What Lies in the Multiverse

What Lies in the Multiverse is a sublime puzzle platformer. The puzzles are engaging and the story balances comedy and drama with aplomb.

92%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, atmosphere

93% User Score Based on 169 reviews

Critic Score 90%Based on 1 reviews

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About

What Lies in the Multiverse is a single player casual platformer game with a comedy theme. It was developed by Untold Tales and was released on January 25, 2022. It received positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"What Lies in the Multiverse" is a single-player adventure puzzle game involving multiple parallel universes. As the protagonist, you possess the power to switch between these realities to solve intricate puzzles and progress through the game. The narrative revolves around the relationships between characters in these diverse dimensions, offering a unique and thought-provoking experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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93%

Audience ScoreBased on 169 reviews

story74 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

The game features a beautifully written story with engaging characters and a mix of humor and darker themes that keeps players invested.
The puzzles are fun and creatively designed, providing a satisfying challenge without becoming overly difficult or frustrating.
The pixel art and soundtrack are exceptional, enhancing the overall atmosphere and emotional impact of the game.

Some players found the dialogue to be excessively long and unskippable, which can detract from replayability and pacing.
The puzzles, while enjoyable, are often considered too easy, leading to a lack of challenge for more experienced players.
There are instances of poor level design and bugs that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences, such as getting softlocked in certain chapters.

story
129 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
41%
2%
The game's story is widely praised for its depth, emotional resonance, and engaging characters, often described as beautiful, funny, and thought-provoking. While some players noted loose ends and pacing issues, the narrative's integration with gameplay mechanics and its ability to tackle complex themes received commendation. Overall, the story is considered the main draw of the game, appealing particularly to those who appreciate narrative-driven experiences.
- “The story is wonderful from start to finish with memorable characters and themes of fear and responsibility.”
- “The game itself has a very well-constructed storyline, and I can guarantee you will be entertained by the witty, hilarious, and sometimes dark story of this game.”
- “This game is amazing with a heartwarming story, excellent concepts, and mechanics that I just love.”
- “The story had a really dark undertone that never paid off.”
- “The conversations between characters went on too long at times and didn't add to the story in a worthwhile way.”
- “My few criticisms with the game have to do with certain aspects of the narrative that I think could have been handled better, in particular, some of the tone shifts feel very abrupt and somewhat pointless in the grand scheme of the story.”
gameplay
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
28%
7%
The gameplay is characterized by engaging puzzle mechanics that evolve with each chapter, incorporating unique elements like time manipulation and universe switching. While many players appreciate the creativity and integration of gameplay with the narrative, some find certain segments tedious and slow-paced. Overall, the game offers a mix of fun, challenging puzzles and a charming story, making it enjoyable for fans of dialogue-heavy and puzzle-centric experiences.
- “Every chapter had a new hook and mechanics, making it an overall phenomenal game.”
- “The central mechanic is based on switching between the present, past, and future on a moment-to-moment basis to solve puzzles, pick up collectibles, and advance the story.”
- “The gameplay itself is interesting with engaging puzzle lineups and a unique primary mechanic.”
- “The new mechanics introduced in each stage do absolutely nothing to make the puzzles any more fun to solve, making many of the segments between cutscenes a slog.”
- “Ok, the story is decent, with some great comedic moments and a few cool dark touches early on, but the actual puzzles and gameplay are glacially slow and tedious to play, and the dialogue becomes absolute waffle during the final chapter.”
- “However, the gameplay is severely lacking.”
humor
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and ability to blend lightheartedness with darker themes, often eliciting genuine laughter from players. Many reviews highlight the witty dialogue, colorful characters, and unexpected comedic moments that enhance the overall narrative experience. However, some players feel that the humor occasionally lacks coherence, detracting from the game's more serious elements.
- “While playing this game and reading the dialogues, I burst out laughing at many moments, and some honestly brought tears to my eyes.”
- “The game itself has a very well-constructed storyline, and I can guarantee you will be entertained by the witty, hilarious, and sometimes dark story of this game.”
- “The dialogue is incredibly funny and well written, and the puzzles are challenging while still being simple enough for my bean brain to handle.”
music
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
42%
8%
The music in the game is widely praised for its thematic coherence and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting the captivating soundtrack that complements the art and story. The dynamic nature of the music, particularly its adaptation to different universes, adds depth to the gameplay, while the sound design is noted for its comfort and immersion. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's emotional impact and aesthetic appeal.
- “I'd also like to commend this game for its sound design, as every bit of music played is perfectly thematic.”
- “The music is both relaxing and captivating at the same time.”
- “This is one of the best looking games I have ever seen along with the best soundtrack to go along with it.”
- “I can't tell for sure if the music is truly dynamic, and if the track is the same in both universes of the same level, but composed and stylized differently.”
- “The music didn't especially mark me (I'm quite into deeper music theory), but it definitely did the job.”
- “The switching music along with the switching multiverses.”
graphics
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
87%
13%
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their beauty and artistic style, with many reviewers highlighting the impressive pixel art and well-designed environments that enhance the overall experience. The visuals, combined with the music, create a captivating atmosphere that draws players into the story, making it a standout feature of the game. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it visually engaging and memorable.
- “The art style is beautiful, and I adore how each dimension contrasts while still feeling connected with each other.”
- “The graphics are so good and the atmospheres are so beautiful.”
- “Clever puzzle platformer with gorgeous pixel graphics and a story that keeps you hooked!”
- “In the end, the main reason to play through this game is the story and cutscenes, but because that's pretty much the whole experience, this game appeals the most to a specific demographic: those who were drawn in by my second paragraph, but would also feel bad if they just watched it on YouTube or Twitch.”
- “It's hard to explain without visuals.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to excessive dialogue that detracts from the gameplay experience. While the story has its moments, the slow-paced puzzles and overwhelming narrative can make the game feel laborious, especially for those not invested in the genre.
- “Past the start of the game, it becomes a combination of very easy and very tedious, which you may understand as 'the worst thing a puzzle can possibly be.'”
- “There was so much tedious and unnecessary dialogue that takes up over half of the game.”
- “The actual puzzles and gameplay are glacially slow and tedious to play, and the dialogue becomes absolute waffle during the final chapter.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its rich, immersive qualities, featuring a blend of creative puzzle mechanics, pixel art graphics, and a nuanced cast that enhances the storytelling. Reviewers highlight the stellar sound design and the presence of secrets and easter eggs, contributing to a captivating experience that resonates with themes of resilience and humor. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as beautiful and engaging, making it a must-play for fans of the genre.
- “Underneath the creative puzzle mechanics, a rich atmosphere filled with secrets and easter eggs, a lovable and nuanced cast, and genuinely funny story sequences lies a tale of the indomitable human spirit in the face of nihilism.”
- “The atmosphere and sound are absolutely stellar.”
- “The graphics are so good and the atmospheres are so beautiful.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth that would draw players into the world.”
- “Despite the beautiful pixel art, the overall ambiance fails to create an engaging experience.”
- “The game’s atmosphere is overshadowed by repetitive gameplay, making it hard to immerse myself in the environment.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its heartfelt storytelling and emotional depth, resonating strongly with players who appreciate its warm narrative and meaningful message. Reviewers highlight it as a love letter to both storytelling and the medium of video games, making it a memorable experience.
- “This game is a heartfelt love letter to storytelling and video games as a whole for me personally.”
- “It's honestly a fun platformer with a heartfelt message; if you get the chance, play it.”
- “This game is amazing with a heartwarming story, excellent concepts, and mechanics; I just love it.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Replayability is significantly hindered by the presence of unskippable story cutscenes, which make up a third of the game, discouraging players from replaying it.
- “A third of the game consists of unskippable story cutscenes, which significantly hampers replayability if you were interested in playing again.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to replay it since the story doesn't change and the gameplay feels repetitive.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and different outcomes makes replaying the game feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users have noted some stability issues, including bugs that can render characters unresponsive, particularly during certain gameplay elements like poison effects. Despite these drawbacks, the overall experience remains positive, with many still recommending the game.
- “I wasn't a fan of the poison mechanic when it came up; it was my least favorite part of the whole experience. It was also a bit buggy at times, where my character couldn't do anything at all.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Character development in the game is highlighted by its diverse character designs and dynamic backgrounds that shift in color to reflect the characters' emotions, showcasing the meticulous attention to detail and care invested in creating a rich narrative experience.
- “From the diverse character designs to the music, and even how the backgrounds of the sprites change color depending on the tone or mood of the character, there was always something that demonstrated the care put into this game.”
- “The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character as their stories unfold.”
- “I love how the choices I make impact the characters' growth and relationships, making every decision feel meaningful.”

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90%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

What Lies in the Multiverse review
What Lies in the Multiverse is a sublime puzzle platformer. The puzzles are engaging and the story balances comedy and drama with aplomb.
Godisageek.com
90%

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