THE IMPOSSIBLE
- July 24, 2020
- IMPOSSIBLE INC
- 1h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"THE IMPOSSIBLE" is a minimalist perspective puzzle game, where you navigate a small square through challenging levels, inspired by M.C. Escher's impossible shapes. The game offers 30 levels with a dark mode, simple controls, and a hint system. It also includes achievements, trading cards, and cloud support for Linux, Windows, and Mac OS systems. Watch out, as they are watching you!
Mac OS
PC
Phone
Steam Deck
Windows
Linux
Tablet
Reviews
- The game features very cool and challenging puzzles that provide a unique experience reminiscent of Monument Valley and GLaDOS.
- The atmosphere is enhanced by a creepy AI voice and music, adding an interesting horror element to the gameplay.
- It's a fun and creative puzzle game that encourages players to think outside the box, with a unique 4D maze concept.
- The game is very short, with many players completing it in under an hour, leading to disappointment regarding its length.
- Controls can be awkward and unresponsive, particularly when using a keyboard, making the gameplay frustrating for some users.
- The narrative and horror elements feel underdeveloped, with many players finding the AI's commentary repetitive and lacking depth.
- music18 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its relaxing and atmospheric qualities that enhance the overall experience. While some found it slightly repetitive, the soundtrack and narration effectively complement the visuals and contribute to the game's immersive ambiance. Overall, the music is described as a strong point, with a mix of soothing and unsettling elements that align well with the game's themes.
“The visuals are a feast for the eyes, and the soundtrack complements the atmosphere perfectly.”
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“Be sure to have the audio on while you play for the mellow ambient music.”
“Music got a bit repetitive, but I turned it down, kept the sound effects, and played it over Spotify, no problems.”
“The voice and music were just okay, and the game had a couple pretty good surprises.”
“The commentary from Patch and the music were both really unsettling, although the game is pretty short if you are really good.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by meticulously crafted mechanics and immersive world-building, earning praise for creativity, but criticism for its simplicity and lack of depth. Players control a movable box through perspective-based puzzles, which some find shallow and repetitive, leading to a short overall experience of less than an hour. While the game offers a straightforward path to achievements, many feel it lacks variety and innovation, making it feel overpriced for the content provided.
“From the immersive world-building to the finely tuned gameplay mechanics, every aspect feels meticulously crafted.”
“8/10 for gameplay, 10/10 for creativity, and it’s also very easy to get all the achievements, so a free 'perfect game.'”
“It's worth the discounted price in my opinion, giving 30 minutes to over an hour of gameplay to try and work out the puzzles.”
“Gameplay is very simple, using slightly convoluted controls to move a cube around one of those skewed perspective line drawings, which might seem amazing until you consider you're just following lines around and not moving in 3D space, so it's nothing remarkable at all. In fact, this is so shallow it makes the kids' maze at the back of the newspaper look like Dwarf Fortress.”
“Of course, it would be difficult to do anything deeper in a game that is so short (less than 1 hour of gameplay).”
“The game could use more variety of mechanics - it took me 45 minutes to beat the game and the gameplay already got a bit repetitive.”
- story11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players finding it captivating and engaging, while others feel it lacks depth and coherence. While it adds a layer of content to the puzzle gameplay, many reviewers suggest that character development and plot clarity could be improved. Overall, the narrative serves as a backdrop to the puzzles, but it may not satisfy those seeking a profound or intricate storyline.
“The storyline is captivating, keeping me on the edge of my seat with its twists and turns.”
“The story helps entice you to play all of the levels; it took me roughly 40 minutes.”
“I didn't expect this to have a story to it, but it does, and it's neat.”
“The only thing that sets this game apart is the story content, but I honestly couldn't make sense of it.”
“If you were hoping for a huge plot twist or mind-bending ending, then you will be disappointed.”
“Overall, it gives it somewhat more content and a vague storyline so you are not just sitting there completing random puzzles.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as minimalistic and simplistic, resembling hand-drawings, which some players appreciate for their aesthetic appeal. However, others criticize the low-quality visuals and confusing elements that hinder gameplay, suggesting that the graphics do not meet the expectations of PC gamers. Overall, while the visuals may complement the atmosphere, they are often seen as lacking depth and clarity.
“The visuals are a feast for the eyes, and the soundtrack complements the atmosphere perfectly.”
“The visuals are minimalistic and resemble hand-drawings.”
“Music was relaxing and visuals were very simplistic (in a good way).”
“Considering this is being evaluated as a PC game, having the graphics phoned in like this isn't going to result in a high quality, visually impressive game that PC gamers are used to seeing.”
“Confusing graphics (hard to distinguish some edges), crappy controls and some intentional bugs.”
“Normal but gave up due to bad controlling and boring graphics.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized as quirky and offbeat, with players noting that while achievements may feel trivial, the puzzles themselves are amusing and contribute to a lighthearted experience. Overall, the humor is described as funny in a unique and sometimes strange manner.
“It's funny you got your first achievement; the achievement is worthless for this game.”
“Funny puzzles, 30 of them.”
“It's funny, in a weird way.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers infinite replayability due to its lack of user-designed levels, encouraging players to revisit the same environments repeatedly. However, this may limit the overall variety in gameplay experiences.
“Infinitely replayable.”
“The game features user-designed levels, enhancing the replay value by allowing players to revisit and experience new challenges.”
“The absence of fixed levels means that replayability comes from revisiting the same environments with different strategies.”
“There aren't user-designed levels, so the replay value amounts to revisiting the same levels.”
“The lack of variety in gameplay makes it hard to find motivation for replaying.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is vibrant and engaging, enhanced by lively character antics and stunning visuals, while the soundtrack effectively complements the overall experience.
“The atmosphere was also a bit more lively thanks to the antics of Patch.”
“The visuals are a feast for the eyes, and the soundtrack complements the atmosphere perfectly.”
“The atmosphere was a bit more lively thanks to the antics of Patch.”
“The game failed to create an immersive atmosphere, leaving me feeling disconnected.”
“Despite the potential, the atmosphere felt flat and uninspired throughout.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game is criticized for being exploitative, with a price point of around $5 USD deemed unrealistic given the product's defects and the availability of superior free alternatives on platforms like Steam. Users express frustration over the prevalence of low-quality, retro-style games that prioritize profit over quality.
“The impossible has the completely unrealistic cash grab price of around $5 USD. It's not worth it given the defects and shortcomings with the product, especially considering the sheer number of completely free, much higher quality games on Steam.”
“Nodewebkit is most commonly used to make retro pixel shovelware and cash grabs.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users appreciate the stability of the game, noting the entertaining presence of a portal-like narrator and the engaging variety of metagame glitches that add to the experience without detracting from overall performance.
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the overall experience.”
“There are numerous bugs that disrupt gameplay, leading to frustrating moments.”
