Rating
Sym
Sym is a puzzle-platformer that explores social anxiety disorder. Play as Josh, a teenage boy trying to reconcile a maze of two contrasting worlds that coexist within the blank spaces of each other - his perception of reality, and the world he created to avoid his fears.
Details
- Released
- May 6, 2015
- Developer
- Atrax Game
- Publisher
- Mastertronic
- Platforms
- PC
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Sym Reviews
Professional reviews from gaming critics
Sym is a strange platforming puzzle game with heavy themes, a beautifully simplistic art style, and some keyboard snapping difficulty. While not all of the difficult moments in this game are warranted, it still provides a rewarding experience in this dark disturbing world of Sym. It's always nice to see a game not only reward a player by giving them achievements but by making them actually really think about what they're doing in the game they are playing.
Sym is a middling platformer with a wonderfully delivered message
Sym is a valiant effort to convey how social anxiety feels, but its platforming mechanics aren't solid enough and distract from the story and themes. The art style is striking, but the story and thematic elements are too broad to leave a lasting impact.
There is also a subtle beauty to this game, and one that I can relate to. The constant battle of light versus dark, of fear and loneliness, building yourself back to where you need to be — these are struggles that most humans face at some point, and Sym allows you to play through that emotional roller coaster in a visual way. I enjoyed its thoughtful nature and its ability to evoke feelings that I only thought were available in darker moments. However, Sym’s atmosphere transcends its loose gameplay and controls, which unfortunately creates a frustrating experience and stifles the impact of its...
