Traverser
- July 9, 2015
- Gatling Goat Studios
- 7h median play time
A visually pleasing puzzler that challenges your brain and shows a real sense of intelligent design in its UI and sound. Buy it.
Get on Steam"Traverser" is a single-player action game with impressive graphics and an intriguing plot. As a new Traverser, explore the divided city of Brimstone, once humanity's last bastion after the sun's demise, and reveal Raven Corporation's sinister secrets. Utilize the Gravity Glove to manipulate objects, navigate through dangerous environments, and traverse between upper and lower cities via Flip Stations, all while exposing the hidden truths.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique and appealing art style, creating an immersive steampunk world.
- The voice acting is well done, adding depth to the characters and enhancing the overall experience.
- The gravity glove mechanic allows for interesting puzzle-solving and object manipulation, making gameplay engaging.
- The controls can be clunky and frustrating, particularly when using the gravity glove, leading to a less enjoyable experience.
- The story feels rushed and lacks depth, with many plot points introduced without adequate development.
- The game is relatively short, leaving players wanting more and feeling that it doesn't fully explore its intriguing concepts.
- story61 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it rushed, clichéd, and lacking depth, often feeling strung along from one plot point to another without sufficient development. While some appreciated the intriguing setting and character dynamics, others criticized the narrative for being shallow and predictable, suggesting that it could have benefited from more time to flesh out its themes and plot. Overall, the story is seen as a highlight for some, but a significant disappointment for others, with a general consensus that it fails to fully engage players.
“I was more excited about the story at the end than I expected at the beginning.”
“This game is rich in character and story; it keeps you engaged from the very beginning. Buy the game, test it for 30 minutes, and if you like the first 30 minutes, you're going to love the rest of the game as well.”
“The story is interesting, dark, yet humorous.”
“The story is rushed and stumbling over itself and ends in just dumb nonsense.”
“You're strung from one plot point to the next, never really being given a chance to process or even care about what's happening in the story.”
“The foundation is built, pieces are put in motion, but with nothing to hold them together, Traverser is left to scramble from one plot point to the next, as if exposition for exposition’s sake is enough to guide the game toward a state of cohesion.”
- gameplay36 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, featuring a gravity glove mechanic that allows for creative puzzle-solving and traversal, but suffers from issues like floaty controls and underdeveloped mechanics. While some players appreciate the charming aesthetics and engaging physics-based puzzles, others criticize the lack of depth and variety, with many mechanics introduced early on not being fully utilized. Overall, the game offers a short but enjoyable experience, though it may not satisfy those seeking complex gameplay.
“Cute little puzzle game, easy to play with puzzles that build off of the core mechanics.”
“This game is absolutely fantastic, and is definitely a hidden gem when it comes to platformers, with a significant difficulty curve near the end, similar to Cat Quest, featuring very interesting physics-based mechanics.”
“The class war backstory is light but engrossing, the charming world of gravity-defying steampunk architecture is beautifully made, the mechanics are always entertaining, and the puzzles make varied use of the physics.”
“The power glove mechanic is frustrating, especially due to the floaty nature of it, the high sensitivity, and the awful POV problems.”
“Moreover, they provide a challenge only because of poor game mechanics.”
“Mechanics introduced early in the game are never given adequate time to be developed, and your existing mechanics never feel like they grow or transform over the course of the game.”
- graphics26 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and appealing art style, blending steampunk and 1920s aesthetics with vibrant visuals that enhance the overall atmosphere. Many reviewers appreciate the quirky and cute design, alongside the effective use of 3D and 2D elements, although some note that the gameplay may not fully match the quality of the visuals. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's charm and immersive experience.
“The art style is quirky and cute, and the puzzles are really vivid.”
“The art style of this game is definitely unique, bringing about a futuristic steampunk-ish meets the 1920s feel.”
“The game is quite a looker, with a great art style that capitalizes on the game's low poly look.”
“The aesthetic is very pretty and the world seems interesting, but otherwise this game just falls short on most of the gameplay elements.”
“Gatling Goat's Traverser isn’t being shy with its steampunk aesthetic.”
“I truly like the graphics; they are in 3D but with some 2D objects.”
- music10 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many reviewers praising its quality and contribution to the atmosphere, particularly highlighting the soundtrack as one of the best they've encountered. While some describe the music as decent and appropriate, others note its ability to enhance the game's steampunk environment and overall experience. Overall, the music complements the graphics and voice acting, creating an enjoyable auditory backdrop for players.
“The soundtrack is one of the best I've heard in a while.”
“The actors portray emotions and character, while the ambient sounds and subtle music add to the game's well-developed environment, all of which are stylized in a wonderfully steampunk manner.”
“Decent length story, fantastic soundtrack, no gamepad support due to the gravity gun puzzles but keyboard and mouse felt intuitive and responsive.”
“The music was appropriate, nothing special.”
“Music 7.5 out of 10.”
“The music is fairly decent, both in ambience and otherwise.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a blend of dark humor and whimsical elements, with players encountering quirky objects that encourage playful interactions and laughter. Its steampunk aesthetic complements the comedic aspects, reminiscent of the humor found in titles like Deponia, ensuring a lighthearted experience amidst the darker narrative.
“The story is interesting, dark, yet humorous.”
“As you progress throughout the game, you find funny and rather crazy objects that offer the possibilities to goof around, and it will undoubtedly make you crack up and smile like the kid you are.”
“The dark, steampunky setting mixes perfectly with the goofy, humorous elements, similarly to Deponia.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players felt a strong connection to the story, particularly regarding its ending, others found it lacking and described the narrative as boring, suggesting that it may have had unrealized potential.
“The ending made me feel really strongly that there was more planned and just never got made.”
“The emotional depth of the characters left a lasting impact on me long after I finished the game.”
“I was genuinely moved by the storyline; it resonated with my own experiences and feelings.”
“The story is very boring, and that's all this game had going for it.”
“I felt no emotional connection to the characters or their struggles.”
“The attempts at emotional depth fell flat and felt forced.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its impressive graphics and engaging story, creating an immersive experience. However, some players find the controls frustrating, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the atmosphere.
“An atmospheric game with stunning graphics.”
“The story and atmosphere are captivating, creating an immersive experience.”
“The atmosphere is lacking depth, making it hard to immerse myself in the game.”
“While the visuals are decent, the overall atmosphere feels flat and uninspired.”
“The game tries to create a tense atmosphere, but it falls short due to repetitive environments.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect tedious due to widely spaced save points, requiring them to replay entire scenes upon dying, which leads to repetitive gameplay.
“The save points were also too spread out, so I had to restart a whole scene, which can be tedious.”
“If you die, you have to do it all over again, and it can get tedious as you have to do the same thing over and over.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game offers some replayability through hidden secrets and bots to eliminate in each level, though some players express a desire for a sequel, suggesting that the current content may not be sufficient to sustain long-term engagement.
“The game offers great replayability with hidden secrets and challenges to discover in each level.”
“I love how each playthrough feels different, thanks to the variety of choices and paths available.”
“The random events and unlockable content keep me coming back for more, making every session feel fresh.”
“It has some replayability with hidden secrets and bots to eliminate per level, but I'd much rather have a Traverser 2, to be honest.”
“The game lacks significant replay value; once you've completed it, there's little incentive to return.”
“While there are a few different paths to take, the overall experience feels too linear to warrant multiple playthroughs.”
Critic Reviews
Traverser
Traverser boasts a fascinating world and an interesting premise, but the game's overly simplistic gameplay and lack of challenge prevent it from living up to its full potential.
50%Traverser review
A wonderful art style and interesting setting cant make Traversers shallow puzzles and exasperating stealth sequences acceptable.
55%Traverser Review (PC)
Traverser is an intriguing game. While it doesn't do that many great things with its gravity glove, it makes up for it with the clever story, novel premise, and the emphasis on sneaking around. However, some ambiguous moments and the presence of a few awkward boss fights weigh it down.
75%
