POLYBIUS is a fast, trippy tunnel shooter playable on a normal screen or in VR. 50 levels of blissful trance shooting action are set to a blistering soundtrack. The PS4 version was EDGE Magazine's VR GOTY in 2017, and the PC version of the game was even used as the basis for a NIN music video.
The game tasks players with piloting a ship through 50 levels of a fast-paced, psychedelic tunnel shooter. Players can experience the game on a normal screen or in VR, with the core gameplay centering around shooting enemies, navigating checkpoints, and collecting power-ups. The gameplay's focus is on maintaining high speed to maximize points, as the visual intensity and difficulty increase the faster the player goes.
Players must carefully steer their ship between obstacles at breakneck speeds exceeding 60 frames per second. Keeping a high velocity is crucial for racking up points, but also requires lightning-quick reflexes to avoid crashing. Reviewers frequently compare the speed and precision demanded to high-octane racing games like F-Zero.
The game's environments are filled with vibrant, abstract geometric designs that become increasingly mind-bending as players gain speed. Reviewers liken the experience to being under the influence of hallucinogenic drugs, with the pulsing electronic soundtrack perfectly complementing the trippy visuals.
Many players describe achieving a euphoric, trance-like "flow state" while playing, where the overwhelming sensory experience causes them to become fully immersed and lose their sense of reality. Reviewers note the game is designed to quickly induce this state and sustain it throughout the experience.
The game offers several modes to accommodate different skill levels. "Normal" mode allows players to restart from previously reached checkpoints, with their best prior lives and scores carried over - a system praised for gradually building a foundation for improving high scores. "Pure" and "YOLO" modes provide more challenging experiences for veteran players.
While the game can be enjoyed on a traditional screen, the VR version is widely considered the definitive way to experience it. The immersive, 360-degree perspective heightens the psychedelic visuals and sensation of speed, with one player describing it as feeling like they were "tripping" while playing. The VR implementation is generally praised, though some note occasional technical issues.
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