To Leave

About

"To Leave" is a puzzle-platformer game that follows the story of Harm, a manic-depressive young man with a magical, flying door. He aims to use an ancient technology to collect souls and send everyone to heaven. The game features challenging puzzles and addresses depression through its emotive narrative and symbolism. Players can expect a handcrafted world and thought-provoking gameplay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

+35

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 34 reviews

story9 positive mentions

The game features beautiful visuals and an engaging soundtrack that enhance the overall experience.
The story is thought-provoking and deeply explores themes of mental health, making it relatable and impactful.
Despite its difficulty, the gameplay is addictive and rewarding, providing a sense of achievement when overcoming challenges.

The game suffers from an abrupt difficulty spike, making it frustrating for players as it transitions from easy to extremely hard levels.
The ending feels abrupt and unsatisfying, leaving players wanting more closure and context.
There are issues with controls and bugs, particularly in the later levels, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.

story
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
50%
13%
The game's story is praised for its depth and emotional resonance, exploring profound themes such as mental illness and self-discovery through character-driven narratives. While many players find the storyline engaging and thought-provoking, some criticize it for being confusing or lacking coherence. Overall, the combination of compelling storytelling, beautiful visuals, and immersive gameplay creates a unique and impactful experience.
- “The context it provides and the backstory are amazing and very engaging, taking the experience to a whole other level.”
- “This game is very thought-provoking and challenging, driven by a story that can be relatable instead of being fantastic.”
- “Harm's journals are a must-read for me because they enable you to get hooked to the story, to learn more about his world, his thoughts, and to feel empathy for the main character.”
- “The story makes no sense; nobody cares about it because the emails are full of nonsense.”
- “The ending is odd; the whole game doesn't even tell a complete story.”
- “It's a shame - I wanted to like this game, to see where the story was going, but there's no excuse for bad, imprecise controls in a game where you die in one hit.”
gameplay
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity, which fosters an immersive and challenging experience, complemented by a thought-provoking story and beautiful visuals. While the "flying" mechanic adds a fun learning curve, players may find the transition from story-driven segments to more challenging gameplay difficult due to a lack of practice opportunities in earlier levels. Overall, the game combines innovative mechanics with a captivating soundtrack, creating an addictive experience.
- “With extremely simple gameplay, they manage to create an immersive, highly challenging, and entertaining experience with a story dealing with an incredibly profound issue.”
- “Innovative both in gameplay and storytelling.”
- “Thought-provoking story, addictive gameplay.”
- “The first half of the game is basically story and a little bit of gameplay; after that, there is more gameplay and it becomes difficult because there were no previous levels where you could practice the game mechanics.”
- “The first half of the game is basically story and a little bit of gameplay; after that, there is more gameplay and it becomes difficult because there were no previous levels where you could practice the game mechanics.”
- “The first half of the game is basically story and a little bit of gameplay; after that, there is more gameplay and it becomes difficult because there were no previous levels where you could practice the game mechanics.”
music
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
69%
8%
23%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers describing it as addictive and a standout feature that complements the visuals and gameplay. The soundtrack is noted for its emotional depth and artistic quality, contributing significantly to the game's charm and immersive experience. Overall, the combination of music, art, and level design creates a captivating and memorable journey for players.
- “The music is gorgeous!”
- “Absolutely beautiful visuals and soundtrack that complements the gameplay.”
- “The music, is a great work on its own too.”
- “The music (oh boy, that music...) is a significant downside.”
- “The music is overwhelming and doesn't fit well with the scenes.”
- “The music is a major flaw in the overall experience.”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
22%
33%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique artistic style, resembling hand-drawn sketches rather than typical cartoon visuals, which enhances the overall atmosphere. Players appreciate the beautiful visuals and how they complement the narrative and soundtrack, creating a cohesive and immersive experience. However, some critiques mention that certain difficult sections near the end detract from the charm of the artwork.
- “The artwork is great because it seems more like something drawn in a spiral-bound artist's sketchbook instead of something cartoonish.”
- “Storyline is amazing and graphics are beautiful!”
- “Absolutely beautiful visuals and soundtrack that complement the gameplay.”
- “5 ugly art and graphics.”
- “For the player expecting a platformer, this will feel like a confusing tapestry of artwork where harm serves as a twisted vehicle to empathize with many a dark self-reflection.”
- “Apart from the narrative and storyline, the art/graphic design, effects, and music complemented each other amazingly - making it a work of art.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its emotionally compelling storytelling that explores themes of mental illness through character-driven narratives and intricate puzzles. While some players may find the emotional depth and lyrical narration challenging, the story ultimately offers a profound glimpse into the protagonist's struggles.
- “I would call this game more like a fusion of puzzles, exploration of themes of mental illness, and character-driven emotional storytelling.”
- “Intriguing and emotionally compelling story.”
- “The story may seem confusing at first, but it presents you with certain details that give a small glimpse into the emotional state that someone like Harm (the protagonist) is facing in life.”