Asemblance

 PlayStation 4
Metascore
61

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 13
  3. Negative: 3 out of 13
  1. Push Square
    Jul 5, 2016
    70
    Asemblance delivers an intriguing narrative based around a time looping mechanic, and makes a lot out of very little. The game may not have many environments to explore, but each one is carefully layered and crafted to allow the story to emerge at whatever pace you're able to keep up with. It helps that the title has genuinely interesting – and, oftentimes, unnerving – ideas, which, when paired with the menacing music, makes for an engaging experience.
  2. GameSpew
    Jun 27, 2016
    70
    However, even with an ending that takes way too much to achieve with very little pay off, Asemblance still manages to be a very intriguing and atmospheric sci-fi story.
  3. Washington Post
    Jun 23, 2016
    70
    Clearly, only those with a high tolerance for ambiguity or a passion for talmudic-like parsing need apply.
  5. VideoGamer
    Jun 21, 2016
    70
    For now this stands alone as something a bit different from the norm. It's brief but discovering everything will take considerable time and effort.
  6. Everyeye.it
    Jan 4, 2017
    65
    Asemblance tells us a surreal story, full of mystery and suspense: a short but intense psychological horror game, in which the gameplay comes second.
  7. PSNStores
    Jul 18, 2016
    60
    The ending isn’t completely satisfying, but as a pilot episode of an ongoing series I’m totally on-board to see what comes next.
  8. Brash Games
    Jul 8, 2016
    60
    Asemblance is a special experience. It has the serious overtones of something dramatic but plays like something simple. It’s thought provoking but not a huge commitment.
  9. GameSpot
    Jul 7, 2016
    50
    Developer Nilo Studios says it wants this to be the start of a series of experiences reminiscent of the X-Files or the Twilight Zone. Unfortunately, there’s so little pay off in Asemblance that it’s difficult to muster much excitement for its future.
  10. TheSixthAxis
    Jun 21, 2016
    50
    Some parts of the Asemblance are executed incredibly well, but having clocked in at just over an hour, it’s a tough one to recommend. Those who enjoy tearing apart this specific type of interactive thriller will have a ball searching every detailed nook and cranny for fresh clues, while the majority of gamers simply “won’t get it”. Either way, we’re intrigued to see where Nilo goes next and whether its ambitions for a landmark narrative series can actually materialise.

User Reviews

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User Score
5.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 15 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 15
  3. Negative: 5 out of 15
  1. lmcontaldi
    Jun 21, 2016
    8
    You wake up to blaring alarms — a red light dashes across your vision. The AI tells you that we are in an emergency situation, questioning whyYou wake up to blaring alarms — a red light dashes across your vision. The AI tells you that we are in an emergency situation, questioning why you aren’t helping. You rush for the terminal in front of you and everything goes dark. Blue lights flicker, the alarms silence and everything is immediately calm. How did I end up here? What is this place? How do I get out?

    This is the exact situation you find yourself in Nilo Studios’ fledgling game Asemblance. A first-person experience/psychological-thriller, Asemblance presents puzzles in both story and progression. The PC and PlayStation 4 game is a bit of an odd-ball; built for a relatively niche audience, the game rewards you by how far down the rabbit hole you are willing to dive. Neither the story nor the mechanics are spelled out directly, meaning it is up to the player to discover who you are, why you are there, and what everything means.

    Being as vague as I can, the game feels fairly heavily influence by P.T. and SOMA. Far more science fiction than horror, the game relies on the player to not only discover the story, but also to progress the game forward. The place you wake up in happens to be a memory holo-chamber: given the right input, you are able to explore your previous memories and interact with the environments. Unfortunately for the protagonist, the chamber has no exit doors and the AI seems vaguely malevolent, trying to prevent you from accessing certain memories.

    At no point is the player given express direction about where to go, how to unlock the next memory, or why you are even locked in a memory chamber. The answers are in the game, but requires a fair amount of sleuthing.

    The game takes places in only a handful of environments — roughly five — with scattered documents and messages around to give you an idea of what is happening. Like most first-person experience games, the controls are very basic. You are able to interact with a few objects, walk at a quicker pace, and zoom in on objects. And while this makes it sound like that doesn’t present enough variety, it is actually perfect. The game’s puzzle gets fairly challenging towards the end, so it is important to have direct knowledge about what the limits of your abilities are to impact the environment.

    Another thing to note is Asemblance is stunning — running in Unreal Engine 4, the limited environments presented are perfect down to every detail. From an office environment to an impeccable apartment to a woody grove, it is one of the best looking games on the PlayStation 4 (especially for its $9.99 price tag). There are the rare visual blips that are fairly noticeable, only because everything around it is so perfect.

    The game features multiple endings, each progressively more difficult to find than the last. As far as I understand, I’m (currently) the only reviewer to find the fourth ending, and no one has been able to find the fifth. This is the kind of scavenger hunt I love to see in games — it is what made P.T. so much fun, and the recent Resident Evil 7 demo so infuriating. In creating a puzzle so rigorous, the developer is either implicitly or explicitly asking players to discuss the game further, talk strategies, and pull out their hair collectively.

    The only true downside (at least with the four of five endings I’ve seen) is they are entirely too similar. While there are some small dialogue variations attached to each of them, experiencing the endings never felt rewarding. Thankfully, the puzzle itself (and the accompanying trophies) were rewarding in and of itself.

    To add to that, I mentioned the game’s audience is relatively niche — many people don’t play games to be intellectually challenged, or for a dense, puzzling story. The game is technically beatable in 15-20 minutes if you are going for the more basic ending. Meanwhile, I have spent roughly six or seven hours reading through the many documents strewn around, investigating each object, and trying to decipher how to unlock all the endings.

    I’m hesitant to call Asemblance “fun” — but that isn’t what the game is trying to be. Instead, it is a challenge to overcome for those interested in experimental gameplay and hidden stories. The game is dense, but rewarding for those looking to make the investment.

    The fact of the matter is, there aren’t a ton of experiences like this around on PlayStation 4 (perhaps with the exception of SOMA): puzzle-driven psychological thrillers are fairly scarce. And though the puzzles aren’t as rewarding or playful as The Witness, a small collection of my friends have been spit-balling theories and ideas back-and-forth for the past couple of days in an attempt to unravel the last mystery. For $9.99, it is an experience I highly recommend trying out, even with its faults and being designed for a niche audience.    … Full Review »
  2. ourtimehascome
    Jan 22, 2017
    1
    Regardless of Nilo Studios' intentions of continuing Asemblance with more episodes, I have to emphasize the lack of substance. In the game,Regardless of Nilo Studios' intentions of continuing Asemblance with more episodes, I have to emphasize the lack of substance. In the game, you aren't told who you are and what you are supposed to be doing. You're someone who wakes up in some sort of memory machine. Beyond this, nothing is clear. Things happen and as a player I never felt as though I was connected to what was happening. It's simply a game playing itself, at most a walking simulator. As a demo or an idea, Asemblance shows promise, but as a fully fledged game, it falls short.… Full Review »
  3. lalrs
    Aug 8, 2016
    0
    WARNING, DO NOT BUY THIS GAME!!!!!!

    This game was complete **** So much hype over nothing. I read a lot of good reviews "omg such a good    WARNING, DO NOT BUY THIS GAME!!!!!!

    This game was complete **** So much hype over nothing. I read a lot of good reviews "omg such a good thriller/horror game" "great story" etc etc. I'm really sorry but the reality is that this is a walking simulator without any reward for playing it. In fact, the developpers think it's cool to make the actual ending IMPOSSIBLE to even achieve. I tried about 20 times. It's just impossible to get the white screen ending. It's a big **** you towards the players. It's an unrewarding **** walking simulator. At least that game "Gone Home" gave you an actual finished story. Also, that game was free, just like P.T. This game cost me about €15. It's a total rip-off.

    Don't buy this game, I really believe that all the positive reviews are made by people that either made this game, are family of the people that made this game OR people that got paid to say this game is "deep" and "cool". It's ****

    I can't tell you enough: don't buy this game. Any other activity you can think off is better than buying this game. At least shooting yourself in the nuts will provide you with some action and some laughs by the doctors at the ER. This game has NOTHING. It's ****

    Good day all. Use your money to buy a couple of ice creams. It'll even last you as long as the game. Half an hour max.

    DONT BUY THIS GAME!!!!!!!!    … Full Review »
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