The Library Of Babel Review (PlayStation 5)

by Jim Smale · April 12, 2023

For our The Library Of Babel Review we Join Ludovik in a 2D Stealth Platformer and Graphic Adventure, as he explores the jungles of a futuristic Babylon to discover the secret behind the Library of Babel’s sudden lockdown and the mysteries behind their mythical creators.

The Library Of Babel Review Pros:

Decent graphics.
1.10GB download size.
Platinum trophy.
Inspired by the short story of the same name by Luis Borges.
Platformer gameplay.
Haptic feedback.
Multiple choice encounters.
In-game cutscenes.
Feels like a cross between a platformer and a point-and-click game.
Craft items by combining them in your inventory, successful combinations trigger little cutscenes.
Slick animations.
Very well-written story.
Unlock fast travel points.
Each location on the map shows how many data points, transporters, and treasures are in and have been collected there.
On-screen button prompts.
Puzzle mini-games.
Feels in the same vein as Wadjet Eye games.
Fast loading times.
Beautiful yet grimy locations.
You can grab onto ledges and drop down or pull yourself up.
Data units are the game’s currency.
In-game gameplay timer.
Checkpoints for respawning.
The levels are quite big and allow some exploring.
Trigger optional side quests for locals.
Non-combat.
Get past enemies by stealthing past them, and use objects in the background, they go green when you are safely hidden.

The Library Of Babel Review Cons:

Cannot rebind controls.
No game settings.
Slow pace.
You get little in the way of guidance or help with puzzles.
Platforming can feel a bit off at times.
The hotbox for triggering the Interactive icon is small.
You can only hit a checkpoint once.
Checkpoints are far apart meaning a lot of repetition and backtracking.
Little camera control meaning it’s very hard to look around.
Very dark and hard-to-see platforms.
You can get killed off the screen.
Parts of the foreground art obscure your view.

Related Post:

The Library Of Babel:

Official website.

Developer: Tanuki Game Studio

Publisher: Neon Doctrine

Store Links –

PlayStation

8/10

Graphics - 8/10
7/10

Sound - 7/10
7/10

Accessibility - 7/10
7/10

Length - 7/10
7/10

Fun Factor - 7/10

7.2/10

Summary

This is a game that effortlessly mashes platforming gaming with stealth and point-and-click elements into one. What this creates is a unique experience but one with a serious pacing issue. For how grand it all looks, the pace at which you play, and how many needless little slow animations you need it just makes the game not as fun as I would have liked. The Art style and dark color palette did have me thinking about Wadjet Games as this is very similar. The little skits you get when combing and finding Interactive parts help give the game some life. The puzzles are clever and with little to no help with solving them you soon learn to appreciate and hate them in equal measure. No for me the game is trying something and it kind of hits but it does ricochet off the walls of madness at times that stops it from being a cohesive and enjoyable game, the story however cannot be mocked, it has excellent writing that both Grips and delights and is the real highlight of the game. With so many genres in one game, it was always going to be a huge ask to keep it level and despite strong writing and a solid idea, The Library Of Babel just misses the mark.