The Imagined Leviathan: Prologue

About

ADD FULL GAME TO YOUR WISHLIST About the GameWe are developing this short experience into a new full game called Imagined Leviathans, which will greatly develop the gameplay and themes into a full 2-3 hours of play, with improved visuals and significantly more to do and see, including meeting other survivors“At fifty degrees below zero frostbite can strike in as few as five minutes” A poetic su…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

The Imagined Leviathan: Prologue screenshot

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 101 reviews

story6 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features a unique and immersive atmosphere, enhanced by its striking black-and-white art style and sound design, which effectively conveys a sense of dread and isolation.
The narrative is thought-provoking, addressing themes such as climate change and human introspection, encouraging players to reflect on deeper philosophical questions.
Despite its short length, the game offers a compelling experience that invites exploration and multiple playthroughs to uncover all the stories and secrets.

The gameplay can be confusing and disorienting, with unclear directions and mechanics that may frustrate players, leading to a sense of aimlessness.
There are several bugs and glitches that can hinder the experience, such as issues with picking up items and navigating the environment, which detracts from immersion.
The prologue is very short, leaving some players wanting more content and depth, which may not be satisfying for those looking for a more substantial gameplay experience.

gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
72%
17%
The gameplay is characterized by simple mechanics focused on exploration and survival, where players navigate a snowy environment while managing cold exposure. While the dialogue adds engagement and humor, technical glitches and unclear mechanics can lead to frustration, detracting from the overall experience. Despite its intriguing narrative, the gameplay loop may feel repetitive and lacks a strong mechanical hook.
- “With a focus on exploration and survival mechanics, the game looks to keep things balanced between having to resist the cold while narrating an enticing and mysterious story.”
- “The gameplay is simple, but the engaging dialogue from the character keeps the player interested, providing moments of humor and heartfelt connection.”
- “The gameplay loop is simple: wander around the world hoping to figure out where to go, occasionally building a fire so you don't freeze to death.”
- “The mechanics are basic and easy to learn, but there are a few glitches that make you unable to pick things up, especially after you accidentally drop them.”
- “The game in its current state has serious bugs in one of the basic gameplay mechanics.”
story
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
47%
18%
The game's story is described as intriguing yet ambiguous, blending elements of exploration, survival, and philosophical themes, with hints of Lovecraftian influences. While some players appreciate the atmospheric and poetic narrative, others find it lacking in clarity and depth, particularly regarding the ending and certain gameplay mechanics. Overall, the story evokes a mix of confusion and curiosity, leaving players with a sense of both unease and potential for deeper exploration.
- “Between confusion and disorientation, the birth of language or perhaps its corruption—what is expressible and what is unspeakable—there’s a personal quest to put words to situations that escape us.”
- “With a focus on exploration and survival mechanics, the game looks to keep things balanced between having to resist the cold while narrating an enticing and mysterious story.”
- “The imagined leviathan is a short 'survival' and quite poetic story based on 'post-climate change in Britain.'”
- “The story's okay, but the parts needed for building fires can be really scarce.”
- “This game certainly has an atmosphere to call its own, but the story didn't grab me, what little of it I experienced before completing the game.”
- “Campfire 'stories' feel bugged because they require two sets of words, and the first set just starts the fire without triggering a story.”
atmosphere
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
25%
19%
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its immersive and oppressive qualities, effectively blending art direction and sound design to evoke feelings of isolation and dread. Players appreciate the mysterious and thought-provoking environment, which enhances the overall experience, even if the narrative itself falls short. The atmosphere is highlighted as the game's strongest element, making exploration and survival engaging despite occasional confusion.
- “Aside from that, the immersive atmosphere combined with the poetic narrative make this game very nerve-wracking and thought-provoking.”
- “Very immersive and atmospheric, the game really makes you feel dreadful whenever you get lost and have no materials to make a fire.”
- “And yet, we are constantly between two states: black/white, warmth/cold, the sight of buildings on the horizon/the total absence of vision (just snow), a completely open world/the feeling of being trapped in a closed one… the art direction serves this oppressive atmosphere well, reinforced by the sound design (blizzard, again), the voice-over whose source is unknown, the words (from whom?), the unclear direction to take… and at times, it is genuinely difficult to know where to go.”
- “Only if one gets lost and starts wandering in circles, finding all of the side locations, does the game really shine, but even then, it is the atmosphere of being stranded in a snow storm that's the highlight here, not the narrative.”
- “This game certainly has an atmosphere to call its own but the story didn't grab me, what little of it I experienced before completing the game.”
graphics
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
43%
19%
The graphics of the game are described as a unique and immersive black-and-white aesthetic that evokes comparisons to films like "Sin City," though opinions are mixed; some players appreciate the artistic style while others find it simplistic and occasionally buggy, leading to navigation issues. Despite these drawbacks, many reviewers highlight the beauty of the visuals and the intriguing perspective illusions they create, making the game worth exploring for its artistic merit. Overall, the graphics contribute to a distinctive atmosphere, though they may not appeal to everyone.
- “The art style is cool.”
- “It uses simple black-and-white, 3D graphics, and you might think this makes it fairly difficult to see, but it actually makes the landscape beautiful.”
- “The graphics are so simple, but even this black-and-white monochromatic environment has your eyes seeing many perspective illusions.”
- “Some (including me) will dislike the graphics style.”
- “I get that they wanted to go with artsy, but honestly there are bits where the graphics are so bad it has to out-and-out tell you which way to go.”
- “And then when I began to approach the hill leading to the Stonehenge, I was confronted with moving shadows. Perhaps a graphical glitch, but the shadows looked alien and I couldn't quite understand what I was looking at. For a moment, I thought it was some vast, strange entity, and I felt fear and hesitation in that moment as I stared into something unknown, taking up almost the whole of the screen.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been reported to have several bugs and glitches, including issues with map navigation and item interactions, though they are not as severe as those seen in notorious launches like Bethesda titles or Cyberpunk 2077. Overall, while the aesthetic is praised, the stability remains a concern due to these mechanical issues.
- “So buggy, first playthrough I glitched out the map...”
- “A fair warning though, it's a little buggy, not Bethesda or 2077 launch day bugs.”
- “The mechanics are basic and easy to learn, but there are a few glitches that make you unable to pick things up, especially after you accidentally drop them.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is generally perceived as generic and unremarkable, with players noting that it either blends into the background or is barely noticeable. However, the sound effects are considered satisfactory, contributing to an overall acceptable audio experience.
- “The sound and music are kind of generic.”
- “I didn't notice the music; either it fits well or there is none. Sound-wise, this game is okay.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game engaging due to the constant dialogue from the character Foddy, which adds depth to the experience. The conversations are noted for being both humorous and heartfelt, helping to maintain player interest despite potential frustrations in gameplay.
- “The gameplay can be frustrating and uninteresting with plenty of setbacks, but to keep the player engaged, Foddy constantly talks to you. The dialogue is not only interesting but also varies from funny to heartfelt.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is delivered through engaging dialogue from the character Foddy, which balances between being funny and heartfelt, helping to alleviate potential frustrations in gameplay. Players appreciate this witty commentary as it keeps them engaged despite setbacks.
- “The gameplay can be frustrating and uninteresting with plenty of setbacks, but to keep the player engaged, Foddy constantly talks to you. The dialogue is not only interesting but also funny and heartfelt at times.”
- “The humor in the game is cleverly woven into the dialogue, making even the most challenging moments enjoyable.”
- “I found myself laughing out loud at the witty remarks and unexpected jokes throughout the game, which added a delightful layer to the experience.”

Buy The Imagined Leviathan: Prologue

The Imagined Leviathan: Prologue
See offer on Steam

Videos

77%1.8kreviews

Kona

2021

Open World Action Adventure

+13

This game contains adult content

71%7.5kreviews

Scorn

2022

Action Adventure

88%644reviews

The Cursed Forest

2019

Simulation

62%330reviews

Eidolon

2014

Survival Survival

This game contains adult content

70%738reviews

Through the Woods

2018

Action Adventure

73%806reviews

The Old City: Leviathan

2014

Action

55%380reviews

The Deer God

2015

Arcade Platformer

+17

61%793reviews

Mind: Path to Thalamus E.Edition

2014

Action

54%1.2kreviews

Dream

2015

Puzzle

88%4.1kreviews

Jusant

2023

Platformer

The Imagined Leviathan: Prologue Tweets

The Imagined Leviathan: Prologue

Platforms

About

Buy The Imagined Leviathan: Prologue