The Game of Sisyphus
- April 11, 2024
- cream
Get on SteamIn "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.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game provides a surprisingly relaxing experience, allowing players to reflect and enjoy the journey of pushing the boulder.
- Many players found the challenge of overcoming obstacles satisfying, especially after repeated failures.
- The game is praised for its unique premise and the philosophical depth it offers, resonating with themes of perseverance and the human spirit.
- The ice section is widely criticized for its poor design, making it frustrating and unfair, leading to significant loss of progress.
- Players noted that the game can become tedious and boring, lacking variety and meaningful challenges, especially in the early stages.
- The controls and physics are often described as janky and inconsistent, leading to unpredictable outcomes that detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its slow pace and reliance on careful mechanics, which may deter players who prefer faster action. While the core mechanics involve pushing a boulder with a focus on precision, many reviewers feel that the controls are unintuitive and that the game lacks opportunities for recovery after mistakes. Additionally, the repetition of stages with minimal variation contributes to a sense of monotony, suggesting a need for more engaging and varied gameplay elements.
“Would recommend if you're a fan of simple mechanic games where you just need some patience and focus to master it.”
“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.”
“Before delving too far into the gameplay and stage design of this game, the first thing that should be mentioned here is how the controls actually work, seeing how easy it is to get a false impression of the controls if you base the movement entirely on Sisyphus himself since simply pushing him against the boulder to move it upwards will only get you so far as 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 mechanics feel slapped together.”
“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.”
“One stage, Rock Mountain, is repeated three times with little differences to terrain and gameplay, which simple graphical changes would easily reduce the repetition.”
- grinding16 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 or enjoyable, often comparing it to the Sisyphean task of pushing a rock uphill. While the initial experience may be engaging, it quickly devolves into a repetitive and stressful grind without the satisfaction of overcoming difficult challenges. Overall, the grinding is perceived as a monotonous journey lacking meaningful progression.
“When I first started playing this game, I kept complaining how the game wasn't hard but tedious.”
“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.”
“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.”
- story10 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's story is a retelling of the Greek myth of Sisyphus, emphasizing themes of punishment, perseverance, and the struggle against seemingly meaningless tasks. Players find that the narrative serves as a lesson in patience and resilience, mirroring Sisyphus's eternal challenge of rolling a boulder up a mountain as a consequence of his past misdeeds. Overall, the story transforms the gameplay into a profound exploration of life's challenges and the importance of persistence.
“Moral of the story, you never know what life holds in store for you, and if I would have given up when all the odds were stacked against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“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.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are criticized for lacking variety and intentional design, leading to a repetitive visual experience, particularly with the repeated "rock mountain" stage. However, the introduction of different boulders with unique visuals and effects adds some replayability. Overall, the visuals do not significantly enhance the gameplay experience.
“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 graphics are visually appealing, with a variety of new 'boulders' that enhance the overall aesthetic experience.”
“The game features interesting visual elements that contribute to the overall atmosphere and enjoyment.”
“One stage, Rock Mountain, is repeated three times with little differences to terrain and gameplay, which simple graphical changes would easily reduce the repetition.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, featuring various boulders with unique properties that enhance the experience. Players can earn gold and coins from their performance, which can be used to unlock new boulders, adding further incentive to replay. Overall, users find the game fun and engaging, with an infinite replay value.
“Fun game, nice ending, infinitely replayable.”
“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.”
“There is replayability, with more boulders that have different properties.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, providing a relaxing atmosphere, though some players feel it could benefit from a few additional tracks to prevent repetition. Overall, it enhances the experience, allowing players to unwind, but those who spend extended time in the game may prefer to listen to their own music.
“The music was nice; it could have had one or two more songs, but for those who might take longer to play, they could always listen to their own.”
“I relaxed for 5 minutes to this music, long enough to realize that I was going to be okay.”
“The music is so repetitive that it becomes unbearable after a short while.”
“I found the soundtrack to be bland and uninspired, lacking any memorable tunes.”
“The audio quality is poor, making it difficult to enjoy the music.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The optimization aspect of the game is well-received, as players are rewarded with gold and coins based on their performance, which can be used to unlock various boulders for enhanced gameplay. This system not only encourages replayability but also allows players to customize their experience, adding both aesthetic flair and increased challenge. Overall, the optimization mechanics contribute positively to player engagement and satisfaction.
“For those who accomplish the great feat, you are awarded an amount of gold that varies depending on your overall performance (how long it took, how many times the boulder went 'out of bounds', and overall distance traveled alongside the type of 'boulder' used) 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, giving a second run either a new fancy flair to your boulder or, for the sadistic, adding even further challenge to an already arduous test of one's stoicism!”
“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 of performance in the game is rewarding, as players can earn gold and coins based on their skills, which can then be used to unlock new boulders, enhancing both the visual experience and the challenge.”
“The optimization in this game feels lacking, as the rewards for performance are minimal and don't significantly enhance the gameplay experience.”
“The system for earning gold and coins based on performance is convoluted and doesn't provide enough incentive to replay the game.”
“While there are new boulders to unlock, the overall optimization of the reward system feels unbalanced and fails to motivate players to engage further.”
