ADR1FT Reviews
Adr1ft is an absolutely stunning visual experience. It looks amazing and feels great to be in nearly at all times. That is until you progress to the point when you realize you're doing the exact same thing in a new sector of the ship, not even with different objectives or quick time moments to try to mask the fact that you're hitting enter to make yet another core and plug it in. The whole experience is relatively short, and while it's something to behold visually and feels good while in it, it might not be something for everyone.
ADR1FT makes something as exciting as space exploration a complete bore.
Unlike Gravity, which spaced out its most fraught scenarios between moments of calm, it's in a constant state of panic.
Adr1ft hits an uncomfortable balance between visual novel and video game; it has too many video game elements and too dry a story to make a good first-person experience, and it lacks enough fun to make for a good game.
But I keep thinking back to that jump I made, to all the times I saw the lights down on Earth. I think back to that feeling of weightlessness, and how it's finally given me the space game I wasn't getting anywhere else. For all it's lacking as a traditional "game," that alone makes Adr1ft's short excursion into the unknown one worth taking.
An exquisite game with a great story, but control and graphical issues could hinder a player's experience.
Beautiful and haunting, but fails to fully engage
Like riding a bike in zero gravity, Adr1ft takes some getting used to and offers an interesting, fresh and beautiful presentation. Sure, it has some rough corners but it has several more bright spots.
Despite all of this I still felt myself compelled to play it through, above and beyond writing this review. The age-old argument of gameplay being more important than graphics still rings true, but for those interested in flat-out gorgeous visuals then there's enough lurking here to perhaps warrant the price of entry. It's a superficial reason to like it, sure, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that was the main thing which pulled me through. To that end, from my experiences with VR I can comfortably see a digit or two being tacked on to the score for the sheer immersion present. Without the $600 headset though, this is about as flat an experience as I've had in a long while.
The core activity is a repetitive fetch quest, and narratively it has no satisfying conclusion or even any build-up. It's easy to get lost in Adrift's space environment, but in the end, Adrift is just as lost as you are.
Adr1ft trembles on the line between poetry and tedium
ADR1FT uses simple mechanics to create a subdued and freeform space journey that is worth experiencing.
Possibly the most impressive aspect of Adr1ft is its graphics… A destroyed space station has never looked so good – especially not one that you can float around in
It's a short game and doesn't get everything perfect, but it's also quite unique and has a strong narrative to it. And I do love a game with a strong female lead. This is also a game that feels that it has been released a little early, and by that I mean Adr1ft badly needs to be a strong VR experience when PlayStation VR lands. Then it will truly will be a game that will stick with me for a long time to come.
The sense of awe only lasts for so long and eventually gives way to the tedium that comes from padding the length of a campaign through relatively repetitive missions and challenges. It is hard to shake the feeling that this could have been something special, at least in concept, that ultimately failed executing on its overall promise. Unless you have a VR headset that you are looking to justify, you may want to skip this rescue mission.
Coming from someone who followed it for so long, Adr1ft is massively dis-encouraging. However, I feel it might be worth it to a couple of folks who are looking for a more minimal and ambitious gameplay experience. Just keep in mind that it's far from perfect, and that most would be suited elsewhere.
Ultimately, Adr1ft is an exceptional experience which should be played by everyone who is a fan of the adventure genre. Its simple, yet extremely effective narrative also shows that the genre of the so called 'walking simulators' doesn't need an overproduced story, with hundreds of moral choices, and a cast of meaningless characters.