Review – Superliminal

Courtesy of the developer and publisher Pillow Castle, over the past few days I’ve been taking a look at the perspective puzzler Superliminal. This is a great little title with a low price point, which is a really fresh take on the possibilities of gaming. Find the in game video review just below, and of course read on for the extended written review just after.

The Basics

Even if you’re not a gamer it may well be worth taking a look at Superliminal if you get the opportunity. This puzzle based adventure is a great show on what gaming can do, and I think it’s one which will tickle the funny bones of any lateral thinking or logic problem fans.

For the gamers out there, this one will feel hugely familiar to anybody who’s previously spent time with the wonderful Portal franchise. Moving through various dream sequences, you’ll work with perspective in order to solve puzzles, and proceed through each area.

Whether it involves simple making objects larger or smaller, or wholesale shifts in logical thinking, I’ve really enjoyed this. With doorways between areas some of the puzzles are intricate and have taken me a little time to figure out, but there’s always been a good sense of progression moving through.

Parent’s Eye View

Superliminal is another strange one when it comes to age ratings. On the Xbox store this one is rated by PEGI at 7 and above, and by the ESRB at E for Everyone. However, over on the PlayStation store, and the PEGI website itself, Superliminal is rated at 12 plus.

Obviously there’s quite a difference there when it comes to the younger generation, however it is one which I myself will be letting the Micro-Bandits get their hands on. The ratings all agree on one thing, and each age rating is based around Fear.

I can definitely see where they are coming from on this one, as certain areas within the game do feel slightly oppressive, and reality shifts and voices along the way can be disconcerting. The title also contains some blood effects on the floor, doors which slam around you and strange noises in the background in certain areas.

Overall however, there’s not a lot in here which worries me, or anything which I believe would cause more than a moment’s side glance from the Micro-Bandits. In addition, the title is one you truly have to think about, and along with positive messages within the ending sequence, I do think this is one which on balance is very positive for the younger generation.

The Run Down

Visuals – Good: There’s not much within the title which I’ve found to be lacking, and while it could do with a few more textures and a little polish the visuals in Superliminal are pretty pretty decent. I do have to give some major props to the level designers here though. The perspective play and switches,and the puzzles around them have been really well designed and implemented.

Audio – Great: Throughout the title it’s likely you’ll be wondering around the same area for a little while, trying to work out the next step in your dream journey. With this in mind, it’s great that the classical score for the title didn’t get repetitive or annoying at all. In addition, there’s some well implemented voice acting in the title, and sound effects are well worked.

Narrative – Good: It could definitely have gone a little deeper, but in honesty the story throughout Superliminal is actually a lot more than I was expecting from the title. The ending especially, while trying to give no spoilers, also filled me with a wonderful glow. Even if you’re not a gamer, if you feel like you need some support or you’ve been in a challenging place recently, this is a great title to get involved with. As somebody who has suffered with mental health difficulties, this sequence had me tearing up in the best kind of way..

Replay – Fair: There are of course the standard achievements and trophies to pick up on console, and there are secret areas to discover as you would expect from a Portalesque title. I would have liked to have seen a little more, and with the level select option the game gives easy opportunities for completionists to sink their teeth into. Overall, while it could have been improved, I’ve not felt disappointed.

The Verdict

Overall the Pixel Bandits Inception Level for Superliminal is that you should definitely Grab It!. This one has a really low price point, and I truly wasn’t expecting to have quite such a good time with it. It’s not the longest title in the world, in fact there’s a currently rare achievement for completing the game in under half an hour, but I’ve spent a good few hours puzzling through it, and will be going back through to get the little bits I’ve missed.

Overall, as a big lover of Portal, this has been a fun ride. The ending left me not only feeling satisfied, but empowered, and the unique mechanics have been a joy to work with.

Pick It Up

If This one has tickled your gaming tastebuds, you can grab it on;