Entwined

 PlayStation 4
User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 187 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 93 out of 187
  2. Mixed: 56 out of 187
  3. Negative: 38 out of 187

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  1. storageheater
    Jul 9, 2015
    0
    This is a game about a concept - a bird and a fish fall in love, and live parallel lives, never meeting. That's everything there is to it, though. You play nine near-identical levels with aimless 'reward' arenas for you to pootle about in, only for it to announce "Entwined!" and boot you to the credits.

    It's a game that seems to value aesthetics above all, and yet it's not even a very    This is a game about a concept - a bird and a fish fall in love, and live parallel lives, never meeting. That's everything there is to it, though. You play nine near-identical levels with aimless 'reward' arenas for you to pootle about in, only for it to announce "Entwined!" and boot you to the credits.

    It's a game that seems to value aesthetics above all, and yet it's not even a very pretty game when you get the chance to look close. It's repetitive and twitchy but in a strangely imprecise way, a way that doesn't make you feel like you're getting better at it. And when the final level is just a rehash of all the (incredibly modest) variations in previous levels it couldn't be more disappointing to finish.

    I simply had no fun at all playing this. (i bought it when they did the surprise E3 release last year, but having it come out on PS+ reminded me to have a quick moan about it.)    … Expand
  2. ctvroman
    Jul 2, 2014
    4
    This game was announced AND released during E3, which is the kind of shot in the arm the convention needs, but I was sorely disappointed when I was actually suckered into buying this thing. There are good intentions behind this game. It's meant to be a brilliant love story between two creatures who can't be together, but you wouldn't know this if you didn't read the product description.This game was announced AND released during E3, which is the kind of shot in the arm the convention needs, but I was sorely disappointed when I was actually suckered into buying this thing. There are good intentions behind this game. It's meant to be a brilliant love story between two creatures who can't be together, but you wouldn't know this if you didn't read the product description. The gameplay, unfortunately, is the most disappointing part. The premise is clever enough: use the two thumbsticks to guide the creatures through linear checkpoints. It's an idea that gets old quickly, though. It might have been more enjoyable if the controls actually worked well. I streak after streak die when I drove a character through a checkpoint that never registered my existence. It's not the kind of rewarding challenge either. The challenge arrives because the game doesn't work the way it's supposed to. I would not recommend buying this title at all.… Expand
  3. Raiden94
    Jun 16, 2014
    0
    This is another one of those pathetic attempts at turning video games into art. Entwined, much like Flower, Journey and Beyond: Two Souls, is not a game. Keep releasing crap like this and the industry will soon be destroyed. When developers are too lazy to create meaningful, worthy games and instead ride the "games are art" train, it's no wonder we no longer see amazing instant classicsThis is another one of those pathetic attempts at turning video games into art. Entwined, much like Flower, Journey and Beyond: Two Souls, is not a game. Keep releasing crap like this and the industry will soon be destroyed. When developers are too lazy to create meaningful, worthy games and instead ride the "games are art" train, it's no wonder we no longer see amazing instant classics like the days of the PS2.… Expand
  4. fandango89
    May 9, 2016
    4
    Boring repetitive gameplay. Do the same thing from level 1 to level 10. Just a color matching game. Requires precision but has some of the most finicky, imprecise controls I've ever seen. No story or real point to game. A case of impressive visual design does not make a game.
  5. drlowdon
    Sep 2, 2015
    4
    In Entwined you control two animals with the movement of each tied to a single thumbstick and one half of the screen. The object is to build up a gauge for both creatures by guiding them through coloured triangles as you fly into the screen and eventually synchronise them forming a green dragon which you then steer around an open environment, collecting further orbs to open the exitIn Entwined you control two animals with the movement of each tied to a single thumbstick and one half of the screen. The object is to build up a gauge for both creatures by guiding them through coloured triangles as you fly into the screen and eventually synchronise them forming a green dragon which you then steer around an open environment, collecting further orbs to open the exit portal. Apparently the game consists of nine levels (or lifetimes as the game calls them) which will take 1-2 hours to complete but, to be honest, I gave up well before that.

    These kinds of ‘artsy’ games can work, just play Journey for proof of that, but I felt only a mixture of boredom and frustration when playing Entwined. The game is clearly aiming to provide a laid back experience but this is constantly interrupted by the angry rumble of the gamepad every time you miss a shape. The one note gameplay also doesn’t change at all and there appears to be no link between said gameplay and the message the game is trying to communicate. Things weren’t helped by the fact that, whether as a result of a bug or by design, my progress in the story mode didn’t save forcing me to start all over again each time I played it.

    I don’t like to be overly critical of these small indie developers but Entwined just didn’t connect with me at all.    … Expand
  6. FinalFantasyX
    Jun 5, 2016
    2
    Beautiful game, but simple. Which isn't bad. This game tries to capture a relaxing zen type of atmosphere, which it does... in STORY mode. I played story mode first and when I finished it, it felt a 7.5/10 type of game. Respectable. But then I played the challenges, and to unlock the further stages in challenges requires you to get stressed out. The challenges are hard af. Which takes awayBeautiful game, but simple. Which isn't bad. This game tries to capture a relaxing zen type of atmosphere, which it does... in STORY mode. I played story mode first and when I finished it, it felt a 7.5/10 type of game. Respectable. But then I played the challenges, and to unlock the further stages in challenges requires you to get stressed out. The challenges are hard af. Which takes away the zen/relaxing feel this game is trying to portray. So because you have to review an ENTIRE game (you cant just pick out things you liked, or else every game would be a perfect 10/10), it drops the score to a 2/10. It's like eating an apple pie... you bite into the crust and it's delicious, but you can't give that pie a 10/10... you have to try the apple part first.... well the apple part ends up being cherries instead. THAT is what this game is like.… Expand
  7. Schizoidmouse
    Oct 18, 2014
    4
    Entwined...How do you explain Entwined to someone? This game is an enigma in and of itself. It's addictive, beautiful and simple. Yet at the same time its repetitive, bland and complex. It contrasts itself making a very awkward experience for people who have hours on their hands.

    The simple portions of this game seem to offer a complexity that contrasts the game that is at sometimes    Entwined...How do you explain Entwined to someone? This game is an enigma in and of itself. It's addictive, beautiful and simple. Yet at the same time its repetitive, bland and complex. It contrasts itself making a very awkward experience for people who have hours on their hands.

    The simple portions of this game seem to offer a complexity that contrasts the game that is at sometimes confusing. The story is that in a nutshell. It is about a fish and a bird in love and the emotions felt through their relationship. This is where it all becomes subjective as much of the scenery at the end of each stage confuses with he overall ending element of the gameplay mechanic for the story. You expect a sort of visual progression in the form of the artwork to tell the story but at times its all over the place from what the title of the level is. Even at the end of the level when the two become one in the form of the beautiful dragon doesn't make sense with the dark-brooding backgrounds given at times.

    Minor critiques on the story aside, the real low point of this game is its gameplay design. The simplistic design at of the game is aggravating and time consuming. The use of both control sticks at the same time gives the illusion of difficulty through multitasking and is actually quite simplistic in design. That being said, its made tedious in the story mode. You need to collect orbs in order to transform together into the dragon. This sounds easy enough, but you lose a chunk of your orbs if you take damage from an obstacle. These obstacles take different shapes and go in different patterns based on the levels and how far you are in the levels. All in all its simplistic and loses its charm easily by the fifth level, and as soon as you realize that the amount of orbs lost is greater than that gained, it will start to become tedious.

    The art direction is simplistic but beautiful. It shows the beauty of less is more with its unique layered style of the bird, the fish and some of the landscapes. The game itself could be worked better for the design around the gameplay as its just a flash of colours and sometimes not even that many colours. Its lack of consistency really shows in the challenge mode portions as it does get very bland to look at very fast. The music is just like the art direction, but is the opposite. Its beautiful sounding with absolute consistency as every piece starts to sound the same. There is little to no standard in the aesthetic make-up of this game.

    While a game can be quiet simplistic in its design, it needs to at least have a solid base for everything. Nothing consistently is good and everything is off in some way. You want to wish it good, but by the end its tedious and scattered nature really comes to light and ruins the experience.

    Story: 4
    Gameplay: 2.6
    Visuals: 4.5
    Music: 3.7
    Overall: 3.7    … Expand
  8. ManaBurn876
    Jul 23, 2015
    1
    On the outside this game looked exactly like something I would be into. Simple mechanics coupled with stunning visuals, and a bare bones story that should allow me to create my own conclusions. What I got was a game in which you control a fish with your left thumb, and a bird with your right thumb, and then they mysteriously become a dragon when you complete an arbitrary goal that isOn the outside this game looked exactly like something I would be into. Simple mechanics coupled with stunning visuals, and a bare bones story that should allow me to create my own conclusions. What I got was a game in which you control a fish with your left thumb, and a bird with your right thumb, and then they mysteriously become a dragon when you complete an arbitrary goal that is never explicitly explained.

    The object of the game is to collect shiny orbs with both creatures, and then navigate a colored maze of with one or both creatures. The orbs fill up the bars at the top of the screen and the if you don't successfully navigate the puzzle section it takes away some of the bar from the thumb you messed up on. When you fill both bars you can attempt to become a dragon by completing several puzzle sections without failing more then twice in a row with a single creature. The first question I have would be, since when did this math add up? Fish + Bird = Dragon? I don't really get it.

    When you are able to pull of turning into a dragon the game "rewards" you by allowing free roam in an area with more shiny things to collect. The one thing I will say is that the visuals of these areas are stunning, and the art is rather unique. So off you go to collect more shiny things and fill more bars. This time when you fill the bar you get to fly really fast and leave a happiness trail behind you. This is were the design team really struck out. They needed to focus on a reward, and make the players strive to achieve it. They gave out 8 of the same exact rewards, albeit with different scenery, and then a 9th reward that was shockingly similar as the grand finale. After all this your main reward is seeing the credits role.

    I love supporting indie games, and I love games that push the boundaries of what we think of as traditional. I thought I was going to fall in love with this game, I ended up cursing and beating it just to prove to myself that it was possible. I spent exactly an hour and twenty minutes playing this game, it felt like I played it for nine lifetimes. My hope is that the creators of this game see these reviews and get motivated to try again, with a better understanding of what games need. They have fantastic visuals, but a game needs more then that. Right now your game appeals to one type of person, people who really enjoy going to museums. Nail down a player base, create a good starting point, prototype EARLY and keep your fantastic art style and you might be on to some truly stellar gaming experiences.    … Expand
  9. iMaxPlanck
    Aug 25, 2018
    1
    I created a Metacritic account just so I could submit a review for this... "game". WTF. I started Entwined straight after paying my $10 and downloading and immediately the New Game mode launches into two bird thingies, one orange and one blue, flying around endlessly through a tunnel. No narrative at all as to what the player is doing or what these bird thingies are. The bird flyingI created a Metacritic account just so I could submit a review for this... "game". WTF. I started Entwined straight after paying my $10 and downloading and immediately the New Game mode launches into two bird thingies, one orange and one blue, flying around endlessly through a tunnel. No narrative at all as to what the player is doing or what these bird thingies are. The bird flying thingies in the tunnel went on for 30 straight minutes with no end in sight. I wasn't even sure I'd started the game properly, so restarted and then endured the same thing until I realized that's the entirety of content to this title.

    I get it, it's a Chinese metaphor for relationships and supposed to be poetic and beautiful and all. It's not. This app, I won't even call it a game, is a total scam. I want my $10 back.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

67
#67 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
59

Mixed or average reviews - based on 49 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 49
  2. Mixed: 28 out of 49
  3. Negative: 10 out of 49
  1. Thunderbolt
    Jan 12, 2015
    40
    All in all, Entwined is a flawed game with some good ideas, but none of them coalesce in a cohesive, interesting way.
    Read full review
  2. CD-Action
    Oct 22, 2014
    30
    I hate it when developers use pompous artsy nonsense to hide the fact that their game has nothing to offer in terms of gameplay. Entwined is a primitive arcade game with an obnoxiously pretentious ‘love story’. [Sept 2014, p.67]
  3. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Aug 25, 2014
    60
    A missed opportunity. Entwined could have been something extra special, but is ultimately forgettable instead. [September 2014, p74]
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