The Superfluous

77%
Game Brain Score Based on 43 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
The Superfluous Game Cover
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"The Superfluous" is a rogue-lite, sci-fi, platformer with jet packs and explosions. Help stop an apocalyptic asteroid by leading a squad to its center and blasting it into space dust. Features randomly generated levels, perma-death for individual characters, and perma-progress for upgrades and checkpoints. Co-op campaign and local arena mode available.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

77%
Audience ScoreBased on 43 reviews
story5 positive mentions
grinding5 negative mentions
  • The game features a fun and humorous story with engaging dialogue, making it enjoyable to play alone or with friends.
  • The gameplay mechanics, including squad management and character upgrades, provide a satisfying sense of progression and strategy.
  • Controls are generally smooth and easy to master, allowing for a casual yet engaging experience.
  • The control scheme is awkward, with limited shooting directions and no option for mouse aiming, which can hinder gameplay.
  • Graphics are criticized for being low-quality retro pixel art, which some players find unappealing and detracting from the overall experience.
  • The game can become repetitive and grindy, with a lack of variety in levels and enemies, leading to a diminished replay value.
  • story17 mentions

    The game's story is described as intriguing and humorous, featuring interactive dialogue and a clever background that enhances the gameplay experience. However, some players feel that the execution suffers from poor graphics and writing errors, detracting from the overall enjoyment. While the narrative has potential, it is marred by inconsistencies and a lack of polish, leading to mixed reviews on its effectiveness.

    • “The story is pretty intriguing with sprinkles of humor, and interactive with the dialogue.”
    • “The background story is amusing and sets the scene well for your task.”
    • “+ good background story with a sense of humor”
    • “I think it's unfortunate that a lot of effort went into designing the game's progression/advancement system, and there's some comedy storyline bolted on as well, but the whole thing falls into a heap because the developers lacked the talent/funding to hire an artist to do decent graphics, so they fell back on lazy retro pixel graphics, because then they can pretend it's 'art' and that they made it look bad on purpose.”
    • “The story was annoying and unskippable and the gameplay was not fun enough to warrant the grind.”
    • “The story is quite clever and could be amusing, but it falls flat with grammar and spelling errors, and a writer who doesn't know the difference between 'then' and 'than' or 'effect' and 'affect'.”
  • gameplay12 mentions

    Gameplay reviews are mixed, with some players finding it repetitive and lacking variety, while others appreciate the dynamic co-op mechanics and character customization. The game features a simple roguelike structure that can be challenging initially but becomes enjoyable as players grasp the mechanics. Overall, the graphics and soundtrack receive praise, though some balance issues are noted.

    • “Local co-op mixed with a variety of different characters with their own weapons and sidearms creates both a dynamic and strategic gameplay.”
    • “It's a rather simple platform roguelike with a progress-despite-death mechanic.”
    • “Gameplay - the game plays like a cross between a twin-stick shooter and a typical action platformer.”
    • “The story was annoying and unskippable, and the gameplay was not fun enough to warrant the grind.”
    • “Cons: lack of variety, uncomfortable, boring, repetitive gameplay.”
    • “Gameplay itself is very much in the Terraria sort of mode but without all the messing about with constructing stuff from constituent parts, so if you enjoyed that, you'll probably enjoy this one too.”
  • graphics11 mentions

    The graphics in the game have received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing the reliance on retro pixel art as a sign of poor artistic capability, while others appreciate the nostalgic charm of 8-bit graphics and the effective use of colored dynamic lighting. Although the visuals may not be groundbreaking, they are deemed adequate for the gameplay experience, with some players finding them appealing despite their simplicity. Overall, the graphics serve their purpose but may not impress those seeking modern visual fidelity.

    • “I dig the graphics too.”
    • “8-bit graphics are very awesome; the gameplay takes a little getting used to, but not bad. The music and effects are cool.”
    • “Graphics - the superfluous uses 2D large-pixel graphics exclusively, adorned with colored dynamic lighting, and it looks pretty darn good.”
    • “Apparently this cope is better than the devs just admitting decent graphics are beyond their reach.”
    • “What could have been a great game ruined by ugly retro pixel graphics.”
    • “Graphics settings are limited to windowed or full screen: no detail levels, special effects, or even resolution settings.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The game is praised for its intriguing story and engaging dialogue, which are enhanced by a strong sense of humor. Players find the humor to be well-integrated into the plot, with the AI character particularly noted for its comedic charm. Overall, the game is described as funny, cute, and well-crafted.

    • “The story is pretty intriguing with sprinkles of humor, and interactive with the dialogue.”
    • “The AI computer has a great sense of humor and it's pretty funny.”
    • “The game is funny, well put together, and cute.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while some players find it tedious and overly repetitive, others appreciate the fair economy and the rewarding progression it offers, particularly for fans of pixel games and multi-character exploration. Overall, the grinding can feel excessive, especially in terms of resource gathering.

    • “Too boring to be as grindy as it is.”
    • “It's really grindy and getting gems takes a long time.”
    • “Never before have I had so much tedious mining in my roguelike platformers!”
  • music3 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising the soundtrack as well done and enjoyable, though some note it is somewhat limited. Overall, the audio complements the gameplay, enhancing the experience despite initial challenges in mastering the mechanics.

    • “The soundtrack is very well done, and the gameplay is difficult at first, but after understanding how the mechanics work, it becomes very fun to play.”
    • “The music and sound effects are cool.”
    • “Music is nice, but fairly limited.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Users have reported performance issues with the game, particularly on Ubuntu 14.04, where it runs slowly, especially during specific actions like using the laser beam.

    • “The game runs slowly on my Ubuntu 14.04, especially when I use the laser beam.”
    • “Optimization is a major issue; the game frequently lags and stutters during gameplay.”
    • “I experience significant frame drops in various areas, making it hard to enjoy the game.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is fitting for its setting on a large asteroid in deep space, though some users feel that the weapons, explosions, and scenery lack variety, which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “The game is set on a large asteroid cruising through deep space, so the atmosphere is appropriate.”
    • “The weapons and explosions look a little boring, and there could definitely be more variety in the scenery. While the game is set on a large asteroid cruising through deep space, the atmosphere feels lacking.”
    • “The overall atmosphere is underwhelming; it fails to immerse you in the environment despite the potential of a deep space setting.”
    • “The game has a unique setting, but the atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, making it hard to get lost in the experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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