Polybius looks like a frenetic shooter that constantly has the player in a state of heightened tension, but the truly amazing thing about it is that it's almost the complete opposite in actual play.
Polybius2017
Polybius
2017 Llamasoft LTD84Great
Playtime
BriefTypically 2.5 hours
Playable on
- Steam DeckPlayable
- Steam MachinePlayable
Available on
- $6.99
- $15.49
Game modes
Details
- Launch
- May 8, 2017
- Developer
- Llamasoft LTD
- Publisher
- Llamasoft LTD
- Themes
- Genres
Overview
Polybius is the latest trance-shooter from the creators of Tempest 2000 and TxK, Llamasoft.
Screenshots
Reception
Press85
Players95
GreatMasterpiece- Metacritic84from 14 reviews
- OpenCritic86from 7 reviews
If too many games today entangle the mind with ceaseless complications, proliferating differences with only superficial distinctions in outcome, "Polybius" provides the feeling of having one's mind washed clean for a few moments, shaken free of clutter. Its biggest reward occurs in the moment when the headset is removed and the screen goes dark, a moment...
Even though it ended on a sour note for me with a few too many elements snowballing into an avalanche of hair-pulling frustration, on the whole, Polybius had me in a trance. I'm happy just thinking about it. PlayStation VR owners, Jeff Minter fans, and arcade enthusiasts need to get in on this.
Polybius is an excellent trance shooter which deftly delivers just enough sensory overload to thrill but not frustrate. While the lack of clarity about just what's happening on screen makes for a small but intended bump in the road, it's the strong core gameplay – which steadily introduces interesting twists to its formula the longer you play – stellar...
A superb distillation of every arcade game Jeff Minter has ever worked on, creating one of the definitive action games of the current generation.