ETHEREAL

[quote][url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32732116-IndieGems/]Follow our curator page: [b]IndieGems[/b] if you like and want to see more reviews like this one.[/url][/quote] [i]ETHEREAL[/i] is a two person indie project that resulted in an abstract game with simple ideas that coalesce into some interest puzzles. Overall the game is rather short in nature, only 24 level (4 worlds with 6 levels each), with a few secrets to find. The complexity of the puzzles increase as you move along and the difficulty increase is welcome as well. More likely than not it will take you more than a couple of hours to complete it. The game has been recognized for its audio component as well, and that is a nice touch to go along with a neat puzzle game. This is a Humble Original title attached to the monthly bundle from September 2018. Currently, the developer is trying to make sure that those monthly customers will also receive their keys. The simple concept is very easy to follow, you can move in a linear non-unobstructed path in a horizontal direction, vertically, you have to jump over a single layer thick obstacle. The game provides arrows whenever you can make this jump. There are some other movement-altering set-pieces on the stage that make this a bit more complicated, but that's the basics. In order to complete the puzzles, there are pairs of objects of the same color/shape that you match up, and you have to collec them as a pair without collecting anything else at the same time. I understand what I am saying is not very clear, but I did make a first-look video when I started to play. This video covers me fiddling around in the initial stages not knowing what the heck I am doing and it goes through the first world. I ended up using about 1/2 hour for it, and from that, I extrapolated that it's a fairly small game. I am already more than half way done with the second world as well before the first hour mark, but that is not in the video. Take a look if you wish, though keep in mind that this video does contain some spoilers, and I do think a game like this is meant to be experienced by just jumping in, instead of watching someone else play it. In any case, here's the link if you are interested: https://youtu.be/VOsb9iJmSaw I really do enjoy the design of this game, I would not call it minimalistic, but it is pretty close to such. Yet the extra touches on the colors, the small amount of animation, and the nice soundtrack complement each other so well to really make this game stand out. It is a wordless adventure, and thus it is available in terms of access to anybody all ages. Of course the price is perhaps a little high game that is a fairly short experience, nonetheless, I do think that it is a unique adventure with fun puzzles that is worth your time. [quote]I received the product for free. I did not receive any compensation to write this review. The opinions represented here are entirely my own and were not influenced in any way.[/quote]

Initially was a fan of the game, but as I got further into it, it started to feel less like a puzzle game, and more like a really complicated maze. Visual and audio are great though, as you can plainly see from the trailer. I never really had any "problem solving" moments, it just felt like I was solving a line maze using the classic brute force method... AKA just hugging 1 side of the maze wall until you reach the end And that is basically what the gameplay started to turn into as I got further, albeit more complicated with switches, and rotations, moving platforms, etc. There were no real "aha" moments, it was usually just finding myself stumbling into the solution after exhausting all possible paths and being like "oh okay, i guess that was it". I could never really visualize the problem/solution process like with other puzzle games.

I absolutely adore this game. I don't ever write reviews but this game knocked it out of the park, so I have to let you all know why. I bought this game and finished it the same night because I was just having too much fun playing through it. Ethereal is an extremely unique and relaxing puzzle experience that has a perfect learning curve that keeps things interesting and challenging without letting you get stumped or feel like you don't have the tools to solve a problem. Every puzzle and mechanic is so elegantly designed, making for slick gameplay and non-stop moments of euphoria and allowing it to keep things fresh even to the final levels. I would 100% recommend this to anyone who is looking for a relaxing puzzle game to brighten a night with, because it sure kept me with a smile on my face for hours on end.

So you control a blob in a 2D world of puzzles, the initial rule you must know is you have free movement left and right only restricted by the walls, vertical movement is restricted as you can only pass through walls. The puzzles gradually increase in difficulty all while the world changes in colours and a series of calm sounds and a very harmonic backing track. The difficulty level gradually increases in a nice linear pace giving subtle hints, inherently the puzzles get difficult but the frustration is pretty much extinguished but the docile tones of the game. All the while the bright colourful world that’s ever changing provides a visual experience that draws you in with its simplicity and beauty.

[b]ethereal[/b] is kind of an exploratory puzzler. you wander around in cool-looking worlds, and while horizontal movement is allowed as long as nothing blocks your way, vertical movement is only possible if there's a single-width platform above or below. it's weird at first and gets a lot more disorienting with the various mechanics the game slowly introduces, but the basics are the same throughout: pick up matching colored things to open the exit and move on. there are 4 main worlds with 6 levels in each, plus some other areas here and there, and you have to navigate the worlds as well to get to the next level, so there's plenty of puzzling to do, especially if you want to hunt down the 2 secrets hidden in each world. they add absolutely nothing and since you [b]can't go back to earlier levels, if you're going for 100%, use a guide or be prepared to replay the whole thing[/b]. a level selector was promised months ago, still nothing, but according to the creators, you wouldn't be able to use it to get missing secrets or achievements anyway, just replay levels. not sure why developers insist on making everything more awkward and cumbersome than necessary, going against common sense and convenience, as if they'd never played a video game before. also, there are 3 save slots, so it makes zero sense to wipe progress after completing the game, especially if they wanted to add level selection at some point. otherwise the game is mostly okay from a technical standpoint. there are resolution options, windowed mode, and only a single volume slider, but there's no real background music, so it's fine. there's a really annoying 'globe' feel to the game with no way to make it look flat, and the mechanic that lets you move platforms yourself is not great, I often had a hard time figuring out what I can move. I guess it's part of the puzzle, but it could've been presented better somehow. you can also get stuck if you don't place platforms precisely where they should be, and only level reset helps. [b]ethereal[/b] provides relatively unique and fun gameplay for about 4 to 5 hours (more if you want to hunt down secrets on your own), it's not too challenging, just needs a little patience, but I think the asking price is too much, especially with the issues mentioned above, so at around 50% off I'd say give it a shot if you're interested.

I really want to like this game. The game's minimalist graphics and audio look and sound good. The difficulty curve is reasonable. It's short. It's also very linear. There's only two places I remember where I could choose what order to solve a pair of puzzles in. A few of the sliding blocks near the end of the game are [i]very[/i] finicky. You get three save slots, but after finishing the game on a save, the game clears that save. I get that they want you to replay the game over from the beginning to get all the achievements (there's no way to replay a "world" after you've completed it), but come on, why do this? What's the point? I'd like to see it show 100% at least once before uninstalling a game. I know it's stupid but this really annoys me. I can't recommend ETHEREAL.

An abstract puzzle game where you play a little dot moving along a horizontal lane. You can only move up or down when you have a "ceiling" or "floor" to climb over. You try to pick up matching shapes, but can only hold one shape at a time so the puzzle is in moving your dot through the level along a specific path. It's interesting for a little bit but you're basically solving complicated mazes, and I can only get so invested in lines and geometric shapes without interesting puzzles keeping me going.

- Can't backtrack to previous levels. If a secret is missed then you will have to start a new save file from 0. For real. - Resets to 0% after you finished the game. - Puzzle difficulty in general is about 3/10. - A lot of bugs that can sometimes softlock you. - Same 20s unskippable animation after every level. Very annoying. Conclusion: Buy yourself a better puzzle game and don't waste time on this one. For achievement hunters this game doesn't even count into one of your perfect games.

I was really excited for Ethereal because I love puzzle games and this one looked good quality. Those visuals quickly turned sour when the fisheye effect made me queasy after 10 or so minutes each play session, which is quite weird because I play VR for hours at a time with no problem. I beat world 2 of 4, and the file select says 45% so I gave this a fair shot. The visuals are unique but the "puzzles" aren't stimulating. The only challenge comes from having your movement in a direction restricted, so you go a different way. It's like a rat in a maze, when you hit a dead end you just go a different direction and it works out, not through intention just through persistence. The most challenge I had was trying to find my way out of a level after I had completed it. There is no map or ability to zoom in or out, so there are many times where you can't even see where you need to go if you wanted to, so you are just wandering left and right. They definitely made a puzzle game with a unique mechanic and cool visuals, they just forgot to make it fun.

Fun with fantastic visuals and sound design. The puzzles can be very challenging and will test your abstract thinking. This is a beautiful game, but man I am bad at it. EDIT: This is frustrating EDIT 2: I had to look up a guide this is insane