- Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios , Capybara Games
- Release Date: Dec 14, 2018
- Also On: PlayStation 4, Xbox One
- Critic score
- Publication
- By date
- Unscored
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Apr 4, 2019Below is divisive. Few will argue about the bleak beauty of the game, but everything else sets it up as a title you'll either love or hate, with few reservations. From the lack of instructions to the slow pace and the combat and survival mechanics, there are things that seem to conflict with one another but work fine at the same time. It is a game that asks you to stick with it for a while, and you'll be rewarded with an atmosphere that allows you to interpret things your way. Given some of the game's shortcomings, not everyone will have the commitment to playing until they encounter that "Eureka!" moment. As such, Below gets a cautious recommendation if you weren't already sold on the idea.
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Feb 4, 2019For a majority of what BELOW sets out to accomplish, it does well. However, there are aspects which might deter: the potential monotony and a lack of a clear incentive to proceed further and see this story through.
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Jan 17, 2019There’s a fun and challenging experience down in the depths of Below, especially in the very lowest levels. Unfortunately, the cumbersome design will turn players away and keep the game’s treasures hidden forever.
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Jan 17, 2019The art style is so beautiful to enjoy, but the gameplay is too repetitive to bear.
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Jan 13, 2019Below has simple but satisfying combat, is easy on the eyes and ears, and the crafting system is fun once you get to grips with it. The trouble is, unlike other recent roguelike games, it doesn’t value fun above frustration and actively punishes you for slip-ups. Despite this, it’s a compelling experience, just not necessarily a fun one.
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Jan 10, 2019The atmosphere and presentation shine, but the gameplay in Below is at times frustratingly repetitive.
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Jan 2, 2019Below's extreme demands for patience and tolerance remain right through to the game's mysterious ending. But despite its assured aesthetic and the initial pleasures of discovery, Below will eventually turn into a slog for all but the most committed of players.
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Dec 21, 2018Below is an incredibile and artistic journey, but not a great rogue lite.
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Dec 21, 2018BELOW held a series of incredible highs and depressing lows, and harbored several unlovable mechanics. But its tense environment and enchanting ambiance kept the experience alive to the very end for me.
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Dec 21, 2018It might not get the balance right when it comes to deciding when and when not to teach players the rules in place, but for those willing to look past these frustrations and bear the brunt of a grueling introduction, BELOW‘s simplified stylings and anxious trek downward offer up a decent-enough spin on survival and roguelike exploration alike.
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Dec 20, 2018Below is a gorgeous, atmospheric dungeon crawler that is difficult to take in at the pace it deserves because of oppressive survival mechanics.
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Dec 18, 2018Some players will relish the challenge, but I just couldn't. Not in this game. Below puts its best foot forward in its early hours and then never stops losing steam. If the experience were somehow compressed into a tighter six- to eight-hour adventure, I'd confidently recommend it to a wide audience. As it stands, the game has a masterful command of ambience, but it comes with too many caveats.
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Dec 18, 2018Below is a good game, but it could have been something great with some more attention to things that were bound to frustrate gamers from the get-go. It's a solid adventure, and a wonderfully interesting mystery. But it's not always fun to play.
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Dec 17, 2018Despite my love for the art direction and music of BELOW, the gameplay's flaws have led me to ultimately dislike the game overall. It's not completely bad, but a lot of it feels shallow and bland compared to other roguelikes.
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Dec 17, 2018Capy’s tough-love approach and well-worn survival systems makes it harder to appreciate Below’s singular look and feel.
| This publication does not provide a score for their reviews. | |
| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
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Dec 18, 2018It’s a brute of a game. I think I like it. But I’m not sure. Ask me in another 30 hours.
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Jan 4, 2019Progress feels so gradual as to be nonexistent, and can be instantly wiped out — but not in a calculated way like the difficulty of Dark Souls. In a sort of hopeless way. Each warrior is a tiny Sisyphus.
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Dec 21, 2018Personally, I can’t handle it in more than a few short bursts at a time, but it keeps sticking in the back of my brain, luring me back, a dark, mysterious island of a game just begging to be explored.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 28 out of 67
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Mixed: 15 out of 67
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Negative: 24 out of 67
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Dec 15, 2018
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Dec 14, 2018
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Dec 18, 2018