Transference Reviews
In the end, Transference is in an odd position. The atmosphere is completely engrossing, since the crumbling digital landscape and ominous repeated dialogue and other sounds create an unsettling world. Jump-scares are light, and almost all the puzzles are easy enough to solve even with some fumbling around. With that said, the tale can seem disturbing, but the scattershot way it's told doesn't make the game very memorable when compared to either its horror or walking simulator contemporaries. Transference remains a game that's worth checking out, but it's not one that players should be in a rush to seek out over other similar titles.
Transference is wasted on Xbox One, since it does not support VR. It is not only unbelievably short, it is lacking in content and substance. It is a perfect example of a "one and done" kind of game where you never look back after completing it, and then forget all about it. It might get brought up later in life, but even then, memories of playing it will be foggy at best. Half-remembered dreams are more memorable than Transference.
Transference is an interesting experiment in the blending of horror and virtual reality. Noah and Waller deliver a stressful experience that pushes the player into an uncomfortable space. While the puzzles aren't going to bend your brain, the tension is more than worth the trip...and it is very much a trip.
Short, inconclusive, but monstrously intense, Transference represents the next step forward for narrative games.
Transference fails in both storytelling and creating an engaging gameplay. The story is extremely vague and unclear, and the ending is confusing. On the other hand, the puzzles are easy and not that much fun. I can only hope the next cooperation between Ubisoft and a film production company leads to a much better game.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Transference's inventively spins its story of obsession and broken families into a game that's all about perception and twisted realities. It's not entirely successful, failing to confront the topics it raises and failing to live up to its Hollywood billing and origins, but it's still deeply atmospheric as you flick between realities, solve puzzles and figure out the lengths to which Raymond Hayes would truly go.
Transference will definitely creep you out a bit. Especially while playing in virtual reality and some headphones. Other than that though, 25 bucks is an extreme asking price for something so short and an overall mediocre and repetitive experience.
Film company SpectreVision dips their peanut butter into Ubisoft's videogame chocolate, and the two great tastes taste great together (in a horrible, family-murdering sort of way). While some might balk at the shorter length of Transference, I found the experience to be spot-on, particularly while played experienced in the very high-end VR. With a unique take on “walking simulator” mechanics and some fun (and not overly difficult) puzzles, Transference feels like an afternoon well-spent. Just be ready for some dark, adult themes. They don't call mad scientists ‘mad' for nothing, and Transference has one doozy of a mad scientist.
All said and done Transference is a wonderfully executed, narrative, puzzle thriller that kept me entertained through the entire story.
Transference is a novel concept with with adequate execution.
Transference is an extremely interesting experiment and it succeeds in mixing the movie and videogame components. The use of audio will keep you on the edge, and a few jump scare work very well. However, the constant feeling of tension ends up holding the narrative back, as a greater variety of emotions would have benefitted the overall experience. Transference is remarkably short for a videogame, which might disappoint many players.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Ultimately, Transference weaves an effective, but grim tale of one man's descent into the madness and the horrific fate that he has sealed for his family. The puzzles aren't particularly challenging, but their difficulty works well within the pacing of the story, engaging your brain enough without dragging the story to a halt. Its claims of 'bridging the gap between games and movies' fall flat, but if you can stomach the hefty price tag, Transference is a worthwhile addition to the narrative-driven puzzle game genre.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with Transference, uncovering the mysteries that have taken place in the Hayes household. It’s immersiveness when playing in VR scared me in clever ways and it’s graphical fidelity made me believe I was really walking through a real apartment. While the asking price may be a bit steep for some, I would definitely recommend keeping this game on your radar if you like psychological thrillers and own a VR headset.
Although Transference is an interesting narrative horror game, it struggles to carve out a space as a VR game and a traditional title. The story is undeniably something worth experiencing, but the gameplay is lackluster enough that more often than not it serves as a barrier to experiencing what Transference does best.
Transference's distressing subject matter and eerie atmosphere make for a strong horror experience, even if some of its potential is squandered by a non-committal narrative.
Transference combines a fantastic story with great acting and smart puzzles for an experience that manages to really stand out from the crowd.
Transference is a competent narrative-driven game featuring some well-crafted puzzles and an amazingly eerie atmosphere. Sadly, the narrative doesn't really go anywhere, despite a very interesting premise, with no twist and no surprises at all, making it very hard to recommend to people looking for an interesting story. Coupled with its very short length, Transference is not really worth its current price.
There's a lot to like about the way Transference tries to tell its story, but it often lacks direction which pulls you out of the experience.
Transference's subtlety is meant to create additional depth, but keeping the player at arm's length only works if you eventually let them in. Unfortunately, Transference never fully shows its narrative hand and that's the game's biggest detriment. Gameplay-wise, the game is easy but satisfying to navigate. The surrealist, horror aspects of the shifting environments create a steady stream of tension and intrigue. While its brevity might be a turn off to players who enjoy a heartier game experience, Ubisoft Montreal and SpectreVision succeeded in combining games and movies into one entertaining and eerie walking sim.
A mildly spooky walking simulator whose plot, acting, and puzzles fails to benefit from its Hollywood connections and is even more disappointing without VR.