Heavenly Bodies Review Summary

Excellent co-op and engaging physics puzzles with great remote play, but lacks online co-op, has aggravating controls, and is too short.

Co-op experience is excellent: Many reviews highlight that the game shines in cooperative or multiplayer modes, with local co-op and remote play being especially praised for creating memorable, fun, and hilarious moments with friends.

Physics puzzles are engaging: The game's physics-based puzzles are a standout feature, noted for being impressive, interesting, and fun, with a good balance of challenge and relaxation.

Remote play works great: Support for local play and Steam Remote Play Together is praised, with remote play working excellently and allowing friends to join from their own devices.

Game provides rewarding challenge: Players find the game both fun and challenging, with a rewarding sense of accomplishment and satisfaction when achieving goals.

Graphics are visually appealing: Reviewers consistently describe the game as visually beautiful, with positive comments on the aesthetics and graphics.

No online co-op support: The game only offers local co-op without any online multiplayer, forcing players to rely on problematic remote play services like Steam Remote Play. This setup causes connection issues, lag, and input delay, making it difficult to enjoy the co-op experience with friends.

Controls are extremely aggravating: Players report that the controls are highly aggravating, janky, and unintuitive, with movement remaining frustrating even after completing the game. This difficulty is persistent across keyboard and joystick setups, creating a steep learning curve that can turn the experience sour.

Game is too short: The base game is very short, lasting only 3.5 to 4 hours with only 7 levels, which is not enough content for many players. This brevity makes the full price hard to justify, as players wish the experience was longer.

Keyboard controls are poor: Keyboard and mouse controls are not properly supported and are difficult to use, making the game very uncomfortable without a controller. This creates a steep learning curve that frustrates players accustomed to forgiving controls.

Movement requires practice: Movement mechanics require a lot of patience and practice to master, and they remain frustrating even after completing the game. The movement is not as easy as in trailers, contributing to the steep learning curve.

Co-op gameplay is central: Multiple reviews mention that the game supports co-op, including local two-player and up to four-player modes. This is a central feature that players highlight positively.

Multiple difficulty modes available: Multiple difficulty or control modes are available, including a Newtonian mode that removes assistance for more realistic physics. Players appreciate having options like Classic and Newton modes.

Steam Remote Play supported: Steam Remote Play Together is supported, allowing online co-op for up to four players. This feature extends the game's cooperative play beyond local setups.

Physics-based mechanics praised: Players note that the game features physics-based gameplay, with interactions and challenges that rely on realistic physics. This is a key mechanic that shapes the experience.

Only local and remote co-op: Currently, the game offers only single-player and local co-op, with online play via Remote Play Together. This limitation is noted by players.

Optimization great on PC: Feedback from multiple sources indicates the game is well-optimized for various PC configurations. It runs smoothly on low to medium hardware, performs well on Steam Deck, and functions without issues on Linux via Proton.

Lag with network issues: Users report that the game can become unplayable with slight ping and experiences lag during Steam Remote Play. These issues suggest network stability problems that affect performance during online play.

Input lag experienced: A player reports experiencing input lag, which can severely impact gameplay responsiveness. This feedback indicates a control responsiveness problem that may frustrate users.

Low frame rate reported: A user notes frame rates dropping below 50 fps, which is below the standard for smooth gameplay. This performance issue could affect the visual experience and playability.

No bugs encountered yet: One player states they have encountered no bugs so far, suggesting a relatively stable game build. This positive feedback contrasts with other performance concerns.

Co-op with friend recommended: Many players strongly advise playing this game with a friend, especially in local co-op, as it significantly enhances the experience. Single-player is less recommended due to the game's design.

Highly recommended overall: Several users give the game a strong recommendation, with some rating it 10/10. This suggests a generally positive reception from those who enjoyed it.

Better on sale: Many reviewers recommend waiting for a sale before purchasing, indicating that while the game is enjoyable, it may not be worth the full price.

Requires patience: Reviewers note that the game is best for patient players willing to learn through practice, especially in co-op settings. It is not for those seeking instant gratification.

Not for online play: A common complaint is the lack of online co-op, with many reviewers specifically not recommending the game for online multiplayer. This is a significant drawback for some.

Community fair range: $10.00 - $15.00.

Game completion: 9.0h.

Story completion: 4.5h.

Session length: 0.8h.

Players find Heavenly Bodies immediately fun due to its unique physics-based humor in co-op, despite a steep learning curve and lack of online multiplayer. The fun starts within the first few minutes when chaos ensues, and the game remains enjoyable for those with patience and a good sense of humor.

Reported time to anchor: 5m.

Friction: steep learning curve for controls; no native online multiplayer; remote play has issues; shared screen can be inconvenient; frustrating controls for some; repetitive in later content.

Co-op Chaos Enthusiast: Cooperative, embraces failure as part of the fun, coordinates with partner. Motivation: Shared laughter and teamwork through physics-based chaos. Stance: buy.

Control Challenge Seeker: Persistent, methodical, practices repeatedly to improve. Motivation: Mastering difficult controls for a sense of accomplishment. Stance: buy.

Solo Explorer: Solo, focused on exploration and puzzle completion at own pace. Motivation: Engaging puzzles and space immersion in single-player mode. Stance: sale.

Available performance reports for the Windows 12-15GB VRAM cohort are limited and negative, indicating input lag and low frame rates.

Windows 12-15GB VRAM: negative. One player with 16GB VRAM (within cohort range) reports input lag and sub-50 fps; no positive reports among provided snippets.

Steam Deck: The game runs smoothly on Steam Deck with basic Proton configuration, offering great performance and battery life. The controller-focused gameplay is highly praised, though some minor remote play instability was reported. No forced launchers, text size issues, or crashes were observed.

Linux and Proton: Based on limited but clear user feedback, the game works out of the box on Proton with no Linux-specific issues. One ambiguous remote play report does not indicate a Proton compatibility problem.