NaissanceE

 PC
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 59 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 37 out of 59
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 59
  3. Negative: 11 out of 59

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  1. evild4ve
    Mar 7, 2014
    2
    It's much less breathtaking than it looks. The puzzles, at least during the first hour or so which was all I could endure, involve pressing light switches to move floating light sources around that make certain platforms appear and disappear. At first it looks like a clever mechanic like Closure (but in 3D), but it's really just switches. In HUGE levels, with no particular idea of whereIt's much less breathtaking than it looks. The puzzles, at least during the first hour or so which was all I could endure, involve pressing light switches to move floating light sources around that make certain platforms appear and disappear. At first it looks like a clever mechanic like Closure (but in 3D), but it's really just switches. In HUGE levels, with no particular idea of where you're supposed to be going or why. It isn't open exploration, there's a linear route - and it's just intentionally not marked out well, or indeed at all. It's like: if I crawl through this little space here and jump over these boxes I'm in the "next" area, which is much like the last one except the boxes are a different way round. The gigantic scale looks good, but it's dull to wander round it. Another game that had this problem was EYE: Divine Cybermancy - if you've played the particular couple of maps in that with vast outdoor areas that take five minutes to walk across but have nothing to interact with or particularly look at on the way, that's pretty much NaissanceE. Only, without anything to do at the end of the long walk, or anything to look at on the way other than grey boxes.

    Another puzzle that annoyed me early on involved navigating down a big grey "lift shaft" type thing by hopping from ledge to ledge (long drops kill you forcing a return to the last save), and the puzzle is that the only available light source slowly drifts up and down the middle of the "lift shaft" so that you have to wait 30 seconds between each jump. I hate it when games make things difficult in the game that would be easy if you were physically there - and in this case could feel for the sheer drops at the edges of the ledges.

    I'm being really down on this game. It does have a moody, mysterious atmosphere going for it. But probably so would Halo if you removed the plot and replaced all the scenery with grey boxes and put a sort of pixelly filter over the front of everything. And it could well have profound spiritual revelations waiting further into the game, about loneliness, or whether anything means anything... but I just have a creeping suspicion that I could get the same revelations by walking around a shopping mall at night wearing dark glasses. They seem to be patching it lots, and it's a genuine indie not a cynical cash-in, I could just have done with more freedom to get lost walking round a huge grey building, the linearity at the start was a huge disappointment. Back to Anti-Chamber for me!    … Expand
  2. I_Am_Turok
    Jan 15, 2015
    4
    Super Mario platforming meets arty environment. Unfortunately, all the positives that others spoke of, mood, emotion, exploration etc. I simply could not find nor feel. The levels are big, but it's still essentially quite linear. Some parts really are nice to look at, as it the music to listen to. But the large map size means lots of sameness. I started to groan once I had to jump movingSuper Mario platforming meets arty environment. Unfortunately, all the positives that others spoke of, mood, emotion, exploration etc. I simply could not find nor feel. The levels are big, but it's still essentially quite linear. Some parts really are nice to look at, as it the music to listen to. But the large map size means lots of sameness. I started to groan once I had to jump moving platforms. And it's not an exploration of anything, you're just running to the end, and the end is, well, a relief but not much else. To be a good platformer, it needs a lot more detail throughout, and inventiveness. To be a good exploration game, it needs more story background also. But where it is now, it's basically running, jumping, lights, platforms and lots of corridors and edges. It just about holds the attention, just barely, plus the sometimes nice areas, a 4 for good effort but could have been more.… Expand
  3. Brousitch
    Jun 29, 2015
    3
    Game that demands precise movement through breathtaking levels; spacious and deep environments where every misstep means certain death at the bottom of colossal structures. You are taught the hard way to "look before you leap"... and then in the last level after hours of wandering through vast desert developer decides you are supposed to commit suicide and jump into pit. What?! I thinkGame that demands precise movement through breathtaking levels; spacious and deep environments where every misstep means certain death at the bottom of colossal structures. You are taught the hard way to "look before you leap"... and then in the last level after hours of wandering through vast desert developer decides you are supposed to commit suicide and jump into pit. What?! I think this sums up this desperate, frustrating and uneven attempt at video game design.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
66

Mixed or average reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 12
  3. Negative: 1 out of 12
  1. CD-Action
    Jun 28, 2014
    50
    If the game makes you think about Journey, Mirror’s Edge and Antichamber, it must be great, right? Right? RIGHT?! [CD-Action 05/2014, p.71]
  2. Games.cz
    Apr 18, 2014
    70
    A maze for all those virtual tourists and spelunkers, who have deadly desire to find out what is at the end of an alienated underworld city that may constantly surprise you. For instance, with its jumping over platforms, which may be a very unnerving experience.
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  3. Post Arcade (National Post)
    Mar 11, 2014
    60
    NaissancE is a beautiful game, but without much direction it can feel like a never ending mire of running, jumping, and falling. That being said, is the game worth spending $20 on? Certainly.
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