The Eternal Cylinder

 PlayStation 4
The Eternal Cylinder Image
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: In The Eternal Cylinder, players control a herd of adorable creatures called Trebhums and must explore a strange alien world filled with exotic lifeforms, surreal environments, and the constant threat of the Cylinder, a gargantuan rolling structure of ancient origin which crushes everythingIn The Eternal Cylinder, players control a herd of adorable creatures called Trebhums and must explore a strange alien world filled with exotic lifeforms, surreal environments, and the constant threat of the Cylinder, a gargantuan rolling structure of ancient origin which crushes everything in its path. This unique ecosystem is a massive, procedurally generated land with unique animal AI, real-time world destruction, and organic exploration and puzzle design to create emergent gameplay that ensures no two playthroughs are ever the same.
    Your Trebhums begin at the bottom of the natural food chain but can mutate and evolve with new physical attributes and abilities by eating a variety of flora and fauna. Discover and adapt dozens of mutations, including new traversal skills like flying and swimming to reach new areas, and new senses to help overcome puzzles, challenges and dangers. Your many Trebhums can each have different mutations, and new mutations don't replace ones you already have, letting you stack ability sets in dynamic ways. Each mutation will also change the physical look of a Trebhum and stacking these will generate near countless surprising new creature designs which players will be able to organically discover as they explore this unique alien ecosystem.

    Game Features:

    * Unforgettable Alien World to explore: Players must explore a gorgeous procedurally generated world which is populated with unforgettable vistas and unique landscapes which have something new to discover around every corner. The Eternal Cylinder features an open-world which allows players to reach and explore any areas which they can see on the horizon. This encourages constant exploration and ensures that there's always something new to see.

    * Real-Time World Destruction: Everything in the world can be destroyed in real-time by The Eternal Cylinder, so players must continuously evade its destructive path in order to survive whilst marveling at the visual splendor of its godlike power.
    Story Driven Open-World Survival: Unlike many open-world survival titles, The Eternal Cylinder features a deep and engrossing story for players to uncover as they continue to explore the vast world. The game explores themes of family and heritage, and the lasting power of knowledge.

    * Build Your Own Alien Family: Unlike standard survival games where you have a main shelter that you can build or improve, in Eternal Cylinder players develop a nomadic herd of unique alien creatures called Trebhums. Players control one Trebhum from the herd at a time and the rest follow (Al controlled) but players can switch to any individual member of their herd at will. Explore the world to rescue more of your brethren and continuously expand your family. Control a herd which can grow to more than 20 members at any given time and imbue each of your Trebhums with their own unique mutations and skill sets. Players can create a custom name for each of their Trebhum, increasing the emotional bond between player and their Trebhum family.

    * Unique Mutation System: Although Trebhum's are generally frail and start their lives at the very bottom of the world's food chain, they have the unique ability to mutate and unlock new skills by consuming natural edibles which populate the game world. So, players must explore and experiment with a vast array of fruits, flora and alien creatures to unlock new powers and gameplay options.

    * 50+ Mutations to discover: Players can unlock more than 50+ unique mutations as they explore the world, each one of which enable new gameplay options. These include new traversal options such as the ability to fly and swim, but also new offensive moves like the ability to spit fire and create loud warning noises. New mutations allow players to explore new areas and each mutation stacks thus creating a truly expansive skill set which is constantly evolving.

    * A Trebhum for everyone: Enjoy a virtually endless visual variety of Trebhum designs, as each mutation combine with one another to create surprising new creatures. This allows your herd to continue to evolve as players explore new areas and players can share the unique look of their Trebhum family with the rest of the world online.

    * Layered Survival: Players need to manage multiple layers of resources in order to be able to survive. These include hydration level, various temperatures each with their own impact and stamina.

    * Living and Breathing Ecosystems: The world of The Eternal Cylinder is populated with more than 30 memorable handcrafted alien creatures. These creatures vary greatly in size and range from those smaller than a Trebhum, all the way to skyscraper sized leviathans who dominate the horizon. Each of these creatures feature their own dedicated Al and behave in natural ways. Players must learn their unique behaviors and discover surprising ways to utilize the natural food chain to their advantage and interact with every creature.

    * Organic Puzzle Solving and Progression: The world of the Eternal Cylinder has been designed to empower players to organically solve its mysteries and progress without the need for obvious prompts and mission logs. This allows for fully immersive exploration which rewards players of every skill level, as the greater majority of the puzzles are not required for progression but do provide unique experiences.

    * 4 Unique Biodomes lo Discover ond Explore: Players can explore 4 unique biodomes including alien savannas and infected habitats, each with their own dedicated ecosystems and unique creatures to discover.

    * Truly Emergent Gameplay: The Eternal Cylinder's lush procedurally generated world, vast number of mutations to discover and unlock, unique creature Al system, living natural ecosystem, real-time world destruction and organically placed puzzles combine to create near endless possibilities for emergent gameplay and help to ensure that no two playthroughs will ever be there same.    … Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. Digitally Downloaded
    Oct 13, 2021
    90
    The Eternal Cylinder is quite sad yet somehow there is a delight in finding in the smaller moments: finding an egg and evolving are especially happy moments. It is complex yet simple, running from the big bad thing that constantly looms like the Sword of Damocles is easy enough, but exploring to find the way ahead isn't always completely straightforward. The opposite emotions make the game feel deeply fulfilling. It's not quite like anything else I've ever experienced, and I feel like it will haunt me (in the best way possible) for quite some time to come.
  2. Destructoid
    Sep 30, 2021
    90
    The Eternal Cylinder clocked in at around ten hours, and I was so absorbed in it — I was so curious about how my funky bunch of critters was going to get out of this seemingly insurmountable jam — that I finished the game in two sittings. It truly clicked with me. I’m equally excited to see how much it resonates with everyone else. Maybe it won’t! But I thoroughly enjoyed it, and this experience will stick with me for a long time.
  3. Digital Chumps
    Nov 4, 2021
    85
    Overall, The Eternal Cylinder is a fun romp through a weird and wonderful world and I would consider it to be a must-play indie game for 2021. While its survival mechanics are typical of the genre, the transformative abilities of the Trebhum allow the player to get creative with their choices on how to survive and outrun the colossal cylinder bearing down on them.
  4. Metro GameCentral
    Oct 10, 2021
    80
    One of the most enjoyably weird games of recent years and yet surprisingly easy to grasp, with an engaging mix of action and survival gameplay – and a good dose of surrealist imagery.
  5. Finger Guns
    Nov 4, 2021
    70
    Boasting an incredibly unique, creative and gorgeous aesthetic with an exceptionally intriguing, well-told narrative, The Eternal Cylinder manages to still be rewarding even when its gameplay and mechanics become tedious and uninteresting. You’ll certainly be tired outrunning this circular vortex of death, but the tale is worth seeing through for the sights along the way.
  6. PlayStation Universe
    Oct 11, 2021
    70
    A unique and highly original survival adventure inhabited by a host of outlandish creatures in which you constantly struggle to guide your hapless Trebhums to safety and away from The Cylinder. While the design and concept can't be faulted, the lack of direction and excessive busywork bog down the gameplay and detract from the experience to the point of patience testing. If you can handle a fiddly challenge which rewards a great deal of patience with some outstanding originality, it's recommended.
  7. Impulsegamer
    Oct 12, 2021
    66
    A wonderfully unique experience housed in an average game, The Eternal Cylinder tells a strong tale but executes it in a pedestrian way. Play it for the story, not the gameplay.

See all 8 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. spatiala
    Oct 5, 2021
    9
    This is such a unique game and so enjoyable. The narrative, game dynamics and progression are so different to any other game I’ve played andThis is such a unique game and so enjoyable. The narrative, game dynamics and progression are so different to any other game I’ve played and there were so many moments where game mechanics revealed themselves and I just thought “Wow that’s so cool!”. I’m so happy that games like this are being made. The art style and imagination involved are so quirky and visionary and I love all the environmental and elemental dynamics. This is a true gem of a game I hope it enjoys the success it deserves. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys a far out story with beautiful worlds and extremely cute and bizarre characters with an incredibly fun and entertaining game loop and progression.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

19
#19 Best PS4 Game of 2021
91
#91 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2021

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