Semblance

Semblance
79
Metacritic
85
Steam
76.616
xDR
Our rating is calculated based on the reviews and popularity of the game.
Price
$9.99
Release date
24 July 2018
Developers
Steam reviews score
Total
85 (264 votes)

Semblance is an innovative platformer with deformable terrain, set in a beautiful minimalist world. It’s a game that asks, what if you could deform and reshape the world itself? Semblance takes the idea of a ‘platform’ in a platformer and turns it on its head.

Show detailed description

Semblance system requirements

Minimum:

  • OS: Windows 8 / 7
  • Processor: 2.0 GHz CPU (Dual Core recommended)
  • Memory: 1 GB RAM
  • Graphics: ATi Radeon HD 2400 or NVIDIA GeForce 7600 or better
  • DirectX: Version 9.0c
  • Storage: 2700 MB available space
  • Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compatible
  • Additional Notes: For systems under the minimum requirements: although old machines will run the game they may cause considerable lag making progression through the game extremely difficult.

Recommended:

Recommended requirements are not yet specified.
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WillTheAgresor
WillTheAgresor

What a great short puzzle game! It had a lot of creative ideas and mechanics, and a very cute charming world!
The only thing I didn't enjoy as much was the ending...I dunno, I think it could've been a bit longer, I guess?
But if you're looking for a clever puzzle game, you'll definetly enjoy this one!

Rue
Rue

10/10
unique and interesting gameplay.
puzzles are varied and require different strategies.
cute
hidden areas to discover (not needed to roll credits, but needed for 100% achievements)

pepesito1
pepesito1

very cute and solid game. it even reminds me of patapon. so if you like cute games like patapon but more puzzle-like youll really like this

Anonymous
Anonymous

Fun puzzle platformer. Much easier with controller than keyboard.

FAST CAR
FAST CAR

Wow, I went in expecting nothing, but have to say this is one my favourite indie games of recent times - 5 stars here. The levels are set at the perfect difficulty where they aren't instantly solvable, but some experimentation and logical thinking can get you through in the end. I felt that my brain had been well excercised by the end haha. Although mostly puzzles, there are also some parts that will test your reflex and co-ordination like a classic platformer.

There are just the right amount of game mechanics and they are introduced at a comfortable pace, adding more cool mechanics as the game develops. Loved the music / sound design / artwork / concept too! They all work well to generate a very cool and unique atmosphere. Looking forward to the next one!

Razeam
Razeam

A pleasant platformer that keeps its puzzles fresh throughout the game.

aynaid
aynaid

https://youtu.be/EUuWMqnKkiA

A very interesting and fun puzzle game.

I've found 3 funy bugs was helpfull to win the level :)

13:07
13:29
19:07

Anonymous
Anonymous

Great game and wonderful creation and use of the world.

mushroomalien
mushroomalien

I'm not a platform gamer, but I'm enjoying this very much. Simple, but with challenging problem solving encounters.

Frizle
Frizle

+ beautiful artwork
+ beautiful soundtrack
+ nice "storyline"

In my opinion some (very few) puzzles are based too much on jump'n'run skills, rather than on puzzling. I fully recommend this game though. Exactly the kind of puzzle-platformer I love.

Motomas
Motomas

Doesn't seem to be much of a storyline, but 1 hour in and so far the gameplay and puzzles are fun. Most games lose my attention before I get this far. Nintendo Switch Pro Controller works well.

Cleril
Cleril

You won't find a good platformer nor a good puzzle game here. In my play time there's been "find the one spot where you won't die" style platforming which is never enjoyable. The puzzles all have obvious solutions and the glitchy physics allowed me to easily "cheat" through two puzzles by jumping into a wall and then out of that "stuck" position. There was no discernable story I could find, a couple of meaningless drawings dot some areas but Journey or ABZU did a far better job (one drawing was the same image, with slight edits, recolored four times) having drawings add to the story. There's no push to keep playing as completing a world I suppose purifies it from the enemy but we don't know why the enemy is doing what they're doing or what our role in the world is. We're a blob protecting the blob world. That's the plot.

I found myself just not having any fun with the game mechanics. The deformation is extremely limited and the level design very basic outside of that. What you do amounts to finishing the level design that the designer forgot to do except you have a (rather finicky) push rather than a level editing suite. Was there supposed to be a "wall" blocking that laser? Then you make it. That's the puzzle, congratulations. It felt pretty insulting to me given I've played every big and plenty of small platformers on the market. Semblance offers nothing new here, honestly. The puzzles are basic and the platforming may as well be non-existant.

liverpoolvk
liverpoolvk

Platformer + Puzzle game - amazing,clever design. You deform the platforms or walls in order to complete the levels. Pretender for GOTY!

CrucialUpdat3
CrucialUpdat3

Supreme interesting platform mechanics and, as far as I'm familiar with platformers, never seen before in these or similar types of games(do correct me if I'm wrong). A little bugy at times. I founded some narrow places where one can be stuck and have to reboot the game to continue, and some of the platforms are not working or rather not forming the way they are suppose to. I suppose it will have updates in the near future. Overall I'm really having fun playing it and finding myself having more fun with what can I do with the platforms rather than progressing through the game. Thumbs up, and recommend all the way! ;)

Errels
Errels

This game is creative and unique, which is what the gaming industry desperately needs more of. I gladly support developers like this. Definitely worth full price.

Th3Jok3r
Th3Jok3r

So far, so good. Very interesting, refreshing and unique mechanic in the world of platformers.

_vwvwv_
_vwvwv_

The puzzles and beautiful art style is exactly why I bought this game - but there are far too many bugs to enjoy the gameplay - or even finish the game - which is why it's not recommended.

There are good puzzles and the squish mechanics are really interesting, but there is little polish.

Ignoring the issues of getting stuck in the environment (and there is a menu option to respawn you):

* Jumping is too sensitive - nudging the analog stick will disproportionately move your blob
* Landing a jump will slide you unpredictably
* A respawn point isn't always from a "safe" position - jumping from the spawn point can easily deform a platform and hugely frustrating

And if you play between computers beware - steam cloud saves are not supported

Kooshta Kaa
Kooshta Kaa

Minor bugs at this point. Not a huge deal.

Easily worth the price for me. The trailer delivers.

Oyajuu
Oyajuu

Very refreshing!

The gameplay is genuinely original and the puzzle solving very enjoyable.

While it is a very different game, Semblance made me think a lot of World of Goo, in a good way. Probably the looks, and the effort to try something a little different (there are more than enough pixel-art-rogue-like-metroidvanias out there anyway).

And possibly because it is a little glitchy at times, but that is never an issue - reset the puzzle and try again.

Recommended!

DoubleL
DoubleL

An amazing game with difficult and creative puzzles. A must if you are a puzzle platform lover! The game design and artwork are spectacular and they blend cohesively with each other.

TiltingAtWindmills
TiltingAtWindmills

Great concept, but I'm not good enough with controls to make it work: The concept, puzzles, and graphics are lovely, but if you're like me and have any trouble with precision jumping in games, this may not be the game for you. (If you don't have this problem, the game is wonderful. No need to read on. Buy it!) If jumps are your game struggle, maybe wait for a sale? I adore this style of game, have played many, and I started out loving this one, but I had to give up for a while after spending over 45 minutes trying to get the controls to do what I wanted in order to make the precision jump needed to solve a puzzle. There were a couple like this. This wasn't an isolated problem. There were several others that took me an extra 5-20 minutes of jumping just to get the obvious solution to work for me. I eventually rallied and gritted it out to be rewarded with more wonderful gameplay, but those parts were rough. Being able to mentally solve the puzzles but not physically progress is just maddening for me. Once I got past them, I'd have great fun again trying to figure out the next puzzle. Perhaps if there's ever an update that allows me to customize key/controller bindings, I might be able to find a setup that works for me, but for now, I'm not quite satisfied with my purchase.

Devs,I don't know how to best explain which puzzles were problematic for my poor jumping skills, but I'll try: My main challenges were in the purple levels. If a failed jump meant rebuilding or remolding something; I was there for awhile. The one that really got me was a flat surface with a divider in between and a laser moving from the bottom on one side and the top on the other. I needed to time the jumps as I dug in on one right and then quickly on the left so that I'd get the launch I needed on the left. I'd get almost there and land a jump wrong that sent me skittering sideways instead of digging in and then had to wait for the lasers to be in the right spots to try again. It took me well over an hour. I had the right solution, but just couldn't make it work. Maybe a little more forgiving timing for people like me? Or the ability to bind keys differently so I could separate the one's I kept slipping on.

Pachuckles
Pachuckles

Semblance was fun and quirky, the puzzles had me scratching my head fairly often but felt fair. I had a few clipping issues but nothing that couldn't get fixed with a "reset squish". The art assets are gorgeous and each scene is busy, but also not distracting. My only gripe is that the story is very simple, I'm not expecting a novel but a little more detail would have rounded out the game nicely.

:thonk:
:thonk:

This is a extremely nice game and i definately reccomend it to everyone but there is two slight problems
1 this game is too short.
this game has alot of mechanics and fun but its too short. I would have been more fun if it had like an endless mode or something and
2 i don't think this game is worth 10$
this is a great game but it felt like this game was like a demo of a console game

either way this is amazing! i honestly don't think this would have any hate :D

Fluxistence
Fluxistence

Squishiness.
The squishiness...
OH GOD, THE SQUISHINESS!!!

A very cool game with a neat concept that was well-implemented and really taken to the limits of what you can do with it.
There were a few puzzles that on first glance I thought "what the hell?" but after some thinking (and sometimes some more thinking) made perfect sense and made me give mental kudos to the level designers. =)

Graphically the game looks wonderful; it really fits the atmosphere and the way the land reacts to movement makes it seem very realistic.
There were a few times where my character seemed to have gotten stuck after deforming some terrain and pushing myself into some crevice or another, but if you just hold the key for the opposite direction for a couple of seconds it gets loose, and you can always press Alt to reset the terrain around you which will free you immediately. So I don't consider this a downside at all, since it's both very rare and easily and intuitively fixable.

The only downsides I see in this game are:
1. It's rather short. I'd have loved to play some more. =)
2. There's a certain story told in some artistic way through wall paintings. I have absolutely no idea what it is; I didn't get any of it. So that's kind of a shame. "The cake is a lie" is much clearer. =P

To sum up: if you like what you see in the trailers (i.e. you like the concept) then you'll like the game.
Definitely worth the full price in my opinion.

Squishiness. ^_^

Digidevolution
Digidevolution

Beautiful game. Wobble with the jelly elk slam the crystal flies! Simple puzzles soon give way to more complex and intercate problems. Unwritten but not underdeveloped storyline. 10/10 would Semblance again!

andyvanh
andyvanh

Good little puzzle platformer game. Definately a tad on the short side, but then it doesn't overstay it's welcome. The puzzles arent that difficult but there are a few that really make you scratch your head. Wished there was more content, maybe they'll add some more worlds in the future but even if not, it was worth it if you like the independent puzzle platform genre.

6ap6apblckaAa
6ap6apblckaAa

A good game, but a very little bit not fully developed idea. Could be more, I think.

Gojusan
Gojusan

Fun, quick, innovative puzzle game. Well worth the price.

psycodrumfreak
psycodrumfreak

This game is a phenominal example of what platformers can become. The environment was simple and beautiful, the main hook of mechanics were very well executed. I do think the puzzles in this game could have pushed the mechanics a bit further. All in all Semblance is a very solid game.

Mike
Mike

A massively enjoyable puzzle platformer, with just the right level of difficulty, and a unique twist on the gameplay. It lasts a bit longer than a lot of similar indie games too.

The visuals and soundtrack reminded me a bit of Nihilumbra, which is one of my favourite in the genre.

Wholeheartedly recommended for fans of puzzle platformers, and if it's on sale, then it's an ESSENTIAL purchase.

ebardsley
ebardsley

Neat idea, but too much precision jumping with very course controls and not enough problem solving.

James Sunderland
James Sunderland

Good idea but poor exsecution.
Inj this puzzle platformer you can bend surfaces and your character and on paper that sounds like a great platform to build creative and challenging puzzles.Sadly the puzzles are too easy and not creative at all,really dissapointed with this one and hope they will make another game and use these mechanics to build good puzzles.
Artstyle is good nad music also.
I would like to recommend this but I cant because of poor puzzles and unrealized potential.

PokeSvorlds
PokeSvorlds

It's on the edge but I'd probably by default not recommend it unless I really think it would be a good fit so "No" it is.

Personally I don't think it was worth my time/money, though it's definitely a decently good game. The art is nice the controls are nice, the mechanics are very nice and unique ... but the actual gameplay is pretty uninteresting? Most of the puzzle solutions are uninspired and unoriginal, there were times I executed the same solution for 5-6 puzzles in a row with very minor changes if any. I think there were under five puzzles that took me a bit of time to figure out, and that might have been because I did the third world first. There was a bit of platforming that took a bit longer but it still didn't feel like much to me. Feels short for 10$, and maybe still the ~7$ i got it for when on sale but better.

It absolutely still has it's good points, the main one being that the mechanics themselves were well thought out and interesting. And if you were less experienced at puzzle games it might be more interesting and worth it. But for me I believe there were a number of better games I could have bought or been playing.

chris
chris

This game is absolutely brilliant. It's a puzzle platformer in the purest sense, as the platforms themselves become the puzzle.

I am blown away by how clever the developers were with such a simple mechanic. And it's beautiful too!

Eruanna
Eruanna

This is a really great game. I found out about it by watching the Game Two show about the gamescom 2017 and I'm happy I got to play it at last.
The game does exactly what the description says: it's puzzle platformer in which you can change the shape of the platforms to solve the puzzles. The puzzles get harder as you progress but they never feel unsolvable. I played the whole thing on a keyboard and had no problems.
The only minor issue for me is that sometimes - despite the patch - I got stuck inside the walls for a little while. Luckily I didn't have to reload though, jumping and dashing around frantically got me unstuck eventually.

All in all I'd definitely recommend you play it!

Droiagon
Droiagon

It's a good puzzle experience. Yes, the puzzles are a bit on the easy side, but some of them will still challenge you.
I like the atmosphere, and I honestly had very low expectations for how the puzzles are going to work when you are able to deform the world and I was very pleasantly surprised, the deform mechanics work really well, and while not perfect, they are still pretty accurate in the solutions.

Bonus
Bonus

Semblance is a simple game. It has a new and interesting mechanic, to warp your surroundings to solve platforming puzzles. Although it ends quite soon, and it feels like the mechanics aren't exploited enough, it's a refreshing break from big games.

Gesaffelstein
Gesaffelstein

This terraforming platformer is surprisingly fun to play with emphasis on puzzle solving over twitch reactions and pixel perfect precision jumps.

The central hook of Semblance is that you play as a blob who has the ability to manipulate the world around him by essentially knocking into the platforms across the world. The game does expand on the basic premise and offers a new twist with each of the zones you get access to which keeps it from being stale.

Be warned that it is not a huge game and nor does it keep you engaged for too long. The puzzles aren't too difficult but they are cleverly designed and solving them had left me more awed by the creativity put into the scenarios than any intrinsic satisfaction of beating a difficult puzzle.

Semblance does have a few hiccups with the terrain manipulation mechanics with some cases where the terrain deforms in odd ways but a combination of the ability to reset any deformations instantly and the puzzles not requiring too many steps to solve doesn't keep you going through frustrating loops of getting to the solution.

It has a very pleasing aesthetic combined with a soundtrack which gives the world a mystical and surreal vibe to it.

I really hope the devs get to expand on this mechanic in future titles with an emphasis on slightly more challenging puzzles. Right now a lot of puzzles are contained to a single screen with a limited number of deformed platforms which I'm sure makes it easy because there are only so many things you can interact with. That and the weird visuals of certain odd instances of the terrain alteration are the only two negatives I can think off.
It's easy to recommend this game even at full price for a few hours of novel gameplay given the relative staleness of the indie scene over the past few years when compared to the boom in the mid to late 2000s.

Nefrarya
Nefrarya

This is a very innovative puzzle platformer with a beautiful aesthetic. The deformations are a lot of fun, and the puzzles are so well set up that they guide you into the solutions without being obvious about it. There are two or three times where the solutions require more precision than the controls offer - that leads to frustration, but these cases are really few and far between.
I love how all the levels are accessible right from the start; if you can't finish a level, just try another one. But the overworld confused me at first, until I realized that the big trees and the small trees are basically just the world and level selection screens respectively. I'd love it if there was also a classic level selection screen for quick access, but getting lost isn't really a big issue.

at least one dog
at least one dog

Very pretty, but really slippery controls and the gimmick doesn't really add anything. Frustrating and boring, ultimately not worth your time.

Act
Act

Semblance is a clever puzzle platformer build around the idea that the player character can deform the terrain to solve puzzles and reach objects. Unlike a lot of these games, it does an excellent job of building around its core mechanic and slowly adding to it to create ever-more-complex puzzles built on that basic idea. I will say that the $5 I paid for it was kind of steep, though, and I absolutely would not pay $10. The game is just way too small. I beat it in 4 hours, and a completionist run wouldn’t take more than 5. This game it not worth $2 an hour. I’m not sure any game is, honestly. I would say if it ever hits $3, or if you really really want a new competent puzzle platformer at $5, grab it. I did really enjoy it; it’s a very solid game.

afroburger
afroburger

A great platformer / puzzle game!

Sahara
Sahara

I love the uniqueness of deforming objects to solve the levels. Sometimes I deform stuff just for fun. Gameplay can be frustrating if you are used to spacebar=jump because here the up arrow is jump, and the spacebar is your turbo boost. Yeahhhhh I didn't realize how deeply spacebar was ingrained in me. No limit to number of times you can die, and levels appear to be replayable infinitely so far (though if you are achievement hunting I hear you should do it before completing the game, once you complete you can't go back).

Raziel's ghost
Raziel's ghost

Really creative, cute and interesting game. Noticed a few "fall through the world" bugs, but it really didn't bother me too much. Doesn't take too long to beat but would still recommend

θαηδψ
θαηδψ

fun, new mechanics with lots of bugs, and mosquito

jyhwk
jyhwk

You've already seen the trailers. You know Semblance is a squishy game where you reshape terrain.

Here's what I like:
- It's a puzzle game.
- Each area has a new gameplay changing mechanic.
- It's squishy.
- Forgiving checkpoints.

Here's what I don't like:
- Physics/Controls don't work intuitively for everything.
a. When you deform the ground into a slingshot looking shape, you can't fling yourself into the air by resetting the shape, but when a laser hits that part of the ground, it does fling you into the air.
b. There are only 4 directions of dash. Sometimes when jumping a diagonal dash would be perfect for getting out of trouble. 8 directions of dash would have felt better on the control side of things.

- Transition times take a long time
-- As I'm traversing between levels, on more than one occasion I've been dashing and jumping, and then I accidentally jump into a level since the camera wasn't panned far enough ahead. Then I have to wait a total of 8 seconds to load into a level, then another 8 seconds to load back into the Overworld. Sometimes I accidentally do it the other way when I'm in a level, go to the overworld, then back into the level.

My suggestion. Lower the level select to the base of the trunk and have a confirmation button that says "Enter level" so that someone like me who is trying to travel fast through an overworld doesn't have to wait 16 seconds every time he makes a simple mistake like that.

- Dying takes too long. The checkpoints are forgiving, but when I die, I want to get right back into the action. The reset animation is too slow for me.

- Doesn't feel like a platformer. Due to the restricted controls and focus on simple, one-solution puzzles, what could have been a cool platformer with terrain deformation mechanics is simply just a puzzle game. Yes, it's technically a platformer, but the skill is not in your hands and reflexes. The forward progression is mostly limited by your mind.

IN CONCLUSION.
When I got this game, I was hoping for a platformer, but I got a puzzle game. Lucky for me, I like puzzle games. It was just a bit of a surprise that I couldn't do a lot of the things that I thought I should be able to do. For a puzzle game, the controls make perfect sense, but for a platformer it doesn't make sense. When you buy this game, expect a cute puzzle game with a squishy world and challenges that will tease your brain.

Goyo
Goyo

Too cheap to say no. Try it, it has some clever mechanics. The level design is lacking though, I really wish this game was made by more people.

3k0
3k0

At first I was thought that it was cute and it would be a clever game... and innovative of course – not in a brilliant way, but enough to hook me.

After a few engaging puzzles, came more and more those relying mostly on execution... We know that, in principle, the epiphany of finding the solution to a puzzle should be its climax; the remaining execution has to not come in the way, or should be fun to play. However here it doesn't happen this way. OK, why not, all action-puzzle games also rely on execution. But in Semblance, with sometimes unreliable controls (due to the deforming geometry, I get it is somewhat a problem inherent to the concept) executing the solution of the puzzle becomes a tedious struggle. Here it's not the core concept that is at fault, but rather some questionable additional mechanics and level design – like the slingshot mechanic, which strength depends on some weird tension rule.

I did give this game a chance, I really wanted to enjoy it and see the end credits. Alas, on the second main tree, after too many "slingshot puzzles" that relied solely on (frustrating) execution, I gave up.

Goobee
Goobee

Reminds me a LOT of Badland from the simplistic-layered visuals to the world building and its characters. Overall though it pulls it off pretty well and while not on the same scale, length and story wise, it makes for an alright playthrough you should probably be able to 100% (achievements included) in 3-4 hours depending on how long you waste searching for the last mosquito only to find out it was on the second level...
Only relevant nitpick i'll bring up is while the in-game visual and sound quality is great the menus are awful & look really lazy.

Y4F9
Y4F9

This one is definitely a nice little gem. Unique concept. Really great puzzles. Highly recommended if you're into platformers and puzzles. This one married both genres really, really well. Game is underrated.

Dare I say this game is what Portal was to the FPS genre. How that was first person + gun but the portals brought an interesting twist. This one is your traditional platformer but you also have to manipulate to world to get through. Fantastic.

Kaninchenbau
Kaninchenbau

It's a fun little platformer with a twist to the gameplay. Sometimes it is a bit clumsy and frustrating. I'm pretty sure I beat one or two puzzles in a way that I wasn't supposed to.

I was left wishing there was a little more to it, because I really liked the art style, but the story (if you can call it one) and setting are extremely minimalist.

Probably worth picking up at half price.

Yarusenai
Yarusenai

A neat little puzzle game where you solve puzzles by smashing against certain deformable areas, creating platforms or moving them. Its less than 3 hours long, maybe a bit more if you have to return to areas to search for collectables.

For the price, though, it is definitely not only too short, but also only of too little substance. The artstyle is flat (no pun intended), the gimmick of deforming areas is very one-dimensional and there are only really two major elements introduced into the game throughout your playthrough, both of which are not changing the game much either. It is a nice little game for 4 or 5 dollars, but 10 is asking a bit much. If you get it on sale though, like me, you can spend a reasonably entertaining 2 or 3 hours.

Omi
Omi

Very adorable and fun puzzle game.

Pretty aspects and a nice Design.

ThePsychicFetus
ThePsychicFetus

Semblance is a different take on the puzzle platformer through environmental manipulation that is enjoyable from start to finish.

[DLR]Firefly
[DLR]Firefly

A good puzzle game. Not super over the top hard. Its about the right length and doesn't overstay its welcome.

Dearg Doom
Dearg Doom

Semblance is a short and sweet puzzle platformer with some intriguing mechanics. Initially the main gimmick is how you're able to bend and move platforms, but the game continually ramps up and adds more mechanics to keep the puzzles fun and interesting as the game progresses. While the physics in this game don't always work on the first try, it doesn't keep the game down as you figure out how you need to proceed in a puzzle. Meanwhile the story, while simple, conveys itself in such an interesting way that leaves the player to their imagination to peace it together for themselves.
Overall, Semblance is a neat little platformer that I thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend to anyone wanting a slightly different experience with the platforming genre.

Lex Mortis
Lex Mortis

Runs very smooth with no issues on Linux with Proton!

Cute and unique platform puzzler.

Expect around 5-7 hours of gameplay out of this game, but no replay value. If you're looking for a cute puzzler (but not too hard), then this is your game.

Mckinley
Mckinley

Pretty interesting. Puzzle-platformers aren't my thing, but I bought this a while ago and I'm not one to waste money.
I had fun with it.

EffEmmEll
EffEmmEll

A pretty good platformer with light puzzle solving.
There are only a few different mechanics, but they're all used well. You're never explicitly told what things do, but it's easy to figure out with a bit of experimentation. The platforming itself is good, but feels a little slippery at times. You are a blob-thing, though, so I guess that fits.
The difficulty is a bit uneven. Most rooms are easy to solve, but you'll run across a few that require excellent timing and reflexes.

dinnsdale
dinnsdale

Clever, unique mechanic! There's a little bit of jank, but overall a VERY fun experience!

DiabolicalDude
DiabolicalDude

Semblance is a platformer where the gimmick is that you can deform certain pieces of terrain to lower/raise platforms. You do this to traverse levels and collect orbs to get to the next level. The way the deformation is used in puzzles is really neat and is creative as it plays a key part in other mechanics (such as blocking or trigger lasers). The various mechanics work well together and build on top of each other nicely to give a good sense of progression. The controls are pretty good to match the puzzles which require some tight movement/timing sometimes.

One limitation is the fact that deformations are not additive so you can only do one thing to a platform at a time. I guess it makes the puzzles more readable but I think it would have been fun to explore that. Also, the boss fight is completely different from the rest of the game and is really short which is annoying. The only other issues are that some puzzles require a really strict placement of bumps which can get confusing if you haven’t found the right exact spot and that scaling the walls can be a bit annoying (especially in the alternate shapes).

Overall, it was fun and I liked the challenges in it. The game is pretty short so get it on sale if you can. Pretty fun!

Pulo Pwner
Pulo Pwner

It's fine, thought it would be better but it was still fun. And the visuals are cool.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Challenging but rewarding, the way good puzzlers should be. Still quite early into it (I hope) so not that taxing yet, but you can feel that difficulty creeping up.

saint23thomas
saint23thomas

This game has a lot of interesting ideas, but doesn't really bring them all together very well.

real_real_mikhail
real_real_mikhail

The game is quite short and easy but it is very cool. I'm surprised that it has so few reviews.
Music, art, gameplay - everything is well crafted. There are some minor bugs here and there but they don't annoy me. Checkpoints are placed after each "puzzle" so it is very convenient.
It is a bit sad that there is no information in which levels/worlds you have missed mosquitoes. I don't really want to replay whole game seeking for them :)
Also there is no trading cards - but yeah, we're buying games not for them but for game itself - don't we? :)

spincube
spincube

Short, sweet, and with a cute gimmick. Perfect way to spend a few hours.

hentai_priest
hentai_priest

Once again, wish there was a sideways thumb.

It absolutely isn't a bad game as such, but it's not to my liking and I wouldn't recommend it. I'm sure tho, lots of people will love it.

On paper, the world shaping mechanic seems fresh and intriguing, and promises some creative ways of solving puzzles. In the game, on the other hand, it boils down to (tediously) implementing one readily apparent solution after another.

Biiox
Biiox

Refreshing, easy and short.
Introduces some interesting mechanics along the way and doesn't get too crazy with them.
The terrain deforming and movement can have some slight jank but pretty chill experience other than that.

Achievements are just collect some extra stuff, not much harder than the main game. 5~ Hours to 100%.
Grabbed it on sale for 2 bucks, might be worth full price if you're looking for something new.

corbo
corbo

Fun physics-based puzzles.

Hit boxes are fuzzy, and so is positioning (inertia is high.) You'd better like trial-and-error endeavours; don't expect clockwork precision. Plasticity and elasticity are meant to be inconsistent, chaotic.
The gameplay is precisely 4,2774% thinking and 98.2% implementing your solution.
Ir's a bit glitchy, letting you occasionally become sticky, go through solid walls, or cross laser beams unharmed. However, occurrences are rare enough to make them more fun than annoying.

The game is fun because the mechanics are amusing and you've got all the time in the world.

Except in the final level, designed by an alien saboteur and included by oversight. It combines nothing but annoying chases, timed jumps, awful visibility, awful cameras. The horror lasts for less than 10% of the game though. The saboteur failed to ruin the work of Nyamakop and ended up on Krampus' list.

Most fun for me: You can make and sit on your own slingshots. Boing!

【 Lorena 】
【 Lorena 】

Fun and fairly affordable little platformer.

It took me a few minutes to realise I could break things by boosting in a downward motion so I was stuck on the first introductory level for a bit longer than I'd like to admit. I only had one bug which had me fall through the map on the second level but luckily in the start menu there's a 'reset blob' button or whatever, so that fixed me.

A few of the puzzles genuinely had me sitting there for a few minutes braining out what I was supposed to do. Interesting mechanics. The only part I didn't like was the very last level because it was more speed-based than thinking based, so it took me longer than expected. The music was interesting, the little blob character was cute, and it was a decent little platform game. Overall took me about 5 hours to complete.

If you like platformers or puzzle games, you might like this one also.

eloavox
eloavox

Charming and novel, but also quite brief.

selharxets
selharxets

interesting concept, great combination of puzzle and action

Slushie
Slushie

Very creative game, I enjoy playing...for the most part. Semblance is creative, it has a nice soundtrack, and pretty, however, it is somewhat glitchy. I cannot count the amount of times I have gotten stuck in a wall while deforming the world, not game breaking, but irritating and it takes a bit of messing around to get unstuck. I fell through the world twice in the span of five minutes at one point. The biggest problem however, is how pixel perfect the solutions can be at times. Sometimes it takes forever to get past certain points because the game does not work if the solution is not pixel perfect, and this is a problem at several points in the game. You can do the same thing over and over again for it to not work only for you do do the same thing again and the game do something different and then it works. Or you have to deform a certain platform and no matter how many times you do it the angle is off so you cannot continue until it decides to work the way it is supposed to. Generally this isn't a problem and you can play for a while without having issues, but it happens more than once or twice. I really do love the game and would recommend it to others, I've never played a platformer where the main thing is to deform and reform the terrain, but if these issues are deal breakers for you, don't get the game. For me, as much as I enjoy this game, it's probably not a game I would play through again except to get everything, or if it has been a while since I have played it. All in all, Semblance is a beautiful and creative game with a wonderful color palette, but it gets very irritating at times and is sometimes virtually impossible to continue onward through. If i had to rate this game out of 10 I'd probably give it 7/10

Kzon
Kzon

Good enough puzzle platformer, I mean if that's what you are looking for, look no further

MagickBear
MagickBear

Absolute hidden gem. A brilliantly executed puzzle/platformer hybrid with a relaxing vibe.

I like Knights ♞
I like Knights ♞

Nice and fun but extremely short puzzle platformer.

The game mechanics are really creative, cool and interesting - i wish, they would have been explored a bit more.

Pros:
- Easy to get in and out: Great to play for short bits of time.
- Cool mechanics, never using the same trick twice.
- Good learning curve, easy to understand.
- The puzzles themselves are rather easy.

Cons:
- SHORT!
- Sometimes randomly a bit too precise with certain positioning, making those riddles more annoying than hard.
- The puzzles themselves are rather easy.
- Certain hidden collectibles (mosquitos & paintings) are annoying to find when you miss them the fist time, since you don't get shown on the overworld how much/where they are misssing.

SaNew
SaNew

Good game but I kinda have a bit of a bug game problem sometimes

ChrillBill
ChrillBill

Short but sweet! A very fun, squishy and bouncy puzzle platformer. I found that the controls could be a little frustrating sometimes but it was not a big deal. I really enjoyed this little adventure and therefore I will recommend it :)

Enginerd108
Enginerd108

My experience with the game was solidly eh. If you are looking for the puzzler plot of semblance be warned it kinda switches off the puzzling at the end. The ending was kinda a let down, and I've got zero clue what the plot is. this is just my experience tho, up to u if u like or not ig. The game was kinda jank at times from a gameplay standpoint, several times I missed jumps and glitched out of worlds and begged the camera to just pan over an inch. Personally, I wouldn't buy it again.

galundin
galundin

Logic puzzle games and 2D precision platformers are my two favorite genres. I never imagined I'd see them combined so nicely, but this charming gem is surprisingly good at both!

The puzzle design is excellent, with several truly original mechanics that work really well together, providing plenty of good challenges with clever solutions. New principles are continually introduced in discoverable ways. It never gets tedious or repetitive, and none of the levels ever feel like filler - It's all good quality.

The platforming is mostly pretty easy, but it does get quite challenging in several places, requiring lots of practice to learn and perform the necessary movement patterns. Frequent checkpoints and rapid retry make it painless to keep at it until you succeed. The final level will really put your skills to the test!

The physics can be a bit finicky, and I got stuck in walls a few times, but there's a reset option that fixes everything without losing any progress, so it was only a minor annoyance, and rare.

I really enjoyed the chill atmosphere, and the abstract, minimalist style. It fits the gameplay perfectly. This game was a pleasure to play, and I'd love to see a sequel!

mariana wench
mariana wench

unique mechanics, challenging puzzles, and beautiful graphics

CHEERIEHEART
CHEERIEHEART

Stumbled on this game randomly and upon reading 'deformable terrain' I just knew I had to get this. As someone who loves puzzle games, this game is definitely a very fresh and innovative twist for me. Semblance do add in new features so each and every puzzle does not feel repetitive or tedious. Hint: If you think the some of the puzzles are solved by fast reaction times, most of the time you are wrong, they would be a way to solve it with some brain power instead of fast fingers. Definitely recommended.

Turoel
Turoel

A nice, short puzzle games. Easy achievements.

Nimja
Nimja

A cute, 2D platform/puzzle game.

It's short (although it took me a while to find the last mosquito) and sweet. Some weird puzzles but generally nice.

+ Simple but beautiful graphics.
+ Very nice sound design.
+ Controls are simple and responsive.

- Only 16:9 - But that's fine.
- Some of the puzzles are a bit awkward at first.

It's a cute 2D platformer, not too hard but still enjoyable.

Anonymous
Anonymous

Challenging which is what makes it great. I accomplished everything except.....one of the secret shrines. I had to get help on that one.

Tenebras
Tenebras

Игра отличная, медитативная, успокаивающая. Хорошо заходит, если хотите послушать музыку, послушать диалог/монолог. Одним словом - кайф. Правда, сложно, но это уже мои заморочки, игра от этого плохой не становится =)

Zeff
Zeff

Simple yet fun puzzle-platformer in which you control a little blob that can squish into different shapes to overcome obstacles.

Quite short but worth every penny if you find it on sale and love yourself a puzzle game.

vertigogal
vertigogal

it's blorbo from my shows, in a video game! squash and stretch and polygon racism

Change
Change

A decent 6 hour play could take longer... But you have to be patient and he gets stuck a lot (there is a reason why they have the "reset squishy" button) use the guides and be patient; one of the later task actually require you to be too perfect with the timing witch could be frustrating.
Some glitches here and there, but other than that, I say it's a decent game :)

Rushin' Russian
Rushin' Russian

+ Actually innovative
+ Interesting puzzles, not too difficult
+ Overall fun for sure

+/- Occasionally requires some well-timed, precise movements

- No story/plot/characters/dialog past some cave paintings
- Keyboard bindings aren't ideal

Fun game, overall difficulty is kinda "trivial for platformer veterans but probably a little too hard for a casual player". My only criticism is that it doesn't even try to tell you a story of any sort, or introduce characters etc. The cinematic trailer on this page is the most you're gonna get. The game looks cute and has a lively world but doesn't go anywhere with it, sadly.

I really didn't like the default keyboard controls (space to dash, left alt to reset deformations) and there are no settings for that so I I had to write a macro.

Also I absolutely recommend SHEEPO if you've enjoyed this game.

yipiyip
yipiyip

TL;DR: I think this game would be 4/5 stars if the controls weren't unresponsive and poorly programmed. As it is, and for a price tag of $10 normally, I would give this game a 2/5, pushing it into 'thumbs down' territory. Get it on sale for $2 like I did, and I would give it 3/5, or "only buy if you ran out of other platformers to play".

Full Review:
If I hadn't gotten Semblance on sale, I would return it. As is, I got it for around $2 USD, which is pretty much what I think it's worth. It's an average puzzle platformer. Nothing is going to win any prizes in my book. The controls handle poorly, which is why I'm giving this a bad review. Platformers rely on tight controls, unless they are specifically built around slippery ones, which is very hard to do. Even Super Meat Boy, a staple in the platforming genre, has very tight controls despite the character sliding on any surface.

Semblance controls are incredibly loose, hitboxes aren't that generous, and everything feels unresponsive. I constantly found myself frustrated with the game because I would die when I was SURE I hadn't touched something bad. I would miss a jump because it didn't dash in the direction I told it to. For some reason, the dash here sticks to the floor, meaning if you dash while on a slope, you stick to the slope. If you dash towards a down slope, rather than fly off the end like I would want, it sticks you down and follows the slope - often killing you.

In some games, like Portal, the big challenge is figuring out how to solve the puzzle. In some games, like Hollow Knight, challenges are presented in execution and reflex. In Semblance, I found myself being challenged by the game itself, and my biggest hurdle wasn't figuring out the puzzle or in reflexes, but in understanding just what weird design quirk was preventing me from doing the thing I needed to do (like the slope-stick issue).

All in all, I can't recommend Semblance to anyone really. If you're new to puzzle platformers, there are better options. If you're not new, you'll probably find yourself fighting the game more than the puzzles as you attempt to solve not the puzzles, but the game's strange design choices and controls that never quite behave how I think they should based off other games.