Ethereal

Ethereal is a thoughtfully crafted puzzle game set in a surreal, abstract fantasy world, where players navigate intricate 2D environments using unique mechanics to alter movement and surroundings. Developed by Nonsense Arts, the game features 24 hand-designed puzzles that emphasize exploration and introspection, with no time pressure or text, relying instead on visual storytelling and soothing aesthetics to create a meditative experience.

Ethereal: A Masterclass in Minimalist Puzzle Design

Introduction

In the vast ocean of indie puzzle games, Ethereal (2019) emerges as a quiet yet profound experience—a game that eschews narrative and spectacle in favor of pure, unadulterated puzzle design. Developed by the Argentine studio Nonsense Arts, Ethereal is a testament to the power of restraint, offering players a meditative journey through abstract, handcrafted levels where movement itself is the puzzle. With its minimalist aesthetic, soothing soundtrack, and ingenious mechanics, Ethereal carves out a niche that feels both timeless and refreshingly original.

This review will dissect Ethereal in exhaustive detail, exploring its development history, narrative (or lack thereof), gameplay systems, artistic direction, and lasting legacy. By the end, we’ll determine whether Ethereal is a fleeting curiosity or a modern classic worthy of a place in the puzzle game pantheon.

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Development History & Context

The Studio Behind the Game

Nonsense Arts is a small indie studio based in Mendoza, Argentina, founded by Nicolás Recabarren and Tomás Batista. The duo’s background in game design is rooted in a passion for experimental mechanics and abstract storytelling, a philosophy that permeates Ethereal. The studio’s name itself—Nonsense Arts—hints at their willingness to subvert expectations and embrace the unconventional.

Before Ethereal, Recabarren and Batista had worked on smaller projects, but Ethereal marked their first major release. The game was developed using the Unity engine, a choice that allowed for rapid prototyping and iteration—a necessity given the game’s intricate puzzle designs. The development cycle was relatively short, with the game releasing on March 7, 2019, for Windows and macOS.

The Gaming Landscape in 2019

2019 was a banner year for indie puzzle games. Titles like Baba Is You, The Witness, and Return of the Obra Dinn had already redefined what players expected from the genre, emphasizing innovation in mechanics and narrative. Ethereal entered this competitive space not by competing directly with these giants but by offering something entirely different: a wordless, introspective experience where the joy of discovery came from mastering movement rather than deciphering complex narratives or environmental storytelling.

The game’s release was modest, debuting as part of the Humble Bundle’s Humble Originals program, which helped it gain initial visibility. Despite its low-key launch, Ethereal quickly garnered attention for its unique approach, earning a nomination for Excellence in Audio at the 2019 Independent Games Festival (IGF) and winning the Audience Award—a testament to its broad appeal.

Technological Constraints and Design Philosophy

Ethereal’s development was constrained by its two-person team and limited budget, but these constraints became strengths. The game’s minimalist 2D art style and abstract level design were born out of necessity but evolved into a deliberate aesthetic choice. The developers focused on mechanics-first design, ensuring that every puzzle felt handcrafted and purposeful.

The game’s sound design was another area where constraints led to innovation. Without the resources for a full orchestral score, Recabarren and Batista opted for a dynamic soundtrack where player actions—movement, rotations, and interactions—generate musical tones. This approach not only immerses the player but also reinforces the game’s meditative atmosphere.

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Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

The Absence of Narrative

Ethereal is a rare breed of game that completely eschews traditional narrative. There are no characters, no dialogue, no cutscenes, and no lore. Instead, the game communicates entirely through environmental design, color, and mechanics. This absence of narrative is not a flaw but a deliberate choice—one that allows players to project their own interpretations onto the experience.

The game’s Steam description hints at its introspective nature:

“Each corner of its world has been carefully designed to communicate without any text and expose a novel puzzle to solve without time pressure, evoking an introspective state of mind.”

This philosophy aligns Ethereal with other abstract puzzle games like The Witness or Monument Valley, where the journey itself is the story. The lack of text or dialogue ensures that the game is universally accessible, transcending language barriers.

Themes of Movement and Perception

While Ethereal lacks a traditional narrative, it is rich in thematic depth. The game’s core mechanics revolve around perspective and movement, which can be interpreted as metaphors for problem-solving, adaptability, and self-discovery.

1. Perspective as a Puzzle: The game’s central mechanic—sliding between parallel planes—forces players to constantly re-evaluate their surroundings. Walls that seem impassable from one angle become pathways from another. This mechanic mirrors real-life problem-solving, where shifting one’s perspective can reveal solutions that were previously invisible.

2. The Illusion of Limitations: Early levels restrict movement to a single plane, creating a sense of confinement. As players progress, they unlock mechanics that expand their mobility, such as rotating the level or manipulating negative space. This progression reflects the theme of breaking free from self-imposed limitations.

3. Color as Emotional Cues: The game’s use of color is subtle but meaningful. Each level begins with a vibrant palette, which gradually fades as the player collects the required shapes. By the end of a level, the world is often reduced to a monochromatic state, symbolizing completion and perhaps the shedding of complexity.

4. The Sound of Silence: The dynamic soundtrack, composed of player-generated tones, reinforces the game’s meditative qualities. The absence of a traditional score means that the player’s actions become the music, creating a deeply personal and immersive experience.

Player Interpretation and Ambiguity

Because Ethereal offers no explicit narrative, players are free to impose their own meanings onto the experience. Some may see it as a journey through memory, with each level representing a fragmented thought. Others might interpret it as a metaphor for navigation through life’s obstacles. The game’s ambiguity is its greatest strength, allowing it to resonate differently with each player.

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Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Core Gameplay Loop

At its heart, Ethereal is a navigation puzzle game. The player controls a small, amorphous character who must traverse abstract levels to collect color-coded shapes in a specific order. The twist? Movement is restricted to sliding along 2D planes, and the player can phase through walls to switch between parallel rows.

The core gameplay loop is as follows:
1. Enter a level and observe its layout.
2. Identify the order in which shapes must be collected (indicated by their color).
3. Navigate the level by sliding along planes and phasing through walls.
4. Collect all shapes in the correct order to unlock the exit.

This loop is deceptively simple, but the game’s depth comes from its mechanical complexity and level design.

Movement and Perspective Mechanics

1. Sliding Movement: The player can only move horizontally or vertically along a single plane. Movement is momentum-based, meaning the player will continue sliding until they hit a wall or manually stop.

2. Phasing Through Walls: Pressing a button allows the player to phase through the nearest wall, shifting them to an adjacent plane. This mechanic is the game’s most innovative feature, as it forces players to think in multiple dimensions simultaneously.

3. Level Rotation: Later levels introduce rotatable sections, which can be turned 90 degrees to reconfigure the environment. This mechanic adds a layer of spatial reasoning, as players must anticipate how rotation will affect their path.

4. Negative Space Manipulation: Some levels feature black voids where the rules of movement change. In these areas, the player can drag walls or alter the environment, creating new pathways.

Puzzle Design and Difficulty Curve

Ethereal’s 24 levels are divided into four worlds, each introducing new mechanics and increasing in complexity. The difficulty curve is generally well-paced, though there are spikes in challenge that may frustrate some players.

1. World 1: Introduction to Movement

   • Focuses on basic sliding and phasing.
   • Levels are small and straightforward, serving as a tutorial for the core mechanics.

2. World 2: Rotational Mechanics

   • Introduces rotatable sections.
   • Players must plan routes around rotating obstacles, adding a layer of temporal reasoning.

3. World 3: Negative Space and Environmental Manipulation

   • Introduces black voids where players can drag walls.
   • Puzzles become more open-ended, requiring experimentation.

4. World 4: Mechanical Synthesis

   • Combines all previous mechanics into complex, multi-step puzzles.
   • The final levels are brutally challenging, demanding precision and foresight.

Flaws and Frustrations

While Ethereal’s puzzle design is largely excellent, it is not without flaws:

1. Technical Issues: Some players have reported bugs where interacting with mechanics (e.g., rotating a section) teleports the player to an unintended location, forcing a restart. These issues are infrequent but disruptive when they occur.

2. Uneven Difficulty Spikes: The transition from World 2 to World 3 is particularly jarring. Some puzzles introduce new mechanics without adequate preparation, leading to frustration.

3. Lack of Checkpoints: Levels are short but dense, and there are no mid-level checkpoints. A single mistake can force players to redo entire sections, which feels punitive in later levels.

4. Ambiguous Objectives: While the color-coded shapes indicate the order of collection, some levels hide shapes in non-obvious locations, leading to aimless wandering.

UI and Controls

Ethereal’s UI is minimalist to a fault. There is no HUD, no on-screen prompts, and no text. While this reinforces the game’s abstract aesthetic, it can also lead to confusion, especially for new players.

• Controls are simple:
  • Arrow keys/WASD: Move.
  • Spacebar: Phase through walls.
  • Mouse click: Interact with rotatable sections or drag walls in negative space.

The lack of controller support (despite Steam listing it as a feature) is a missed opportunity, as the game’s precision-based movement would benefit from analog input.

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World-Building, Art & Sound

Visual Design: Minimalism as a Strength

Ethereal’s art style is stark, abstract, and beautiful. The game employs a hand-drawn, vector-like aesthetic, with levels composed of geometric shapes and fluid lines. The color palette is limited but vibrant, with each world featuring a distinct hue that shifts dynamically as the player progresses.

1. The Fish-Eye Lens Effect: The game’s warped perspective gives levels a dreamlike quality, as if the player is navigating a curved, infinite plane rather than a flat 2D space. This effect is subtle but immersive, reinforcing the game’s otherworldly atmosphere.

2. Color as Feedback: As players collect shapes, the level’s color palette shifts, with completed sections fading to monochrome. This visual feedback is elegant and intuitive, eliminating the need for a HUD.

3. Negative Space as a Mechanic: The black voids in later levels are not just a gameplay mechanic but also a visual contrast, creating a sense of depth and mystery.

Sound Design: The Music of Movement

Ethereal’s sound design is one of its most innovative features. The game lacks a traditional soundtrack, instead generating dynamic audio cues based on player actions:

• Movement: Sliding produces a soft, rhythmic tone.
• Phasing: Switching planes triggers a subtle chime.
• Shape Collection: Each shape emits a unique musical note, building a melodic progression as the level advances.
• Rotation/Interaction: Manipulating the environment generates harmonic resonances.

This approach creates a deeply personal soundtrack, where the player’s skill and rhythm dictate the music. The result is hypnotic and immersive, turning puzzle-solving into a meditative experience.

Atmosphere and Immersion

Ethereal’s combination of abstract visuals and dynamic sound creates an atmosphere that is both serene and challenging. The game doesn’t hold your hand—it trusts the player to explore, experiment, and discover solutions at their own pace. This lack of pressure (there are no timers, enemies, or fail states beyond softlocks) makes Ethereal a relaxing yet intellectually engaging experience.

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Reception & Legacy

Critical Reception

Ethereal received modest but positive attention from critics. Its Metacritic score is not officially listed (due to fewer than four reviews), but the available critiques paint a favorable picture:

• GameSpot (7/10): Praised the game’s “satisfyingly challenging puzzles” and “soothing ambiance” but criticized technical issues and uneven difficulty.
• Buried Treasure (9.1/10): Highlighted the “beautiful dynamic soundtrack” and “intelligent level design”, calling it a “masterclass in minimalist puzzle design”.
• OpenCritic (Average 7/10): Noted that while the game lacks standout moments, it is “well-designed and worth playing for puzzle enthusiasts”.

Player reception on Steam has been overwhelmingly positive, with an 89/100 Steambase Player Score and “Very Positive” user reviews (91% positive from 86 reviews). Players frequently praise the game’s:
– Unique movement mechanics.
– Relaxing yet challenging gameplay.
– Beautiful art and sound design.

However, some criticisms include:
– Frustration with bugs (e.g., unintended teleportation).
– Sudden difficulty spikes.
– Lack of controller support.

Commercial Performance

Ethereal was not a commercial blockbuster, but its inclusion in the Humble Bundle’s Humble Originals program ensured a steady stream of players. The game’s $9.99 price point is reasonable for its 4-6 hour runtime, though some players felt it was too short for the asking price.

Influence and Legacy

While Ethereal has not (yet) spawned a direct sequel or major imitators, its influence can be seen in the growing trend of minimalist, mechanics-driven puzzle games. Titles like A Little to the Left and Inscryption share Ethereal’s philosophy of elegant simplicity and player-driven discovery.

The game’s dynamic sound design has also inspired other indie developers to experiment with player-generated audio, blurring the line between gameplay and music.

Awards and Recognition

• 2019 IGF Audience Award Winner.
• 2019 IGF Excellence in Audio Nominee.

These accolades, while not as prestigious as a Game of the Year award, highlight Ethereal’s niche appeal and artistic merit.

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Conclusion: A Quiet Masterpiece

Ethereal is not a game for everyone. It lacks the narrative depth of The Witness, the mechanical complexity of Baba Is You, or the emotional resonance of Journey. What it offers instead is pure, unadulterated puzzle design—a game that trusts the player to engage with its systems, experiment with its mechanics, and find joy in the act of movement itself.

The Good:

✅ Innovative movement mechanics that redefine 2D puzzle navigation.
✅ Gorgeous minimalist art and dynamic sound design that create a meditative atmosphere.
✅ Handcrafted levels that reward experimentation and spatial reasoning.
✅ No time pressure, allowing for a relaxing yet challenging experience.

The Bad:

❌ Technical bugs that can disrupt gameplay.
❌ Uneven difficulty curve, with some puzzles feeling unfairly punishing.
❌ Lack of controller support (despite Steam listings).
❌ Short runtime (4-6 hours) may leave some wanting more.

Final Verdict: 8.5/10 – Excellent

Ethereal is a hidden gem—a game that doesn’t scream for attention but demands it through sheer elegance. It is a testament to the power of restraint, proving that a game doesn’t need cinematic cutscenes, voice acting, or open worlds to be memorable. For fans of abstract puzzles, minimalist design, and introspective gameplay, Ethereal is essential playing.

While it may not have the cultural impact of Portal or The Witness, Ethereal stands as a quiet masterpiece—a game that respects the player’s intelligence and rewards patience. In an industry increasingly dominated by loud, spectacle-driven experiences, Ethereal is a breath of fresh air.

Should you play it?
– Yes, if you enjoy challenging, mechanics-driven puzzles with a meditative atmosphere.
– No, if you prefer narrative-heavy games or fast-paced action.

Ethereal is not just a game—it’s an experience, and one that deserves to be remembered.

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Final Score: 8.5/10 – A minimalist triumph.