If you’ve been looking for a game where you can fall into the infinite void of madness and lose yourself to its incomprehensible terror then Euclidean might be the game for you.
Euclidean
Developer: Alpha Wave Entertainment
Price: $4
Platform: PC
MonsterVine was supplied with PC code for review
Euclidean is a very simple game. You play as a person who has somehow entered a realm inhabited by eldritch horrors and it’s made immediately clear that you’re a surprise visitor who is most definitely not welcomed. The game has a handful of levels where you slowly fall down avoiding obstacles in your way. Think of it like AaAaAA!!! for the Awesome but almost the exact opposite. Instead of high flying thrills you get slow moving terror. Instead of crowds cheering you on for doing sick stunts you get a sinister entity upset at your intrusion who spends the game remarking on how worthless your existence is and wondering how long you’ll last before you spiral into insanity.
The game moves slowly so you really have to learn the layout of the stages to figure out the best path to take to not only avoid the floating structures, but the geometric creatures swimming around as well. One touch from anything and you’re dead so you really have to decide on how you want to move through a level since you don’t really have too much flexibility due to how slowly you descend. This is made more difficult from the fact that the levels are coated in this thick fog that makes seeing anything that’s not in your immediate personal space practically impossible. Not being able to see anything but hearing the faint sounds of whatever is nearby and seeing something slither just past the edge of your view adds to the terror and it’s great. This isn’t a scary game in the same regard as something like Amnesia, but there’s a genuine sense of dread and urgency as you fall down these levels. There are brief flashes that will illuminate the area (that’s wonderfully timed to the haunting soundtrack) and through these flashes you’ll need to plan out your route and also catch glimpses of whatever horrors are waiting for you below.
When you hit a troubling spot you’re able to press a button to phase through anything for a few seconds. This ability is a double-edged sword because while it can save you in a pinch and also brightens up the entire stage to allow you to see a little better, it also takes ages to recharge. There were quite a few times when I saw a massive creature heading my way as I frantically mashed the phase key to no avail due to it recharging. You’re usually able to phase maybe a half dozen times per level and you’ve got to decide whether to use it to see what’s ahead or hold onto it for when a creature blindsides you.
Unfortunately there isn’t that much else to the game. I was able to get to the end in about an hour and you’d easily be able to beat the game in half the time if you’re lucky enough to not die too much. I already knew coming into the game that it would be incredibly short but I was still a little surprised when I hit the ending so quickly. Its measly $4 price-tag does make its length a little easier to swallow but just know that your own playtime could be half an hour or longer depending on how easily you’re able to traverse its levels.
The Final Word
Euclidean is an oppressively atmospheric game that leaves you wanting more.
– MonsterVine Rating: 3.5 out of 5 – Fair
