Only If

Score - 22

Release: 2014

Platform Played: Steam

Developer: Creability

Overview

Only If is a short indie psychological experience that leans on its atmosphere, confusion, and storytelling. The game places you in a strange, disorienting environment with the goal of escaping. It is basically no game play, just story. The concept is interesting, but the game is not engaging. It feels like an experiment.

The Good

The strength of the game is its atmosphere. The tone is unsettling and it keeps you curious, at least early on. The game has very creative moments.

The game is very short, I’m saying this is a good thing because the game’s length was perfect for how long it was going to be able to keep the players attention.

The Bad

Basically, it isn’t a game. It’s more of a story. Very light interaction, some very simple puzzles, but no challenge or depth. The story is very vague and by the end of the game it all feels pointless instead of the thought-provoking feeling the game seemed to be aiming for. The game just lacks substance, and it never builds on its ideas.

Final Verdict

Only if is an interesting concept that never develops into an enjoyable experience. It has a unique atmosphere but lacks any real engaging gameplay and it feels more like a short experiment than a complete game. I’ve played Pizza Hut demo discs from 2000 with more complete story telling. At least the experience is brief