Vinyl

About

Vinyl is a dynamic indie music game created by graduate students at the University of Utah EAE program, that experiments with the aesthetic distance between gameplay and music.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

59%

Audience ScoreBased on 434 reviews

music52 positive mentions

stability18 negative mentions

The game is free to play and allows players to upload their own music, which adds a unique and personal touch to the gameplay.
Some players found the game surprisingly fun and enjoyed the challenge of achieving high scores on various levels.
The genre-changing feature adds creativity to the rhythm game, allowing for different experiences with the same song.

The game suffers from poor graphics and a lack of polish, making it visually unappealing and sometimes difficult to navigate.
Gameplay mechanics can be frustrating, with clunky controls and obstacles that are hard to avoid, leading to a less enjoyable experience.
Many players reported bugs and crashes, which hinder the overall gameplay experience and make it feel unfinished.

music
414 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
79%
8%
The music aspect of "Vinyl" receives mixed reviews, with players appreciating the ability to upload their own songs and the dynamic generation of levels based on the music. However, many criticize the game's handling of audio, noting that it often distorts tracks, disrupts the flow of music during gameplay, and features a lackluster selection of pre-loaded songs. While some find enjoyment in the concept and the potential for custom music, others feel that the execution falls short, detracting from the overall experience.
- “The game lacks some polish but I had fun with it uploading my own music and seeing how high of a score I could get.”
- “Vinyl is a casual game which makes tracks based on the music you choose and supports your custom songs.”
- “The game manages quite well to generate obstacles based on the beat of the music, making some songs more challenging to 'surf' than others.”
- “What should be fluid interactions with the music and surroundings often devolve into frustration, pulling you out of the moment instead of drawing you in.”
- “The aesthetic choices sometimes clash, creating a dissonance that distracts from the thematic focus on music.”
- “The music wouldn't work on any song that I tried to use.”
gameplay
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
65%
12%
The gameplay of "vinyl" has received mixed reviews, with many users criticizing its mechanics as awkward and repetitive, often describing it as a poorly executed endless runner. While some appreciate the ability to upload personal music and find the game enjoyable in short bursts, others feel that the overall experience is hindered by lackluster graphics and a confusing interface. Overall, the gameplay is seen as needing significant refinement to elevate it from a basic concept to a memorable experience.
- “This is a free to play game that clearly works correctly, there's no bugs in the game, the art style is really nice and the gameplay is super fun.”
- “Free to play alternative to Audiosurf, relaxing game with local music upload capability, gameplay features and achievements for completionists.”
- “Pretty good gameplay honestly, although it can be a little too tight sometimes.”
- “The gameplay mechanics also leave much to be desired.”
- “It's cool how you can upload your own songs and all that, but the gameplay feels repetitive and unfun.”
- “I can forgive it not looking great since you can have decent gameplay and terrible graphics, but as you play, the game adds this horrendous blurring effect that obscures the track and makes it a headache to play.”
graphics
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
54%
19%
The graphics of the game have received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users describing them as low quality, disjointed, and distracting from the gameplay experience. While some appreciate the potential for a unique aesthetic, the overall execution is criticized for being poorly designed, with issues like blurring effects and a jittery camera that detract from enjoyment. Despite being a free game, the consensus is that significant improvements are needed in the visual presentation to enhance the overall experience.
- “This is a free to play game that clearly works correctly, there's no bugs in the game, the art style is really nice and the gameplay is super fun.”
- “Graphics aren't amazing but good enough for a free game.”
- “I like how good you are affects the visuals - the more obstacles you hit, the greyer/scratchier everything gets.”
- “Honestly, I wouldn't recommend the game because of the bad layout of the game; the graphics suck. I don't think there's a fullscreen option, and a HUD remake would be great.”
- “I can forgive it not looking great since you can have decent gameplay and terrible graphics, but as you play, the game adds this horrendous blurring effect that obscures the track and makes it a headache to play.”
- “Camera is aimed at the ground behind you and can't see anything; jittery camera, blinding visuals, and the noise filters are horrible.”
stability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a significant issue, with numerous users reporting severe bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, including character freezing and crashes. While some players still find the game enjoyable, the overall consensus is that it is poorly optimized and requires urgent updates to address these stability problems.
- “Basically non-functional, the game is super buggy.”
- “It's not just badly optimized, it's unstable; I had it crash twice, it freezes all the time, and so on.”
- “My character freezes when I hold down left/right, and when I let go, they shoot into the damn exosphere.”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's story is criticized for being disjointed and lacking depth, with many reviewers expressing a desire for a more coherent narrative and original music. While it offers entertaining gameplay for music lovers, the absence of a meaningful story detracts from the overall experience.
- “Instead of building a coherent story, it feels like a series of disjointed moments that lack depth and emotional impact.”
- “Graphics are low quality and there's no story to it, just enter, add song, play.”
- “I'd love to see something larger, with a story and original music, somewhere down the line, but for now, vinyl is probably one of the most entertaining free titles available to anyone who loves music.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is criticized for lacking depth and coherence, resulting in disjointed moments that fail to resonate with players. While some users appreciate the control over challenging song sections, the overall experience is seen as a missed opportunity for emotional engagement in a genre that typically excels in this area.
- “This is one of the several aspects that set this game above my expectations, but more so, made me feel like I was able to have more control over parts of songs I had difficulty with in order to better my score at the end.”
- “Zanarkand from Final Fantasy X (you know that lovely heart-breaking piano that greets you) was a 1-star mission, that makes sense.”
- “In a genre that thrives on creativity and emotional resonance, vinyl unfortunately feels like a missed opportunity.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it amusing, particularly in moments where crashing disrupts the music. It appeals to those who enjoy a lighthearted experience intertwined with musical elements.
- “I find it quite hilarious when I crash into something and it ruins the music.”
- “Funny little game that can interest people who like music.”
- “Pretty funny!”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's optimization is generally considered lacking, with reports of instability, frequent crashes, and freezing issues. While some players still find it enjoyable and worth trying, the overall consensus highlights significant performance problems that detract from the experience.
- “It's not just badly optimized, it's unstable; I had it crash twice, it freezes all the time, and so on.”
- “Not 100% optimized but worth giving it a go!”
- “Now these other reviews I've read were like 'it's badly optimized, Audiosurf ripoff,' but that's not true.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The game exhibits high replay value for players who enjoy customizing music, but overall, the replayability is considered low, typical of many Unity-based games.
- “High replay value”
- “High replay value”
- “The models are what you'd expect from most Unity-based games, and the replayability is low (unless you like to just play the game to custom music).”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players indicate that grinding in the game is so demanding that it may require a second life, suggesting it can be excessively time-consuming or challenging.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization model of the game is praised for its transparency, as there are no extra payments, microtransactions, or hidden fees involved.
- “No extra payment, microtransactions, or hidden fees.”
- “No extra payment, microtransactions, or hidden fees.”

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