THE IMPOSSIBLE

About

THE IMPOSSIBLE is a single player casual role playing game with horror and thriller themes. It was developed by Airem and was released on July 24, 2020. It received positive reviews from players.

"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!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 159 reviews

gameplay5 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features clever and engaging puzzles that challenge players' perception and creativity, reminiscent of M.C. Escher's artwork.
The minimalist design and relaxing soundtrack create an immersive atmosphere, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
The inclusion of a GLaDOS-like AI adds humor and a unique narrative twist, making the game more engaging and entertaining.

The game is quite short, with most players completing it in under an hour, leading to concerns about its value at full price.
Controls can be awkward and unresponsive, particularly when using a keyboard, which may frustrate players during puzzle-solving.
Some puzzles lack clear logic, leading to inconsistencies that can confuse players and detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
70%
11%
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and smoothness, allowing players to navigate a small square through creatively designed levels that challenge conventional physics. While the intuitive controls and engaging puzzle-solving elements create an enjoyable experience, some players find the gameplay repetitive and lacking in depth, especially given its short duration of around 30 to 60 minutes. Overall, the game offers a polished experience with clever mechanics, though it could benefit from more variety to sustain long-term interest.
- “It's simple, smooth, and entertaining, with great gameplay and good vibes all around.”
- “The core gameplay revolves around guiding a small square through levels constructed with impossible shapes and structures that seem to defy the basic laws of physics.”
- “The controls are straightforward and intuitive, allowing players to focus on the puzzle-solving aspect without getting bogged down in complicated mechanics.”
- “The only mechanic is the occasional color change to match the one for the exit.”
- “Gameplay is very simple; use the 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.”
- “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.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
54%
13%
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and immersive qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere without being distracting. Players appreciate the variety, from relaxing ambient tracks to dramatic and unsettling compositions that complement the gameplay experience. While some found the music slightly repetitive, the option for separate volume controls allows for a customizable audio experience, making it a notable aspect of the game.
- “The minimalist sound design complements the visual experience perfectly, featuring calm, ambient music that enhances concentration without becoming a distraction.”
- “The controls are intuitive, and the relaxing soundtrack complements the gameplay perfectly, creating an immersive and enjoyable atmosphere.”
- “It's a lovely game with even more lovely 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.”
story
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
58%
16%
The game's story is generally seen as a charming addition to its puzzle mechanics, providing an engaging atmosphere and some unexpected twists, though many players feel it could benefit from more depth and character development. While the narrative is entertaining and adds to the overall experience, it often lacks clarity and can feel repetitive due to limited voice lines. Overall, the story enhances the gameplay but may not satisfy those seeking a complex or profound plot.
- “I started out playing this game using a guide for a quick 100%, but stayed for the story and atmosphere!”
- “The storyline is captivating, keeping me on the edge of my seat with its twists and turns.”
- “Great short experience, it can make you think, and the little story is interesting too.”
- “The only thing that sets this game apart is the story content, but I honestly couldn't make sense of it.”
- “There were so few voice lines that much of the 'story' repeats throughout the levels and the game's attempt at glitching just felt like the game broke or froze for a second rather than the intended effect.”
- “If you were hoping for a huge plot twist or mind-bending ending, then you will be disappointed.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The game's graphics feature a minimalist art style that, while simple, effectively supports intricate optical illusions and puzzles reminiscent of Escher's work. However, some players find the visuals lacking in detail and clarity, leading to confusion in gameplay, while others appreciate the aesthetic as a fitting complement to the overall atmosphere. Overall, the graphics are seen as functional but not particularly impressive, especially for a PC game.
- “At first glance, the game’s minimalist art style might suggest a simple experience, but beneath this clean and understated exterior lies a world filled with intricate optical illusions and mind-bending puzzles.”
- “This creates a compelling sense of wonder as players explore environments reminiscent of Escher’s famous artwork, where what looks like an insurmountable obstacle can suddenly become a pathway, simply by shifting perspective.”
- “The visuals are a feast for the eyes, and the soundtrack complements the atmosphere perfectly.”
- “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.”
- “The visuals are minimalistic and resemble hand-drawings.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players appreciating its unique and quirky attempts at comedy throughout the gameplay. The funny puzzles and amusing dialogue contribute to a lighthearted experience, making it enjoyable despite its short length. Overall, the game effectively delivers humor that consistently brings smiles to players' faces.
- “The humor really shines through, and it's always amusing to see such unique attempts in gameplay.”
- “While not long, it delivers funny dialog and a unique and quirky experience that puts a smile on your face.”
- “The game isn't super hard to beat, very short but very funny.”
atmosphere
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
14%
29%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive qualities, enhanced by a relaxing soundtrack and visually stunning graphics. While it effectively creates a captivating and sometimes creepy ambiance, some players feel it lacks a climactic payoff, leaving the buildup unfulfilled. Overall, the unique atmosphere is a significant draw, even if the gameplay duration raises questions about its value.
- “The controls are intuitive, and the relaxing soundtrack complements the gameplay perfectly, creating an immersive and enjoyable atmosphere.”
- “I started out playing this game using a guide for a quick 100%, but stayed for the story and atmosphere!”
- “The visuals are a feast for the eyes, and the soundtrack complements the atmosphere perfectly.”
- “Short interesting puzzle game with a bit of a creepy atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere was also a bit more lively thanks to the antics of Patch.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game's replayability is mixed; while it features an IQ scoring system that encourages players to improve their problem-solving skills, many users find it repetitive and lacking in variety, leading to limited incentive for repeated play. Some players note that the absence of uniquely designed levels further diminishes replay value, making it feel short and monotonous.
- “Additionally, the game introduces an IQ scoring system at the end of each level, providing players with feedback on their problem-solving skills and encouraging replayability.”
- “Infinitely replayable.”
- “There aren’t user-designed levels, so the replay value comes from revisiting the same levels.”
- “I wouldn't really pay any more than $2-$3 as the game is repetitive, short, and has zero replay value.”
- “There aren’t user-designed levels, so replay value amounts to revisiting the same levels.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to its sliding mechanics that can feel cumbersome. The controls also contribute to the frustration, as the keyboard is preferred over the less responsive gamepad and mouse options. Additionally, some users note the necessity of extra lives to effectively manage the grinding process.
- “It's a sliding game but not exactly wall to wall, making things more tedious than they have to be sometimes.”
- “The keyboard works best for me; the gamepad didn't work for some reason, and the mouse required clicking and dragging, which can be tedious after a while.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The game's stability is intentionally compromised, featuring a variety of designed glitches and disruptions that enhance the experience rather than detract from it. Players encounter elements like unresponsive controls and screen flashes, which are part of the narrative and contribute to a haunting atmosphere, reminiscent of titles like Portal. Overall, these intentional instabilities serve to deepen immersion and engagement with the game's themes.
- “Sometimes moving the cube won’t work or the window will randomly resize - guess what, these are not glitches, it’s just the impossible's GLaDOS (called patch) attempting to disrupt you from your work.”
- “Sometimes moving the cube won’t work or the window will randomly resize - guess what, these are not glitches, it’s just 'the impossible's' GLaDOS (called Patch) attempting to disrupt you from your work.”
- “You'll encounter intentional glitches, screen flashes, and lag as your omnipresent companion attempts to prevent your completion, all the while asking you a haunting rhetorical question: 'if you complete me, will you delete me?' paired with dissonant music straight out of a horror movie, it absolutely will make your hair stand on end.”
- “What amused me a lot was the portal-ish narrator and the variety of metagame glitches she tried to distract you with.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
The game is primarily optimized for gamepad use, featuring extensive support for diagonal movements, which may affect the experience for players using other control methods.
- “The game is clearly optimized for gamepad use, as it makes excellent use of diagonal directions.”
- “I appreciate how the optimization allows for smooth gameplay and responsive controls.”
- “The performance optimization is impressive, ensuring a seamless experience even in high-action scenarios.”
- “It appears the game was optimized for a gamepad, because it makes abundant use of diagonal directions.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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 perceive it as a cash grab, particularly in the context of low-quality retro-style games.
- “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.”