To Leave
- October 4, 2018
- Freaky Creations
Get on Steam"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.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Linux
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features a unique blend of hardcore platforming and deep, artistic storytelling that explores themes of mental health, making it a thought-provoking experience.
- The visuals, music, and level design are beautifully crafted, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall gameplay.
- Despite its challenging nature, the game offers a sense of satisfaction and achievement when overcoming difficult levels, making it addictive for players who enjoy a tough challenge.
- The game suffers from an abrupt difficulty spike, transitioning from easy to extremely challenging in a short span, which can be frustrating for players.
- There are issues with controls and level design that can detract from the enjoyment, leading to moments of frustration rather than fun.
- The story can feel vague and disjointed, with some players finding it hard to connect with the narrative, especially if they do not engage with the journal entries.
- story23 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
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 and engaging backstories. While many players find the storyline thought-provoking and immersive, some criticize it for being confusing or lacking coherence, particularly in the latter parts of the game. Overall, the combination of compelling storytelling, beautiful visuals, and a strong soundtrack enhances the overall experience, despite some gameplay frustrations.
“With extremely simple gameplay, they manage to create an immersive, highly challenging and entertaining experience with a story dealing with an incredibly profound issue.”
“The context it provides and the backstory are amazing and very engaging, taking the experience to a whole other level.”
“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 and see where the story was going, but there's no excuse for bad, imprecise controls in a game where you die in one hit.”
- music11 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 9 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its addictive quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting its gorgeous soundtrack as a standout feature. It complements the game's art style and level design, creating a cohesive and immersive experience. However, some players noted that the challenging gameplay towards the end can detract from the enjoyment of the music and overall charm.
“I'm obsessed with the music!”
“Apart from the narrative and storyline, the art/graphic design, effects, and music complemented each other amazingly - making it a work of art.”
“The backgrounds, the music (oh boy, that music...), the level design, gameplay, anyway... a lot of details everywhere.”
“The backgrounds, the music (oh boy, that music...), the level design, gameplay, anyway... a lot of details everywhere.”
“The music, on the other hand, is overwhelming and doesn't fit well with each scene.”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity, which contributes to an immersive and challenging experience, enhanced by strong storytelling and detailed design elements. However, players note a significant shift in difficulty in the latter half of the game, as the initial focus on narrative leaves little room for practicing game mechanics before facing tougher challenges. Overall, the game is praised for its innovative approach, though the transition from story to gameplay can be abrupt and demanding.
“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.”
“The backgrounds, the music (oh boy, that music...), the level design, gameplay, anyway... a lot of details everywhere.”
“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.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The graphics in 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 how the art, effects, and music work harmoniously to create an immersive experience, although some find certain challenging sections detract from its charm. Overall, the visuals are considered beautiful and captivating, contributing significantly to the game's narrative and emotional depth.
“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!”
“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.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its deep emotional storytelling, exploring themes of mental illness through character-driven narratives and puzzles. While some players may find the lyrical narration and complexity challenging, it ultimately offers poignant insights into the protagonist's emotional struggles.
“I would call this game more like a fusion of puzzles, exploration of themes of mental illness, and character-driven emotional storytelling.”
“Of course, many players may not be emotionally ready for its level of difficulty or lyrical narration.”
“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.”
