a variety of new 'boulders' with different visuals and effects.”
- “One stage, Rock Mountain, is repeated three times with little differences in terrain and gameplay, which simple graphical changes would easily reduce the repetition.”
- “The graphics feel outdated and lack the detail expected from modern games, making the overall experience less immersive.”
- “Character models are poorly designed and lack variety, which detracts from the visual appeal of the game.”
replayability
3 mentions
33 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability through a variety of boulders with unique properties and visuals, allowing players to enhance their experience with earned gold and coins. Additionally, the engaging gameplay and satisfying conclusion contribute to its infinite replay value.
- “Fun game, nice ending, infinitely replayable.”
- “There is replayability, with more boulders that have different properties.”
- “Further replayability is added for those who seek to make the trip once more, as gold and coins earned from overall performance and each hike to the top can be used to buy a variety of new boulders with different visuals and effects.”
optimization
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-150 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is well-received, as it rewards players with gold and coins based on their performance, encouraging replayability through the purchase of various boulders that enhance both aesthetics and challenge. This system adds depth to the gameplay, allowing players to tailor their experience with new visual and functional options.
- “For those who accomplish the great feat, you are awarded an amount of gold that varies depending on your overall performance, including how long it took, how many times the boulder went 'out of bounds', and the overall distance traveled, alongside a single coin as acknowledgment of your victory. Both the gold and coins can be spent on various boulders that were locked at the start of the game, allowing for a new flair or added challenge in your next run.”
- “Further replayability is added for those who seek to make the trip once more, as gold and coins earned from overall performance and each hike to the top can be used to buy a variety of new boulders with different visuals and effects.”
- “The optimization in this game is severely lacking, making it frustrating to achieve the best performance due to inconsistent mechanics.”
- “The game feels unbalanced, as the rewards for optimization do not match the effort required to achieve them.”
- “There are too many variables that affect performance, leading to a lack of clarity on how to optimize effectively.”
music
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its quality, though some feel that a few more tracks would enhance the experience. There is also an option for players to use their own music if they find the in-game soundtrack repetitive over time.
- “The music was nice; it could have had one or two more songs. However, for those who might take longer to complete the game and get tired of the music, they could always play their own.”
- “The soundtrack really enhances the overall experience, making each moment feel more immersive and engaging.”
- “I loved the variety in the music; it kept the gameplay fresh and exciting throughout my entire playthrough.”