Liminality

TLDR: The current early access does not have enough content to justify the price imo. Dev promises to add more content- and has already been doing so- but as of right now (Sept 2024) it is just short and unfinished. I don't want to have to leave a bad review because the dev/devs seem very earnest in trying to make a good game, however at the moment I think there isn't enough content to justify the price and not enough reviews pointing this out. So far the game has 2 levels: Poolrooms and Backrooms. The whole game takes about 50 minutes and I have no idea how people have hours and hours in this game because I explored every part of both maps and also took a break to get chips in the middle to barely break an hour. The backrooms level alone was probably about 10 minutes with 3 being spent in the settings trying to adjust the video quality to give me more than 15 fps. The game hints at there being more survival/horror difficulty modes to come but right now the gameplay is: walk around, interact with something, the environment changes to make it harder to see, then leave (with the pool level requiring you to find some switches around the map). There are no enemies or threats. There also aren't any puzzles, just sheets of paper on walls telling you what to do and giving vague and not particularly original lore that you "work for a big unnamed corporation". NOW, I absolutely love liminal walking sims such as the complex, pools, lost tape and anemoiapolis, however, I don't think the map for this game is anywhere near big enough to be at that "get lost in the backrooms" vibe. I'd go so far as to say I've seen larger maps in Roblox backrooms games. There are also a lot of poorly implemented atmospheric features like the deep pools which you just sink directly to the bottom of and switches that awkwardly glow for some reason if you take too long to find them? The audio design is also not the best, with one cliche "liminal space" song looping per level and sound effects often not playing or doubling up (which i admit is a bit creepy when it sounds like there's someone walking right behind you). I hope that eventually I can recommend this game but as it is right now, you definitely have better options for titles in the liminal exploration genre than this one. Buy it if you truly trust that the devs will elevate this from the current bare bones demo it feels like currently into the game they are trying to promise you through locked "coming soon" stages/gamemodes/DLC.

リミナルスペース探索シミュレーター バックルームの各階層を歩こうぜというゲーム 先発に別開発のPOOLSというゲームが存在するが、あちらは純粋なウォーキングシミュレーターに対し、おそらくこちらはホラー要素を含む探索ゲームという位置づけのようだ。 ゲーム開始前の難易度設定では現時点でリミナルモードなる選択肢しか存在しないが、上位に3つの選択肢が存在しこれらの説明に『危険に遭遇する』等の不穏な一文が記されている。 ※逆にリミナルモードにはそのような記載はないので比較的平穏に遊べるだろう。 [b]追記[/b]エンティティの存在について 他のユーザーと開発がこの件について掲示板でのやり取りをしていた。 結論としては、標準難易度のリミナルモードにはエンティティ(襲撃者)は存在しないとのこと。 それより難しい難易度ではエンティティを登場させる予定のようだ。 ゲーム内容は誰も居ないリミナルスペースを一人で探索する事。ここはPOOLSとも似通っているが、このゲームの特徴として、真っ暗になった広いリミナルスペースを懐中電灯やグロウスティックを用いて探索するホラー要素を含むというもの。 どうやら画面暗転は必須のようで、暗転したあとは今まで探索した部屋に戻り、ギミックを作動させて照明を復旧させることでゲームが進行するようだ。 この暗転中が中々に雰囲気が出ていて、危険性は無いもののゾクゾクする、いわゆる肝試し感が味わえる。 本編は(※リリース直後のEA版なので開発が本来意図しているゲームプレイになるのか不明だが)リミナルスペースを探索しあちこちに落ちている用紙を集めバックストーリーを読み解き脱出するというもの。 実際のプレイはマップにある電源をあえて遮断し復旧させる(?)復旧したらやることがないのでまた落として復旧させる(??)といった状態。 2回目の遮断後はなんだか恐怖演出(自分以外の足音が聞こえる)が追加された気もするが、反復作業が始まった事とバグで操作不能になったので中断をした。なので続ければもっと変化があるかもしれないが、私はアプデまで様子見とする。 現時点では、リミナルスペースを安全にリラックスしながら探索したいという人にはPOOLSを強く勧める。描写やマップ構成とマップの広さ、雰囲気はこちらが勝っている。 一方でこちらは、POOLSより安価で明るかったり暗かったりするリミナルスペースを安全に探索するというニッチなポテンシャルがある。ゲーム性でもこちらが上だろう。 これらのパワーバランスがどう変わっていくかは、この作品のアップデート次第だということを念頭に置き、購入を検討していただきたい。 私は一応おすすめとしておくが、[b] EAという事を踏まえてギリギリおすすめなので[/b] 、購入の検討に一瞬でも迷いが生じた人は保留を勧める。

First two levels were quite good. Though others... It looks like they were VERY hastily made. Too many pointless dead-ends that lead nowhere, making you lose the desire to explore anything further. Although I love just wandering around in backrooms games and all the walking simulators, not bumping into monsters, but only encountering interactive things. Here I didn't find any. Speaking of music... it's nice, especially in the first two chapters, but because of the fact that it's a loop - got bored after a few repeats. Unfortunately, somewhere there are sounds of footsteps, somewhere there are not. In general, amazing work with light, liked the flashlight, but everything else - not at all.

Idek about this game man. I understand if you guys are going for the just atmosphere of the backrooms with small puzzles or whatever but The Backrooms: Lost Tape and Pools does it much better especially with the ambient tracks and the graphics of course. The ambience in the poolrooms (in this game) just got annoying after a little bit. Just some feedback I'd like to give you guys. I want this game to be good. Would I recommend this game? Not yet.

I thought the new chapters were fun and interesting to explore! Lots of cool visuals and atmosphere and I'm looking forward to trying out some of the harder game modes :D Here's a playthough on my channel: https://youtu.be/xyG_gAln0b0 and here are the new chapters: https://youtu.be/BbtDIyJrY-w

Finished the first two available maps, An extremely fun backrooms game with beautiful lighting and graphics. A really exciting time through the first two levels and excited to play the next ones that come out!

What a great experience Simple spooky maps and cool mechanics and 4 different difficulties with and without monsters really cool random events too Check this game out it's epic to play in the dark with the flashlight too and the game has a story told through manual paper notes you find on your travels:) cool game It's awesome to see this game being built=nice work Lory:)

Fun game and good for speedrunning. Game is pretty new at the time of writing, and obviously there are going to be bugs with new games, but nothing game breaking. The dev seems to be very active in the discord, and is working to patch out the small issues. There also looks to be a lot of upcoming chapters. Good gameplay and environment. For 7$, I have to recommend the game. Keep it up Lory

(UPDATE: So I'ma just say this rn, This "Game Dev" is using Demo Maps that you can find on FAB under the name "Customizable Poolrooms" AND "Swimming Pool Kit" now how do I know this? the screen shots of the asset pack line up EXACTLY with this games poolrooms levels layout and Screenshots. if the dev can't even make their own custom poolrooms with these asset packs, than I recommend YOU DO NOT GET THIS GAME! IT'S AN ASSET FLIP SCAM!) Other than that here's the rest of my Review! Not gonna lie, Game's kinda bad. I know that it's early access but for the price, the two levels that are available rn are kinda bad. there was a point where I fell into one of the pools and the oxygen meter kept going down even when I was walking on the surface (out of the water) until I died and had to restart the level. After that the whole oxygen meter thing never reappeared, even when I swam to the bottom of the pool. graphics are a meh, and the second level ( level 0) is bad also. run up some stairs grab a key then run back down. the ambiance for the game is also bad, sounds like something you'd hear from one of those cheaply made games that to the dev no effort to make just for a quick cash grab. for 6.99 not even close to worth the money.

A surreal experience for a trip of tranquility, fear and bliss unite into what we call a liminal space, whether its a lush grassy field or the infamous Poolrooms, there's something for you if you're into Liminal Spaces