From Dust

From Dust feels not as a game, but as a humble experiment. It's almost like Ubisoft is testing the waters before diving in.

A great concept that works for the most part, but poor ideas like the introduction of trees and play that can sometimes feel wearisome rather than empowering keep it from being great. [Issue#75, p.103]

At first impression, From Dust might look and play more like a tech demo than an actual game, but there is some enjoyment to be dug out of the experience. From Dust combines some fun mechanics, with great visuals and some satisfying puzzle inspired gameplay.

Although the game is hampered by a collection of small problems (camera blur, imprecise controls and dubious AI pathfinding), there are enough moments of simulated natural wonder to submerge those doubts. It really feels good to be a divine dick again.

The setting, design and sounds are great in this unique and interesting god simulator. But the controls are just not good enough and the AI is really frustrating at times.

Beautiful and innovative, but the controls and difficulty needs a tweak.

From Dust is hypnotic, captivating and, most importantly, fun. It's a sandbox that rewards creativity and playfulness as much as it punishes it and, while it suffers some irritating issues, it's a very welcome experience.

Quotation forthcoming.

A curious thing happens when From Dust stops getting in the way and tells you to just have fun...You have fun...From Dust is finally able to dazzle, however briefly, by stripping away practically everything that makes it a "game" and leaving only its base mechanics behind.

For gamers looking for something well off the beaten path, From Dust is absolutely worth checking out. Its lush graphics, slick visual design and clever environmental engine are the big draws, but it's unfortunately bogged down by excessively frustrating later levels founded on trial and error, and irksome AI that undermines the precision the endgame demands.

A magical evening in, and makes you think in a way that's novel and immensely rewarding. But be warned: the limited camera, the fineness of the controls and the tribal AI will occasionally annoy you, and it leaves you positively starving for more.

It's easy to appreciate From Dust, but harder to enjoy it.

From Dust is a fun game, especially when someone wants to play god. Light and short missions allow the player to enjoy creating the world but after a while boredom creeps in. The locations change but the player is forced to do the same things over and over again. It's a game worth getting to know thanks to its great physics engine, but its not for everybody.

With superior AI, higher-resolution graphics and some more forgiving soil erosion, From Dust would be an outstanding title. As it is, it has enough personality and interesting ideas to make it a reasonable game if you feel like playing something different, but its myriad flaws prevent us from recommending it.

I really wanted to love From Dust. I love the concept. I love Eric Chahi. But the gameplay feels like it was never play-tested, and the difficulty curve is wild and unsatisfying.

From Dust's answer to the cravings of sandbox god game fanatics may be imperfect, but it would be a shame to deny him his chance, since we didn't have a god game for so long. Its ergonomic shortcomings and underwhelming surprising and renewal abilities prevent it from reaching the heights we'd have hoped, but the beauty of its simulation and the occasional awe-inspiring moments we get while contemplating our own creations are very real as well.