Ynglet
- February 3, 2020
- Triple Topping
"Ynglet" is a single-player, violence-free attraction unlike traditional platformers, where you jump between floating bubbles as a "space dolphin" in a hand-drawn world with dynamic music. Adjustable difficulty settings and quick respawn points cater to a range of skill levels, while reflective walls and lively creatures enhance the immersive experience. The developer is known for previous games including "Knytt," "Uurnog," and "Affordable Space Adventures."
Reviews
- Ynglet features stunning hand-drawn visuals and a dynamic soundtrack that reacts to player movements, creating an immersive experience.
- The gameplay is fluid and engaging, with a clever introduction of mechanics that keeps the platforming fresh and enjoyable.
- The game offers a range of difficulty settings and assist options, making it accessible for players of all skill levels while still providing challenging content.
- The game is relatively short, typically taking around 1.5 to 2 hours to complete, which may leave some players wanting more.
- Some players experienced issues with precision controls, particularly with the dash mechanic, leading to occasional frustration.
- The level select screen is considered clunky and could detract from the overall experience.
- music115 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in Ynglet is widely praised for its dynamic and adaptive qualities, seamlessly integrating with gameplay to enhance immersion and enjoyment. Players appreciate the chill, procedurally generated soundtrack that evolves based on their movements, creating a satisfying and engaging auditory experience. The combination of beautiful visuals and a captivating soundtrack contributes to the game's overall charm, making it a standout title for fans of innovative sound design.
“Ynglet is a delightful and visually captivating gaming experience that seamlessly blends stunning hand-drawn visuals with an entrancing soundtrack.”
“The dynamic soundtrack is really well implemented, the visuals are pretty much perfect and unlike anything else, and the game can give you a wide range of fun and challenging gameplay that keeps you invested.”
“The music seems to be the best implementation of reactive/procedural audio in a Nifflas title yet, and it makes the game an awful lot of fun to just move around in--both in controlling just like a fish would and hearing the world react to your movements.”
“The music isn't purely based on your actions; there's usually some kind of background track moving from one part to the next.”
“The dynamic soundtrack is maybe a little heavy on the percussive front but still ties together the package extremely well.”
“Very psychedelic - I also recommend that you play some 'spacy' music while playing if you get bored with the music that is embedded in the game.”
- gameplay85 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its fluidity and innovative mechanics, offering a tight and engaging platforming experience that evolves without becoming stale. Players appreciate the clever introduction of new mechanics, which are seamlessly integrated into the gameplay, keeping it fresh and challenging throughout. While the game is relatively short, it effectively utilizes its mechanics and provides a visually stunning and sonically dynamic environment that enhances the overall experience.
“In reality, it's incredibly tight, creative, classic gameplay that happens to be unnecessarily beautiful too.”
“The gameplay continually evolves, but unlike many games, new mechanics do not overstay their welcome and become stale.”
“The dynamic soundtrack is really well implemented, the visuals are pretty much perfect and unlike anything else, and the game can give you a wide range of fun and challenging gameplay that keeps you invested.”
“I actually started to worry about the game going on much longer, because it had been such a tight and well-designed experience, and I didn't really see how the mechanics could expand much further without becoming gimmicky.”
“It requires a really in-depth understanding of the mechanics of the game that you have to experiment to figure out.”
“Only downside is that Ynglet is rather short, but considering that there's a limited set of game mechanics, it maybe would overstay its welcome, would there be a few more levels.”
- graphics73 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of Ynglet are widely praised for their stunning hand-drawn art style, vibrant colors, and dynamic visual effects that create an immersive and captivating experience. Reviewers highlight the seamless integration of visuals with a reactive soundtrack, enhancing the overall atmosphere and gameplay. The unique aesthetic, reminiscent of experimental games, is described as both beautiful and evocative, making it a standout feature of the game.
“Ynglet is a delightful and visually captivating gaming experience that seamlessly blends stunning hand-drawn visuals with an entrancing soundtrack.”
“With dynamic music that seems to be at least mostly generated from the player's actions as they go through each level and a simplistic but comfortable art style, this is, without a doubt, one of the best games I have ever played.”
“The dynamic music implementation and visuals together are mesmerizing, with especially exciting levels having a musical 'arc' to them that will have you smiling and tapping your foot along without realizing it.”
“Outside its artsy aesthetic, it's a pretty pedestrian platformer.”
“The audio and visuals are very reminiscent of Pixeljunk Eden, with minimalist designs and strong contrasting colors, while the music focuses more on ambiance than anything else.”
“The graphics are simple and minimal, but full of small visual flourishes, very responsive to the gameplay, and all around just pretty.”
- story10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is generally considered simple and brief, lasting about an hour and a half, with minimal narrative depth. However, players appreciate the bonus world that follows, which introduces new mechanics and offers a more challenging experience, effectively enhancing the overall gameplay. While the story elements are cute and complement the mechanics, many feel that the narrative could have been explored more thoroughly.
“The story world is pretty simple and doesn't explore its mechanics in perhaps as much depth as it could, but this is a problem solved by the bonus world, which I think concludes the game nicely.”
“Story mode is only half the content too: the bonus world is almost as long, it's more challenging, and it introduces several new mechanics into its levels.”
“The story world is pretty simple and doesn't explore its mechanics in perhaps as much depth as it could, but this is a problem solved by the bonus world which I think concludes the game nicely.”
“Not much in terms of a story here, but what's there (intro, outro, and guiding some of the creatures to the exit) is cute and complements the gameplay well.”
“It's really good when it comes to mechanics; however, when mechanics reach their real potential, the story finishes, and that's a bummer.”
- atmosphere7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
Ynglet is praised for its enchanting atmosphere, blending innovative design with captivating visuals and algorithmic music that enhance the overall experience. The game offers a unique, minimalistic environment that is both relaxing and challenging, making it a standout choice for fans of atmospheric and puzzle platformers.
“Ynglet is a true gem that successfully marries innovative design with an enchanting atmosphere, providing players with a delightful journey through both imagination and the recognizable streets of Copenhagen.”
“The visuals and sound contribute to a tactile and atmospheric feel that meets the standards the developer has set in his previous games.”
“The visuals remind me of the weirder, experimental games often found on the PSP or WiiWare, and the music accompanying each stage adds to the atmosphere.”
“As unique as it is beautiful, Ynglet is a welcome escape into a minimalistic atmosphere that is full of relaxing and challenging gameplay.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through adjustable difficulty settings, a "negative mode," and an addictive unlockable minigame, allowing players to tailor their experience. While the main campaign is relatively short, the mechanics encourage experimentation and speedrunning, suggesting that players can find new challenges and enjoyment in repeated playthroughs. However, some reviewers noted that the addition of a level editor could further enhance replay value.
“You can also change the difficulty, gravity, motion assist, etc. to make it as hard or as easy as you want, so it's super replayable.”
“There are a couple of things that give the game more replayability after this, including a 'negative mode', multiple difficulty settings, and an addictive unlockable minigame.”
“The game is fairly short, and while there are modes to extend the replayability, I think if this game had a level editor and a workshop community, some really cool levels could be made.”
“I played the game through in 2 hours, but I can see some replayability with the 'negative' mode and different difficulty levels.”
“I could see there being some replay value in here too, considering the stages could be done even faster--there's a lot of opportunity for sequence breaking and taking advantage of physics here.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users find the humor in the game's quirky sound effects, such as the little beeps and boops, which contribute to a lighthearted and amusing experience.
“The little beeps and boops make my brain go funny.”
“The witty dialogue and clever puns had me laughing out loud.”
“The absurd situations and quirky characters create a delightful sense of humor.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game's optimization to evoke a sense of childlike wonder, making it a delightful experience for those who enjoy system-based optimization games. Many recommend it for its engaging and satisfying mechanics.
“I've been playing a lot of system-oriented optimization games lately, and this game brought a smile to my face in a childlike wonder kind of way that I haven't experienced in a while. If you need that right now, I highly recommend this.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the grinding aspect of this game as a welcome relief from the stress of more challenging titles, particularly after intense experiences like difficult platformer bosses.
“Grinding in this game feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“I found myself spending hours grinding for minimal rewards, which quickly became frustrating.”
- stability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users report that the game is visually pleasing and runs smoothly even on older hardware, such as a 2015 GPU, indicating strong stability across various systems.
“Pleasing visually, runs great on a 2015 GPU.”
“The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
“I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs; the stability is impressive.”