Info about VHOLUME:

Official game description:
In the derelict capital of Afro-Eurasia, ruled by an all-controlling Ministry, **Robert** embarks on a b**ureaucratic quest** to restore his family’s revoked **ration tickets**.
**Movement-centric** gameplay where the player can **jump, run, climb** and **slide** with great **freedom**. Environments challenge both **agility** and **creativity**.
**Mastery-driven players** can **exploit** momentum, discover **shortcuts**, and break the labyrinthine design, making each run a test of **skill** and efficiency as they chase **target times**.
Play solo, or join friends in multiplayer and experience every level together.
See other players’ ghosts, share your own, and discover new ways through each level.
**Steam workshop support:** Play levels made by the community or create your own.

Release date: Aug 21, 2026

Categories: First-Person Shooter, Parkour Gameplay, Speedrunning, Exploration, Multiplayer, Workshop Support, Level Editor, Time Trial


- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: The Windows <8GB VRAM cohort is negative based on the single snippet indicating poor performance at high resolution with limited VRAM.
  - Sample size: 23 (11% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM (negative, 9 reports): The only provided snippet, from a user with 4GB VRAM at 5120x1440, reports low FPS due to lighting and shader issues.
  - Caveats: 23 of 203 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is mostly Windows-based.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: N/A
  - Story completion: 1.6h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence for story completion comes from the direct claim of beating the main game in 99 minutes, which equates to 1.65 hours. The two-hour statement for core maps supports a similar range but the precise beat time is used. Session length is inferred from two quotes describing short optimization sessions of half an hour or an hour; 0.5 hours is chosen as a conservative typical session. Game completion is null because no evidence quantifies full completion including secrets and gold times. Endgame is null as there are no specific playtime hours for post-story content.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Players find the game immediately fun and addictive, with fluid movement and strong replayability from the start.
  - Stance: Fun immediately
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: N/A
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: N/A
- Player Archetypes:
  - Competitive Speedrunner (buy)
    - Motivation: Competition and self-improvement through time trial leaderboards.
    - Playstyle: Intense repetition, route optimization, leaderboard chasing, using ghost replays to compete asynchronously.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: sweaty players
    - Reference games: Mirror's Edge; Neon White
  - Chill Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: Relaxation, immersion in atmospheric environments, and discovery.
    - Playstyle: Slow-paced exploration, enjoying atmosphere and scenery, solving puzzles, hunting secrets, playing at own pace.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: Blame!
  - Creative Modder (buy)
    - Motivation: Creative expression and contribution to the community via user-generated content.
    - Playstyle: Creating custom maps and models using external tools (Blender, Unreal), playing community-made levels, uploading to Workshop.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Movement is fluid and responsive (weight 0.37): Players consistently note that movement feels intuitive and responsive, emphasizing satisfaction and enjoyment. The fluidity of movement is a key positive aspect by many.
- Atmosphere is highly praised (weight 0.32): Multiple clusters highlight the game's exceptional atmosphere, describing it as extremely good, excellent, and unmatched. This consistently strong feedback indicates a core strength of the game's immersive environment.
- Soundtrack and music are excellent (weight 0.32): The ambient soundtrack and musical score receive high praise, with players calling it amazing and perfect. This contributes significantly to the overall atmosphere and enjoyment.
- Game is fun and addictive (weight 0.26): Many describe the game as extremely enjoyable, exciting, and addictive, with a gameplay loop that keeps them engaged. This overall positive sentiment reflects a strong fun factor.
- Parkour mechanics stand out (weight 0.22): The parkour system is called out as a standout feature and is considered the best of its kind, comparable to a favorite in the genre. This highlights a successfully implemented core mechanic.
- Brutalist design is appealing (weight 0.2): The brutalist architectural style and exceptional aesthetics are called out as particularly appealing and stand out in the game's visual design. This specific design choice resonates well with players.
- Game is relaxing and calming (weight 0.2): The gameplay is described as relaxing and providing a sense of peace, making it a great choice for unwinding. The chill atmosphere is a notable positive attribute.
- Multiplayer works well (weight 0.16): Full multiplayer for up to 8 players works well, and asynchronous features like ghost replays make solo play more interesting. The multiplayer functionality is a point of praise.
- Level design is readable (weight 0.09): Level design is praised for being readable and flowing well, which likely enhances the parkour experience. This contributes to the game's smooth and satisfying feel.
- Plenty of secrets to find (weight 0.09): The game is noted to have lots of secrets and new routes to discover, adding to replayability and discovery. This encourages exploration and provides gameplay content.
- Good replayability and value (weight 0.09): The game offers good replayability for its short length and low price, making it a valuable purchase. The player sees it as a worthwhile investment.
- Game is easy to get into (weight 0.09): The game is described as easy to get into and a lot of fun even for novices, indicating a low entry barrier. This makes it accessible to a wide audience.
- Leaderboard competition is endless (weight 0.09): A global leaderboard is mentioned as providing endless competition, supporting long-term engagement. The asynchronous competition adds a layer of replay.

Common complaints:
- Lack of story and lore (weight 0.23): The game lacks a full narrative with lore, ending abruptly with just a 'thank you for playing' message. Players also note that the story fails to become a real narrative, lacks continuity after early levels, and ends before the intended destination.
- Levels disconnected and confusing (weight 0.22): Levels are disconnected from one another, lacking continuity, and often disorienting due to non-linear design and absence of signs. The camera can also fail to focus on the goal, making players get lost, especially in complex areas.
- Developer prioritizes quantity (weight 0.13): The developer seems to focus on quantity over quality, leading to inconsistent map engagement and a sense of overdoing content. This is complemented by many levels feeling unfinished or broken.
- Missing content from demo (weight 0.12): Some content from the demo, including certain levels, is removed or not available in the final build. Features like underwater levels or gravity-driven space levels shown in the trailer are absent, making the final game feel incomplete.
- Game is short for price (weight 0.1): The game feels short relative to its price, with core maps lasting only around two hours. This, combined with minimal story and lack of content, makes the overall value questionable.
- Insufficient world building (weight 0.09): The game doesn't offer enough to learn about the world, leading to a shallow experience. This is tied to the lack of narrative depth and disconnect between levels.
- Few character interactions (weight 0.05): There are very few character interactions throughout the game, diminishing the narrative and emotional engagement. This likely contributes to the overall lack of immersion and story depth.
- Demo is superior to final game (weight 0.05): The demo is the best representation of the game's essence, with final release being just 'fine'. This suggests that the game loses its charm and original design choice in the full version.
- Unstable performance and stuttering (weight 0.05): The game includes stutters on the first level when bhopping in tunnels or corridors, negatively affecting fluid gameplay. This performance issue hurts the overall experience, especially for speedrunners.
- Absurd plot premise (weight 0.05): The plot idea of running to obtain food vouchers is considered absurd, especially when a flight notion is obvious. This makes the narrative feel unintelligent and detaches from logical storytelling.

Gameplay feedback:
- Parkour is core gameplay (weight 1): The game is widely described as a first-person parkour and movement-based platformer, featuring running, jumping, wall running, sliding, and no combat system. It is often compared to Mirror's Edge and STRAFTAT, with movement being the central focus of the experience.
- No combat or stamina pressure (weight 0.52): The game lacks combat systems and stamina or time limits, allowing pure movement and exploration without interruption. Some reviewers note the game lacks features beyond the parkour, focusing entirely on the locomotion.
- Speedrunning and time trials (weight 0.43): The game emphasizes speedrunning with beat-your-record style loops, time trials, and gold-level targets, allowing players to optimize their paths and techniques. Fast-paced movement and competitive time challenges are key aspects mentioned by multiple reviewers.
- Brutalist dystopian environments (weight 0.39): The game features a distinctive brutalist visual style with concrete gray walls, megastructures, and bizarre monolithic environments, creating a unique atmosphere. The setting often includes dystopian mega cities and surreal, maze-like level designs.
- Leaderboards and ghost challenges (weight 0.3): Leaderboards with player ghosts serve as a major challenge and navigation aid, letting players compare times and race against asynchronous player replays. Community and workshop maps also maintain their own leaderboards, extending competition.
- Secrets and hidden routes (weight 0.3): Reviewers highlight secrets, hidden areas, and collectibles that unlock bonus levels or artifacts leading to harder maps, rewarding exploration off the main path. These secrets add depth and replay value beyond simple speedrunning.
- Multiplayer modes included (weight 0.29): The game supports multiplayer experiences, including cooperative and competitive modes, with up to 8 players for races or co-op play. Players can also auto-download community maps and compete with friends, enhancing the social replayability.
- Fast movement and arcade style (weight 0.27): The game is a fast-paced arcade-style runner with fluid controls, making players fly across stages and encouraging frequent attempts to improve times. The movement is built for speed and flow, with techniques mirroring to keep momentum.
- Surreal and atmospheric levels (weight 0.18): Level design features surreal environments and monolithic megastructures, with a distinct atmosphere that distinguishes the game. The settings include jungle ruins and city blocks in the demo, adding variety.
- Accessible yet challenging gameplay (weight 0.16): The controls are forgiving and accessible to casual players while still offering hardcore timing-focused depth, with a high skill ceiling for those who master movement. The core levels are not considered difficult, with optional mountain challenges.
- Encourages repeated attempts (weight 0.15): Game design naturally supports repeated runs, from easy retry loops and ghost comparisons, to collectibles that unlock harder maps. The goal of beating your own time increases engagement with the course.
- Movement style and focused design (weight 0.14): The game has creative design choices and clear traffic-flow in level structure, aiding the player's path reading. Sound design and ambient soundtrack contribute to an atmospheric experience centered on movement.
- Community content and tools (weight 0.13): There is a level builder and workshop support at launch, with map of the week features and custom levels from the community. Players can import models and maps from Blender or Unreal, extending the games through user-generated content.
- Distinct movement techniques (weight 0.12): Mechanics include archrolling, speedy movement, and a super-sonic sit-down jump that accelerates the player greatly, showcasing a unique movement system. These are tailored for advanced movement and creative maneuvering, but can affect players with motion sensitivity.
- Accessible controls and layouts (weight 0.08): The game supports AZERTY, QWERTY, and controller layouts, including console tray options, making it accessible to different players. The movement controls are simple to learn but offer profound mastery for advanced players.
- Medium game length (weight 0.08): The main game can be completed in about 99 minutes and includes additional side content, balancing arcade with a quick full experience. This makes it suitable for casual sessions or deeper speedrun play.
- No pathfinding required (weight 0.08): There are no objects or waypoint markers in maps, emphasizing environment-based navigation and pathfinding. Maps feature no moving objects or characters, so traversal is a combination of parkour and puzzle-like strategy.

Performance notes:
- Performance issues across platforms (weight 0.17): Several reviews report poor optimization, including frequent FPS drops, heavy performance demands, and stutters on the first level. This appears to affect a range of hardware, from low-end laptops to high-resolution displays.
- Camera shake causes motion sickness (weight 0.05): A player experienced motion sickness due to camera shaking, similar to effects seen in the game Reflex. This suggests a need for adjustable camera stability settings.
- Game runs well overall (weight 0.04): One review explicitly states that the game runs very well, indicating that performance may be acceptable for some users or configurations.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for parkour and speedrunning fans (weight 0.21): Multiple reviewers recommend the game to fans of parkour, speedrunning, and first-person platformers. This cluster consistently highlights the game's appeal to movement-focused players.
- Strong general recommendation to buy (weight 0.2): Several clusters explicitly recommend buying the game or strongly encourage downloading and playing it. This shows overall high satisfaction and a positive recommendation from reviewers.
- Recommended for movement game enthusiasts (weight 0.13): Several reviewers suggest the game for players who enjoy movement games, quoting 'worth the value' and recommending it to friends for its affordability. This indicates a strong value proposition for movement genre fans.
- Recommended to try demo first (weight 0.13): Some reviewers advise buying the game or trying the demo first, suggesting a risk-reduction approach for potential buyers. This indicates there is a demo available and is helpful for decision-making.
- Recommended for Mirror's Edge fans (weight 0.1): Some reviewers specifically recommend the game to fans of Mirror's Edge, citing similar movement mechanics. This indicates the game will appeal to players who enjoy that style of traversal.
- Recommended even for platformer non-enthusiasts (weight 0.09): Some reviewers recommend the game even for players not usually into first-person platformers, indicating high accessibility. One reviewer suggests to use space only if you're not into speed-oriented first-person platforms, which is a nuanced recommendation.
- Recommended for Parkour Fortress or CS Surfing (weight 0.05): One reviewer recommends the game to players who liked Parkour Fortress or CS Surfing, indicating similar gameplay elements. This attracts fans of those movement-based titles.
- Recommended for beautiful, challenging, replayable game (weight 0.05): A reviewer recommends the game for its beauty, challenge, and extreme replayability, suggesting those are its standout qualities. This praises the game's design in key areas that attract players.
- Recommended for Neon White fans (weight 0.05): One reviewer recommends the game to players who have played games like Neon White, noting a similar appeal. This suggests the game shares a genre or style with Neon White.
- Recommended for movement, speedruns, brutalist aesthetics (weight 0.05): Reviewers recommend the game for movement, speedruns, and brutalist or corpusphere aesthetics, highlighting the specific visual style. This indicates the game's art direction is a key appeal.
- Warns labyrinthitis-prone players to avoid (weight 0.05): One review warns players with labyrinthitis to avoid the game, indicating this is a potential motion sickness trigger. This is a niche but specific concern for players with ear issues.
- Recommended to play with death copy (weight 0.05): A reviewer suggests playing with a death copy, which seems to be a feature or mode. This may refer to a ghost replay or similar mechanic that is enjoyable.
- Recommended for fans of developer's other games (weight 0.05): One reviewer recommends the game for those who enjoyed the atmosphere of the developers' other games. This suggests the game shares a similar style or tone with previous titles.
- Recommended for unique art and practice (weight 0.05): A reviewer highly recommends the game for its unique art style and as something to practice, indicating these are strong positive features. This suggests that the game is skill-based and visually distinctive.
- Accessible and fun for novices (weight 0.05): One reviewer notes the game is accessible and fun even for novices, suggesting a low skill floor for entry. This indicates the game is welcoming to less experienced players.
- Recommends developer's other games instead (weight 0.05): One reviewer suggests trying the developers' other games, especially free ones, over this game, implying a preference. This might indicate that the game is seen as less valuable compared to other titles.

Other player notes:
- Frequent Mirror's Edge Comparisons (weight 0.48): Many reviewers compare the game's first-person parkour movement and flow state to Mirror's Edge, noting similar style but with a more arcade direction. Some also reference CS:GO surf or bhop for the movement feel.
- Developer Background Notable (weight 0.3): The game is made by developers known for BABBDI, VHOLUME, and STRAFTAT, with several reviewers noting their prior successes. The developer is praised as the Lemaitre brothers, known for quality games.
- Demo Available and Effective (weight 0.26): A demo version is available and received positive ratings, with one reviewer noting it convinced them to buy the game before release. The demo appears to be a strong selling point.
- Good Value Pricing (weight 0.16): The game is considered inexpensive, with multiple reviewers noting it was priced under $10 and provides good value for the content. The short completion time is offset by replayability.
- Workshop Support and Community Maps (weight 0.16): The game features strong Workshop support, allowing community maps and custom content creation. This extends replayability, though one reviewer notes the level editor requires Unreal Editor rather than an in-game tool.
- Many Levels and B-sides (weight 0.15): The game has a surprising amount of levels and B-sides, offering more content than expected. The main game takes about two hours, with additional content expected from community and updates.
- Comparative to Other Titles Positively (weight 0.13): The game is favorably compared to other titles like Titanfall 2's gauntlet mode, Lorn's Lure, and Dying Light, suggesting it appeals to fans of those games. It also offers a better experience than some bigger studio titles.
- Community Map Anticipation (weight 0.09): Reviewers express anticipation for future community content and the map of the week mode. The developer's engagement with the community is seen positively for long-term value.
- Mixed Suitability for Some Players (weight 0.08): One reviewer describes the game as a good option to play in free time when bored, though not their primary type of game. Another notes it lacks excessive guidance, which may not suit all.
- Developer Transparency Opportunities (weight 0.07): The game includes a demo, but reviewers mention the trailers show many underwater and space sections not present in the final game. It also has a map of the week mode at launch.
- No Spawn Kills and Stable Gameplay (weight 0.07): The game does not have experience of getting spawn killed, which is framed positively, and the levels are noted to be stable despite using simple repeated textures.
- Accessible for Movement-Impaired Players (weight 0.05): The game is suitable for players who struggle with movement-based games, indicating a forgiving learning curve or adjustable settings. This makes the game more inclusive.
- Asymmetric Complexity from Simplicity (weight 0.05): The game's simplicity in mechanics allows depth through level routing and momentum management. This design choice is praised for enabling rewarding speedruns and strategic play.

Emotions:
- Excitement (weight 0.16): The game's fast movement and parkour mechanics, reminiscent of Mirror's Edge and CS bhop/surf, generate an adrenaline rush and flow state that makes it hard to stop playing. The variety of movement, exploration routes, and the potential of the workshop community further excite players.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.09): Players feel satisfied by the smooth, rewarding movement and the intuitive controls. Achieving a flow state, completing parkour routes without combat, and seeing leaderboard improvements provide a strong sense of victory.
- Admiration (weight 0.09): The game's stunning visual and sound design, featuring brutalist and melancholic architecture, is highly admired. Players praise the indie developers for creating a beautiful and atmospheric game that rivals larger studios.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.07): The fun parkour mechanics and fluid movement are central to the enjoyment, along with immersive maps and varying vibrational exploration. Players find the relax vibes and flexible pacing appealing.
- Disappointment (weight 0.06): Players are disappointed by the lack of depth in the story and the short 'thank you for playing' ending. Some also point out that the release version has worse textures and more constraints on full performance, with over 80% of actions feeling unfinished.
- Appreciation (weight 0.06): The game is appreciated for its simple yet deep controls, level design that offers many routes, and its unique brutalist art direction. The atmospheric elements, such as megastructures and the concrete-gray world, satisfy a longing for such aesthetics.
- Joy (weight 0.03): The game brings joy by providing an intuitive flow and exploring the levels' sights and sounds. The music from 1000 Eyes an give immersive, fun parkour experience.
- Love (weight 0.03): Players love the game's unique blend of Mirror's Edge gameplay and liminal space settings. The breathtaking speed, parkour flow, and cohesive the themes of music, controls, and setting make a harmonious experience.
- Frustration (weight 0.03): Frustration arises from mission-critical navigation cues, such as the camera not focusing on the finish line, causing players to get lost in non-linear levels. There are also performance issues like stutters and FPS drops, and post-launch levels can be difficult for beginners.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.02): The game mechanics and workshop support at launch in an enthusiastic response. The smooth movement and scope for exploration are highly praised, making it being considered one of the best games played in a long time.
- Excited (weight 0.02): Excitement comes from discovery secrets, extra maps, and unique NPCs, and the game matching the player's taste for speedrun games with an abandoned brutalist aesthetic, and the atmosphere they enjoyed.
- Satisfied (weight 0.02): The game is satisfying when trying for gold levels, with a pace that feels smoother than the demo. Players enjoy the high-speed gameplay.
- Fun (weight 0.02): The game is fun due to fluid and momentum-based platforming. Players general calm, and the movement mechanics are highly addictive.
- Awe (weight 0.02): The game elicits awe from beautiful and eerie vistas and the exceptional aesthetic and atmosphere. Players appreciate the developers' deep understanding of the artistic vision.
- Exhilaration (weight 0.01): Exhilaration occurs when experiencing the movement mechanics, especially during speedrunning. The freedom of motion and seeing the improvement drives this euphoric feeling.
- Delight (weight 0.01): Delight in the game comes from its visuals and movement mechanics, along with the ambient soundtrack from 1000 Eyes and the overall aesthetic.
- Melancholy (weight 0.01): The game's soundtrack and the sense of abandonment in its world induce melancholic and nostalgic feelings. The music invites players to reflect.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.01): The soundtrack particularly evokes nostalgia, and the demo's atmospheric and surreal setting strongly resonates. The demo impression was memorable.
- Impressed (weight 0.01): Players are impressed by the fluid movement and the inclusion of workshop support and mapping of the week at launch, which ensures endless replayability and community engagement.
- Calm (weight 0.01): The ambient visuals, lighting, and music create a calming flow that soothes players. The atmosphere and elegant soundtrack contribute to the calmness.}