Wanderlust
- November 1, 2017
- Eternity Studios
Get on Steam"Wanderlust" is a first-person exploration and puzzle game set in the dreams of a substance-addicted man. The game aims to create a surreal, atmospheric experience, inspired by titles like "The Stanley Parable" and "Dear Esther," with a focus on exploration and sensory stimulation. The game is described as a "walking simulator," "indie," "casual story," "abstract," "mystery," "experimental," "interactive fiction," "horror," "psychological," "relaxing," and "fantasy" experience.
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Reviews
- The game features visually appealing graphics and interesting art styles across different levels.
- The soundtrack is enjoyable and complements the aesthetic atmosphere of the game.
- Some players found the experience relaxing and appreciated the opportunity to take beautiful screenshots.
- The gameplay is lackluster, with no real objectives or story, making it feel more like an interactive space than a game.
- The game is extremely short, with many players finishing it in under 30 minutes, leading to a perception of being overpriced.
- Technical issues abound, including poor optimization, invisible walls, and a lack of guidance, which detracts from the overall experience.
- music36 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and ability to create a relaxing atmosphere, often described as a good representation of lofi music in a 3D environment. However, it becomes repetitive over time, and the transitions between maps disrupt the listening experience. While the soundtrack enhances the visuals, some players feel the overall experience is marred by technical flaws and a lack of gameplay depth.
“This game seems to be a good representation of lofi music in 3D games.”
“I enjoyed escaping my day and listening to the music while walking around taking screenshots for my desktop background collection.”
“Beautiful graphics and the music selection suited the different places that were shown.”
“It's short, technically flawed, offers neither exploration nor a relaxing atmosphere due to some weird music choices and visual effects and is outrageously overpriced.”
“The transitions between each map were harsh, cut off the music, and interrupted the experience--it would be much better if they faded into one another.”
“The music can't be switched off, though the extremely extensive options menu (2!!!! options, no joke!) has a slider for that...”
- graphics24 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are noted for their aesthetic atmosphere and interesting art styles, with some levels being visually appealing and well-suited to the accompanying music. However, performance issues are prevalent, even on high-end hardware, and many users report graphical glitches and mediocre visuals in certain areas, detracting from the overall experience. While the visuals are a highlight, they are not enough to compensate for the game's underlying shortcomings.
“Really enjoyed the different art styles in each of the different levels that I played.”
“Beautiful graphics and the music selection suited the different places that were shown.”
“Pretty poor performance on a pretty high-end graphics card (GTX 1070).”
“In most regions, the graphics look way beyond mediocre, and there are a couple of z-buffer problems in many places.”
“The only saving grace for Wanderlust would be its visuals, because under the hood what it conceals is rather unsettling.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been criticized as lacklustre and overpriced, with many users expressing a desire for a more engaging experience that incorporates a compelling story or puzzles. While the aesthetic and music are appreciated, there is a consensus that the current gameplay does not meet expectations for its price.
“The gameplay is lacklustre.”
“I'd say it's overpriced for what it is, but you have to admire the work and ethic that was shown right in the screenshots and gameplay.”
“What I will say though, is that if Eternity Studios takes this aesthetic and music and pumps it into an actual game with proper gameplay and story (perhaps surrealish) or with puzzles, it would be a good game, and worth the price tag if not more.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting poor performance even on high-end graphics cards like the GTX 1070. Issues include unoptimized textures, repetitive assets, and significant audio stuttering, particularly in visually demanding areas, leading to a frustrating experience for players.
“As much as it gives me headaches walking through this simulation game, it's unoptimized in so many ways.”
“Pretty poor performance on a pretty high-end graphics card (GTX 1070).”
“Unoptimized textures and copy-pasted assets?”
“The map with the dandelion-like particles was so bad the audio was stuttering.”
- story6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game lacks a meaningful story, which detracts from its overall appeal. Reviewers suggest that with a more developed narrative and engaging gameplay, the aesthetic and music could elevate the experience significantly. Overall, the absence of a compelling story is a notable shortcoming.
“There is no story to speak of here, which also does not help this game's case.”
“What I will say though, is that if Eternity Studios takes this aesthetic and music and pumps it into an actual game with proper gameplay and story (perhaps surrealish) or with puzzles, it would be a good game and worth the price tag, if not more.”
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is described as aesthetically pleasing, with visually appealing locations; however, it suffers from technical flaws, poor music choices, and a lack of exploration, ultimately failing to create a relaxing environment. Many reviewers feel that these shortcomings overshadow the visual appeal, leading to an overall disappointing experience.
“It is only saved by a somewhat aesthetic atmosphere, and the actual places you go to are nice to look at.”
“It's short, technically flawed, offers neither exploration nor a relaxing atmosphere due to some weird music choices and visual effects, and is outrageously overpriced.”
“It is only saved by somewhat of an aesthetic atmosphere, and the actual 'places' you go to are nice to look at.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as exploitative, with users labeling the price of €6.99 as a scam, particularly given the quality of the project. Overall, there is a strong negative sentiment regarding how the game is marketed and priced.
“Advertising such a project as a game is reprehensible, but selling it for €6.99 is a scam.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users have noted that stability issues may arise due to the limitations of NVIDIA's proprietary drivers for Linux, which are not well-regarded. However, specific graphical glitches were not counted against the game's stability in the reviews.
“I will also refrain from counting any graphical glitches I found, as NVIDIA's proprietary drivers for Linux aren't known to be great.”
