THE MULLER-POWELL PRINCIPLE: Foreword

About

You are Harry Herman, an employee of the scientific organization Delta Laboratories, which was engaged in studies of possible ways to travel through dimensions. You were a part of a project that was supposed to benefit all humanity, but something went very wrong. Solve different puzzles and outsmart your enemies using physics interactions and your unique device - the Portable Energy Manipulator…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

THE MULLER-POWELL PRINCIPLE: Foreword screenshot

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 179 reviews

gameplay16 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

The game features an imaginative energy absorption mechanic that adds depth to puzzle-solving.
Visually appealing environments and graphics that rival more established titles.
The demo is free, allowing players to experience the game without financial commitment.

The game suffers from janky physics, including camera flips and walking glitches that disrupt gameplay.
Voice acting and dialogue are poorly executed, leading to unconvincing character interactions.
Many puzzles feel overly simplistic or contrived, with excessive exposition that hampers player engagement.

gameplay
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
51%
8%
The gameplay of the prologue has received mixed reviews, with some praising the imaginative energy absorption gun mechanics and engaging puzzles reminiscent of titles like Half-Life and Portal. However, many players found the experience marred by excessive exposition, basic puzzles, and technical issues, leading to a lack of immersion and enjoyment. Overall, while the game shows potential with its visuals and mechanics, it requires further refinement to fully captivate players.
- “I like the game; it's pretty good, it has good quality, simple mechanics, good story. What I liked the most was the ray machine; it was a gem with a good variety of rays, like the red ray that breaks windows, the green ray that slows down time, and the white ray to blind the cameras.”
- “A fantastic game featuring captivating puzzles and diverse locations that keeps the gameplay engaging at all times.”
- “The puzzle mechanics with the element gun are fun, and the environment is really well detailed.”
- “But the biggest issue with this prologue is that it is too exposition-heavy with no interesting mechanics or puzzles to solve that could draw players into wanting to play the full game.”
- “Tldr: despite its high production values, this 3D first-puzzle has a messy start and fails to engage you either with its story or its puzzle mechanics.”
- “The gameplay feels like a walking simulator with little interesting visuals, the only things catching my eye being the static effects on the objects that give me a headache.”
story
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
67%
8%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some praising its intriguing potential and engaging plot twists, while others criticize its presentation and similarities to established titles like Half-Life and Portal. Many players find the narrative compelling but feel it suffers from poor execution, excessive exposition, and a lack of originality. Overall, while the story shows promise and offers a variety of mysteries, its delivery and coherence leave much to be desired.
- “The story revolves around the main character, who must reveal the secret of his past and save the world from an impending threat.”
- “The atmosphere of the game is exciting from the first minutes, and the story keeps you in suspense.”
- “With an engaging story, multiple story options, and appealing visual and sound elements, the game promises to satisfy fans of intrigue and clever adventures.”
- “Poorly made story and mechanics, many bugs, really not enjoyable to play and makes it hard to understand and follow the game.”
- “The story, while pretty well developed and intriguing, is very poorly presented.”
- “The valve inspirations are too on the nose; everything from the story all the way to game mechanics and even the loading screen can be compared to Half-Life or Portal, which in my opinion, deprives this game of its own identity.”
graphics
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
74%
13%
13%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the high-quality visuals, well-designed environments, and excellent textures. However, some critiques highlight issues such as cluttered environments and low-quality animations that detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good and immersive, there are notable inconsistencies that could impact the game's appeal.
- “Love the visuals, that easily rival with other more famous games.”
- “I was very impressed with the graphics and shadows, every location was well designed!”
- “When you first start it, you immediately feel a high-quality game with good graphics, locations and plot.”
- “Environments feel cluttered and are a far cry from the clean aesthetics of Portal or The Talos Principle.”
- “Animations and graphics are very low quality.”
- “Graphics and music are made at a high level and harmoniously complement each other.”
stability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
86%
The game's stability is marred by frequent camera flips and walking glitches, particularly during tense moments with the antagonist, which detracts from the overall experience. While the visuals are commendable, the presence of noticeable bugs and physics inconsistencies indicates a need for further polish and refinement. Players may find themselves relying on external guides to navigate these issues effectively.
- “The game looks and runs great, but definitely needs some polish.”
- “Frequent janky camera flips into random directions and odd walking glitches are particularly troublesome when pursued by the antagonist.”
- “Noticeable bugs, glitches, and inconsistencies.”
- “Watch a YouTube playthrough instead; you will need help and guides to work your way through bugs and glitches.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while many praise the soundtrack for creating an atmosphere of mystery and tension, some feel it does not fit the sci-fi/mystery/horror genre. Overall, the graphics and music are noted to be of high quality and complement each other well, though there are criticisms regarding environmental sound and voice acting.
- “Great music, especially in the starting rooms.”
- “The soundtrack also deserves praise.”
- “The music creates an atmosphere of mystery and tension, and the sound effects complement the gameplay and make it more realistic.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its mysterious and tense music, realistic sound effects, and impressive lighting, which together create an engaging and immersive experience. Players appreciate the exciting ambiance from the start, with the story maintaining suspense throughout. Overall, the atmosphere significantly enhances the gameplay and visual appeal.
- “The music creates an atmosphere of mystery and tension, and the sound effects complement the gameplay and make it more realistic.”
- “Optimization is surprisingly good and the lighting allows the game to have a more atmospheric and beautiful look.”
- “Just at the point when I started to think that the game completely lacks atmosphere... well done, the timing was great!”
- “The atmosphere of the game is exciting from the first minutes, and the story keeps you in suspense.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's optimization is praised for its impressive graphics, well-drawn environments, and excellent textures, contributing to a visually appealing atmosphere. Reviewers report no significant bugs or performance issues, highlighting the overall smooth experience.
- “A very good project, with good graphics - the corridors are well drawn, as well as excellent textures and optimization.”
- “I didn't run into any particular bugs or performance issues either, so that's a big plus.”
- “Optimization is surprisingly good and the lighting allows the game to have a more atmospheric and beautiful look.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is hit-or-miss, with some characters, like the clumsy doctor, eliciting mixed reactions; while their comedic elements aim for levity, they often fall into an awkward space that detracts from the overall experience rather than enhancing it.
- “And the clumsy doctor with a funny voice that totally matches such a serious context?”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, comparing it to a low-quality indie clone of Half-Life that is bogged down by repetitive puzzles and horror elements.
- “This is tedious.”
- “It feels like a cheap indie Half-Life clone with lots of tedious puzzle elements and some horror stuff.”