There The Light

About

There The Light is a single player action game. It was developed by CasualBebop and was released on May 31, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Explore an unknown and abandoned world. Each step, each puzzle, brings you closer to discovering the history and secrets of a lost civilization. Can you find the light?

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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78%

Audience ScoreBased on 128 reviews

music38 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

The game features beautiful visuals and a relaxing soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
It's a peaceful and meditative exploration game with simple puzzles that are enjoyable for casual players.
The atmosphere is captivating, providing a unique and immersive experience reminiscent of other exploration games.

The puzzles are overly simplistic and repetitive, lacking depth and challenge, which may disappoint players seeking a more engaging experience.
The game is quite short, typically taking only 1-2 hours to complete, leading to concerns about its value for the price.
There are significant bugs and glitches that can hinder gameplay, including progress-halting issues and long loading times.

music
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
55%
3%
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and atmospheric qualities, enhancing the overall experience of the walking simulator and puzzle elements. Many players noted that the soundtrack evolves as they progress, creating a beautiful soundscape that complements the visuals and gameplay. While some found the inclusion of vocal tracks less fitting, the majority agree that the music is a standout feature, making the game a pleasure to experience.
- “The music grows and builds on itself as you progress through the level, until you are engulfed by a beautiful soundscape.”
- “Walking through the levels, with the music slowly building as you get to see more pieces of what happened to this civilization, was one of the most surreal experiences I've had in recent memory.”
- “The music, the lighting, and the artwork really made this little gem a pleasure to experience.”
- “Unfortunately, beyond the soundtrack, which is atmospheric and really fits the scene, it doesn't really deliver much else.”
- “I also found the parts where the music picked up vocals to be slightly off-putting, as it made it less ethereal and felt like someone had just picked a track to go along with the game rather than crafting music for it.”
- “More on the lines of a walking simulator – because frankly, puzzles are put there merely for show - you stroll through aesthetically pleasing, minimalistic scenarios overflowing with beautiful hieroglyphic-like art and interactive panels; all of this accompanied by heavenly synth music.”
graphics
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
42%
5%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their aesthetic appeal, featuring beautiful artwork, smooth movement, and a relaxing atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. While some reviewers noted that the visuals can occasionally feel bland or empty, the combination of stunning environments and a captivating soundtrack compensates for the simplicity of the puzzles. Overall, the game's graphics are considered a highlight, contributing significantly to its charm and replayability.
- “Movement is nice and smooth, graphics are quite pretty and the soundtrack, oh my god the soundtrack... just amazing.”
- “The music, the lighting, and the artwork really made this little gem a pleasure to experience.”
- “The artwork had an 'ancient' feel, and yet it was crisply illuminated in an artful way.”
- “The layout was complex enough, but it was all plain stone, with graphics only appearing on the bits you interacted with.”
- “However, the game can get dull and bland in its art style; it just feels a little bit empty sometimes.”
- “More on the lines of a walking simulator – because frankly, puzzles are put there merely for show - you stroll through aesthetically pleasing, minimalistic scenarios overflowing with beautiful hieroglyphic-like art and interactive panels; all of this accompanied by heavenly synth music.”
atmosphere
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
17%
10%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beauty and relaxation, complemented by a fitting and atmospheric soundtrack. Many reviewers appreciate the symbolic and aesthetically pleasing environment, noting that it enhances the overall experience, even if the gameplay itself is not particularly challenging. While some mention the simplicity of the puzzles, the immersive atmosphere remains a standout feature that resonates with players.
- “The atmosphere is beautiful and relaxing, and the music is very nice.”
- “I would 100% recommend this if you don't mind 'walking simulators' with subtle storytelling and a really great atmospheric soundtrack.”
- “The dev nailed the atmosphere, music, and sound effects.”
- “Calming soundtracks that fit the atmosphere of the game and adapt as you progress along to different worlds.”
- “It really contributed to the atmosphere.”
story
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
57%
14%
The game's story is primarily conveyed through art murals and plaques, leaving much to the player's interpretation, which some find engaging while others see as lacking depth. While the atmospheric elements enhance the experience, many reviewers feel the narrative is vague and underdeveloped, suggesting that it could benefit from a more fleshed-out storyline. Overall, it appeals to fans of walking simulators who appreciate subtle storytelling, but may disappoint those seeking a more robust narrative.
- “I would 100% recommend this if you don't mind 'walking simulators' with subtle storytelling and a really great atmospheric soundtrack.”
- “There is an underlying story to the game - one that makes more sense than the one in The Witness - but overall the game is just there to look pretty and make you want to see more of it.”
- “I took the time to review the paintings when I walked by them, and tell a story of what was drawn to myself.”
- “The game's 'story' is left up to the player's imagination, and I'm not really a fan of the way it is explained through the art murals on the walls.”
- “There isn't great depth in the storytelling itself, and it shows.”
- “There is some sort of a story, told in plaques and murals that you see on the way, but it remains vague.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The gameplay is characterized by a lack of challenging puzzles, with many players finding them too easy and primarily serving as a tutorial for the mechanics. The game features limited puzzle types that interact in interesting ways, but it offers little to no explanation, leading to a learning curve that some may find frustrating. Overall, it feels more like an extended introduction rather than a fully developed puzzle experience.
- “It has one kind of puzzle that has mechanics that build and interact in interesting ways using no words.”
- “This review is split into the two most important parts: the environments (visuals) and the puzzles (mechanics).”
- “The puzzles are a bit too easy for my taste; it was only in the last chapter I actually had to spend any time figuring out how the mechanics work.”
- “The game really offers no explanation of the puzzle mechanics, but it doesn't take long to figure out what you are supposed to do.”
- “This game has extremely few mechanics in each puzzle type (with the connect-the-dots kind having one: connect the dots) that just show up with no introductory puzzles and don't mesh at all.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat repetitive due to the basic puzzles, but the short playtime of about an hour helps prevent it from becoming overly tedious. However, the loading times between levels, lacking a progress indicator, contribute to a sense of monotony. Overall, while the grinding can feel monotonous, the game's brevity mitigates the issue.
- “To be frank, doing the same types of puzzles over and over does get a little monotonous after a while, but thankfully the game ends before it gets too tedious.”
- “The loading time in between levels with no sort of progress indicator got a little tedious as well.”
- “The puzzles themselves are certainly basic and quickly become repetitive, but with a play-through time of roughly an hour they manage to avoid becoming tedious.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players report that the game's stability is generally good, with only minor issues noted. The most common problem mentioned is lag spikes related to particle physics, alongside a few isolated glitches.
- “After playing it again in February, the only bugs I found were related to the particle physics causing lag spikes.”
- “Buggy.”
- “There were only two glitches I found in my play experience.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers a generally relaxing experience, though players may experience occasional random stuttering. Despite these minor performance issues, it remains a go-to choice for those seeking a tranquil gaming session.
- “The game suffers from frequent performance issues, including random stuttering that disrupts the experience.”
- “Optimization is lacking, leading to noticeable frame drops and inconsistent performance during gameplay.”
- “Despite its potential, the game is plagued by optimization problems that hinder immersion and enjoyment.”