The Pillar
- June 10, 2020
- Paper Bunker s.r.o.
Explore a unique open world map as you search for clues and complete simple puzzles to progress to the next level.
Get on Steam"The Pillar" is a mystery puzzle game set on a mysterious island, where players must explore and solve puzzles in order to escape. Each island has its own unique secrets and puzzles, which become more complex as players progress. Paying close attention to the changing environment is key to solving the puzzles and uncovering the mystery of the island and how to escape.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Web Browser
Windows
Reviews
- The game features pleasant graphics and a calming atmosphere, making it suitable for casual gamers looking for a relaxing experience.
- Some puzzles offer interesting gameplay and a variety of types, providing a brain-teasing yet easy challenge.
- The game is visually appealing and has a nice soundtrack, contributing to an overall enjoyable aesthetic.
- The puzzles can become repetitive and lack depth, with many being too easy and not increasing in difficulty over time.
- Numerous design flaws, such as excessive cut scenes and unclear puzzle mechanics, detract from the overall experience.
- The final levels, particularly the maze, are frustrating and poorly designed, leading to a negative conclusion for many players.
- graphics14 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their pleasant and colorful design, contributing to a calm and meditative atmosphere. Reviewers commend the excellent visual direction and the intriguing puzzles that complement the overall aesthetic. Despite some criticisms regarding other aspects of the game, the graphics stand out as a strong point.
“The visuals are excellent and the music is fine.”
“I must praise the devs for amazing graphical direction; I absolutely love it.”
“No epileptic effects, pleasant graphics, calm meditative environment, and puzzles.”
“It's such a pity, because the graphics and programming, and the setup and features, show there is a good game at the base of this.”
- gameplay12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as interesting, with a core mechanic reminiscent of the mobile game Flow Free, featuring unique puzzles in most levels. However, reviewers express concerns about the mechanics and the presence of unnecessary mobile game elements that detract from the experience. Overall, there is potential for improvement, suggesting that with refinement, the game could appeal to both children and casual players.
“Some interesting gameplay.”
“The core mechanic is similar to Flow Free, the mobile game, but most levels have at least a couple unique puzzles as well.”
“I can glance over the obvious 'homage' to a certain game, but my main gripe is with the mechanics.”
“On top of that, it feels like there was a lot of 'mobile game' cruft piled on top to extend the gameplay.”
“A few weeks spent cleaning up some of the problems would make it into a terrific fun game, for kids and for casual exploration game players.”
- music6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed feedback; while some players appreciate the nice soundtrack and find it complements the excellent visuals, others suggest removing the background music in favor of a more immersive ambiance.
“The soundtrack is nice.”
“The visuals are excellent and the music is fine.”
“Remove the background music in favor of ambiance.”
“Remove the background music in favor of ambiance.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding in the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, with repetitive tasks that quickly lead to a sense of monotony.
“It was one tedious task after the other with this game.”
“It got tedious and frustrating really quick.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players expressed frustration with the final maze, describing it as an exercise in arbitrary difficulty that detracted from their overall experience and left them feeling miserable. This sentiment highlights a disconnect between challenging gameplay and enjoyable design, leading to negative emotional responses.
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is generally perceived as fair and not exploitative, though some players noted that the puzzles lack variety, which may affect overall engagement.
- stability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game is visually appealing and largely free of bugs, indicating a stable experience.
“I will at least say it's pretty and it's mostly bug free.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has been criticized for poor performance, with users reporting significant issues even on high and ultra settings.
“The first flaw here is the performance, which in my case has been awful on both high and ultra settings.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Users appreciate a story that allows for personal interpretation and does not overly guide their thoughts or emotions. They prefer narratives that encourage independent thinking rather than those that are overly prescriptive.
“I don't need a story that takes my hand and shows what I should think.”
