P-O-L-L-E-N

 PC
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 10
  3. Negative: 2 out of 10
  1. USgamer
    Apr 23, 2016
    90
    With P.O.L.L.E.N, Mindfield Games goes beyond the basics of first-person adventures for a time-traveling journey full of things to tinker with. And if you have an Oculus Rift, you may find it even easier to fall in love with their well-crafted world.
  2. Pelit (Finland)
    May 9, 2016
    85
    Though both the game's story and the way it is told are not exactly original, exploring the wonderfully immersive sci-fi environments more than make up for it. VR gear or not, Pollen is a captivating experience. [May 2016]
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  3. The Games Machine
    Apr 28, 2016
    80
    Despite an imperfect narration and a lack of longevity, P-O-L-L-E-N provides us with astonishing scenarios (in VR, and with "normal" monitors as well) and suggestions inspired by some masterpieces of the sci-fi literature.
  5. Adventure Gamers
    Jun 13, 2016
    70
    P.O.L.L.E.N is a slick, atmospheric and unnerving experience that is let down by its short length, confused plot and tired storytelling devices.
  6. Brash Games
    May 6, 2016
    60
    Retailing at £18.99 / $25, P.O.L.L.E.N. just doesn’t seem to offer enough content or mechanical diversity to justify a full-price purchase. Like a valuable trinket, it’s polished and pretty to look at, but doesn’t represent anything that hasn’t been done before.
  7. COGconnected
    Apr 29, 2016
    60
    A promising first attempt at what could potentially be achieved with VR.
  8. GameCritics
    Jun 5, 2016
    55
    P.O.L.L.E.N. fails to live up to its lofty narrative aspirations, but deserves credit for its considered, lovingly-crafted aesthetic and intriguing premise.
  9. GameSpot
    May 2, 2016
    50
    Pollen’s visual design is beautiful and the atmosphere it creates is strong, but the game falls short when the narrative and storytelling method fail to give it substance.
  10. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Sep 14, 2016
    40
    Excellently crafted game, that is, unfortunately, far from its potential. Flat gameplay and short playing time don´t outweigh otherwise above average game environment with a great eye for detail. [Issue#266]
    All this publication's reviews
  11. Games.cz
    May 19, 2016
    40
    Space adventure with a short story and imperfect game mechanics is a typical example of unfulfilled potential. On the Saturn's moon, Titan, a spectacular adventure could have taken place, but only the original plot is worth mentioning.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
4.3

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 18 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 18
  3. Negative: 9 out of 18
  1. LuckyLuky
    Jan 8, 2017
    8
    Very well made. Obviously a game for adults, not for kids, ence the poor reviews from the pew-pew kids crowd. Very good graphics, story soundVery well made. Obviously a game for adults, not for kids, ence the poor reviews from the pew-pew kids crowd. Very good graphics, story sound and atmosphere.… Full Review »
  2. adpirtle
    May 31, 2016
    8
    I suppose I can understand the mixed and negative reviews this game (for lack of a better term) has racked up among users. There's not much inI suppose I can understand the mixed and negative reviews this game (for lack of a better term) has racked up among users. There's not much in the way of puzzles to be solved, and the ones that exist are pretty rudimentary. It's really just a very well-crafted virtual reality space station (or Titan station - whatever) environment for you to explore (in alternating realities), while occasionally coming across weird and sometimes creepy clues as to what happened to the station's crew, concluding with an extensive, Space Odyssey-inspired VR roller coaster ride that looks amazing, even on a flat screen.

    Perhaps my experience was better because the game is included in Nvidia's Geforce Now streaming games package. I might have enjoyed it less if it cost me real money to play.    … Full Review »
  3. spacelad
    Apr 26, 2016
    4
    This game had such potential, and it would have been great if the developer had just done a few things quite differently. The graphics andThis game had such potential, and it would have been great if the developer had just done a few things quite differently. The graphics and audio and cool rarely visited setting are awesome and that was what got me excited about the game in the first place. But the game is way too short for the price they're charging - something like 3 or so hours in total, with no real replayability. The story is pretty weird and confused and the ending is rushed and really left me dissatisfied, one of the voice actors got badly on my nerves doing some European accented Dana Scully impersonation or something, and other than some really basic puzzles and walking around there isn't much to the actual gameplay... I threw a space basket ball at a space hoop for a while. Then there are the technical problems... playing with rift was sort of immersive and there are features to help the player be less sick (so I might not be the only one who couldn't really enjoy that experience too much) but still it left me feeling really dizzy in a way VR hasn't made me feel before and even on a normal monitor it doesn't run all that well with some framerate issues and weird texture problems at times.

    If the game had have been an hour longer, or 10 dollars cheaper, or had a satisfying conclusion instead of the "ohno! we need to release this game but don't know how to end it, so let's make some fractal demo thingy!" ending, I'd have rated this a 6 instead of a 4.    … Full Review »
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