Volume Reviews
In some respects Volume is a refreshingly simple take on a pure stealth title. It really does nail the stealth mechanics, and although short it offers a wealth of replayability thanks to an extensive level editor and community-made levels.
Volume is not perfect, but it is a relentlessly fun, interesting and engrossing stealth game that looks to have legs thanks to an excellently simple level creator.
Mike Bithell once again unleashes another creative title onto the indie scene, but Volume's addictive sneaking and fantastic cast can't distract from the lacking story.
While the main story missions are a little easy, it still is really fun to play with, and there are already plenty of user-generated missions to play with. Volume's purity of focus in creating simple stealth works well for the most part.
All in all, Volume is a solid game. Its new-age telling of a certified classic is intelligently done.
Volume merges its influences very well and creates a very fun atmosphere, provided by good puzzles and a great script. Most game design and rhythm failures in the story are forgotten by the addictive and simple gameplay. The map editor, the creations of the community and the desire to return to the main story maps, seeking to improve your completion time, give the game a great replay factor and represents the great package that Volume is.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
An enjoyable homage to old school Metal Gear Solid, but a lack of challenge and an overbearing story means it isn't quite a stealth classic in its own right.
An expertly crafted game that boasts stylish, nigh-endless permutations of a simple, engrossing form of stealth.
Volume is not a bad game. But it still leaves me wanting for something more out of it.
At times, Volume may fly too close to its Metal Gear Solid roots - creator Mike Bithell has unashamedly noted 1998's stealth 'em up as a distinct source of inspiration - but what it lacks in immediate originality, aesthetically at least, it makes up for in innovative, engaging, and challenging level design. To brand this a clone would be more criminal than Gisborne's corporatocratic rule.
Volume has a carefully considered set of mechanics and it will certainly appeal to those who love stealth action and are interested in completing each of the levels as quickly as possible, moving smoothly and without having to get saved by the checkpoints.
An inventive stealth game that strips the genre down to its basics.
[T]he atmosphere, voice acting and plot had me coming back for more even when the puzzles overwhelmed me.
Early-game issues aside, Volume is an entertaining and addictive mix of Metal Gear Solid and Trials.
Volume is a fantastic experience that I highly recommend to any stealth-game lovers. It's a unique twist on the Robin Hood story, and while the game's main storyline might not have been as strong as I hoped, I think it is definitely a great follow-up to Bithell's success with Thomas Was Alone.
Volume's tight mechanics, smart visual vocabulary, and level-editing tools combine to create something that is as much a puzzle game as it is a stealth title.
Volume is a strong game that is not without its flaws, but finds a nice home in the class of stealth games this year has already offered.
Coming off the back of Thomas Was Alone, Volume is a much more ambitious and expansive project, and there's little sign of this being a difficult second album. It can miss the mark in a few areas, depending on how you play, but this is a clever distillation of the classic stealth genre wrapped up in an excellent retelling of a classic English legend.
A satisfying and exciting experience from start to finish
Because the challenge stays reasonable enough throughout, Volume's stealth systems remain satisfying and, most importantly, a consistent echo of the game's narrative.