The Turing Test

An excellent game visually, mechanically and with it’s strong story and acting, this should be in your libraries.

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The Turing Test is a first-person puzzle game set on Europa, one of Jupiter's moons. Players control Ava Turing, an engineer working for the international space agency, who must solve a series of complex puzzles using a remote drone. The game explores themes of artificial intelligence and humanity's place in the universe.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,086 reviews

story1,328 positive mentions

replayability32 negative mentions

Engaging story with philosophical themes about AI and consciousness.
Well-designed puzzles that gradually increase in complexity, providing a satisfying challenge.
High-quality graphics and voice acting that enhance the overall experience.

Puzzles can be too easy and lack depth, leading to a sense of repetitiveness.
The story has plot holes and the ending feels rushed and unsatisfying.
No subtitles for audio logs, making it difficult for some players to follow the narrative.

story
3,187 mentions
42 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story of "The Turing Test" is a thought-provoking exploration of artificial intelligence, consciousness, and ethical dilemmas, often drawing comparisons to classics like "Portal" and "The Talos Principle." While many players appreciate the engaging narrative and philosophical themes, some criticize its predictability and lack of depth, particularly in character development and plot resolution. Overall, the game successfully intertwines its puzzles with a compelling storyline, though it may not satisfy those seeking a more intricate or innovative plot.
- “If you want a cool sci-fi story about ethics and robotics, with some light puzzles, this game would probably be for you.”
- “The story is interesting and the mystery of what's truly going on is compelling.”
- “The graphics are a bit wonky here and there, but the overall story takes you on a wonderful philosophical journey as you explore both Europa and the nature of true artificial intelligence.”
- “The story is bland, the gameplay is sluggish, the ending choice makes pretty little sense if you think the risks over for at least a second.”
- “The story is predictable and wasn't given much thought, it seems.”
- “The story feels familiar, like I've seen it somewhere in a similar game before.”
gameplay
1,177 mentions
27 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Turing Test" is characterized by its puzzle-solving mechanics, which draw heavy inspiration from games like Portal and The Talos Principle. Players navigate through a series of test chambers, utilizing a variety of mechanics such as energy manipulation and character switching, which are introduced progressively to maintain engagement. However, many reviewers noted that while the puzzles are generally enjoyable, they often lack challenge and depth, with some mechanics feeling underutilized or overly simplistic, leading to a somewhat repetitive experience. Overall, the game offers a solid but not groundbreaking puzzle experience, appealing primarily to fans of the genre.
- “Overall, they're a satisfying collection worthy of being the central gameplay mechanic adjacent to a thought-provoking and ever more relevant narrative.”
- “The gameplay mechanics evolve progressively, introducing new elements and puzzle designs that maintain engagement and challenge throughout the experience.”
- “The game cleverly integrates its narrative into the puzzle mechanics, making each challenge a piece of the larger story puzzle.”
- “Some of the mechanics aren't fleshed out very well, and there aren't any puzzles whose solution isn't immediately obvious once you see all the components.”
- “The big issue with The Turing Test is it has too many mechanics, and none of them are fleshed out or interesting enough to be considered central.”
- “The puzzles themselves aren't particularly difficult and each chapter feels more like a tutorial that introduces some new mechanics but rarely actually uses them creatively so it gets repetitive fast.”
graphics
628 mentions
58 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of "The Turing Test" have received generally positive feedback, with many players praising the game's clean and visually appealing aesthetic, enhanced by the use of Unreal Engine 4. While some noted minor graphical glitches and issues with optimization, the overall presentation, including lighting and environmental design, was often described as stunning and immersive. However, a few reviews pointed out that the visuals can feel repetitive and somewhat generic compared to other titles in the genre, such as "Portal" and "The Talos Principle."
- “Visually, the game is stunning, with crisp graphics that bring the sterile, yet beautiful environments of Europa to life.”
- “The graphics were gorgeous in places, so props to the team for that!”
- “The graphics and controls are absolutely lovely, the voice acting is pretty compelling, the writing is quite solid.”
- “First, the menu visuals are non-existent; it seems like this is some sort of free template. The actual game looks bad as well, from the blurry font to the overblown Unreal Engine 4 effects. This is a $20 game, mind you, and it looks like a free Unreal Engine student project.”
- “The graphics aren't too great, however. It has the blandest visuals I think I've ever seen in a game.”
- “The graphics are tired, the sound design is tiring, and the gameplay feels like a chore.”
music
327 mentions
59 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall experience with a mix of beautiful and eerie compositions that fit the sci-fi theme. While many players find the soundtrack to be immersive and well-crafted, some note that it can become repetitive over time, with a few expressing a desire for more variety. Overall, the music is considered a strong point of the game, contributing significantly to its emotional depth and ambiance.
- “The music is eerie, matches perfectly the game, but it always stays lingering in the background, and gives way to the gameplay itself.”
- “The pulchritudinous soundtrack fused with the soothing atmosphere of the chambers gives the experience an almost dreamlike quality.”
- “The soundtrack is fantastic and fitting the theme of the game, with the sound effects of your gun and all the devices when turned on adding to that.”
- “It's acceptable sci-fi background music, and that's about it.”
- “The game can be really soulless with the same soundtrack playing over and over again and the posh design of the tests.”
- “The music in this game is okay, though it felt like they tried to copy the atmosphere of Talos all the way, and that felt cheap, to be honest.”
atmosphere
191 mentions
67 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its emotional depth, immersive sound design, and visually striking environments that effectively capture the sci-fi setting. Players appreciate the combination of atmospheric music, well-crafted graphics, and engaging storytelling, which together create a sense of dread and intrigue throughout the gameplay. While some reviews note that the atmosphere may not always feel entirely consistent with the game's setting, the overall consensus is that it significantly enhances the puzzle-solving experience.
- “The visual design of 'The Turing Test' is sleek and atmospheric, immersing players in a futuristic and minimalist environment aboard a distant research station on Europa, one of Jupiter's moons.”
- “The atmosphere feels great with nice graphics and good sounds.”
- “Suspicious circumstances breed paranoid thoughts after all, and as you learn about the crew's fate through recordings and journals littered throughout the station, the atmosphere of dread thickens.”
- “The game's puzzle base is fairly fun, but I wish more was done with it, and the environment and atmosphere seem to try to mimic Portal, but fails to really capture the player compared to it.”
- “I found myself putting the game down routinely just to give myself some air from the heavy atmosphere it creates.”
replayability
108 mentions
12 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits low replayability, with many players noting that it can be completed in a short duration (around 4-10 hours) and lacks additional content or challenges to encourage multiple playthroughs. While some players appreciate the philosophical themes and narrative, the consensus is that once the puzzles are solved, there is little incentive to revisit the game. It is generally recommended to purchase on sale due to its limited replay value.
- “Good fun, unique storyline, a bit of replayability too.”
- “The puzzles are very good, just difficult enough and also replayable.”
- “In terms of replay value, it's very similar to Portal; the puzzles won't change, the story won't change, but once in a while you'll just feel like playing it through again because it's genuinely decent.”
- “A cute ~6-hour puzzle game with zero replay value (unless, like me, you want your friends to play it and they don't want to buy it).”
- “The game's philosophical themes and narrative-driven approach might overshadow its replayability for players seeking more varied gameplay mechanics.”
- “Many story-driven games lose their appeal once the story has unveiled itself and replay value is lost unless you're the kind of person that enjoys re-reading the same book.”
humor
80 mentions
93 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely absent, with many reviewers noting its serious tone and lack of the witty, offbeat charm found in the Portal series. While some moments are described as unexpectedly funny or featuring engaging dialogues, the overall consensus is that the game prioritizes philosophical discussions over humor, making it feel more like a serious narrative experience than a comedic one. Players looking for the humor and character dynamics reminiscent of Portal may find this game disappointing.
- “Bender (grinning): disastrously hilarious!”
- “Moreover, this game shows a nice level of humor (dialogues between the protagonist and the antagonist are the best) while it challenges you with its own Turing test.”
- “The puzzles are as challenging as the jokes on penguin wrappers are funny.”
- “It's not funny, and none of the characters are nearly as likable.”
- “As others have said, it's the unfunny and derivative cousin of Portal.”
- “Basically combines the bad things about P2 and TP, only picking a few of the respective advantages, like taking the uninteresting puzzle rooms from P2 and the not funny voiceover from TP.”
optimization
55 mentions
55 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with many players reporting smooth performance even on lower-end hardware and minimal bugs. However, some users noted issues like occasional stuttering and a peculiar frame cap of 62, which detracted from the experience. While the graphics are considered good, there are mentions of low-res textures and overly shiny lighting effects that can obscure gameplay elements.
- “Graphics are well made and optimization is very good as well, recommend it to everyone.”
- “The game looks very sharp, although most of the sectors tend to look very similar; on that note, it also runs very well on ultra, the optimization is great!”
- “It's beautiful, well optimized, well written, with great sound production.”
- “Right from the get-go, you are welcomed with a choppy, stuttering experience only to realize that there's a super weird frame cap of 62 that cannot be disabled in the options.”
- “Graphics: the game looks very good; however, it seems poorly optimized, while having quite a few low-res textures.”
- “As it's an older title, there are no updates from the developer on bug fixes or optimizations.”
grinding
54 mentions
6 % positive mentions
7 % neutral mentions
87 % negative mentions
Overall, reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is characterized by a significant amount of tedium, with puzzles often feeling repetitive and lacking in challenge as players progress. While some puzzles are engaging, many are described as tedious and unfulfilling, leading to a sense of frustration rather than enjoyment. The game's mechanics and pacing contribute to this feeling, making it a less appealing experience for those seeking stimulating gameplay.
- “On the one hand, it's a puzzle game with logical puzzles, and no tedious achievements.”
- “They are not tedious and every chapter brings some new elements to the game.”
- “The chambers increased in size but not necessarily difficulty - they were just tedious, not engaging.”
- “After 6 hours in, the 'storyline' was played out and the puzzles became a tedious chore a long time before that.”
- “Puzzles are far from the charm of other games like Portal and often feel more like tedious work than an actual challenge.”
emotional
44 mentions
98 % positive mentions
-5 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with some players praising its atmospheric storytelling and heart-wrenching moments, particularly in relation to character interactions and the impactful ending. However, others found the narrative lacking depth and emotional engagement, criticizing the characters for being overly emotional or clichéd. Overall, while the game successfully evokes strong feelings for some, it leaves others feeling unsatisfied or disconnected from the story.
- “Its atmospheric visuals, cerebral mechanics, and the allure of unraveling intricate puzzles create an experience that's intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant.”
- “The story was at turns interestingly dark and astonishingly heart-wrenching.”
- “Good voice acting (for the main characters), great background lore, and what I consider to be a really heart-wrenching, gut-punch ending, whatever route you go.”
- “The emotional depth of the story felt flat and uninspired.”
- “I struggled to connect with the characters, making it hard to feel any emotional impact.”
- “The attempts at emotional moments fell completely flat and felt forced.”
stability
43 mentions
7 % positive mentions
7 % neutral mentions
86 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, such as freezing during loading screens and graphical issues. However, others report a smooth experience with minimal problems, indicating that performance may vary based on system configurations and settings. Overall, while some users found the game stable and enjoyable, many highlighted the need for troubleshooting and improvements to address the various technical issues.
- “Nice game, nice story, runs great on Linux (Ryzen 5500 notebook).”
- “I found the game very relaxing; the graphics are pretty nice, it runs great, and the puzzles aren't too repetitive, so while they were easy, I didn't get bored of them.”
- “No glitches whatsoever, solid game mechanics never get in the way of the puzzles.”
- “Buggy to get it started (I literally have to delete a file just to get it to start every time), and this broke Discord's stream.”
- “Considering the surprise gameplay ideas, philosophical quandaries, and troubleshooting headaches, I think the Turing Test will stick with me for much longer than I was expecting it to.”
- “However, after landing on Europa and entering the main building, the loading screen makes my game permanently freeze (FPS counter goes from 60 to 1, then disappears). I have not been able to coax the game to go farther than this.”
character development
8 mentions
38 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the evolving relationships, particularly between Tom and Ava, others find the depth lacking and the story occasionally forced. The game offers optional puzzles that can enhance character insights, but overall, opinions vary on the effectiveness and immersion of the character arcs.
- “There's for sure a lot of character development in this game, and it's interesting to see how their interactions slowly begin to change the more you progress.”
- “Characters and story - 8/10: the character development is excellent, and the initial relationship between Tom and Ava is greatly complicated throughout the narrative of the game, which I always like to see.”
- “The game also offered optional puzzles to get extra bits of the story and character development if you're into that.”
- “The sheen gets taken off a little for me around halfway through, with the story beginning to feel shoehorned into odd character developments that need a little suspension of disbelief.”
- “There aren't enough easter eggs and character development is lacking.”
- “The story and character development is shallow.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game involves integrating advertising into the gameplay experience, aiming to engage players through entertaining formats while promoting products. Overall, the game's quality elements, such as graphics and storytelling, are well-received, but the advertising approach may detract from the immersive experience for some players.
- “The concept of attempting to wrap advertising in an entertaining format to get people to listen to a lengthy talk about the product.”