Cloudbuilt

 PC
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 37 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 37
  3. Negative: 3 out of 37

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  1. DecryptedGaming
    Jan 19, 2015
    8
    One of the most satisfying parkour games to date. With tons of missions, an interesting plot, and with a few flaws, you have an indie game that might have out-done Mirror's Edge!
  2. sinadoom
    Oct 7, 2014
    5
    I love speed running games - especially those with a unique art style and vibe, such as Mirror's Edge. However, I also favour simplicity, accessibility and the addiction of trying to improve times without having to play the game 24/7. Unlike more pick-up-and-play runners like T.E.C. 3001, Cloudbuilt requires you to commit many many hours just to get a satisfactory performance on a level.I love speed running games - especially those with a unique art style and vibe, such as Mirror's Edge. However, I also favour simplicity, accessibility and the addiction of trying to improve times without having to play the game 24/7. Unlike more pick-up-and-play runners like T.E.C. 3001, Cloudbuilt requires you to commit many many hours just to get a satisfactory performance on a level. And by satisfactory, I mean a gold medal. The game starts off with a pointless story where you're stuck in a room. Instead of having the level select screen from the game's main menu, you have to go into the room, press E on the bed in the room and you can play. It's utterly pointless! Once you get in the game, you have some rather intuitive game mechanics - a meter which can be used for double jumps and boosting (either on ground or in mid-air), the ability to wallrun, the ability to hold onto a wall to time your jumps and of course, the ability to climb. What makes Cloudbuilt more challenging is that the obstacles you encounter are actual enemies - some are turrets which you can shoot, others are balls of electricity etc. and avoiding death is a challenge on its own. More so than any other game in its genre, Cloudbuilt emphasizes verticality and finding shortcuts. The level design is very abstract - it's essentially just concrete blocks placed in mid-air which you must traverse whilst avoiding the enemies and falling off. The game is extremely fast-paced too, and luckily, restarting a level is a hotkey and is immediate without loading or "3...2..1...GO!", which is very much necessary otherwise it would be downright unplayable. Unlike T.E.C. 3001, the levels are anything but linear, and trying to work out where you're meant to go is far more difficult than it should be - thus leading to frustration. And unlike Mirror's Edge, you can't simply stop and explore the level to work out which paths are optimal, because the game gives you a limited number of lives unless you restart, and in most cases it's impossible because the moment you stop to think about how to do the level, the enemies kill you. The game makes almost no attempt to assist you in finding better routes. This would be fine if the entire game wasn't a test of how well you know the level. no matter how much you've mastered the mechanics of the game, putting them into practice is seldom rewarding or satisfying - it often feels rushed and more awkward than awesome. Overall, Cloudbuilt is a game with too much depth for its own good. What makes games in this genre attractive is the ability to instantly pick the game up and getting hooked on shaving off milliseconds from your time. In Cloudbuilt, you will most likely be shaving off minutes until you spend countless hours learning the levels and getting to grips with the game mechanics just to get to the exciting part. If you're a hardcore speedrunning freak and want a real challenge which will keep you occupied for hundreds of hours, Cloudbuilt might just be for you. If you're after a fun, casual experience which you can dip in and out of, you will be sorely disappointed.… Expand
  3. DaGleese
    Jul 13, 2014
    9
    I really do like this game, it really brings back a feeling of nostalgia, like I'm playing a game on my Sega Dreamcast. The visuals are obviously far greater tha the dreamcast could output, but the fast responsive gameplay, the colours, the level by level approach. I've missed this!

    This game is essentially what the Sonic the Hedgehog games SHOULD have become if Sega and Sonic Team    I really do like this game, it really brings back a feeling of nostalgia, like I'm playing a game on my Sega Dreamcast. The visuals are obviously far greater tha the dreamcast could output, but the fast responsive gameplay, the colours, the level by level approach. I've missed this!

    This game is essentially what the Sonic the Hedgehog games SHOULD have become if Sega and Sonic Team actually knew what they were doing! It's a complete blast! There is no set way to beat a level, you are limited in what you can do with your movement, but basically you are given an obstacle course, and how you make it from start to finish is entirely up to you. It's a refreshing change from the usual "press this button now, then follow this exact path" kind of gameplay that seems to dominate the market these days in platformers.    … Expand
  4. dostende
    Apr 16, 2014
    9
    This is the game I'd make if I had the persistence to actually finish making a game for once.

    As far as non-gameplay things go, it fulfills a bunch of criteria I've always had that I've never seen combined into a single game before. 1. It's visually unique and colorful. 2. The main character's a woman for once. 3. She's got high tech armor with jets! 4. She's not sexualized! 5. The    This is the game I'd make if I had the persistence to actually finish making a game for once.

    As far as non-gameplay things go, it fulfills a bunch of criteria I've always had that I've never seen combined into a single game before.
    1. It's visually unique and colorful.
    2. The main character's a woman for once.
    3. She's got high tech armor with jets!
    4. She's not sexualized!
    5. The story is surreal and personal.
    6. There's very little violence. The only things you shoot are totally inhuman robots and turrets, and often times the best option is to run past them instead of fight.

    And for gameplay, it combines all my favorite things:
    1. It's fast. Real fast.
    2. It forces you to repeat things until you perfect them, with zero loading time between runs.
    3. It has countless moments that make you think "nailed it!".
    4. Your main competitor is yourself.

    I only have two minor complains.
    1. The levels are very open with multiple paths, but some of the paths feel completely pointless. You get the sense that not everything was placed with thought and purpose.
    2. The controls are not quite as tight as they could be. I often find myself wondering, "Why did my character just do that?" That being said, this feeling seems to be waning as I play more, so I guess they just take some time getting used to.    … Expand
  5. ZeroFahrenheit
    Apr 13, 2014
    10
    Cloudbuilt is one of my favorite games. I feel the negative reviews are fueled by frustrated gamers who simply don't have the skill to play this game. As one of the top ranking players I'll say that this game is hardcore and has VERY precise controls. There is no assisted controls which I feel a less competent gamer will mistake as inaccurate. The movements have multiple differentCloudbuilt is one of my favorite games. I feel the negative reviews are fueled by frustrated gamers who simply don't have the skill to play this game. As one of the top ranking players I'll say that this game is hardcore and has VERY precise controls. There is no assisted controls which I feel a less competent gamer will mistake as inaccurate. The movements have multiple different combination that most players wont figure out even if they complete all the levels. The difficulty is high and I found myself frustrated by the second level!

    Graphically I'd say this game is good, It looks good and reminds me of how maps in Borderlands render.

    Game play is great, rewarding to get your first S rank runs and see your name in the top ten leader boards. The maps flow well and you will either find yourself blasting through the levels simply to reach the exit. Or dodging all but key enemies to get that perfect run.

    Audio is awesome, I don't recall who made the soundtrack but it really matches the futuristic and fast paced environment of Cloudbuilt.

    Replay value is definitely lthere. I'll put money against anyone who says they will clear every level with an A rank their first run through. Heck, Ill give them ten tries a level to get A rank with money on the line!

    Overall, I feel Cloudbuilt should be pulling at least an 80 in score on Metacritic. I'm giving it 100 because I truly love the game and it is the best speed running game I have played since Marble Blast Ultra.    … Expand
  6. NoPanDa
    Apr 3, 2014
    10
    Might take a few minutes to get used to the controls but it's worth it. I have never had this much freedom in any puzzle game. This is the most negative thing I have to say about the game.

    The gameplay, graphics, story and gameplay are just wonderful and are all beautifully put together. I'd say it's a must play for anyone that calls himself a gamer.
  7. 8fortime
    Mar 31, 2014
    9
    Cloudbuilt is a speedrunners wet dream and a grace to your eyes. The graphics are beautiful and the music almost outshines it with it´s retro-feel. The controls are tight so you feel like you´re in full control, which makes it even more soothing beating a level.
    Being Coilworks first game makes this a damn impressive game.
  8. Pumpkins10
    Mar 25, 2014
    6
    If it weren't for the loose controls and keyboard hiccups, then this game would definitely deserve a better score.

    the level design is great, the amount of freedom you have to explore the level is something you rarely see in modern games anymore. it definitely reminds me of the old sonic games in terms of ways you can traverse the the game. enemy placement is annoying, they get in your    If it weren't for the loose controls and keyboard hiccups, then this game would definitely deserve a better score.

    the level design is great, the amount of freedom you have to explore the level is something you rarely see in modern games anymore. it definitely reminds me of the old sonic games in terms of ways you can traverse the the game. enemy placement is annoying, they get in your way at the most awful times, and is often rage inducing, however this is obviously intentional.

    The game is hard, There's no doubt about that. You get limited lives, checkpoints are scarce, and it's incredibly easy to die. the platforms are small and tricky to jump across and there is a barrage of enemies and projectiles to deal with too - and none of this is made any better by the controls.

    The control is loose, inaccurate, and extremely difficult to get the hang of. I'm in no way a master of the game, but I can definitely feel that the character is not behaving as my button presses intended her to do. there are also glitches involving the controls, keys often get stuck, sometimes inputs are delayed, and there are occasions where inputs aren't registered whatsoever. It makes timing very hard, the hiccups aren't predictable, so compensating for them is rarely effective and often results in death.

    Apart from those issues, the game is great. The story is simple yet interesting, the aesthetic is gorgeous, and the soundtrack is intense and compelling. the only really issues I have are with the controls, which for a platform / parkour game should really be tightened up.

    also, the game engine lacks an anti-aliasing feature. the game is fast so you wouldn't notice jaggies when traversing levels, but within the bedroom area and when you stop to look around, then the edges are quite rough.    … Expand
  9. SenshudoTV
    Mar 20, 2014
    9
    While this is Coilworks first game, Cloudbuilt is a tough but extremely fun game to play, offering beautiful graphics, and an epic soundtrack. This is by far Indie Game of the year so far! It’s a must buy, and would be extremely good fun to watch how Speed Runners tackle the challenge. I would love to see Cloudbuilt on consoles at a later date (which hasn’t been fully ruled out yet).

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Games.cz
    May 27, 2014
    80
    The game's story should have explained why we are trying to jump with the heroine protagonist through floating levels in the air. But nonetheless, Cloudbuilt is a perfect platformer that will charm you with a booster-like tempo along with its graphics.
    Read full review
  2. Destructoid
    May 10, 2014
    60
    It's frustrating to play and frustrating to recommend. I like the style, I like the parkour mechanics overall, but there's a lot of junk to contend with. The antagonistic design (minefields everywhere) is one thing, but the unforgiving checkpoints and limited lives lead to a lot of repetition.
    Read full review
  3. Games Master UK
    May 4, 2014
    82
    Beautiful and ruthlessly addictive. Be prepared to lose your time. And the feeling in your fingers. [June 2014, p.68]
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