Morphite: an ancient an elusive substance, coveted for its reality-bending properties–namely, the ability to morph into different forms of matter. Ancient civilizations worshiped it, enshrining it all over the galaxy. And modern civilizations would kill for it, hunting it with military precision. And you, one loan scientific researcher, must piece the puzzle together and find the answer before the worst can happen.
The lurid tale pulls the player in deeper as she treks across the galaxy, one procedurally-generated planet at a time, gathering scientific data on exotic lifeforms. In truth, less-than-exotic lifeforms. Partly as an effect of the low polygon count and partly, I assume, a lack of creative diversity on behalf of the developers, many lifeforms will look the same from planet to planet, but may very well register as different organisms. Or not.
The Graphics Of Morphite
The low poly style is certainly unique in an age focused on high-res gaming, but in a game where identifying unique species is tantamount to your objective, the idea that almost everything looks the same is absolutely defeating. Really, the only way to know that you’ve already scanned something is to try to scan everything. Repeatedly. Because it’s really hard to get your bearings. Because everything looks the same. Exactly. The. Same. Is this tree-thing a Blargon? A Zorg? A Rosencrantz or a Guildenstern? Is it healthy, sickly, coated in powdered sugar? Sigh. I don’t know… I guess I should scan it…
Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Until you’ve gathered enough materials to craft the upgrades you need to continue the story progression. Of course, you’ll also need to explore the planets to find the Conversion Chambers that allow you to perform your suit upgrades. Make note of the more convenient places you find them.
Kitcat is amusing, at least. He’s your little robot-cat sidekick. He’s snarky and sarcastic, like robots should be.
This Unusual Transportation
For a reason I have yet to truly identify, you can rent vehicles on some planets. Anecdotally speaking, these are beyond useless, as they cost you credits and can’t take you anywhere your adventurous little feet won’t. I have found some “communities” where you can rent half a dozen vehicles, but the roaming space was so small or geographically varied, that I could accomplish little more than hoover from the foot of one rock to another, maybe a football field away. Then there are plenty of vast planet areas where no such transportation can be found.
Aside from these (let’s call them) shortcomings-by-design, I have also encountered more shortcomings-by-execution than I would expect in a market-ready game. Most frequently, I fall straight through the playable area, generally while trying to traverse some mountainous topography. The sensation is pleasant enough–once the entire world drops away and it’s just you, a muted sunset, and the endless blue polygon of oblivion. I’m given cause to believe they prepared for this, however, because once I reached the edge of the universe I woke up. Back in my landing pod. Like nothing had happened.
Some Glitches Are Okay, Others Not So Much
Infinitely more irksome though was the glitch where the pterodactyl-like boss, the Nargul, got itself stuck on a piece of the map. It could not free itself, nor could I damage it. I had to restart the game and begin the encounter anew.
On the note of combat, weapons are much better used for their puzzling purposes; what little combat there is doesn’t feel exactly necessary and would have probably been better addressed through the lens of a puzzle, too. You are a novice scientific researcher, after all, not Lara Croft.
I don’t think it’s fair to necessarily qualify it as a “redeeming characteristic,” but it’s worth noting that the music is much more interesting than the gameplay. If you’re into ambient techno, I might recommend acquiring an OST.
In summary, Morphite presents itself almost like a poor man’s No Man’s Sky (an unfortunately low bar). Exploring is boring. Combat is boring. The monochrome planets, plants and animals, the characters—all boring, as few polygons in their personalities as are in their universe. The soundtrack is groovy, though. For Android or iOS users, this game might offer a unique on-the-go experience, but for console gamers, it is an underwhelming expenditure of your hard-won time, energy, and money. You can pick up a copy for a steep $14.99 on Steam, Xbox, or PS4, for $7.99 on iTunes, or for FREE on Google Play.
A copy of Morphite for Xbox One was provided by Crescent Moon Games for the purposes of this review.