The Polynomial

About

The Polynomial is a single player casual shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Dmytry Lavrov and was released on October 15, 2010. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"The Polynomial" is a musical indie game that takes you on a journey through abstract geometric landscapes, where your movements generate real-time music and visuals. Control a ship that shoots particles reacting to the rhythm,navigating through complex polynomial equations. An immersive and mesmerizing experience, perfect for those seeking a unique blend of music and gaming.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+20

Skip User Reviews

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 714 reviews

music105 positive mentions

story4 negative mentions

The visuals are stunning and create a mesmerizing experience, especially when paired with music.
The game allows for customization and the ability to use your own music, enhancing the overall experience.
It's a unique and trippy way to enjoy music, making it a great option for relaxation or casual play.

The gameplay is simplistic and lacks depth, often feeling more like a screensaver than a game.
Controls can be clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustration during play.
There is little guidance or clear objectives, making it confusing for players to understand what to do.

music
480 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
76%
2%
The music aspect of the game is primarily a background feature, with many players noting that it lacks a strong connection to gameplay, often feeling more like a music visualizer than an engaging shooter. While the ability to import personal music enhances the experience, the process can be cumbersome, and the visuals, though stunning, do not always sync effectively with the music. Overall, the game is appreciated for its beautiful graphics and relaxing atmosphere, making it a decent choice for music lovers seeking a chill experience rather than a traditional gaming challenge.
- “I was surprised to find it paired well with a variety of different kinds of music and the tone of my experience shifted seamlessly from slow and somber while playing to a moody atmospheric track to a bouncy neon zero-g dance club in space while the particles of light around me pulsed to upbeat 80s or grungy punk music.”
- “The polynomial is a pretty trippy first-person shooter space music visualizer that features the ability to use your own music as well as the game's built-in soundtrack.”
- “This game is pure fun. Whether you use the default music or your own, this game is great to fly around in space and see all the colorful visualizations and shoot things.”
- “The music barely has presence, and doesn't impact the gameplay, so something like Beat Saber would be more engaging.”
- “The gameplay has nothing at all to do with the music.”
- “This isn't a game, it's a playable music visualizer.”
graphics
136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
46%
7%
The graphics of the game are frequently described as stunning and mesmerizing, featuring vibrant, colorful particle effects that sync with the player's music, creating a visually captivating experience. However, many reviewers note that while the visuals are impressive, they often overshadow the gameplay, which can feel simplistic and lacking depth. Overall, the game is best enjoyed as a visualizer rather than a traditional game, appealing to those who appreciate beautiful graphics and customizable visual settings.
- “The graphics are interesting and even beautiful in a very chilled-out fractal sort of way, but it doesn't look like you're flying through space but instead through some sort of abstract mathematical simulation made out of weird glowing particle effects which glow in time with whatever song is being played.”
- “A true orgasm for the eyes with blinding visuals which can be edited into infinite different mathematical artistic displays to fly through, and a joy for the ear no matter what musical taste you may have.”
- “The visuals are simply breathtaking and it just feels wonderful floating through these scenic starscapes.”
- “Even the game's main selling point, the visuals, aren't as interesting to look at as they could be.”
- “The novelty of the graphics wore off pretty quickly for me; I just didn't find it very interesting for long.”
- “Boring game with repetitive visuals and little content.”
gameplay
97 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
70%
6%
The gameplay is generally criticized for being simplistic, confusing, and lacking meaningful interaction with the music, often described as a "wallpaper generator" rather than a fully engaging experience. While some players appreciate the relaxing nature and stunning visuals, many find the controls clunky and the mechanics poorly explained, leading to a frustrating experience for those seeking depth or direction. Overall, the game is better suited for casual play and visual enjoyment rather than traditional gameplay satisfaction.
- “The gameplay is pretty decent as well, although there's very little instruction in terms of how the scoring works, and most of the achievements look like impossible goals.”
- “A great game for chilling out with some music, similar to Audiosurf but with significantly more spectacular visuals, a wider range of difficulty levels, and a totally open gameplay experience allowing for customization.”
- “Interesting gameplay and unique scoring make this game a great addition to any game collection.”
- “The ship's controls are clunky and a chore to learn, and it's not very obvious what you're supposed to do gameplay-wise.”
- “Not nearly as fun as I thought it would be; the music doesn't have any bearing on gameplay outside of visuals, unlike many other rhythm games.”
- “Nothing in the gameplay has any impact.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game lacks a meaningful story, offering no narrative depth or direction, which some players find to be a significant flaw. It is primarily a straightforward 6-degree-of-freedom point-and-click experience, with all content available from the start, making it unsuitable for those seeking a story-driven or purpose-filled gameplay experience.
- “If the game has a flaw, it's that it has no story and no direction.”
- “Don't buy this and expect it to be story-driven or gameplay intense, because it's simply a 6-dof point and click type game.”
- “If you're looking for purpose and inflated forced story, look elsewhere.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its versatility, seamlessly shifting from somber tones to vibrant, energetic settings that complement various music styles, including 80s and punk. Players appreciate the relaxed and chill ambiance, which enhances the overall experience and contributes to the game's replayability, making it a worthwhile investment.
- “I was surprised to find it paired well with a variety of different kinds of music, and the tone of my experience shifted seamlessly from slow and somber to a moody atmospheric track, then to a bouncy neon zero-g dance club in space, while the particles of light around me pulsed to upbeat 80s or grungy punk music.”
- “It has a very relaxed and chill atmosphere, which lends itself best for those types of music.”
- “The game is full of replayability, and just watching the atmosphere was well worth the price.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, with players reporting frequent hanging and stuttering that detracts from the overall experience, despite its visual appeal.
- “Not the worst game I've played, but it's poorly optimized.”
- “It was pretty when it wasn't hanging, stuttering, or assaulting my consciousness.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious and unappealing, although the ability to upload personal music tracks is seen as a positive feature that adds some enjoyment. Overall, the grinding experience is criticized as a significant drawback.
- “Then I guess you should get this tedious indie game.”
- “The grinding aspect of the game feels overly repetitive and lacks variety.”
- “The game requires an excessive amount of grinding to progress, which can be frustrating.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
Players find the game highly replayable, appreciating its colorful arcade style and the ability to play their own music, which enhances the experience. Despite a perceived lack of content, the engaging atmosphere and enjoyable gameplay make it worth revisiting.
- “The game is full of replayability and just watching the atmosphere was well worth the price.”
- “The good: colorful, arcade style, nice blend of music and space shooter, you play your own tunes; replayability is there despite there not being much to do.”
- “The game lacks meaningful content, which severely limits its replayability.”
- “Once you've completed the main objectives, there's little incentive to return, making replayability a major issue.”
- “While the game is visually appealing, the lack of variety in gameplay means replayability suffers significantly.”