The Pillar

About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

79%

Audience ScoreBased on 27 reviews

graphics8 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

The game features beautiful graphics and a calming soundtrack, creating a pleasant atmosphere for players.
It offers a relaxed and casual puzzle experience, making it suitable for those looking for a chill gaming session.
Some players appreciate the game's simplicity and find it enjoyable for casual play, especially if they are fans of similar puzzle games.

The puzzles are repetitive and lack variety, with many players feeling that they become tedious quickly.
There are numerous design flaws, including frustrating mechanics and unclear puzzle rules that detract from the overall experience.
The game is often compared unfavorably to 'The Witness', with many reviewers noting that it feels derivative and lacks the depth of the original.

graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their pleasant and colorful aesthetics, with many reviewers highlighting the excellent visual direction and calming environments. The visuals are described as gorgeous and smooth, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience, particularly for those who appreciate artistic design.
- “The visuals are excellent and the music is fine.”
- “I must praise the devs for amazing graphical direction; I absolutely love it.”
- “The graphics are gorgeous, the music quite calming - and movement is silky smooth.”
- “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.”
- “The pillar is essentially for those who like the aesthetics of The Witness, but don't like the cryptic puzzles or narrative, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
13%
25%
The music in the game is generally described as calming and pleasant, complementing the visuals well. However, some users noted that the background music is not constant, leading them to add their own music for a better experience. Overall, while the soundtrack is appreciated, there is a preference for more ambient soundscapes in certain contexts.
- “The soundtrack is nice.”
- “The visuals are excellent and the music is fine.”
- “The graphics are gorgeous, the music quite calming - and movement is silky smooth.”
- “The music wasn't constant; I had to put other music in the background.”
- “The music wasn't consistent, which made me resort to playing my own tracks.”
gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The gameplay is criticized for being repetitive, with only about two hours of content that feels like a rehash of the same mechanics. While there are some unique puzzles and interesting elements, the overall experience is marred by a lack of depth and the presence of unnecessary mobile game features. Reviewers express hope for future improvements in mechanics and gameplay variety.
- “Some interesting gameplay.”
- “The core mechanic is similar to Flow Free, the mobile game, but most levels have at least a couple of unique puzzles as well.”
- “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.”
- “But that gameplay is the same 10 minutes of content repeated over and over.”
- “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.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding in the game to be 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.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, users report that the game is visually appealing and largely free of bugs or glitches, indicating a stable experience during gameplay.
- “I will at least say it's pretty and it's mostly bug-free.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional response to the final maze is largely negative, with players expressing feelings of misery and frustration due to what they perceive as arbitrary difficulty and poor game design.
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization strategy is perceived as fair and not exploitative, though some users noted that the puzzles lack variety, which may affect overall engagement.
- “It doesn't feel like a cash grab, but most of the puzzles felt the same.”
- “The in-game purchases are overpriced and don't offer enough value.”
- “The monetization model is frustrating, as it often feels like you need to spend money to progress.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's optimization 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.”
- “The game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, even on lower settings.”
- “Optimization seems to be an afterthought, as the game frequently stutters and lags during gameplay.”
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Users appreciate a story that allows for personal interpretation and does not overly guide their thoughts, valuing a more open-ended narrative experience.
- “The story is incredibly immersive, drawing you in with its rich characters and intricate plot.”
- “I was captivated by the depth of the narrative and the emotional journey it took me on.”
- “The storytelling is masterfully crafted, leaving me eager to uncover every twist and turn.”
- “I don't need a story that takes my hand and shows what I should think.”
- “The plot felt disjointed and lacked any real depth or engagement.”
- “Character development was minimal, making it hard to care about their journeys.”