Transient

60%
Game Brain Score Based on 138 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • atmosphere
Transient Game Cover
The game's excellent presentation goes wonderfully with its surprising amount of variety. Transient might not be scary, but it is thought-provoking and unique, which makes it more than worth a look from narrative adventure fans.
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"Transient is a single-player Horror Action game with a good story, fabulous game mechanics, and excellent graphics. In a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk world, investigate a Lovecraftian-inspired mystery, solve puzzles, and explore other dimensions in this immersive, atmospheric thriller."

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

60%
Audience ScoreBased on 138 reviews
story40 positive mentions
optimization5 negative mentions
  • The game features fantastic art direction and immersive environments that blend Lovecraftian and cyberpunk aesthetics beautifully.
  • The narrative, while sometimes confusing, offers intriguing moments and a unique story that keeps players engaged.
  • The voice acting and sound design contribute significantly to the atmospheric experience, enhancing the overall immersion.
  • The gameplay is overly linear with simplistic puzzles that often feel more like busywork than engaging challenges.
  • The ending is abrupt and unsatisfying, leaving many plot threads unresolved and the overall story feeling incomplete.
  • There are significant technical issues, including janky animations and frustrating UI elements that detract from the experience.
  • story133 mentions

    The story of the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it intriguing and atmospheric, particularly due to its unique blend of Lovecraftian and cyberpunk themes. However, many reviews highlight issues such as a convoluted narrative, lack of coherence, and an abrupt, unsatisfying ending, leaving players frustrated and desiring a more fleshed-out experience. Overall, while the story has potential and engages some players, it often feels disorganized and underdeveloped, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “The story, in my opinion, was fascinating and I'm looking forward to more games from this developer.”
    • “Overall a very different game with an ambitiously different story to tell.”
    • “Very interesting story (think of Lovecraft mixed with the Matrix).”
    • “The story is a convoluted mess that makes absolutely no sense and much of the dialogue is laughably bad, but there is still an eerie atmosphere around the whole thing.”
    • “However, this was really difficult for me to get through because it was just really boring; story-wise, character-wise, and only a few areas I found to be visually appealing.”
    • “The story just piles up dramatic events without actually making any sense.”
  • graphics49 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning cyberpunk and Lovecraftian aesthetics that create an immersive atmosphere. However, criticisms arise regarding character models, animations, and overall graphical polish, leading to a perception of inconsistency in quality. While the environments and artistic design are often highlighted as standout features, some players find the visuals to be a blend of impressive and outdated elements.

    • “The visuals and environments are great!”
    • “This game gives you extremely aesthetic cyberpunk visuals; the neons, the VR, the setting is just simply awesome.”
    • “The visual presentation is excellent; the blending of cyberpunk and Lovecraftian visuals goes well, and they've gotten a good handle at making bizarre, otherworldly areas with some creepy set pieces.”
    • “Graphics are ok but the controls are clunky, the UI is ugly, writing is bad, and voice acting is cringe.”
    • “No atmosphere; aesthetics and graphics are poor and flat, they look too old.”
    • “Visuals, however, are a mixed bag; while the environments look decent and creature designs are suitably strange, one design in particular is amazing in its grotesque glory - things fall a little flat on the humanoid characters and especially the animations during cutscenes are very lackluster.”
  • atmosphere43 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and visually stunning art direction, effectively blending Lovecraftian and cyberpunk elements. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a strong sense of unease and tension through its sound design and environmental storytelling, although some note that gameplay mechanics, such as mini-games, can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game is recommended for fans of atmospheric narratives and those seeking a unique, immersive experience.

    • “Fantastic art direction with at times very immersive atmosphere.”
    • “The game is filled with unforgettable locations to traverse, from the forgotten wastes of Kor Shehr to the mean streets of Providence, each one beautifully rendered and filled with atmosphere.”
    • “On the one hand, there's a ton of awesome environmental art, very compelling atmosphere, great soundscape, and neat character designs.”
    • “The atmosphere in the beginning reminded me a bit of Soma, which I thoroughly enjoyed, but from the moment the protagonist 'woke up' in their apartment, the experience felt like a slog.”
    • “Lovecraftian atmosphere - check, cyberpunk - check, science fiction - check, but none of these aspects seem explored in depth.”
    • “No atmosphere; aesthetics and graphics are poor and flat, they look too old.”
  • gameplay39 mentions

    The gameplay across the reviewed titles is generally criticized for being lackluster and overly linear, often resembling a walking simulator with minimal interactivity and repetitive mechanics. While some games feature decent puzzles and engaging aesthetics, many players find the gameplay forgettable and disorganized, with a reliance on mini-games that lack depth. Overall, the emphasis on visuals and atmosphere often overshadows the gameplay experience, leaving players wanting more in terms of meaningful interaction and challenge.

    • “But unlike Transient, Magrunner is loaded with gameplay: agility puzzles like in Portal.”
    • “The extended edition of the game also comes with additional gameplay, a brand-new ending, and an assortment of quality of life improvements.”
    • “There are a few gameplay shifts throughout the game that keep things fresh, as well as some interesting puzzles that offer light roadblocks; but the greatest draw in Transient is its visual style and unconventional narrative.”
    • “There is little actual gameplay.”
    • “The core gameplay aspect is frequent mini-games that aren't properly explained or are obvious but not stimulating.”
    • “The gameplay is forgettable, mostly walking simulator with some minigames mixed in; nothing you'll remember once the credits roll.”
  • music17 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its haunting and immersive qualities that enhance the atmosphere and worldbuilding, while others criticize it for being repetitive and below average. Many players highlight the diversity in sound and style, noting that the soundtrack effectively complements the game's environments and mood. Overall, the sound design is often regarded as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience.

    • “The game's presentation is also top-notch, with a haunting original soundtrack that perfectly complements the immersive environments.”
    • “The music is actually impressive for a title like this, with plenty of diversity in sound and style to match the corresponding environment or mood.”
    • “The audial landscape is mixed really well too; whomever did the foley and the music should pat themselves on the back, you knocked that out of the park.”
    • “I get that a small team made the game, but the repetitive soundtrack also didn't help the boring factor.”
    • “-below average soundtrack”
    • “Either the game stutters and freezes every few minutes or the music is stuttering.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while some players report smooth performance without FPS issues, others experience significant stuttering and overheating problems, particularly on lower-end systems. Comparisons to previous titles highlight both improvements and persistent optimization flaws, leading to a frustrating experience for some users.

    • “The game is very optimized for every system; I had no FPS or stuttering issues, even though my system is powerful to some extent. Performance problems are common with titles like this.”
    • “The optimization is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay without any noticeable performance dips, which is a relief for players with varying system capabilities.”
    • “I was pleasantly surprised by the game's optimization; it runs smoothly even on lower-end systems, making it accessible to a wider audience.”
    • “Unfortunately, it still has the same optimization issue as its prequel, where your computer will sound like an F-16 about to take off; even on the lowest settings, my GPU and CPU were approaching 90 Celsius, so I had to turn on my coolboost fan (which I rarely ever have to use).”
    • “Either the game stutters and freezes every few minutes or the music is stuttering.”
    • “Trying to explore or use either the in-game computer or puzzle mechanics are made impossible by this stuttering.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    The game's replayability is generally considered average, with some players noting the presence of two endings and unlockables that encourage multiple playthroughs. However, many reviewers feel that the short length of the game (around 5 hours) and limited challenge diminish its overall replay value, making it more appealing for those who appreciate its art style and new ideas rather than extensive replayability.

    • “Two endings, so there is replayability!”
    • “If it were a larger release, it could have been the next Cyberpunk (by that I'm referring to the scale and depth of the game, not the original bugs). This is a very specific 'yes' only if you like short games for art style and new ideas more than replayability or challenge.”
    • “Replayability is average due to scoring and unlockables.”
    • “I finished the game in just over 5 hours and there doesn't seem to be any replayability aside from chasing down achievements.”
    • “For the people who like the genre, there is enough good stuff to see here to be worth a playthrough, but in my opinion, the full price of this game is just simply too high for such a short experience with no replay value.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game generally maintains stability without crashing, but players report numerous small glitches and unpolished design choices that detract from the overall experience. Issues such as stuttering, freezing, and audio problems occur frequently, impacting gameplay enjoyment.

    • “It works, it doesn't crash, but it contains a ton of small glitches and weird design or programming choices that made the game feel unpolished and sometimes not very pleasant to play.”
    • “Either the game stutters and freezes every few minutes or the music is stuttering.”
  • character development1 mentions

    While the game features impressive environmental art and character designs, the reviews do not provide substantial insights into the depth or progression of character development. The focus seems to be more on the overall atmosphere and aesthetics rather than the evolution of characters throughout the game.

  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be clunky and tedious, leading to a frustrating experience that detracts from overall enjoyment.

    • “I had forgotten how clunky and tedious the actual gameplay was.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and becomes a chore rather than an enjoyable part of the game.”
    • “It takes too long to level up, making the experience feel more like a job than a game.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a clever spoof of retro action games, effectively poking fun at their history and even incorporating intentionally poor game controls for comedic effect.

    • “The internal optional retro action games were a hilarious spoof on the history of those kinds of games, right down to the bad game controls.”
    • “The witty dialogue and absurd situations had me laughing out loud throughout the entire game.”
    • “The humor is cleverly woven into the gameplay, making even the most challenging levels enjoyable with a good dose of laughter.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

69% average critic score

Buy Transient

Play time

5hMedian play time
5hAverage play time
4-5hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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