Shape of the World Reviews
The Shape of the World is an experience so I can’t really review it as a game. But as an experience, it fails to ignite my imagination in any way. I was bored very quickly and there isn’t much on offer either with only a limited number of chapters to explore.
Truth be told, I felt my eyes hurting a bit after watching color changing a bit too much and staring too long at something trying to figure out what it is. Perhaps it’s just me, but I wanted to put my thoughts out there.
A weird title. It's not an overwhelmingly good walking simulator, it's not an outrageously bad exploration game, it's just... there.
The art and music direction in Shape of the World is undeniably delightful but its gameplay lacks purpose, and the game suffers as a result.
Shape of the World isn't a bad game, it just never quite hits its stride in the way a game like this needs to.
It is certainly a pretty game. The minimalist polygon planes are very evocative, the sound design is lovely, and the abundant bloom lighting creates a mood. There's sort of a goal (get to the next triangle) and when you achieve it, the art style shifts. But I didn't really find it relaxing, I found it boring. And I never got over feeling perplexed.
Yes, you can interact with some of the animals in minor ways and use trees to give yourself a burst of forward momentum. Yes, you can throw seeds down to create trees. Yes, you can create bridges and wander around a handful of different biomes while the scenery grows around you. Without a goal driving you, however, this carries the same amount of weight as being lost in a supermarket.
I notice a lot of lost potential here, be it a potential to expand this lovely world, or a potential to add compelling gameplay elements. Shape of the World is, ultimately, a pretty shell: gorgeous on the outside, but hollow on the inside.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Shape of the World is a pretty nice meditative experience. The aesthetic is really cool and the music is excellent, but the game is rather short and lacks replayability.
Despite being short, Shape of the World can easily start to feel lackluster if it fails to develop a mood altering connection with you. As such, it’s more of a hit or miss.
Shape of the World does not follow the rigid tenets of most games. What Shape of the World proposes is rather a relaxation of the senses thanks to a skillfully-crafted abstract and psychedelic art style which does a very good job at immersing the player into a different state of mind. Pity that it does not propose more of that, as Shape of the World feels too short and with too little interaction, for a game that gets its sensory component right.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Promising a world where you can get lost and yet find peace is a hard sell, though when everything falls into place, Shape of the World provides some noteworthy moments.
“You walk around inside a strangely colored swamp/forest/cave/mountain and touch glowing things to go to the next area.”
To me, Shape of the World feels like Proteus injected with a shallow feeling of progression on a linear path. Removing the freedom and unbound nature without considering the ramifications, it expects you to play with no real motivation nor driving factor. If you are content with a short slow-paced walk through some undeniably interesting scenery, this might yet be for you, but don't be expecting much beyond this.
Shape of the World brings some rather strong elements to the table, but it also leaves the feeling of unfulfilled potential. It truly is a relaxing title, with an outstanding soundtrack to boot. But the sluggish speed combined with the limited interactivity, and short length, means this is probably best grabbed on sale, and not at its $14.99 launch price.
I enjoyed Shape of the World at full and even compelled by it. I feel like I am under some dark magic with brightest colors and I am sure that I will not be able to shake the feeling for some time.
And I admit I rolled my eyes a bit as the creatures I met went from bug-like critters to sea creatures floating… in the air (a trend that culminated with glimpses of a whale floating in the sky). I found it a little cliché and New Age-y. The final moments were impressive and by the time I got to them, I had started enjoying myself, but it took a long time for the game to ramp up to that point.
Shape of the World is a short, beatiful and relaxing trip through an absurd world; it has some little problems but it works well in every moments.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Shape of the World is a very different offering on the Switch's eShop, and one that we are glad to have experienced despite its shortcomings. Describing it as a video game doesn't feel quite right; it's more of an interactive playground that lets you take a couple of hours out, switch off, and be treated to some thought-provoking aesthetics along the way. It's definitely not for everyone, and it's all over a little too quickly, but Shape of the World is a nicely put together piece of art that deserves the attention of those most intrigued.
What started out as a Kickstarter three years ago, Shape of the World is an impressive accomplishment.