THE CANON OF BALLS

Exactly what the doctor order.👌

Неплохо, со вкусом. Стильные и атмосферно-монструозно-выстроенные локации, которые в большинстве своём гармонично встраивают эдакие уровни с паркуром, за исключением предфинальной части, где уже пошли типичные бублики в воздухе, "сетчатые помещения" в небе и прочий недостаток фантазии. Судя по всему, мне до конца недолго оставалось, но задушился на пирамиде, так что свою долю удовольствия в "Souls'овском" смысле я получил. Сложность довольно умеренная, в целом после нескольких попыток всё легко проходится, за исключением пары моментов, где приходится кучу всего перепроходить для того, чтобы натренировать прохождение проблемного места. Геймплей драйвовый, прыгать и исследовать весело. А начало и середина игры - так вообще шик, будто бы в стиле эпохи игр с PS3, ощущение прям такое проскакивало. Впрочем, эстетика весьма похожа, как и геймдизайн в целом. Для такого ценника - вообще шикарно! Честно, вообще не ожидал, что так понравится.

THE CANON OF BALLS takes precision platforming in an unconventional direction, combining physics-driven movement with a large, nonlinear world where mastering traversal is the main objective. Developed and published by Helios Monk, it is built around an easy-to-understand but demanding movement system that rewards persistence, experimentation, and increasingly precise control. Instead of pushing players through a straightforward sequence of stages, it encourages exploration and allows individual platforming courses to function as distinctive challenges scattered throughout a much larger environment. Movement is where the experience succeeds most clearly. Rolling, maintaining momentum, judging distances, correcting trajectories, and understanding how the physics react to different surfaces gradually become skills rather than simple controls. The basic mechanics are accessible enough to grasp quickly, but difficult courses expose how much room there is for improvement. Failed attempts become part of learning a route, particularly when obstacles demand careful positioning or confident commitment to a jump. This produces the satisfying progression common to strong precision platformers, where an obstacle that initially seems unreasonable can eventually become almost routine after enough practice. The open-world structure makes that mechanical challenge more interesting because there is deliberately little hand-holding. There are no conventional quest markers, minimaps, or excessive tutorials constantly pointing toward the next destination. Players are encouraged to observe their surroundings, recognize landmarks, investigate unusual structures, and determine where they want to go. It can occasionally make navigation confusing, but that confusion is intentional. Discovering a new route or finding another platforming course feels more meaningful when the player actually located it rather than simply following an icon. The environment itself complements this philosophy particularly well. The world is handcrafted rather than assembled around an obviously repetitive modular level kit, helping individual locations maintain recognizable identities. Each parkour course is designed around its own concept or variation, which prevents the experience from feeling like the same obstacle sequence endlessly rearranged. The strange combination of imposing architecture, dark fantasy imagery, underground spaces, gothic elements, and deliberately retro-looking presentation creates an atmosphere that feels surprisingly appropriate for such a playful concept. There is an amusing contrast between the intimidating scenery and the simple reality that much of the adventure involves desperately trying to keep a ball from flying off a platform. Sound also contributes significantly to the sensation of movement. Considerable emphasis has been placed on giving the ball convincing weight and making physical interactions feel immediate. That feedback matters because a physics-focused platformer needs its movement to communicate momentum clearly. Successful landings feel satisfying, while mistakes usually provide enough feedback for players to understand what happened and adjust their next attempt. The responsive presentation keeps repeated failures from becoming as tedious as they might be in a less polished movement system. Online co-op provides another major part of the appeal, although it is better understood as shared platforming than traditional cooperative puzzle solving. The courses do not require multiple players, and the entire adventure remains playable solo. With friends, however, the open world becomes a social playground where groups can invent their own style of play. Players can race toward collectibles, compete to finish difficult routes first, explore independently, or wait for one another and progress together. There are few artificial multiplayer rules forcing everyone into a specific objective, allowing the entertainment to emerge naturally from the group. This freedom creates some wonderfully chaotic situations. Watching a friend repeatedly fail a difficult section can be just as entertaining as completing it yourself, while spontaneous races can transform familiar routes into competitive challenges. The inspiration from the social experience of playing old community parkour maps is noticeable. Multiplayer works because players are sharing the same struggle rather than because the game forces elaborate teamwork mechanics upon them. Anyone primarily interested in solo play is not receiving a compromised version either, since every challenge remains achievable without another participant. There are nevertheless aspects that will divide players. Minimal guidance means anyone who prefers structured objectives may spend considerable time wondering where to go. Precision platforming naturally involves repetition, and particularly demanding obstacles can require many unsuccessful attempts. The physics-oriented movement also means that small errors can have disproportionately painful consequences when they occur near the end of a difficult sequence. These qualities are integral to the intended challenge, but they make the experience better suited to patient players than those looking for relaxed, consistently forgiving platforming. Steam Deck compatibility is less straightforward. The Steam store currently does not display an official Valve Steam Deck Verified or Playable rating for the game. Its Steam metadata does indicate controller-related configuration information and a Deck resolution override, but those details should not be mistaken for official verification. Therefore, handheld players should currently treat Steam Deck support as unverified rather than assuming full compatibility. Proton behavior, performance, controls, readability, and online functionality may require additional testing before the handheld experience can be confidently recommended. Overall, this is a distinctive platformer that understands exactly what kind of audience it wants to attract. Its combination of challenging physics, open-ended exploration, handcrafted environments, varied parkour courses, minimal guidance, atmospheric presentation, and freeform multiplayer gives it considerably more personality than a conventional collection of obstacle courses. Some players will inevitably dislike the repeated failures and absence of constant direction, but those who enjoy learning movement systems and overcoming difficult traversal challenges will find plenty of satisfaction. Whether exploring alone or turning difficult routes into an improvised competition with friends, it successfully makes the process of movement itself the adventure. Rating: 8/10

I don't have to play more than 30min to know that for the price it's worth it. Genuinely fun 1st person 3D platformer that's WELL worth the cost. You can tell this game is made with passion and care

The sound effects and the atmosphere are top notch. The physics are very satisfying. The level design is superb (aside from the maze but I hate mazes). Everything has AURA in this game. The only thing I would recommend is maybe making a level editor so people can add their own. It would add infinite longevity to the game and if you implemented workshop support. OOOOOOW WEEEE.

Just rolling around and climbing these massive structures feels really satisfying. The movement takes a little getting used to, but once it clicks, it feels great.