Venineth

About

Venineth is a single player platformer game with mystery and science fiction themes. It was developed by mort-art and was released on April 16, 2020. It received positive reviews from players.

[Media 2325732] Venineth is a single-player game focusing on unraveling the mysteries of ancient alien technology somewhere in the universe via exploration, platforming, and puzzle-solving, in a...

Skip User Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 235 reviews

gameplay16 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

Stunning alien and abstract visuals create a mesmerizing and unique atmosphere that is highly praised.
Immersive and fitting ambient soundtrack enhances the experience and complements the visuals.
Deep, challenging puzzles and platforming mechanics provide satisfying moments of mastery and exploration.

Controls are heavy, floaty, and sluggish with high inertia making movement and platforming frustrating and unintuitive for many players.
The game features obtuse, cryptic menus and UI that are difficult to navigate or understand.
Bugs, glitches, and design issues such as punishing checkpoints, invisible walls, and occasional soft-locks negatively impact gameplay.

gameplay
65 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
70%
5%
The gameplay offers a unique blend of marble-rolling platforming and puzzle-solving with varied mechanics across different levels, praised for its clever design and atmospheric exploration. However, many find the controls janky, overly inertial, and frustrating at times, with certain mechanics and levels feeling unpolished or unpleasant. While the gameplay can be engaging and rewarding for niche audiences and veterans of marble-based games, it may prove slow, unintuitive, and off-putting to others.
- “The gradual introduction of new mechanics and level design both feel like 2000s Zelda dungeons at times.”
- “Really cool ethereal alien atmosphere and architecture, fantastic level design and puzzles, a hands-off 'figure out the mechanics as you go' attitude that feels very intuitive, solid controls that make you feel the consequences of your actions, a lovely ambient soundtrack I still revisit from time to time, abundant checkpoints that protect you from having to redo annoying parts, and lots of gimmicks that spice up the gameplay in fun ways.”
- “The surreal landscapes, mysterious synth soundtrack, clever puzzle mechanics, and solid gameplay make this a sublime experience.”
- “The interface is entirely inscrutable for the sake of being inscrutable, the controls are janky as hell, and the gameplay is just... nothing.”
- “But the basic mechanics of moving, rolling your ball and jumping simply don't feel good, and when that is the core of what you do the whole game it obviously undermines the whole experience.”
- “The ball's inertia is far too high and controls nowhere near responsive enough for such gameplay.”
graphics
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
43%
6%
Venineth is widely praised for its stunning, atmospheric visuals that evoke a unique, alien aesthetic reminiscent of early 90s CGI demos, supported by a fitting soundtrack that enhances immersion. However, some users note technical issues like low-resolution textures, flickering, and performance demands that require settings adjustments, and the marble physics can detract from the experience despite the strong graphical presentation. Overall, the graphics are a highlight, creating a captivating and richly detailed world that strongly defines the game's identity.
- “Venineth impresses right off the bat with its art direction, graphical fidelity, sound design, ultra-responsive controls, and level designs that vary from open and puzzle-filled to linear and platformer-oriented.”
- “Venineth is a very unique marble rolling game with some of the best graphics I've seen from an indie game, along with really nice atmospheric music and level design that feels surprisingly natural.”
- “The soundtrack and stunning visuals solidify an experience of exploring alien worlds.”
- “Unfortunately, even the graphics have a few flaws, with low resolution textures, boiling artifacts, and texture flickering in several places, all of which distracted from the game's intended vibe.”
- “Grainy and blurry graphics due to the game engine's graphic style, along with ball transformation errors upon restarts at respawn points, and minimal ambient sound design.”
- “The beginning of the game took me on a rocky landscape adventure that was nothing special in terms of graphics, despite others raving about it.”
music
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
30%
6%
The music in Venineth is widely praised for its ethereal, ambient, and atmospheric qualities that perfectly complement the game's stunning visuals and alien environments. While some mention the looping tracks can become repetitive or occasionally lack variety, the soundtrack overall greatly enhances immersion and mood, contributing to a calming yet intriguing experience. A few technical issues with audio performance and silent moments have been noted but do not overshadow the generally positive reception of the soundtrack.
- “Really cool ethereal alien atmosphere and architecture, fantastic level design and puzzles, a hands-off "figure out the mechanics as you go" attitude that feels very intuitive, solid controls that make you feel the consequences of your actions, a lovely ambient soundtrack I still revisit from time to time, abundant checkpoints that protect you from having to redo annoying parts, and lots of gimmicks that spice up the gameplay in fun ways.”
- “Ethereal and otherworldly with a European ambient electronic soundtrack to match, this game has moments when it's some kind of transcendent art project, stunning, beautiful, and fun, with mechanics that you feel smart for intuiting.”
- “Venineth also features incredibly tight and refined controls along with some very smooth ambient music, amazingly realistic feeling sfx (that sound of rolling on surfaces, unhhhnnnn) and keen use of lighting and filters that just... tie the whole thing together into an amazing feel.”
- “Music: profoundly uncreative, the composer slept on some chords with heavy effects and called it a day.”
- “The music is looping, which is okay and I get it, but if you spend too long in an area with just the wrong music, it will absolutely drive you insane.”
- “(Also, the music cut out and it was completely silent; I don't know if that was intentional or not, but the lack of music was also very frustrating.)”
atmosphere
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
29%
7%
Venineth is widely praised for its stunning, unique, and immersive atmosphere, featuring beautiful alien landscapes, ethereal visuals, and a captivating ambient soundtrack that deeply enhances the experience. While the game's aesthetics and mood are often described as some of the best in indie gaming, some players find that technical issues and challenging mechanics occasionally undermine the otherwise calming and intriguing ambiance. Overall, the rich atmosphere is a standout strength that carries the game even through moments of frustration.
- “Really cool ethereal alien atmosphere and architecture, fantastic level design and puzzles, a hands-off 'figure out the mechanics as you go' attitude that feels very intuitive, solid controls that make you feel the consequences of your actions, a lovely ambient soundtrack I still revisit from time to time, abundant checkpoints that protect you from having to redo annoying parts, and lots of gimmicks that spice up the gameplay in fun ways.”
- “The general atmosphere of the game is really something I haven't seen in games before; the closest I can compare it to is Naissancee's isolation, though with a sense of discovery and geometric beauty rather than suspense and dread.”
- “Venineth is an incredible underrated game; it is a very calming and atmospheric puzzle game where you roll as a ball in beautiful vistas solving puzzles to calm music. It is an amazing game and deserves more attention than it gets; please buy it.”
- “It either runs like garbage or looks like garbage because of it, making it hard to appreciate the game's atmosphere or music over the sound of my PC trying to melt itself.”
- “I really wanted to like this game, it reminds me a lot of Exo One (highly recommend) which I loved, but the game fumbles one of its core mechanics, and in a game as 'simple' as this, atmosphere alone isn't enough to counterbalance the scale.”
- “I did get lost on occasion, but that was because I was exploring in the wide areas added for atmosphere and clearly off the path.”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
65%
15%
The story in this game is abstract and minimalistic, conveyed without dialogue or traditional narrative elements, focusing instead on atmosphere, mood, and an emotional journey through unique, immersive worlds. While there is no clear plot or characters, players find intrigue and depth in the enigmatic setting and subtle lore, making the storytelling feel more like an artistic experience than a conventional tale.
- “The beginning of the game (first two stages) is incredible; the puzzles are simple but satisfying. The soundtrack paired with the visuals and the story (or lack thereof) create an immersive, intriguing atmosphere that motivates you to figure out what's going on, and the controls are a bit clunky but you get used to them fairly quickly.”
- “Yet there is an emotional journey, and each world feels unique and part of a bigger story/universe.”
- “However, I just finished the 'main story' of Venineth about an hour ago and it was perhaps the most beautiful game I've ever played.”
- “Probably the most alien world I've ever seen in fiction, a world with such a massive story that is completely and permanently inaccessible because we, humans, do not speak the language of the marbles.”
- “This game 'feels' like it has lore, story, moods, life, despair, hope, but nothing concrete, factual.”
- “This game is a bit unconventional... it lacks much that is generally considered core for modern games: no plot, no characters (unless you consider the player-controlled marble a character), no big story to tell... and, yet, something about it is compelling.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game's stability is mixed, with some players encountering glitches, soft locks, unclear rules, and camera issues, while others report a smooth, bug-free experience. It can be frustrating and challenging, particularly for those unaccustomed to such difficulties, but offers a unique experience for fans of the genre.
- “There are glitches, soft locks, unclear rules, camera angle issues, many spots where it's too dark to see, frequent 'where do I go' moments, and occasionally underwhelming audio design.”
- “It's difficult, frustrating, and occasionally buggy, so I wouldn't recommend it if you don't enjoy that sort of thing, but if you do, it's a unique and unforgettable experience.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in this game can feel harsh and occasionally tedious, especially during long levels, but it remains rewarding and satisfying for players who appreciate the game world. Playing in shorter sessions is recommended to avoid burnout, and persistent players often find the experience captivating and fulfilling.
- “The difficulty can be harsh, even a bit tedious at times, but it is always rewarding to figure this game out and make progress.”
- “I would recommend playing this in smaller doses rather than in one go, because some levels can be quite long and it can become a bit tedious.”
- “Some people will find this tedious, but if you fall in love with the game world the way I did, you will find it satisfying.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
Optimization in the game is inconsistent, with some users experiencing very poor performance that hinders playability, while others report smooth gameplay without issues. Overall, the game could benefit from improved rendering optimizations to ensure better accessibility across a wider range of systems.
- “It plays very well; I didn't notice any performance issues.”
- “The game needs more render optimizations to be accessible to more people.”
- “Very poor performance, which makes the game unplayable.”
- “That really needs more render optimizations to be accessible to more people.”
- “The only problem I have is the performance.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes strong emotional resonance through its stylized, non-realistic environments that reflect the feelings of exploring unknown spaces. Each world offers a distinct emotional journey, contributing to a cohesive and immersive overarching story.
- “Most areas in the game are stylized in a way that doesn't necessarily look realistic, but rather looks like how we emotionally feel when exploring an unknown space.”
- “Yet there is an emotional journey, and each world feels unique and part of a bigger story/universe.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humor, featuring amusing physics-based tricks and enjoyable collectibles that add a playful and entertaining element to the experience.
- “Also, nice landscapes powered by Unreal and funny tricks with physics waiting for you.”
- “Also a funny little game if you grab enough collectibles :)”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's replayability is generally considered low, with a replay value rating of 4 out of 10, indicating limited motivation for players to revisit it after the initial playthrough.