Through the Mirror
- January 7, 2017
- Cleiton Oliveira
Get on Steam"Through the Mirror" is a puzzle platformer that explores the theme of trust and collaboration between two contrasting characters. It features mirrored mechanics that allow players to solve challenging puzzles by manipulating the environment. This game is an expanded version of a Ludum Dare project, now with additional levels, mechanics, and visuals.
Reviews
- Through the Mirror offers a unique and challenging gameplay experience with its mirrored control mechanics, requiring players to think critically and plan their moves carefully.
- The game features a gradual increase in difficulty across its 27 levels, providing a sense of accomplishment as players progress.
- Many players found joy and motivation in the game, appreciating its simple controls and engaging puzzle-platforming elements.
- The game suffers from significant graphical issues, including flickering platforms and poor performance, which detracts from the overall experience.
- Some players found the controls to be unresponsive and the physics to be inconsistent, leading to frustrating gameplay moments.
- The music and overall presentation were criticized for being dull and lacking cohesion, making the game feel disjointed and low effort.
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it dull and uninspired, likening it to generic stock piano music that fails to enhance the gaming experience. Others, however, appreciate the soundtrack, describing it as enjoyable and fitting for the game's atmosphere. Overall, the music seems to lack cohesion and fails to contribute meaningfully to the gameplay for many players.
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“A very fun game with great music.”
“The music is laughable; you could type in 'stock piano music' on YouTube and you'd get the entirety of the game's soundtrack. It's boring, it's dull, and it made me genuinely feel drowsy while playing the game. It again falls to the issue of nothing in the game working together to make something cohesive; it feels entirely thrown in for no reason.”
“The music is laughable; you could type in 'stock piano music' on YouTube and you'd get the entirety of the game's soundtrack. It's boring, it's dull, and it made me genuinely feel drowsy while playing the game. It again falls to the issue of nothing in the game working together to make something cohesive; it feels entirely thrown in for no reason.”
“The music is laughable; you could type in 'stock piano music' on YouTube and you'd get the entirety of the game's soundtrack. It's boring, it's dull, and it made me genuinely feel drowsy while playing the game. It again falls to the issue of nothing in the game working together to make something cohesive; it feels entirely thrown in for no reason.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are criticized for severe flickering and shuddering, which significantly detracts from the overall experience and can pose a risk to players with epilepsy. While some users appreciate the color palettes and shadow effects, the graphical issues are deemed too detrimental, leading to frustration and a high quit rate among players.
“The graphics are alright, the shadows are pretty neat, and they have some appealing color palettes, rather than just sticking with black and white.”
“I wish I could recommend this game as it is a nice and tight puzzle-platformer, but the graphical flickering is just too detrimental to the overall experience.”
“The graphics are alright, the shadows are pretty neat and they have some appealing color palettes, but they're bugged. I wish I'd recorded the first 30 seconds of the game where I was walking over to the new game button; they started flickering like 'free epilepsy test' gifs, and I genuinely had to look away because it hurt my eyes that bad. It was comically hilarious but also genuinely concerning, and it could've hurt someone who is epileptic.”
“Horrible control of the orb and square, and the graphics shudder constantly. The fact that the first achievement is to beat the first world and has a 0.8% unlock rate shows that 99.2% of all owners of this game quit before finishing the first world of this god-awful puzzle game.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews are mixed, with some players enjoying the simplicity and fun mechanics, while others criticize the experience as boring and plagued by poor physics. Issues such as slippery landings and a disconnect between level design and gameplay mechanics detract from the overall enjoyment.
“Highly recommend this game; it's very simple, yet the mechanics make for some fun.”
“The gameplay is intuitive and engaging, making it easy to pick up and enjoy.”
“I love how the mechanics keep evolving, providing fresh challenges throughout the game.”
“First off, the gameplay is terribly boring. The game is also relatively slippery on landing, so in some stages, you'll find yourself just sliding off a platform. The physics feel really bad too; it just doesn't work for some reason. The jump seems to be way too high, and the level design isn't complemented by the physics. Instead, it feels like taking levels made in one game and shoehorning them into another. It feels like the levels were not designed for this game at all.”
- story1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story conveys a powerful message about resilience and the unpredictability of life, emphasizing that perseverance in the face of adversity can lead to unexpected and rewarding outcomes.
“The moral of the story is that you never know what life has in store for you. If I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as both comically absurd and concerning, particularly due to graphical glitches that create a flickering effect reminiscent of "free epilepsy test" gifs. While some players found this amusing, it raises serious safety concerns for those with epilepsy.
“The humor in this game is top-notch! I found myself laughing out loud at the witty dialogue and absurd situations.”
“The quirky characters and their hilarious interactions kept me entertained throughout the entire game.”
“I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments that make the experience so much more enjoyable.”
