Volume

76%
Game Brain Score Based on 490 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Volume Game Cover
Volume shows us that limitation really does breed creativity, delivering a thrilling, accessible experience in bite-sized pieces.
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"Volume" is a single-player Science Fiction Stealth game with an intriguing story, exceptional game mechanics, masterful visuals, and a fabulous soundtrack. It offers a near-future retelling of the Robin Hood legend with BAFTA-winner Danny Wallace, Charlie McDonnell, and Andy Serkis as voice actors. The game features three modes including a new mode with no checkpoints, encouraging speedrunning or stealth, and continuously evolves with new community-created missions.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Virtual Reality
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station Vita
  • Play​Station VR
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

76%
Audience ScoreBased on 490 reviews
story103 positive mentions
grinding13 negative mentions
  • Engaging stealth mechanics that require strategic thinking and planning.
  • Visually appealing with a unique art style and a well-crafted soundtrack.
  • Interesting narrative that adds depth to the gameplay, featuring strong voice acting.
  • Repetitive gameplay with limited variety in level design and solutions.
  • AI behavior can be overly simplistic, making it easy to exploit their weaknesses.
  • The story delivery can be disjointed, with interruptions during gameplay affecting immersion.
  • story406 mentions

    The story of *Volume* is a modern retelling of the Robin Hood legend set in a dystopian future, where the protagonist, Rob Locksley, uses virtual heists to challenge an oppressive regime. While some players appreciate the intriguing themes and voice acting, many criticize the narrative for being poorly executed, disjointed, and lacking depth, often feeling secondary to the gameplay. Overall, the storytelling is seen as minimal and sometimes tedious, with players divided on its effectiveness in enhancing the gaming experience.

    • “The story runs along the lines of a kid being fed up with an oppressive regime; in an old abandoned warehouse he sets up a virtual infiltration, getting an old AI to offer up virtual representations of real-world secure facilities.”
    • “The story is a modern take on Robin Hood, with a focus on stealth mechanics and creative level design; it's never not fun.”
    • “The story tackles some interesting themes such as the dangers of completely unregulated capitalism, internet celebrities, the fear surrounding artificial intelligence, and the ethics of dealing with them.”
    • “The story is abysmally boring and with a weak villain that you won't know he's even there until a good 2/3 into it; you are a streamer that replays with a VR headset robberies, that's it.”
    • “The story, while a bit slow for my tastes, is very good.”
    • “The story aspect of this game is pretty insignificant; I didn't get very intrigued by it.”
  • gameplay265 mentions

    The gameplay in "Volume" is primarily stealth-based, presented from an isometric perspective, and draws heavy inspiration from the Metal Gear Solid series. While it features a variety of mechanics and gadgets that are introduced at a steady pace, many players find the gameplay repetitive and simplistic, with some frustrations stemming from cooldowns and AI behavior. Overall, the game offers a solid foundation for stealth gameplay, but it may not satisfy those seeking a deeper or more complex experience.

    • “The gameplay is fun; it presented some challenge in mapping out the precise positioning that would let a guard hear my whistle or give me just enough room to sneak past a vision cone unseen.”
    • “Volume's gameplay is so cleverly streamlined that there are few faults I can find in it.”
    • “The gameplay is solid; it combines puzzles with stealth and does it in a way that's fun and exciting.”
    • “Choppy pacing with longer downtimes just waiting on cooldowns, and somewhat jerky enemy pathing causing unexpected detection injects excessive frustration to otherwise solid yet bare-bones stealth gameplay.”
    • “The mechanics of Volume are so incredibly basic, the gameplay and focus is so 'soft', you might just fall asleep playing it.”
    • “The gameplay is often very slow, and I find that the level's exit should be clearly marked.”
  • graphics127 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the simple yet charming art style that complements the gameplay, while others criticize the low-quality visuals and technical issues, such as poor resolution and graphical glitches. Many appreciate the minimalist design for its clarity and effectiveness in conveying game mechanics, but some feel it lacks depth and variety, leading to a bland experience over time. Overall, while the aesthetic has its fans, there are significant calls for improvement in graphical fidelity and detail.

    • “The graphics are simple, but clean and reasonably stylish, and serve the concept well.”
    • “The game itself has a gorgeous art style and soundtrack, with a surprisingly decent story.”
    • “A combination of gorgeous visuals and especially well-designed stealth mechanics pulls you in, making you ready for the artistically-constructed levels that'll never let go.”
    • “At least a few people seem to be having graphical problems (some are unable to even launch the game), and even I had to squint to change the abysmal resolution it launched with after the most recent install.”
    • “What's not so great; the tired, overdone stealth mechanics are accompanied by lazy low poly graphics, whether that was caused by lack of budget to go out and buy some texture packs, or the lack of opportunity to hire an artist who knows how to apply textures to polygons, or maybe just because the console peasant PS4 appliance couldn't handle textures is irrelevant.”
    • “The presentation and visuals are bland, and the level design isn't creative.”
  • music92 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality and ability to enhance the stealth experience, with many reviewers noting its suitability and charm. However, the abrupt volume spikes when players are detected can be jarring and lead to frustration, causing some to mute the music altogether. Overall, while the soundtrack is considered enjoyable and well-composed, its implementation during gameplay has received mixed feedback.

    • “The soundtrack is phenomenal.”
    • “What really makes this game stand out is the music: I absolutely love it and listen to it regularly outside the game.”
    • “The music fits well with the game, and is frankly quite beautiful.”
    • “The music shifts dramatically when you've been discovered, and when I first started and alerted my first enemy, the volume borderline blew out my eardrums.”
    • “The sudden loud dramatic music when you're kiting around the easy-to-fool AI gets old very fast.”
    • “The music audio level when discovered is painfully loud.”
  • humor20 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the well-written dialogue and solid voice performances that evoke laughter, while others find certain comedic elements irritating or annoying. The game successfully captures a charming, nerdy humor reminiscent of classic titles, with moments that elicit genuine laughter, particularly from character interactions and situational comedy. However, some players feel that the humor may not resonate with everyone, highlighting its subjective nature.

    • “Humorous and well-written dialogue supported by solid vocal performances.”
    • “The AI, Alan, genuinely had me laughing at times as well.”
    • “This made for some great moments where I'd be spotted, run, hide against a wall, guard on top of me but not looking at me, then two whole seconds later, 'nothing, standing down...' #hilarious.”
  • grinding13 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly when pursuing achievements post-campaign, as many require repetitive actions with long cooldowns. While some levels are suitable for grinding, the lack of variety and the design choice to restrict achievements to core levels detracts from the overall experience, making it feel monotonous at times. Despite a fair save system that alleviates some frustration, the gameplay can still feel laborious, leading to a mixed reception regarding its grindy elements.

    • “Once you finish the game, achievement hunters can run an auto clicker to sweep some of the grindy achievements that they missed.”
    • “Others are very grindy, one instance requiring 100 activations of a gadget that has a 20s cycle.”
    • “I enjoyed the story but the actual gameplay was really tedious; I had to really force myself to play this game until the end.”
  • atmosphere11 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is consistently praised for its engaging music, art direction, and sound design, which contribute to a compelling near-future setting. While some players noted that playing in a smaller window diminishes the experience, the overall mood and storytelling are highlighted as strong points, with effective voice acting and a well-crafted virtual environment enhancing the gameplay. The game's atmosphere is described as immersive and connected to its narrative, reminiscent of other titles by the developer.

    • “Same great atmosphere, music, art direction, and sound design in every other Bithell game I've played.”
    • “I also have to single out the sound design and soundtrack, both of which fit the game perfectly and help to create a compelling atmosphere.”
    • “However, I like the graphics, the spoken dialogue, the music, the virtual atmosphere, and the gameplay & controls were designed well (if you're using a gamepad, at least; haven't tried with keyboard controls).”
    • “Although it's different from Thomas Was Alone in that it's more of a stealth puzzle game, it has a similar feel in terms of atmosphere, narrative, and humor.”
    • “The visuals are truly futuristic; for some reason, it has that certain atmosphere of a near-future that is coming soon.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    Overall, the game offers significant replayability primarily due to its level creation tools and community sharing features, allowing players to create and explore an endless variety of custom levels. While the official content may be limited to around 10 hours, the potential for infinite replayability through user-generated content enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the combination of challenging gameplay and the ability to engage with a vibrant community, making it a worthwhile investment for those who enjoy creative gameplay.

    • “Volume is exactly what you want in a 2D/isometric puzzle game: simple concept, great visuals, lots of upgrades, awesome audio, challenging levels, loads of replayability.”
    • “You can create and share your own levels with the world, effectively giving the game endless replayability.”
    • “Sure, the official gameplay might be a bit short, taking a few hours to get through the first half of the game... but the game's replay value is utterly extended by one simple feature: level creation tools.”
    • “Though it lacks the narrative coherence of 'Thomas Was Alone' or the breathless replayability of 'John Wick Hex', 'Volume' is a delightful recreation of a very specific type of stealth game that simply doesn't exist much anymore.”
    • “Not much replayability, but about 10 hours of content plus community-made stuff.”
    • “Sure, the official gameplay might be a bit short, taking a few hours to get through the first half of the game... there's 100 levels by the way... but the game's replay value is utterly extended by one simple feature: level creation tools.”
  • emotional9 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed, with some players feeling a strong connection to the gameplay and character dynamics, particularly during intense moments, while others find the protagonist unengaging and the overall story lacking depth. The soundtrack enhances the experience for some, but many feel there is insufficient emotional payoff and that the narrative fails to captivate throughout the gameplay. Overall, the game elicits a range of emotional responses, from excitement during gameplay to disappointment in character development and storytelling.

    • “The soundtrack was pretty nice, but I don't remember any of the tracks well, except the chase sequence music, both because I was caught a lot and it was really good and made me feel like a part of something really intense.”
    • “A story of New England is revealed to you, along with your role, your goal, and an emotional connection is quickly established.”
    • “Overall the game has drawn me in and made me feel like I was Locksley, dodging and sneaking past guards to deactivate alarms, collect gems, and laughing whilst I confuse the hell out of other guards.”
    • “The story is tragically boring and fails to evoke any real emotions, making the experience feel flat.”
    • “Despite the game's length, the emotional depth is lacking, leaving players feeling disconnected from the characters.”
    • “The difficulty never really amps up, which diminishes the emotional stakes and makes the journey feel unengaging.”
  • optimization7 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering and high CPU load, despite attempts to adjust settings. While some users noted minor optimization problems, they still found the game enjoyable overall, particularly praising its dialogue and voice acting.

    • “The only issue, and it's a minor one, is that on my PC the game seemed to have some optimization issues, but apart from that, this is a great game, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys or is new to stealth-based games.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game turned into an unplayable, stuttering mess as time went on and I could not figure out the cause.”
    • “Lowered settings, uncapped framerate, windowed mode, and making it the only running program did nothing for the performance.”
    • “Unoptimized - over 50% load on my i7 4710 CPU and heat generating computer.”
  • stability4 mentions

    While the game is praised for its overall quality, players report numerous bugs and input glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including odd audio issues and unexpected character dialogue. These stability problems detract from the experience, suggesting that further updates are needed to enhance reliability.

    • “This is an incredible game, but it has many bugs and input glitches that make the game stop working.”
    • “I did come across some weird audio glitches where characters say lines out of nowhere, without context, that they have said before.”
    • “Idk, buggy.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development is criticized for occurring primarily off-screen, leaving players disconnected from the narrative and unclear about the stakes, which diminishes the impact of the story's conclusion. While the main character's design is visually appealing, the lack of meaningful development undermines the overall experience.

    • “Most character development happens off-screen, and the stakes are so poorly telegraphed that I had no idea what was going on when the end came.”
    • “The characters feel one-dimensional, and their growth is minimal, making it hard to connect with them throughout the game.”
    • “There are moments that hint at deeper stories, but they are never fully explored, leaving the characters feeling flat and unengaging.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

74% average critic score

Buy Volume

Play time

6hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
5-9hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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