the Line
- December 7, 2017
- Marginal act
Get on SteamIn "The Line" , players control Angelina and her mutated dog Fin in a rogue-like, dungeon crawler, survival game with turn-based combat. The goal is to survive the long line for resettlement from the oppressive east side of the city while uncovering the true nature of the resettlement. Combat, negotiation, and exploiting enemy weaknesses are the keys to success in this atmospheric and immersive game.
Reviews
- The game features a unique and compelling visual aesthetic, utilizing collaged art styles that create an unsettling atmosphere.
- The gameplay offers various approaches to progress, including bartering, fighting, and solving puzzles, which can lead to a diverse experience.
- The audio design complements the visuals well, enhancing the overall immersive experience.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs, including freezing during minigames and issues with NPC interactions, making it largely unplayable.
- The mechanics and objectives are often unclear, leading to confusion and frustration for players trying to navigate the game.
- The difficulty balance is inconsistent, with some players finding the game too easy while others struggle with its numerous technical issues.
- gameplay5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay features randomized elements like item drops and enemies, which can enhance the experience; however, numerous bugs, such as freezing minigames and non-functional mechanics, significantly detract from playability. While the core systems are intriguing and the art style is memorable, the overall execution feels unfinished, and the low difficulty may not satisfy all players. Despite these issues, some users find value in the game's affordable price.
“The gameplay mechanics were fairly interesting in terms of the systems, but the difficulty was extremely low.”
“Still, for the cheap price, memorable art style, and interesting mechanics, I'm happy I bought the game.”
“Some elements are randomized (item drops and enemies) and these aspects could lead to a great experience; unfortunately, it is quite buggy. The scavenge minigames work sometimes, but other times they just freeze your game. The trap mechanics in Act II don't seem to work at all, your battle animation can lock into your movement, and sometimes you cannot interact with NPCs even though everything feels like you should.”
“I mean, I don't mind obscure, hidden, and crude elements in terms of presentation or mechanics, but this clearly seems unintentional or, at worst, unfinished.”
“Since searching for items and bartering those items to move ahead in the line is a core component of the gameplay, this is a game-breaking bug that makes the game unplayable.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "the line" is highlighted by its exceptional audio and unique visual style, combining deformed-dystopian renaissance elements with clever collage techniques. This distinctive aesthetic, along with unsettling art and sound choices, creates an engaging and addictive experience that surprises players with its depth and creativity.
“The line has great audio and exceptional art being collaged with deformed-dystopian renaissance assets, which make for a great atmosphere (probably the best selling point).”
“It has quite a unique look and atmosphere.”
“I've never been so well surprised while playing this game. The atmosphere, concepts, and the graphics, which cleverly use collage (something I've never seen before in a game), really made this game that I thought was dull actually pretty addictive.”
“No one has the time in their life to wait out the line so you have choices on how you choose to proceed: barter with people for their spot, fight them for their spot, or expose their weakness (after a 'psychic' puzzle). Unsettling art and sound choices contribute to an uneasy atmosphere.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's graphics feature a unique and compelling visual aesthetic that some players find intriguing, despite its confusing elements. The memorable art style and distinctive design contribute positively to the overall experience, especially considering the game's affordable price.
“The game has an interesting visual aesthetic, and the world it sets you down in is compelling (if confusing).”
“I just really love the aesthetics of this game!”
“Still, for the cheap price, memorable art style, and interesting mechanics, I'm happy I bought the game.”
“Strange game with strange graphics”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is significantly hindered by numerous bugs, including freezing during scavenging minigames, non-functional trap mechanics, and issues with battle animations and NPC interactions. These problems have been consistently reported by the community, detracting from the overall experience.
“Some elements are randomized (item drops and enemies) and these aspects could lead to a great experience; unfortunately, it is quite buggy. The scavenge minigames work sometimes, but sometimes they just freeze your game. The trap mechanics in Act II don't seem to work at all, your battle animation can lock into your movement, and sometimes you cannot interact with NPCs even though everything feels like you should.”
“It is very buggy, however.”
“Any time you initiate a sequence where you or the dog are doing the exploration minigame, the game freezes and it's impossible to make progress.”
- story1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The story of the game is criticized for being poorly executed, with many players feeling that it is fundamentally broken, overshadowing its visual appeal and other gameplay elements.
“The story feels disjointed and lacks coherence, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“Character development is shallow, leaving players with little emotional investment in the narrative.”
“The plot twists are predictable and fail to deliver any real surprises or excitement.”
