The Gap

98%
Game Brain Score Based on 58 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
The Gap Game Cover
The Gap had the potential to tell an emotional and unique story, but instead features too much dry science and too little character development.
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In "The Gap," players assume the role of Joshua Hayes, a neuroscientist seeking a cure for his family's rare neurological disorder. By exploring parallel realities and uncovering memories, Joshua becomes embroiled in a corporate conspiracy related to an experimental neuroscientific program. The game features raw, minimalistic spaces and objects that serve as gateways to Joshua's past.

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Reviews

98%
Audience ScoreBased on 58 reviews
story17 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • The Gap features a beautifully written narrative that resonates deeply with players, often evoking strong emotional responses.
  • The game combines engaging puzzles with a compelling story, enhanced by excellent voice acting and stunning visuals.
  • It offers a unique experience as a walking simulator that effectively explores themes of memory, loss, and mental illness, making it a thought-provoking journey.
  • Some players found the game emotionally draining, which may not appeal to those who prefer lighter themes.
  • The non-linear storytelling and occasional lack of clarity in puzzles can lead to confusion, requiring players to seek external help.
  • The game may feel too short for some, and its replayability is limited despite the desire to explore alternative endings.
  • story31 mentions

    The story of "The Gap" is a captivating and emotionally resonant journey that explores themes of love, loss, and memory through a nonlinear narrative structure. Players piece together disjointed snippets of the plot, leading to a memorable conclusion filled with mind-bending twists and deep emotional impact. With excellent voice acting and stunning visuals, the game offers an engaging experience for those who appreciate intricate storytelling and environmental narrative.

    • “The story was amazing, voice acting was great, the concept of the story itself was fantastic as well.”
    • “The story is captivating and structured in such a way that all the secrets are revealed at a pace that keeps you immersed.”
    • “A great story-driven puzzler, with wonderful attention to detail.”
    • “First, the story is told through disjointed snippets.”
    • “Second, the story is too close to real life.”
    • “Speaking of pace, the story is scattered through the world and it's up to you to decipher and complete the pieces that are told through visual elements and audio situations.”
  • graphics12 mentions

    The graphics of the game are consistently praised for their stunning quality and unique art styles, creating a pleasing and surreal aesthetic. Reviewers highlight the detailed artwork, excellent voice acting, and the overall well-crafted visual experience, contributing to an engaging narrative. Overall, the visuals are described as top-notch, with no reported bugs enhancing the overall enjoyment.

    • “It has a pleasing aesthetic that feels futuristic and surreal.”
    • “Extraordinary graphics and art styles, especially that painting of hands shaped by strings of ink.”
    • “Visuals are stunning!”
  • gameplay9 mentions

    The gameplay is praised for its smoothness and compelling mechanics that involve exploring fragmented memories, creating a satisfying and immersive experience. Players appreciate the story-driven elements and the mind-bending nature of the gameplay, likening it to a dreamy sci-fi mystery that keeps them engaged for hours. Overall, it is highly recommended for fans of narrative-rich games.

    • “The gameplay, which involves searching through his memories, is very compelling.”
    • “It has interesting mechanics of discovering the past.”
    • “Smooth gameplay and an awesome mind-blowing experience.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    The game is described as an emotionally impactful experience that effectively tackles mature themes within a science fiction context, leaving players feeling both drained and satisfied. Its beautifully written narrative evokes strong feelings, often leading to tears, and presents a heartbreaking yet impressive story that resonates deeply. Overall, players characterize it as an emotional roller coaster that is both condensed and fulfilling.

    • “This was so beautifully written, it almost made me cry at the end...”
    • “This game hits hard emotionally, covering mature topics extremely well while maintaining a solid approach to science fiction in the modern day!”
    • “And a heartbreaking but impressive story that reminds us to mind the gap.”
  • music2 mentions

    The music in the game is praised for its ambient quality, seamlessly enhancing the immersive experience without being intrusive. It complements the well-crafted graphics and narration, contributing to a strong sense of time travel and exploration throughout various environments.

    • “The graphics and soundtrack are well-done, and the narration is excellent.”
    • “Everything from the places you visit to the smallest details, like UIs on mirrors showing recent news and interfaces on hardware switching and upgrading with each further reality you visit, the ambient music always feels right without interrupting you as you slowly assemble it back together. Everything makes you really think that you're going into different places in time.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    Despite initial impressions suggesting low replayability, many players find themselves eager to replay the game immediately after finishing it, indicating a surprisingly engaging experience that encourages multiple playthroughs.

    • “You'd think it has extremely little replayability, but I tell you that as soon as you finish the game, you'll want to replay it!”
    • “Once you've completed the game, there's really no incentive to go back and play it again.”
    • “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game is well-optimized, running smoothly on laptops without performance issues.

    • “The game runs smoothly on my laptop.”
    • “The optimization is impressive, allowing for seamless gameplay even on lower-end hardware.”
    • “I appreciate how well the game is optimized; it maintains a steady frame rate without any noticeable lag.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive and richly detailed worlds, showcasing a significant amount of thought and effort in their design.

    • “Amazingly atmospheric world(s) with so much thought and work put into the details.”
    • “The immersive environment draws you in, making every moment feel alive.”
    • “The haunting soundtrack perfectly complements the stunning visuals, creating an unforgettable experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

73% average critic score

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