The Polynomial - Space of the music

 PC
User Score
5.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 16 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 16
  3. Negative: 4 out of 16

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  1. YazzleDazzle
    Dec 9, 2012
    8
    First thing is first, for the pricetag, this game is definitely worth any audiophile's money. For only a few bucks, you can't expect much but this game didn't fail to impress.

    The visuals are... breathtaking. The integration of music into the environment adds a layer of beauty to the game that is stunning. The game does a beautiful job at analyzing your music and syncing to it in some    First thing is first, for the pricetag, this game is definitely worth any audiophile's money. For only a few bucks, you can't expect much but this game didn't fail to impress.

    The visuals are... breathtaking. The integration of music into the environment adds a layer of beauty to the game that is stunning. The game does a beautiful job at analyzing your music and syncing to it in some very neat ways. One of my favorite things to do is to turn off the enemies, switch to the christmas tree level, tweak the settings to the style of music and just fly around listening. It is beautiful. One genre of music that works very well is dubstep. My personal favorite song for this game is Choose Me II by Xilent. Another reason i turn the enemies off, is beacuase the actual game part of the game isn't that great. You fly around and kill as many pacman shaped enemies as you can. Thats it. Don't forget though, small price-tag. That being said, while not deep, the gameplay is well developed. With power-ups and allies and stuff its fun for short gaming sessions. The screen effects are very nice and I occasionally just stand still and die to watch the screen effects as you get hit and die. This game is all show, and that's alright by me. If you're looking for something to do while you listen to your music for up to an hour, this game is perfect. Its a great game to show off to your friends too. I haven't showed anyone this game without them staring wide-eyed blankly at it. Also, I think this review is the first time i've heard anyone talk about the game without using the word trippy. Oh wait, nvm. Worth every penny (if partially because they aren't asking for many). Great game and cudos to the developers.    … Expand
  2. Vaseliini
    Feb 16, 2013
    0
    I bought this game for 2$ and I want my money back! This game was boring as hell... if you can even call it a game. your object is to shoot freaking space PAC-MAN's while your own music is playing on the background.
  3. PieBeast
    Jan 27, 2012
    2
    I bought this game for about 5$ or for about 2.50$ during a sale and to be honest, I regret it. Sure this game does look pretty cool and it's nice that you can put your own music into the game and it will change how the effects and enemies work. In the end though, there's not really that much content that an average gamer would like: all you do it fly around and shoot one single type ofI bought this game for about 5$ or for about 2.50$ during a sale and to be honest, I regret it. Sure this game does look pretty cool and it's nice that you can put your own music into the game and it will change how the effects and enemies work. In the end though, there's not really that much content that an average gamer would like: all you do it fly around and shoot one single type of enemy that looks like a 3-d pacman. I'd recommend looking up a video of this game before purchasing to make absolute sure you like this game. In my opinion though, this game deserves a 2, since it's nice that you can put your own music in and there are quite a few different and good looking types of maps, but all the maps are basically the same but with a slightly different appearance and there's no content.… Expand
  4. Pernix
    Mar 25, 2012
    8
    Although I wouldn't necessarily call it a full-fledged game, The Polynomial is definitely something I'd consider an excellent work of visual art and concept. The in-game dynamics and visual effects make for a great visualizer for your music, though older computers may not be able to harness them to their full potential. The idea of controlling a spacecraft to defeat multiple enemies whileAlthough I wouldn't necessarily call it a full-fledged game, The Polynomial is definitely something I'd consider an excellent work of visual art and concept. The in-game dynamics and visual effects make for a great visualizer for your music, though older computers may not be able to harness them to their full potential. The idea of controlling a spacecraft to defeat multiple enemies while listening to your music is actually quite clever, although it will eventually become something completely dull and negligible after a few hours, nay, minutes, of playtime. Needless to say, I immediately switched to the difficulty setting with no enemies or other obstacles, and simply watched the pulsating galaxies.

    If you're into some serious visual effects being paired with music of your choice, then this is the game to purchase. If you're looking for a game with some actual hands-on action, however, I'd steer towards another title.    … Expand
  5. Overrwatcher
    Sep 6, 2011
    8
    This is not a game. Actually, technically it is, but the gameplay elements are atrociously boring. This is a work of art. for sure. At $10, It is worth the price if you want a zen experience.
  6. kotay
    Dec 24, 2011
    0
    got this from steam for crafting 7 pieces of coal, wish I kept the coal, such a boring game, doesn't have anything to do with the music you play, the game doesn't seem to react to different music at all, there is no point to the game other than to shoot easy **** things and rinse repeat, no challenge, no substance, no full stops
  7. THE-Wind
    Apr 2, 2013
    7
    Very trippy. I like this game. Sure, it is not a AAA dog fighting set-piece battle with boss fights, plot and other such business. This is a game for getting in the zone and more like surfing than flying. The big idea is that you fly a ship that is pretty slow and you try to maintain proximity to the 'wave' in order to go faster. You can also fly over power-ups (or friendly units) thatVery trippy. I like this game. Sure, it is not a AAA dog fighting set-piece battle with boss fights, plot and other such business. This is a game for getting in the zone and more like surfing than flying. The big idea is that you fly a ship that is pretty slow and you try to maintain proximity to the 'wave' in order to go faster. You can also fly over power-ups (or friendly units) that heal and speed-boost you. There is one type of baddie for those people who must shoot things to have a fun game experience but this is not the point of the game. Riding the wave is the point. The 'wave' is a generated fractal-procedural doohickey thing that forms a sort of track. The sensation of speed is well done and it is a challenge to maintain you path and speed while in the wave. It is elegant and simple and visually arresting. This makes for fun and possibly relaxing game-play for a more casual experience. As such, it is a nice place to visit every now and then. (Also features some cool soundtrack music) If you prefer bolting a new plasma cannon to your space-frigate you may enjoy Gratuitous Space Battles or Darkstar.… Expand
  8. suneater
    Apr 23, 2014
    6
    If you've ever wanted to play your (music player of choice)'s visualizer or a 90's screensaver, here's your chance. Best used as a visualizer or screensaver instead of an actual game if you don't do drugs. Hard to recommend or put down; this just seems like a pretty college project with lots of customization options.
  9. gamingconsumed
    Sep 18, 2019
    8
    I love this game. This got me back into PC gaming. The gameplay is engaging [yet boring after a second time], the environments are beautiful, just so much and little they did right back in '09. They are making a sequel, which should be significantly better compared to the first one. Bad things they did, the lack of diversity on the enemy aliens, and after a second shot, it bores you. StillI love this game. This got me back into PC gaming. The gameplay is engaging [yet boring after a second time], the environments are beautiful, just so much and little they did right back in '09. They are making a sequel, which should be significantly better compared to the first one. Bad things they did, the lack of diversity on the enemy aliens, and after a second shot, it bores you. Still great, though.… Expand

Critic Reviews

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No score yet - based on 3 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. PC PowerPlay
    Feb 24, 2011
    70
    Unique and beautiful, but barely a game. [Mar 2011, p.71]
  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Feb 23, 2011
    70
    More than a game it is a tool to create procedurally generated galaxies ... and they look absolutely gorgeous. [Issue#201]
  3. Eurogamer
    Oct 22, 2010
    70
    Despite the pretence of gaming structure, let's call The Polynomial what it is: an invitation to sit around in self-medicated bliss.
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