Paratopic

 Switch
User Score
5.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 18 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 18
  3. Negative: 7 out of 18

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  1. syntaxapproval
    Mar 18, 2021
    9
    Paratopic is a very strange experience. There seems to be a lot of negative reviews based on it's visual style, which I found wonderful and nostalgic, as if playing a lost PS1 game, or an early Half-Life 1 mod. Elements of the engine remind me of other early PC games as well (à la Quake 2). While you may deem this as a walking simulator, the point remains to immerse yourself in a short yetParatopic is a very strange experience. There seems to be a lot of negative reviews based on it's visual style, which I found wonderful and nostalgic, as if playing a lost PS1 game, or an early Half-Life 1 mod. Elements of the engine remind me of other early PC games as well (à la Quake 2). While you may deem this as a walking simulator, the point remains to immerse yourself in a short yet satisfying hallucinatory experience; interacting with a mysterious gas station clerk, photographing birds in a state park, or trying to not fall asleep at the wheel while dialing through your AM/FM radio. Although a short game, there are elements of replay in unlocking all of the "achievements", which in turn make for some interesting observations on second and third replays. Not to mention that the audio and soundtrack are fantastic. For fans of mystery, intrigue and a short captive experience (under an hour), I highly recommend Paratopic. I strongly believe we need more games like this that attempt to break the ever-present mold of cookie cutter games. I'd rather pay less than 5 dollars for something I finished than 50 for something I got bored of.… Expand
  2. HiddenGemsHunt
    May 26, 2021
    10
    Art can be videogames. Paratopic shows that wells, blending great movie-like atmosphere with PSone graphics and simple, yet interesting gameplay. Paratopic is not for everyone - yet it is fresh, interesting, different, and I would love to have more games like that.
  3. IamSquid
    Jan 2, 2022
    10
    Walking simulators are bad right? Right.
    ...but Paratopic is the exception.
    I give it a 10/10.
    Yes, I actually do mean that!
  4. GenesisLZH
    Sep 25, 2021
    8
    This game is worth the $2 you pay for it and the 45 minutes you spend playing it. You should not go into it with high hopes though as you'll probably be let down. The game is more of a playable short film in every way imaginable, the story isn't super deep, the gameplay is oftentimes nonexistent, and you'll probably never play it again after you beat it. That being said the story isThis game is worth the $2 you pay for it and the 45 minutes you spend playing it. You should not go into it with high hopes though as you'll probably be let down. The game is more of a playable short film in every way imaginable, the story isn't super deep, the gameplay is oftentimes nonexistent, and you'll probably never play it again after you beat it. That being said the story is decent and makes you think more about the events that you played through after you first beat it. If you don't like the visual style of the game then I would not recommend it to you as it's one of the main things that I would say this game does an amazing job on. The sound design and soundtrack are just as good as everybody says and I was left wondering why a lot of games don't do it as well. if you come into this game with low expectations and know what you are getting into you will not be disappointed.… Expand
  5. JJtheTexan
    May 1, 2023
    8
    Paratopic is a short, weird, low-poly "walking simulator" that can be finished in under an hour. I point out all of these facts as positive attributes, not criticisms. I won't say anything else, because it's the kind of game that must be played going in completely blind in order to get the most out of it.

    The game is $6 U.S. at full price, but it often goes on sale. Regardless, it's    Paratopic is a short, weird, low-poly "walking simulator" that can be finished in under an hour. I point out all of these facts as positive attributes, not criticisms. I won't say anything else, because it's the kind of game that must be played going in completely blind in order to get the most out of it.

    The game is $6 U.S. at full price, but it often goes on sale. Regardless, it's worth your money. Try it!    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
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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. Cubed3
    Feb 7, 2025
    60
    There are no answers in this short spooky story. None. You might think there are, but there aren't. Paratopic is all atmosphere, and zero plot. Things are happening, but it's hard and maybe even impossible to make sense of it all. The good news is that when the atmosphere isn't just good, but fantastic, and as a result the adventure is very immersive despite its lack of a coherent narrative. A solid recommendation whenever the price is low enough, and in the mood for something enjoyably unsettling and mysterious, yet without much meat on its bones.
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  2. Nintendo Life
    Sep 14, 2020
    70
    Paratopic is a fever dream; a near-constantly engaging sequence of strange and at times frightening imagery. It's intriguing stuff, to say the least, but we felt that it rather fizzled out just when our interest in the various eldritch goings-on was piquing. We found that beyond experiencing it all over again there was nothing much in the way of meaningful replay value, but as a once-through bad trip, it'll keep you glued to your Switch from start to annoyingly-abrupt finish.
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  3. Vandal
    Sep 13, 2020
    70
    Paratopic is something different, a game with a tiny budget and the sole purpose of challenge your expectations. It’s very weird, but we love having these experiences that help us break our gaming routine.
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