Below

The reviews of Below consistently praise its atmospheric storytelling and minimalist approach to narrative, emphasizing how the game immerses players through exploration rather than explicit exposition. Critics like Meristation highlight the "enigmatic and atmospheric storytelling," while SpazioGames notes the game’s symbolic themes of "good vs. evil" and "light vs. darkness," which add layers of interpretation. Eurogamer Italy (PS4) and Jeuxvideo.com (PC) commend the reliance on environmental storytelling, with the latter describing it as a "silent but effective" method that invites player curiosity. The lack of dialogue or tutorials is seen as a strength by many, with IGN noting that the "dramatic twist" in the ending rewards players who engage deeply with the world. Additionally, Game Informer and GameCrate appreciate how the game’s focus on atmosphere and isolation creates an immersive experience, likening it to the works of Fumito Ueda or Lovecraftian horror. However, several critics criticize Below for its lack of narrative clarity and frustratingly sparse guidance. GameCritics and GameGrin point out that the "minimalistic approach to storytelling" leaves players confused about the game’s purpose, with the protagonist’s motivations and the world’s lore remaining opaque. GamingTrend and Hardcore Gamer note that later sections become monotonous, as the lack of progression or resolution undermines engagement. The absence of tutorials or explicit explanations is a double-edged sword: while it fosters discovery, it also alienates players who prefer structured narratives. Critics like Gameplanet and PC Games highlight this tension, noting that the "nameless character" and fragmented details force players to infer meaning without clear direction, which can feel isolating rather than immersive. Overall, the consensus among critics is that Below prioritizes atmosphere and exploration over traditional storytelling, resulting in a polarizing but distinctive experience. While many praise its ability to evoke mystery and emotional resonance through environmental cues—such as Eurogamer Italy’s observation of "a fable that subverts expectations" or SpazioGames’ reference to cosmic horror themes—others find the lack of narrative structure frustrating. The game’s deliberate ambiguity is seen as both a strength and a weakness, with some like IGN and GameCrate celebrating its ingenuity, while others, such as GameGrin and GamingTrend, argue it sacrifices clarity for style. Ultimately, Below appeals to players who value atmospheric immersion and player-driven interpretation, even if it leaves little room for conventional storytelling.

The gameplay of Below is praised for its intense challenge, procedural generation, and immersive exploration. Critics like IGN and Game Informer highlight the game’s roguelike mechanics, noting that the randomly generated dungeons and survival elements create a dynamic experience. TheXboxHub and DualShockers commend the game’s focus on trial-and-error learning and strategic resource management, while Eurogamer Italy and PC Gamer appreciate the depth of combat mechanics and the tension created by permadeath. Many reviewers, including GameGrin and The Indie Game Website, acknowledge that the game’s difficulty is intentional, offering a rewarding experience for players who master its systems. The procedural generation and emphasis on exploration are frequently cited as strengths, with some critics noting that the evolving dungeon layouts keep the gameplay engaging despite its harshness. However, the punishing difficulty, repetitive mechanics, and lack of guidance dominate the negative critiques. Multiple reviewers, including GameCritics, COGconnected, and Screen Rant, criticize the game’s tedious resource management, arbitrary death penalties, and frustrating survival systems like hunger meters and bleed damage. TheXboxHub and Eurogamer Italy point to combat being monotonous or simplistic, while IGN and PC Gamer note inconsistencies in difficulty spikes and unfair design choices. Critics like GameGrin and DualShockers describe the learning curve as overly harsh, with many feeling that the game’s lack of tutorials and unclear mechanics detract from accessibility. The repetitive nature of resource gathering and the high stakes of permadeath are frequently cited as barriers to enjoyment, even for dedicated players. The overall consensus among critics is that Below is a highly challenging, polarizing experience that balances depth with frustration. While many praise its innovative roguelike mechanics, procedural generation, and immersive survival elements, the game’s punishing design and steep learning curve alienate a significant portion of players. Critics like IGN and PC Gamer acknowledge the game’s rewarding potential for those who persevere, but others, such as GameCritics and COGconnected, argue that its flaws—like repetitive systems and unclear mechanics—undermine its appeal. Despite mixed reactions, there is agreement that Below stands out for its ambition and intensity, even if it fails to fully reconcile its demanding design with player satisfaction. The game’s legacy hinges on whether players view its challenges as a test of skill or an obstacle to enjoyment.

The graphics and visual design of Below are widely praised for their atmospheric depth, unique artistry, and ability to immerse players in a haunting, mysterious world. Critics highlight the game’s minimalist approach, with its low-poly aesthetic, stark lighting contrasts, and deliberate use of fog and darkness creating a sense of scale and vulnerability. For instance, GameGrin describes the environments as "hauntingly beautiful," while Twinfinite calls the visuals an "artistic masterpiece" that keeps players engaged despite challenges. The tilt-shift perspective and top-down camera angles, noted by PC Gamer and Destructoid, emphasize the player’s smallness in a vast, hostile world, enhancing themes of isolation and exploration. Additionally, the attention to environmental details—such as dripping caves, eerie landscapes, and procedurally generated settings—receives acclaim, with GameStar praising the "distinctive, immersive world" and IGN highlighting visually striking areas like gloomy caves and the Necropolis. However, several critics point out practical and aesthetic drawbacks. The reliance on fog, darkness, and low detail, while effective for atmosphere, often hinders visibility, making traps and enemies harder to spot. GameCritics notes that this "exacerbates the game’s difficulty," while MondoXbox mentions that the "small protagonist size and excessive darkness" can be frustrating. Some argue the art style leans on tired tropes or becomes repetitive over time; GameSpot criticizes the design for "relying on tired tropes" and losing mystique, while Xbox Achievements points to subterranean environments becoming "samey." Additionally, the monochrome textures and minimalistic approach, though intentional, are seen as limiting by some, with Eurogamer Italy describing the visuals as "flat" and GameCrate noting the lack of visual ambition. These issues occasionally clash with the game’s core mechanics, creating a tension between artistic intent and player experience. Despite these critiques, the overall consensus among critics is that Below’s visual design is a defining strength, even if it comes with trade-offs. The art style is consistently lauded for its evocative atmosphere, with GameSpace calling it "glorious and singular" and COGconnected praising its "stunning art style" and "dark, mysterious atmosphere." While some critics, like Worth Playing and God is a Geek, acknowledge the challenges posed by low-light conditions and limited visibility, they also recognize how these elements reinforce the game’s themes of isolation and tension. The balance between aesthetic ambition and functional design remains a point of debate, but the majority agree that Below’s visuals are integral to its identity, creating an immersive, if occasionally frustrating, experience. As IGN notes, the "eerie aesthetics" and "attention to detail in architecture" make the game stand out, cementing its reputation as a visually distinctive title.

The sound design and music of Below are widely praised by critics for their atmospheric depth and emotional resonance. Multiple reviewers highlight Jim Guthrie’s score as a cornerstone of the game’s immersive experience, with its haunting, minimalist compositions effectively amplifying the game’s eerie and melancholic tone. For instance, GameGrin and Push Square commend Guthrie’s work for creating a "meditative, eerie" atmosphere, while TheXboxHub notes the "ominous and unsettling" score that enhances feelings of hopelessness and tension. Ambient sounds also play a critical role, with Jeuxvideo.com describing the soundtrack as "aérienne et discrète" (aerial and discreet), complementing the game’s nihilistic tone without overpowering gameplay. Critics like VideoGamer and GameStar emphasize how acoustic guitar, natural elements, and environmental sounds—such as wind, rain, and distant thunder—evoke isolation and tension, while SpazioGames praises the synths for their cosmic horror-inspired atmosphere. The consensus is that the audio design is meticulously crafted to deepen immersion, with Xbox Achievements calling it "evocative" and Wccftech noting its dynamic layering that adapts to environmental cues. While the majority of reviews celebrate Below’s sound design, some critics point to minor drawbacks. A few note that the soundtrack’s sparsity or subtlety could be a double-edged sword. Cubed3 observes that the music is "booming but rarely a presence," suggesting it feels impactful when present but not consistently integrated into the experience. Similarly, GameSpot mentions that Guthrie’s score loses some of its impact during later, more tedious sections due to the game’s increased difficulty and repetition. Additionally, IGN and Metro GameCentral acknowledge the sound design’s role in setting mood but note a lack of explicit detail on musical elements, with IGN stating there is "no explicit mention of musical elements." These critiques are relatively minor compared to the overall praise, as they often frame the sparse approach as intentional rather than flawed. For example, Worth Playing appreciates the "sporadic use" of music to create ambiance through silence, and Multiplayer.it finds the non-intrusive nature effective for maintaining immersion. The overwhelming consensus among critics is that Below’s sound design and music are exceptional, with their atmospheric contributions being a defining strength of the game. Nearly all reviewers agree that the audio elements—whether Guthrie’s haunting compositions or the meticulous ambient sounds—elevate the game’s tension, mystery, and emotional weight. GameGrin, Push Square, and SpazioGames consistently highlight the score’s ability to evoke dread and wonder, while Player 2 and Vandal praise the sound design for its oppressive, expertly crafted atmosphere. Even critics who note minor shortcomings, like GameSpot’s observation about later sections, acknowledge the overall excellence of the audio work. The repeated emphasis on subtlety, restraint, and environmental integration underscores why Below’s sound design is seen as a critical component of its success. As COGconnected puts it, the music is "hauntingly beautiful," and Gameblog.fr notes that the orchestral compositions "match the game’s ambiance," reinforcing the idea that the audio is not just supportive but integral to the game’s identity.

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The technical performance of Below varies across platforms, with some versions receiving praise for stability and polish. On PS4, critics like Multiplayer.it and SpazioGames highlight the console’s solid conversion, noting smooth frame rates, improved stability post-patches, and a polished experience despite initial issues. TheSixthAxis acknowledges that while loading times remain an annoyance, the Explore Mode introduces balance adjustments that mitigate some frustrations. For Xbox One, MondoXbox praises the Xbox One X’s 4K and HDR support, calling it “smooth” and noting minimal major technical issues, though Generación Xbox criticizes frame rate stuttering and lag as unacceptable for a high-end console. On PC, Eurogamer Italy, GameCrate, and Worth Playing commend the game’s smooth performance, low system requirements, and stability on modern hardware, with PC Gamer noting “solid frame rates” despite minor quirks like unchangeable key bindings. However, technical shortcomings plague several platforms. On PS4, Cubed3 and TheSixthAxis criticize long loading times and harsh death penalties that disrupt the flow, while SpazioGames notes lingering bugs despite patches. For Xbox One, DualShockers, GameGrin, and Gamer.nl report crashes, stuttering, framerate drops, and unstable mechanics like “unfair traps” and a clunky inventory system. Attack of the Fanboy and CGMagazine highlight specific issues such as save loops and an overly punishing checkpoint system, while Generación Xbox laments that even the Xbox One X struggles with frame rate inconsistencies. On PC, Multiplayer.it and PC Gamer point to instability, including “sluggish input” and enemies exploiting glitches, while GameSpace and Windows Central criticize control mapping flaws and forced controller prompts, which detract from the experience despite generally smooth performance. Overall, the consensus is that Below’s technical performance is uneven but improves with patches. The PS4 version benefits from post-launch updates, though its loading times and punishing mechanics remain divisive. Xbox One faces more significant issues, with critics like DualShockers and Gamer.nl emphasizing persistent bugs despite some positive notes on hardware support. PC receives the most balanced reception, with many reviewers praising its accessibility and stability, albeit with minor quirks. While IGN Italia and MondoXbox note occasional positives, the broader sentiment leans toward frustration over technical flaws, particularly on Xbox One and PC, where bugs and design choices like harsh survival mechanics overshadow the game’s ambition. Despite these issues, the core systems—combat, movement, and exploration—generally function well, suggesting that Below’s technical challenges are more about polish than fundamental failure.

The reviews highlight several positive aspects of Below's replay value, particularly its procedural generation and roguelike mechanics. Critics like Jeuxvideo.com (multiple platforms) emphasize that the game’s randomly generated dungeons and evolving environments create a sense of discovery, encouraging players to revisit for new challenges and secrets. The permadeath system, as noted by GameGrin and Vandal, adds tension and motivates retries, while GamingTrend and Hardcore Gamer acknowledge the allure of uncovering hidden elements and mastering the game’s cryptic mechanics. Additionally, modes like Explore Mode (mentioned by Eurogamer Italy and TheSixthAxis) offer a more relaxed approach, providing varied experiences that cater to different playstyles. The potential for progression through persistent consequences, as highlighted by GameCrate and DualShockers, further supports the idea that repeated attempts can yield unique outcomes, rewarding dedicated players with deeper engagement. However, the negatives surrounding Below's replay value are equally prominent. Many critics, including DarkStation and Xbox Achievements, argue that the punishing difficulty and frequent loss of progress deter sustained play, as setbacks feel excessive for casual or less patient players. The repetitive nature of dungeons and combat mechanics is a recurring critique: GameCritics and PC Gamer note that procedural generation fails to deliver meaningful variation, leading to monotony. Windows Central and SpazioGames point to the game’s slow pacing and shallow post-completion content, while Meristation and Jeuxvideo.com (XBOX ONE) acknowledge that even with hidden secrets, the experience can become tedious over time. The lack of clear guidance or incentives for retries, as mentioned by MondoXbox and SomosXbox, further complicates the game’s appeal beyond niche audiences. Overall, the consensus among critics is mixed but leaning toward niche appeal. While Jeuxvideo.com (PC) and GameStar praise the game’s high replayability due to its dynamic environments and persistent challenges, many others like GameGrin and PC Gamer caution that the punishing difficulty and repetitive mechanics limit broader accessibility. The game’s core design—emphasizing exploration, permadeath, and procedural variety—resonates with hardcore roguelike fans, as noted by DualShockers and Attack of the Fanboy, but alienates those seeking more structured or forgiving experiences. Ultimately, Below offers a compelling, if frustrating, replay loop for players who prioritize challenge and discovery, but its steep learning curve and repetitive elements prevent it from achieving universal appeal.