Venineth
- April 23, 2019
- mort-art
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Venineth is a single-player Platformer game with compelling exploration, platforming, and puzzle-solving in dangerous, distant worlds. Discover over 20 places, including planets, moons, and alien megastructures, with non-linear and linear levels filled with physics-based puzzles. Immerse yourself in the original space-ambient music soundtrack as you unravel the mysteries of ancient alien technology."
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Xbox
Reviews
- Visually stunning with gorgeous landscapes and a captivating atmosphere that immerses players in an alien world.
- Creative and challenging puzzles that encourage exploration and experimentation, providing a unique gameplay experience.
- The game features a relaxing soundtrack that complements the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.
- Controls can feel sluggish and unresponsive, making precise platforming frustrating and difficult.
- The menu interface is confusing and poorly designed, making navigation and understanding options challenging.
- Some levels lack clear direction, leading to moments of aimless wandering and frustration in finding objectives.
- gameplay56 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
Gameplay in this title is a mixed bag, with some players finding the marble-rolling mechanics intuitive and satisfying, while others criticize the controls as unresponsive and frustrating. The game features a variety of mechanics and puzzles that can enhance the experience, but issues like janky physics and restrictive camera angles detract from the overall enjoyment. Despite its beautiful visuals and engaging environments, the gameplay often struggles to maintain a consistent level of fun, leading to a divide in player experiences.
“The way it introduces and synthesizes mechanics over time is just remarkably well designed.”
“The momentum mechanics have a bit of a learning curve, but there's nothing more satisfying than going max speed and hitting a massive jump.”
“The surreal landscapes, mysterious synth soundtrack, clever puzzle mechanics, and solid gameplay make this a sublime experience.”
“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 obviously undermines the entire experience.”
“Certain things like water and the white-line mechanic in the second act completely nullify your movement, leaving you stuck bobbing around helplessly if you land the wrong way... very obnoxious, usually forces a reset.”
“A game with no narrative hook whatsoever needs to hit its stride with the gameplay in the first ~10 minutes, and Venineth is tepid well past that.”
- graphics41 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their stunning visuals and immersive atmosphere, often described as breathtaking and reminiscent of early 90s CGI aesthetics. While the art direction and sound design enhance the overall experience, some players report issues with motion sickness and performance, particularly during intense moments or when settings are not optimized. Despite these drawbacks, the game's unique visual style and engaging environments make it a standout in the indie game scene.
“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.”
“The visuals and landscapes are amazing, and there are plenty of secrets to hunt.”
“The soundtrack and stunning visuals solidify an experience of exploring alien worlds.”
“Grainy and blurry graphics due to the game engine's graphic style, ball transformation error due to restarts at respawn points by ball's death, few ambient sound design.”
“It's very graphically intense and while my GTX 1660 can run it at 1440p, I have to turn down settings all the way so it reaches 60fps and doesn't max out my card.”
“The game is impossible on low graphics quality.”
- music41 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in Venineth is widely praised for its immersive and atmospheric qualities, featuring a stunning ambient soundtrack that complements the game's gorgeous visuals and enhances the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout element, describing it as ethereal, calming, and fitting for the game's exploration and puzzle-solving mechanics. However, some players noted instances where the music cut out, which detracted from their enjoyment.
“The soundtrack plays a huge role as well; one of the best I've ever listened to.”
“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.”
“The music helps with the immersion and enhances the experience.”
“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 really frustrating.”
“For a game that has so much zen aesthetic and music, you're going to die a lot.”
“Venineth also seems really old school in its design, for better or for worse - sparse levels, not a lot of hand-holding, and music that almost sounds like it could be in a different era.”
- atmosphere35 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Venineth" is widely praised for its stunning visuals, ethereal sound design, and immersive environments that create a unique, otherworldly experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke a calming and intriguing mood, despite some frustrations with gameplay mechanics. Overall, the atmospheric elements are considered a standout feature, enhancing the exploration and puzzle-solving aspects of the game.
“I'm not sure you'll be able to find a more atmospheric game out there, and the levels you traverse are consistently beautiful.”
“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.”
“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.”
“While acknowledging the otherworldly environments and the intoxicating atmosphere.”
“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.”
- story16 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely abstract and minimalistic, relying on an immersive atmosphere rather than a traditional narrative structure. Players experience a journey through beautifully designed worlds without explicit context or dialogue, leading to a sense of exploration and emotional resonance despite the lack of concrete storytelling. While some find the absence of a clear story frustrating, others appreciate the artistic approach that allows for personal interpretation and engagement with the game's environment.
“Yet there is an emotional journey, and each world feels unique and part of a bigger story/universe.”
“This game 'feels' like it has lore, story, moods, life, despair, hope, but nothing concrete or factual.”
“Even though I am not sure if there is a story or who/what I am, the world is interesting to explore.”
“What passes for a story runs on a strictly zero-context basis, and the entire game in general takes 'show don't tell' to the furthest extreme possible; you just gotta let things roll, really.”
“This game feels like it has lore, story, moods, life, despair, hope, but nothing concrete or factual.”
“There is no story, no tutorial or even words in the game; it is a series of puzzle platformer levels where you are a ball rolling around many different worlds, all of them stunning.”
- stability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with some players experiencing glitches, soft locks, and unclear navigation, while others report a smooth experience without any bugs. Issues such as poor camera angles and dark areas can hinder gameplay, making it frustrating for some. Overall, stability varies significantly among players, with a notable divide between those who find it buggy and those who enjoy a seamless experience.
“Runs great in every situation.”
“The game maintains a smooth performance without any crashes.”
“I appreciate how stable the gameplay is, even during intense moments.”
“There's glitches, soft locks, unclear rules, camera angle issues, a lot of spots where it's too dark to see, a lot of 'where do I go' moments, and occasionally underwhelming audio design.”
“It's difficult, frustrating, and occasionally even 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.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be challenging and occasionally tedious, yet ultimately rewarding for those who invest time and effort into it. While some may feel overwhelmed by the lengthy levels, many recommend approaching the game in smaller sessions to maintain enjoyment and satisfaction. Overall, the sense of accomplishment from overcoming obstacles and exploring the game world keeps players engaged.
“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.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for poor performance, rendering it unplayable for some users. There is a strong call for improved render optimizations to enhance accessibility for a broader audience.
“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.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by amusing mini-games unlocked through collectibles and entertaining physics-based antics, all set against visually appealing landscapes powered by Unreal Engine.
“If you collect enough items, you unlock a hilarious mini-game!”
“The landscapes are stunning, and there are some amusing physics tricks to discover.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight a significant emotional journey throughout the game, noting that each world contributes uniquely to a larger narrative, enhancing the overall experience.
“There is an emotional journey, and each world feels unique and part of a bigger story/universe.”
“The game beautifully captures the essence of human emotions, making every moment feel impactful.”
“I was deeply moved by the character arcs; their struggles and triumphs resonated with me on a personal level.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is generally considered low, with a rating of 4 out of 10, indicating that players may not find enough incentive to revisit the experience after completing it.
“The replay value is quite low, around 4 out of 10.”
“Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to play it again.”
“The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying feel pointless.”
