Distortions

TechQuila ( )

In the end however, we believe that Distortions is definitely worth playing. The game is set in a breathtaking world, and the visuals too are decent. The music goes well with the environments in the game, and overall it is a most intriguing experience.

Spazio Games (7 out of 10)

Distortions è un’avventura story-driven di grande sensibilità, raccontata attraverso le rarefatte atmosfere da sogno che riecheggiano nei ricordi dolorosi della protagonista. Le note del violino che suonerete plasmeranno le memorie, il mondo fittizio e la volontà ultima della protagonista, a lungo bloccata in un limbo da cui deve costringersi a uscire per riprendere in mano la propria vita.

COGConnected / Canadian Online Gamers Network (65 out of 100)

I don’t know where I stand with this game. The atmosphere, the music and the premise are all bristling with promise. The world you wander through is heartbreaking and surreal. The music follows you out of the game, snapping you awake at night, wondering where that guitar riff is coming from. But the mechanics under the hood are deeply flawed. Beyond the startling rigidity of your avatar and the janky controls, the game feel is all off. My computer, a perfectly respectable beast, had a hard time with this game. I’ve made my piece with that. I’m less okay with the long loading times, the sloppy animation and the hit-or-miss power implementation. Distortions is a bit of a hot mess. I’m entranced by the world on display, but I dread having to navigate it. With patience, this place could be wonderful to explore. Tread cautiously, however. Distortions will pull you in deep before punishing you repeatedly. All is not always what it seems.

4Players.de (63 out of 100)

Geigen-Mechaniken wie die Verformung der Welt oder das Austricksen finsterer Monster werden zwar auf verstreuten Notizen erklärt - vor ihrem Einsatz muss man aber oft erst einmal gründlich die bizarre Umgebung absuchen. Manchmal ist die Erkundung regelrecht erhebend, wenn man z.B. auf einem Felsbrocken über die malerische Traumwelt hinweg schwebt. Oder wenn man mehr über die reale Vorgeschichte erfährt, die sich ums Erlernen der Violine, Beziehungsprobleme und die verstorbene Schwester dreht. Zwischendurch sorgen aber die vagen Aufgabenstellungen, schlecht erkennbare Abzweigungen und die hölzerne Steuerung für Frust. Nach einigen Minuten des Herumirrens ging mir aber meistens doch noch ein Licht auf. Spielmechanische Feinheiten wie das Schleichen oder das magische Wegstoßen von Gegnern sind bei weitem nicht so sauber umgesetzt wie bei der Konkurrenz. Hinzu kommen technische und spielerische Macken.

TheSixthAxis (6 out of 10)

Distortions is a really mixed bag. The overall story of the Girl facing her psychological demons and overcoming the traumatic experiences that stranded her in this fantasy dreamworld is interesting and well handled, and I really liked the idea of using the violin as a kind of magical totem to transform and manipulate the world. The switches between perspectives and moments of introspection point to a sensitive appreciation of the deeper emotional resonances of Distortion’s narrative, but it just isn’t that fun to play. Dated and unresponsive controls, needlessly obscure exploration, and frustratingly unpredictable enemy encounters mean that it almost works better as a Let’s Play watch than it does as a game. Though the music is beautiful, hopefully Among Giants can improve for their next title.

New Game Network (37 out of 100)

Distortions adopts the negative connotations of its own name by offering an overpriced mix of poor storytelling, bad gameplay, lack of polish, and an outdated presentation.

Geeks Under Grace (2 out of 10)

Distortions is a game reminiscent of an era when "indie" was a euphemism for "subpar." While I am pleased that that time is long past, this game did not get the memo.