The Multi-Medium
- January 20, 2023
- Micah Boursier
The Multi-Medium is a visually unique 2D puzzle platform adventure in which you play an interdimensional explorer lost in the multiverse. Travel to diverse worlds, each drawn or painted by hand in a different medium and style, in search of your place in the cosmos.
Reviews
- The Multi-Medium features stunning hand-drawn art and a diverse range of visual styles that keep the gameplay fresh and engaging.
- The music is fantastic and complements the various levels, enhancing the overall experience.
- The game offers a charming and emotional narrative, with simple yet enjoyable puzzles that make it accessible to a wide audience.
- The gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with many puzzles being overly simplistic and easy to solve.
- There are several bugs and glitches that can disrupt the experience, including issues with controls and certain achievements.
- The game is quite short, leaving some players wanting more content and a more substantial challenge.
- gameplay154 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally described as simple and straightforward, often relying on basic mechanics like box-pushing and platforming challenges that can feel repetitive. While some players appreciate the unique twists and varied mechanics introduced in each level, others find the overall experience lacking depth and engagement. The game is visually stunning and features a great soundtrack, but many reviews suggest that the gameplay does not fully capitalize on its creative potential, resulting in a fun yet ultimately unremarkable experience.
“The gameplay was smooth, challenging but not frustrating.”
“Every level has a ton of heart and soul poured into it and the varied gameplay keeps things fresh the whole way through.”
“Each level introduces its own unique mechanics which offer a new twist on the default platforming without sacrificing simplicity in player controls.”
“The art style is superb and there's a lot of love here, but the gameplay never becomes particularly involved, and never develops itself further than a few fun but underdeveloped gimmicks.”
“The gameplay doesn't get much more complex than 'the same thing you just did, but now longer and with more steps.' It's like a racing game where a straight road just gets longer and for some reason has increasingly more traffic lights the further you go.”
“I found the actual gameplay to be very boring and repetitive.”
- music150 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers noting that each track effectively conveys the emotions of the gameplay. While some found the music to be merely "okay" compared to other titles, the majority praised its uniqueness, thematic relevance, and the way it complements the diverse art styles across levels. Overall, the soundtrack is described as immersive, enjoyable, and a significant highlight of the game.
“The music is also fantastic, with each track perfectly conveying the feelings in play at that moment in the game.”
“The music was top notch, the way the styles were incorporated was unique and fulfilling, and the gameplay during each world was great fun.”
“The music is thematic and fitting for each level while also being enjoyable to sit back and listen to on its own.”
“The music is okay, but not as invigorating as titles like The Spirit & The Mouse or Sheepo.”
“The music is a little mid, and I'm not entirely sure that the ending manages to wrap the whole thing up in a coherent fashion, but the collage level alone is worth the price of admission.”
“Unbalanced music volume.”
- graphics124 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning variety and artistic creativity, with each level showcasing a distinct art style that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the hand-drawn visuals and the seamless integration of different mediums, which contribute to the game's charm and aesthetic appeal. While the visuals are celebrated, some reviewers note that the gameplay mechanics could be more developed, as the focus on art sometimes overshadows deeper gameplay elements.
“The graphics are beautiful and so is the story!”
“This game is so beautiful with its nine different art styles and it also has a beautiful soundtrack.”
“The artwork is outstanding and the different styles were a treat.”
“Even though it is technically above the minimum requirements, and will run the game alright for the most part, the 9th level is far too graphically intensive for this glorified display adapter and you will not be able to progress.”
“I find that a lot of artistic games tend to be clunky because there is too much focus on the aesthetic, but not in this game, if anything the character moves like butter in a hot pan, zero issues on my end, aside maybe from a few sensitive hitboxes later in the game.”
“Its a wonderful experience to play, though the movement is a bit janky at times, I always overlooked it because of how charming the visuals and music are.”
- story98 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, described as a charming and engaging adventure with beautiful art and music that enhances the experience. However, some players found the narrative to be simplistic and criticized its abrupt ending, feeling that many intriguing concepts were left unexplored. Overall, while the story may not be groundbreaking, it effectively complements the game's artistic presentation and gameplay.
“A surprisingly deep story that's more layered than the hand-drawn art used to make this incredible game.”
“Beautifully crafted worlds, a relaxing soundtrack and an engaging, if not overly complex, story.”
“The multi-medium is a wonderful and enticing game, the controls feel great, the story is engaging and emotional, and the puzzles are extremely well thought out.”
“The game doesn't waste any breath on wrapping up the story; as soon as you make it back to your home dimension, the credits roll.”
“It's very aesthetically pleasing and has good music, but the major downside is that there are so many fun and cool concepts and ideas that just get thrown around and never expanded upon, in gameplay, story, and art.”
“My main issue with the story was that it was turned into a 'being a hero' kind of deal halfway through the storyline, which didn't feel deep at all when contrasted with the awesome concept of traveling between worlds with all these different cool art styles.”
- atmosphere12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its distinctiveness and depth, effectively blending dark and whimsical elements across various levels. Players appreciate the unique art design and music, which enhance the immersive experience and evoke a sense of wonder and introspection throughout the gameplay. Overall, the atmospheric design significantly contributes to the game's emotional and thematic resonance.
“Beautiful and atmospheric.”
“I spent a fair bit of time in-game just jumping around the map, listening to the music and soaking up the atmosphere.”
“From the dark atmosphere of the charcoal level to the child-like curiosity of the pastel level, this game invokes a sense of wonder as you progress.”
“Levels are distinctive in art, themes, atmospheres, and mechanics.”
“Pulled off a dark atmosphere well enough; the design of the huge hand creature at the end was very unique.”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its well-written narrative and eccentric characters, providing a mix of funny encounters and quirky elements. Players particularly enjoy the amusing death ragdolls and the overall lighthearted tone, making it a delightful experience for those who appreciate a relaxed platforming adventure.
“The mechanics for each level are easy enough to learn in the time it gives you to do so, the player character's arc is pretty good for an indie game developer, and the death ragdolls are kinda funny.”
“Well written & funny narrative.”
“The characters and world are eccentric, exciting, humorous, or just down-right weird in all the right ways.”
- stability8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game is plagued by numerous glitches, including a significant issue in level 005 that hinders achievement completion. While it is enjoyable and visually appealing, players report frustratingly floaty controls and inconsistent mechanics that detract from the overall experience.
“It's fun, addictive, and looks, sounds, and runs great, all for less than a tenth of what a garbage AAA game costs you!”
“The game is full of glitches, one of which in level 005 prevents completing an achievement.”
“Buggy as hell.”
“The controls can be floaty, and some of the unique mechanics in each set piece can become frustrating to use since they sometimes glitch out or a bug occurs.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotional depth, featuring a touching ending and an engaging story that resonates with players. Reviewers highlight the beautifully crafted universe and well-designed puzzles, contributing to a fun and immersive experience. Overall, it stands out as a platformer that successfully combines emotional storytelling with enjoyable gameplay.
“One of the best platformers with a surprisingly touching ending and a beautifully crafted universe.”
“The multi-medium is a wonderful and enticing game, the controls feel great, the story is engaging and emotional, and the puzzles are extremely well thought out.”
“This game was super fun and emotional; a DLC would be nice, and one of the levels could be marker and another could be chalk!”
- replayability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Reviewers suggest that the game could benefit from additional features, such as challenge levels or a basic sandbox mode, to enhance its replayability. Overall, while the core gameplay is enjoyable, the lack of varied content limits the incentive to replay.
“The game offers a lot of replayability with its various modes and challenges.”
“There are multiple paths and choices that make each playthrough feel unique.”
“The inclusion of bonus features like challenge levels enhances the overall replayability.”
“Could use some bonus features like challenge levels or a rudimentary sandbox for more replayability, though.”
- character development4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The character development in "the multi-medium" is praised for its unique and imaginative designs, showcasing a high level of creativity and talent. Players appreciate the charming character aesthetics that complement the game's spectacular hand-drawn environments and engaging music.
“Imaginative, creative, and full of talent, 'The Multi-Medium' is an incredible hand-drawn platformer full of spectacular environments, charming character design, and well-fitting music that never seems to get old.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect manageable due to the short length of the levels, which prevents the experience from becoming tedious, despite occasional bugs. Overall, the grind is seen as less of a chore in the pursuit of 100% completion.
“It's not perfect; I had a bug maybe once during my quest to 100% complete it, but the levels are pretty short, so it wasn't tedious to me.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users praising its overall performance while others report issues that affect gameplay. Many players noted that the game runs smoothly on high-end systems, but there are significant performance drops on lower-end hardware. Overall, the optimization appears to be a work in progress, with room for improvement.