THE MULLER-POWELL PRINCIPLE

77%
Game Brain Score Based on 209 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
THE MULLER-POWELL PRINCIPLE Game Cover
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In "The Muller-Powell Principle," become Harry Herman, an employee of Delta Laboratories studying interdimensional travel. After a project goes awry, use the Portable Energy Manipulator to solve physics-based puzzles, manipulate objects, and uncover the dark truth behind the experiment and your connection to it, all while exploring surreal universes.

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Reviews

77%
Audience ScoreBased on 209 reviews
gameplay35 positive mentions
stability4 negative mentions
  • The game features an engaging storyline and immersive graphics that draw players into its world.
  • Puzzles are well-designed and provide a satisfying challenge, encouraging critical thinking and exploration.
  • The unique mechanics of the Portable Energy Manipulator add depth to gameplay, allowing for creative solutions to puzzles.
  • Controls can be clunky and unintuitive, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • The presence of an invulnerable enemy during puzzles disrupts the flow and can result in repeated deaths, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
  • Voice acting and dialogue quality are often criticized as subpar, which can break immersion and detract from the narrative experience.
  • gameplay75 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, featuring an interesting energy manipulation mechanic that allows for unique puzzle-solving experiences reminiscent of titles like Portal. However, many players have criticized the implementation of certain mechanics, particularly the frustrating immortal enemy chase sequences and poorly designed boss fights, which detract from the overall enjoyment and can make the game feel unplayable at times. While the graphics and world-building are praised, the gameplay suffers from bugs and unintuitive mechanics that hinder the experience.

    • “The main gameplay gimmick is a gun that can store different types of energy, like heat or light.”
    • “The gameplay is quite convenient; there’s nothing to complain about, it’s better for you to find out about the plot yourself as you progress through the game, but I can definitely say that it will definitely drag you in :)”
    • “I appreciated the variety of puzzles, from logic-based challenges to more action-oriented sequences, which kept the gameplay fresh and exciting.”
    • “But the puzzle design, the gameplay issues, and the bugs show, at the same time, a lack of care and turn what could be an enjoyable journey through dimensions into a frustrating experience.”
    • “The immortal enemy is one of my most hated gameplay mechanics; needing to solve puzzles while running away from an immortal enemy is enough to make me drop the game.”
    • “The extremely poor chase mechanics turn a pretty fun game into a near unplayable mess.”
  • story65 mentions

    The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its engaging world-building and intriguing plot, often drawing comparisons to titles like Portal and Half-Life. While some found the narrative captivating and well-integrated with gameplay, others criticized it for being confusing or lacking polish in writing and voice acting. Overall, the story is seen as a strong aspect of the game, though it may not meet the expectations of more critical players.

    • “The immersive graphics, captivating storyline, and challenging gameplay truly made this game stand out.”
    • “Fascinating gameplay, interesting story, and pleasant visual style will allow us to immerse deeply into the world of the game, and the possibility of getting one of several endings makes each passage unforgettable.”
    • “With its visually impressive graphics, intriguing storyline, and variety of challenges, 'The Muller-Powell Principle' is sure to provide an unforgettable gaming experience for fans of action and indie games.”
    • “Overall, worth the price for a solid puzzle game that will get you thinking, but undercut in story/atmosphere terms by lack of polish in the writing and voice acting.”
    • “The plot is supplemented with text logs that usually are either 'blah blah blah science experiment went bad' or 'science experiment logistics yadda yadda yadda.' It could potentially get better later on, but I don't feel like trudging onward in the hope that it does.”
    • “Unfortunately, the developers decided to add 'boss fights.' Being insta-killed (any hit from any boss will one-shot you) by having a boss teleport inside me so that I have to watch a forced cutscene over and over was not worth the ending to the story.”
  • graphics57 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received generally positive feedback, with many users praising their quality and visual appeal, particularly in relation to the game's price and the size of the development team. While some noted a slightly generic aesthetic reminiscent of early 2000s titles, others highlighted the stunning visuals and immersive environments that enhance the overall gaming experience. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing to its engaging atmosphere and gameplay.

    • “Visually fantastic (in terms of both graphics and art direction), a fun story, lore that could easily be expanded into a universe of its own, and environmental puzzles that require you to actually think.”
    • “The immersive graphics, captivating storyline, and challenging gameplay truly made this game stand out.”
    • “From the stunning visuals to the meticulously crafted environments, it felt like I was truly stepping into a different world.”
    • “The graphics are pretty, albeit in that slightly generic, probably-developed-in-Unreal-Engine way.”
    • “There is some unbearable blurring when turning the camera, but I noticed it went away after I set some graphics settings to low.”
    • “Graphics are not its strong suit, and the AI has a certain early/mid 2000s feel to it, which I guess is to be expected from an indie game using these kinds of graphics.”
  • atmosphere21 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its captivating sci-fi elements, detailed graphics, and immersive sound design, which together create a rich and engaging experience. While some reviews note a lack of polish in the writing and voice acting, the overall ambiance, intriguing puzzles, and creative level design contribute to a memorable and enjoyable gameplay experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to draw them in, making it a compelling choice for puzzle enthusiasts.

    • “This indie project combines an interesting plot, diverse and fascinating puzzles, as well as excellent musical accompaniment that immerses us in the atmosphere of the game.”
    • “The locations are beautifully drawn with a lot of detail that even RTX can’t handle; the characters are atmospheric and detailed, and the special effects enhance the immersion.”
    • “The game is captivating with its plot, and the atmosphere is simply indescribable.”
    • “Overall, worth the price for a solid puzzle game that will get you thinking, but undercut in story and atmosphere terms by lack of polish in the writing and voice acting.”
    • “When I started playing, I thought it was going to be a great game with a breathtaking storyline full of portals, solving puzzles with an energy-absorbing weapon, and adventures in a sci-fi atmosphere. This is as per the description on the store page on Steam.”
    • “It's nice to spend time puzzling over the tasks; in general, it's quite busy, perhaps it's because the game reminds me of the atmosphere of Half-Life.”
  • music14 mentions

    The music in the game has received generally positive feedback, with many players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and complement the graphics. While some describe the soundtrack as excellent and immersive, others find it to be average or unremarkable. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's engaging experience, with ratings ranging from 5/5 to 8/10.

    • “This indie project combines an interesting plot, diverse and fascinating puzzles, as well as excellent musical accompaniment that immerses us in the atmosphere of the game.”
    • “The game has gorgeous ambient music, an abundance of cool locations, amazing soundtrack and many interesting and different riddles.”
    • “Addictive puzzle game, great graphics, enjoyable gameplay, good music accompaniment, and also exciting atmosphere.”
    • “Soundtrack: hmm, nothing special here.”
    • “Just common music.”
    • “Sometimes, the phantom's initial location is behind you, so you won't even see the phantom ... the music goes all scary, your vision becomes cloudy, and two seconds later, you're dead.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is praised for allowing smooth performance even on weaker computers, with minimal bugs and impressive graphics. However, there are notable issues with voice acting quality and some performance stuttering during level transitions. Despite these drawbacks, the game is considered well-optimized and visually appealing.

    • “The game as a whole is well optimized and it is possible to play even on a weak computer; there are almost no bugs.”
    • “Despite the fact that the game is well optimized, the graphics do not suffer in any way; it is made incredibly beautiful, as is the audio environment.”
    • “Excellent graphics, excellent optimization; I recommend it.”
    • “Performance - when levels load, unload, or the game loads, there's a lot of stuttering, flashing, and jarring-ness.”
    • “Gripe 2, which is my biggest critique, is that the voice acting ranges from mediocre to spectacularly bad, with the standout exception of Eugene's voice actor, who delivered a deeply convincing performance.”
    • “The voice acting, optimization, sound design, and core gameplay are all at a high level.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game's stability is criticized for being plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, indicating it was released in an unfinished state. Players report issues such as getting stuck in objects and sound effects malfunctioning during cutscenes, suggesting a lack of polish and testing before launch. Overall, the game appears to require significant improvements to its stability.

    • “I'm in this unfinished, buggy mess.”
    • “The rushed bosses and frequent glitches show a game that needed more time in development.”
    • “A few glitches here and there, such as getting stuck in a door that killed me when I was clearly not under it, or having the jumping sound effects play when you hit jump during cut scenes.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as inconsistent, with some voice acting delivering lines that come off as tone-deaf rather than funny, leading to unintentional laughter. However, players also appreciate the fun puzzles and easter eggs, which add a cute and humorous element to the overall experience.

    • “Fun puzzles and easter eggs, cute and funny.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect frustrating, particularly due to the inability to skip the lengthy splash screen, which pauses the game and disrupts the flow of play. This design choice detracts from the overall experience, leading to a sense of tedium.

    • “The initial tedious splash screen cannot be skipped. While it's playing, I thought I could watch a video on YouTube and continue to play, but the developers decided otherwise; they just put the game on pause and that's it.”
    • “Grinding feels like an endless chore, with little reward for the time invested. It often makes me question why I even bother.”
    • “The repetitive nature of grinding in this game is exhausting. It feels like I'm just going through the motions without any real progress.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game's non-linear narrative and impactful choices result in multiple endings, significantly enhancing its replayability.

    • “The non-linear narrative ensures that your choices matter, leading to multiple endings and encouraging replayability.”
    • “Each playthrough offers new challenges and experiences, making it hard to put the game down.”
    • “With various character builds and strategies to explore, every run feels fresh and exciting.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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