Anodyne 2: Return to Dust
Anodyne 2: Return to Dust
Game
Game2022
Sephonie
Developer Melos Han-Tani, Marina Kittaka
In this 3D, story-driven platforming adventure, explore an uninhabited island's massive cave network. Learn about the heroes' psyches as you explore lush caverns, subterranean oceans, and surreal cityscapes, all while meeting surprising creatures! By Anodyne & Angeline Era's devs! From the Steam store page
227 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
87
LovedLoved
167 positive · 24 negative
95% range 82–91%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 167 | 24 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 9 | 3 | 20 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 2 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
251 of 275 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
88% recommend · 168 yes, 24 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 192 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (275 of 308 positive).
Players praise the game's unique blend of 3D platforming and Tetris-like puzzles. [1][2][3] Many find the story and characters heartfelt and moving, despite some rough edges. [4][5][6] Some reviewers note the controls can be frustrating and take time to master. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [9]
I cannot recommend this game. The characters, story and writing are interesting and compelling, the puzzle sections are cool, but the main element of the game, the parkour, is truly frustrating, awful and non-precise. I did finish it, but by the end I was like - who cares about these people, they will just die 1000 more times while I accidentally run or jump off of a wall. I came out of this experience wondering why …
- [14]
TLDR: This game was not for me, but I'm still recommending it because it's simply a good game, and the platforming is really fun. Thing is, I fell for the screenshots and video above which seem to almost only showcase the platforming level design of the game, and mostly ignore two other huge aspects: the dialogue-heavy story and puzzle game, neither of which I enjoyed. I know the story is certainly interesting and …
- [4]
Three biologists bearing an experimental implant allowing them to share memories with other life forms examine a strange energy signature on an island called Sephonie, sharing their consciousnesses with each other and the island itself. Quirky and heartfelt, a utopian-feeling Earthboundesque without a shred of cynicism. Though it tries not to, Sephonie will undoubtedly alienate casual players with its low-resolution …
- [3]
"That house is gone. You can't go back." This is a fun little platformer with a neat sci fi premise. Oh it's also a matching puzzle game, somewhere between Tetris and Bejewelled. Surreal landscapes and lofi visuals. It also might break your heart sometimes. Highly recommended. Also, strongly recommend switching the "Separate dash and sprint" option to ON. This made the controls finally click for me.
- [1]
https://youtu.be/uVjiiQsqalg Sephonie Review Introduction Sephonie is a gorgeous 3D platformer game that tells an innovative story of three scientists exploring an intricate cave system on the island Sephonie. Sephonie contains lots of Tetris style puzzles to solve in between exploring. There is plenty of dialogue to read through to learn more about the characters, island and its creatures! My Opinion Upon first …
Summarised from 34 of the 225 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Players who liked Sephonie talk about unique and fun platforming mechanics; those who didn't talk about controls can be frustrating and imprecise. Which matters more to you?
Reactions
60 of 227 · most liked firstSteam Code Giveaway. Edit: If one of my codes has been claimed, please check out [this comment](https://midwest.social/comment/5790557). /u/[email protected] also has Jingle Jam 2023 codes available. Hey folks, I have 53 games, ~~1~~ 2 DLCs, and 1 Displate discount code to give away from the 2023 Yogscast Jingle Jam. Just message me and I'll give you the codes for the games you want (just try not to be greedy and ask for all of them). First come, first served! I will mark the games…
neutral · AI labelView post →A reminder that on this Steam Summer Sale there exists a peculiar bundle of 3D Platformers - DREAMY PLATFORMERS. Featuring Orbo's Odyssey, Smushi Come Home, Sephonie and my first released game - WHITE CHOCOLATE!! It's just $20 for 4 amazing games!!!
neutral · AI labelView post →Free Steam Keys. Hey Lemmy, I have some Steam + other keys that I have laying around that I never used / will never use. Some of them are probably already claimed from friends. Take what you want, but let me know what keys are already claimed / claimed by you and I'll remove them from the list. Enjoy! **NON STEAM** ~~Displate 40% off discount code Redemption Key: EK18B9B4~~ ~~Displate Discount Code 40% off Redemption Key: CW36F543~~ ~~Fanatical Wheel Spin spin to win Redemption Key:…
neutral · AI labelView post →Indie game-covering folks, do not skip on this. Analgesic Productions (Anodyne 1 & 2, Sephonie, etc) are a fantastic studio.
neutral · AI labelView post →Sephonie immediately draws comparisons to other classic 3D platformer styles in terms of looks and gameplay. The trio of protagonists explore the caves, forests and dreamscapes of the titular island. While you must find and interact with ecological key species, you will also learn about the mystery at the heart of the island. As they progress through the game, the trio gain new abilities and make their way through escalating, difficult challenges. Watch my first exploration session on the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →https://youtu.be/uVjiiQsqalg Sephonie Review Introduction Sephonie is a gorgeous 3D platformer game that tells an innovative story of three scientists exploring an intricate cave system on the island Sephonie. Sephonie contains lots of Tetris style puzzles to solve in between exploring. There is plenty of dialogue to read through to learn more about the characters, island and its creatures! My Opinion Upon first playing Sephonie, I was a little taken aback because I didn't think I would…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I cannot recommend this game. The characters, story and writing are interesting and compelling, the puzzle sections are cool, but the main element of the game, the parkour, is truly frustrating, awful and non-precise. I did finish it, but by the end I was like - who cares about these people, they will just die 1000 more times while I accidentally run or jump off of a wall. I came out of this experience wondering why I was wasting my life playing games that make me miserable. RED FLAG. I…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The way a Danchi housing complex (seemingly a limited or repetitive subject) is made into a highly memorable game world feels like a culmination of navigation design threads (and scrapped directions) from Anodyne to Sephonie and Angeline Era. An intimate space, yet vast in possibility!
positive · AI labelView post →finished Sephonie (store.steampowered.com/app/1248840/...), which took me around six hours. this game resonated with me in ways i didn't expect: diaspora trauma, the feeling of being small in the macro scale of international relations, long distance relationships... and it's a parkour game too.
positive · AI labelView post →I can appreciate the fact that this game came from a team of two, but that doesn't justify a ~$30 price tag when half the game play loop is Bejeweled and the other half plays like a second-year course final at Full Sail University. If you're set on playing this game, buy it on sale and play it for the narrative.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →TLDR: This game was not for me, but I'm still recommending it because it's simply a good game, and the platforming is really fun. Thing is, I fell for the screenshots and video above which seem to almost only showcase the platforming level design of the game, and mostly ignore two other huge aspects: the dialogue-heavy story and puzzle game, neither of which I enjoyed. I know the story is certainly interesting and probably made some people grow very close to the three characters, but I just…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →AUGUST 24-30 SCHEDULE Making Hole Month whole by wrapping things up! The end of Monkey Island, Sephonie, AND Sonic X Shadow - and tackling another incremental hole game AND a long-awaited return to a Minecraft metroidvania! Additional details in the alt text. Follow: www.twitch.tv/weyland_here
neutral · AI labelView post →The kindest way to understand Sephonie is as a contemplation of life, relationships, and cultural heritage through observations about biology, ecology, and the work of doing science. You find and collect various alien life forms in order to learn about them, their interdependencies, and ultimately about what it means to exist in a modern world that is socially overwhelming and geographically disjointed. The problem is that your entry into the subject matter is exceptionally narrow: that of…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →3/10 i don't think the creators and i have played the same Tony-Hawk games - janky platforming and movement kill this game for me - large amounts of story that dont go anywhere
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →1) Sephonie checking out the other games by Analgesic after playing Anodyne 1 and 2 last year tbh,, i feel like i only stuck with this game out of a sense of obligation,, the narrative of this one is just, not really engaging for me and some of the platforming felt Overly Finnicky
negative · AI labelView post →Three biologists bearing an experimental implant allowing them to share memories with other life forms examine a strange energy signature on an island called Sephonie, sharing their consciousnesses with each other and the island itself. Quirky and heartfelt, a utopian-feeling Earthboundesque without a shred of cynicism. Though it tries not to, Sephonie will undoubtedly alienate casual players with its low-resolution assets, strange parkour mechanics, bizarre block puzzle minigame, obtuse level…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a really unfortunate misstep for the team, I really hope they go back to making the amazing Anodyne series. This is a baffling combination of awkward wooly platforming that will frustrate you over and over as you miss getting up and onto a platform by mere pixels again and again, a frankly seemingly unfinished puzzle game mechanic which I found essentially impossible to lose and just a load of seemingly random stuff for the story and an insane "oh no we lost, oh hang on we randomly won"…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really enjoyed this game. It's a lot more straight-forward than Analgesic's other games, but it's still got a psychedelic, dreamy vibe that I loved. The environments were fun to explore, the traversal challenges were fair and compelling, the puzzles were a bit easy maybe, and the theme is right up my alley. Connecting with nature, dissolving your boundaries, changing your perspective and maybe your future. The ending felt a little bad though, almost like a meta-fictional type of rug pull.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →37) Sephonie Analgesic’s previous game. Scientists go on a platforming and puzzle game adventure to understand the ecosystem of an island to fight a virus. Wow, the real life problem this was satirizing sure hasn’t been fixed, huh?
neutral · AI labelView post →A fine 3D platformer, its controls are not the best, they take a moment to get used to and its sprint mechanics locking camera angles are frustrating at times, but once you learn the ropes it feels fair and I personally never had a moment that felt like a BS, I only blamed myself for not being good enough when I fell down. The linear platforming levels are done in fluid and clear manner, with the game trying to break the can be boring jump-dash loop by introducing new ideas every level. Some…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I usually like 3D platformers but this wasn't for me. Bad controls, ugly graphics and boring story. The puzzle sections were okay but they also started to become repetitive. Apparently, achievements didn't also unlock for me. Dunno why.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →[url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/38888018-United-Critics/] Please follow United Critics for quality reviews This game is a mixed bag. Some things are good. You have 3 heroes and while all of them look different they are in fact exactly the same in gameplay and mechanics so you can pick the one that looks the best for you and use that one for the most of the game. There still will be parts where you will have to play as only one of the 3 because the story will be about them but…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Core platforming is fine, and so are the puzzles. I can also forgive the lack of "production values" and animations because it adds to the charm in my opinion, and goes along well with the PlayStation 1-era vibes. Music and atmosphere also seem pretty spot-on, and make me feel nostalgic somehow. The story and dialog are meandering and painful though. It's not bad per se, and nowhere close to the typical nonsense written by dormroom-dwelling millennials who have no idea how to write believable…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This 30 dollar PC game does not have mouse support. It's not compatible with a mouse. You can't use your mouse with it. I've never experienced that in a game before and I've played some janky stuff!! Hard pass
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A platform adventure about three researchers who end up marooned on the island they were intending to research. With nothing to do while waiting for rescue, they decide to analyze the island's expansive cave system, unaware that it seems to be analyzing them right back... Its movement takes some serious getting used to. There's very little aerial wiggle room, more about lining up for your jump and timing it correctly. The game describes its sprint as being on a skateboard, a separate move from…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So the game is about learning about creatures on an island and doing tetris style puzzles. The platforming relies on you running and wallrunning and feels really bad to control because you have limited turning ability when moving with momentum. I'm not sure who this game is for, these devs create some really weird stuff. Anodyne 2 by this dev stands as the strangest game I've ever played. Anyway, yeah I didn't care for this, despite a somewhat interesting premise.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really like the developers and I like the gameplay of this game so I struggled to post a negative review. if there was a way to just post a neutral review I would do that. This game has great platforming elements. It also has story elements that I like. However, towards the ending of the game the themes derail into some kind of metaphor for COVID that really doesn't feel intended or needed. I was quite disappointed by this. I don't necessarily regret playing Sephonie, but I do feel like I…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →What a letdown. Sephonie is a weird mix of 3D platformer and puzzle game, following a team of three international scientists on their mission to explore a mysterious uncharted island. While this game's style and premise are unique and the dreamlike atmosphere and bizarre level design nicely complement each other, the execution is so damn clunky it's just not fun to play. First problem: the gameplay. This game wants you to do some freaky parkour, but controls during the platforming sections…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Sephonie is a thoughtfully crafted 3D platformer developed by Melos Han-Tani and Marina Kittaka, and published by Analgesic Productions. It stands out by offering a deeply reflective and immersive experience that explores themes of connection, identity, and transformation. From the very beginning, the game draws players into the mysterious world of Sephonie Island, where three biologists—Amy, Riyou, and Ing-wen—venture into vast, sprawling cave systems. The narrative is subtle yet profound,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Another top-tier indie project from Analgesic productions. Surreal, introspective, highly personal, and incredibly fun. Using cave exploration as a narrative device to tell the stories of the three scientists is a fantastic idea and executed wonderfully here, with some stages feeling like real places I could visit, and others being surreal extrapolations that make you question what is real. While the cutscenes after boss battles might be a bit much for some, I found the abstract storytelling…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game's platforming somehow made it to the narrow band of too hard so I feel frustrated but too easy as to be unfulfilling when I do make it. Combined with too easy tetronimo puzzles at first and I quit after the first boss.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →really fun platforming, really charming story, most evocative "final boss" puzzle award since 999
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →8) Angeline Era Really cool bump-slash action-adventure game. I haven't had the chance to play because it just came out, but the physics and mechanics look really fun. Definitely worth checking out. Same dev behind Anodyne 1 and 2 and Sephonie. store.steampowered.com/app/2393920/...
neutral · AI labelView post →Heard a weird similarity to a synth from a song from the game Sephonie by @hantani.bsky.social and "Rock with You" by Michael Jackson, they're almost identical - pretty neat! Kinda makes me wonder if it was an emulation vst of a similar synth used in the MJ song or something.
neutral · AI labelView post →"That house is gone. You can't go back." This is a fun little platformer with a neat sci fi premise. Oh it's also a matching puzzle game, somewhere between Tetris and Bejewelled. Surreal landscapes and lofi visuals. It also might break your heart sometimes. Highly recommended. Also, strongly recommend switching the "Separate dash and sprint" option to ON. This made the controls finally click for me.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really amazing 3D platformer/puzzler that had me hooked the whole way through. The platforming is really fluid, unique, and fun, and was never frustratingly difficult, but still challenging. It felt a little like jet set radio with the sprint and wallrun mechanics. The art-style is gorgeous, the color palette and textures are very soft and really compliment the low poly 3D models that make up the environment very well. If you're at all enticed by the screenshots, you will probably enjoy this…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A puzzle and platforming game (not a puzzle-platformer) surrounding an unconventional sci-fi workplace drama. Three scientists confront the red tape of international research, the constraints of careerism, the material content of their lives, their relationship with each other, and also an emerging alien existential and viral threat to the planet. I had a lot of apprehension at the size of this game and the breadth of subject matter is pulling in, but this is maybe my favorite container for the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Much like Supergiant's Pyre, Sephonie is a game that will resonate only with a narrow demographic - but for those few, I can only imagine it to be a life-changing experience. I'm sadly not one of those players, but I do want to encourage anyone interested in games-as-art to give Sephonie their attention. Primarily a 3D platformer inspired by the PSX/PS2 era, Sephonie deliberately includes a bit of those generations' clunky controls that imparts a weightiness and cautiousness that are a far cry…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game looks beautiful and I like the puzzles to gain data but way too much dialogue made that I didnt enjoy the game. Besides that it was hard to figure out on how to proceed.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →scientist parkour!!! scientist parkour!!!!!!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Quite boring, lots of "plot" (which you cannot skip btw) describing main characters that i dont care about and super weird and awkward controls.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The basic platforming mechanics in this game aren't functional. The wallrun simply doesn't work, it isn't difficult or complicated or janky, it just doesn't work. There is a section in the game that normalizes your wallrun and regardless if you jump early or late or anything inbetween including chaining multiple wallruns it is impossible to reach the other wall to continue. I did play on low settings, maybe there is an issue with that as i have noticed some other jank such as invisible walls /…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →3D platformer.... But 80% of the time you're playing hyper casual Tetris knockoff... Wtf man... im seeing a theme here.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Another impeccable Analgesic game with fantastic and thoughtful story, music, and vibes. The controls are a bit untraditional but once you get the hang of it the platforming is really fun and it's enjoyable doing parkour to zip around and explore the depths of the island. Favorite OST track: Chasm of towering oak
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →FUN: ✔ FEELS: ✔ Art, music, and shockingly unique writing all come together to make this pleasant 8-hour-ish experience an impactful one. During multiple levels, I had to stop and just admire the surreal atmosphere of the game world. The game is not flawless. I had a personal, meditative experience with Sephonie that may not land for others. "All I can see are shards of light and incongruous blossoms of scent that fill my heart with sadness." This line of in-game text showcases the quality…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →How is no one talking about #AngelineEra? It's so good, and it's from a known talent, the developer of Anodyne and Sephonie. This game deserves so much buzz.
neutral · AI labelView post →It looked like an interesting world set-up, and the puzzles were interesting. But the controls on PC are unintuitive, the floatiness of movement is awful. And the motion, even with adjusted settings, is unplayable for someone with motion sickness :(
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →With very good music, a decent movement system, a decent story and a whole lot of collectibles this game is definitely worth your time. It's a bit rough around the edges though. For example, I got soft-locked once (but thanks to the infinite jump setting that was quickly fixed), jumping while wallrunning into more wallrunning feels near impossible, the story at times feels like it's not telling you anything whatsoever which weakens the overarching plot a bit and the visuals sometimes make…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Big fan of the devs previous Anodyne games and was shocked when Sephonie was just as good if not better. The gameplay this time is on par with the excellent narrative and the atmosphere is incredible, really glad I got to play this game and it's sad to me how many people don't even know it exists, they're missing out on such a unique experience.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Genuinely such a moving game, it just starts of as an interesting and fun platformer with interesting controls, but the deeper you get into it the more you learn about these characters, the more real they become, and in ways that genuinely hit me close to home at times, this silly trio hit closer to home than most narrative games I've played, though considering it's Analgesic productions I shouldn't be too surprised. Can't understate how much I enjoyed this game for the time I played it, the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Been thinking a Sephonie replay is in order soon, mostly to take notes on writing and design as I've had my own story on my mind and there's some story telling techniques in this game I wanna learn from. Also it's just an amazing game with a killer soundtrack
positive · AI labelView post →Looking back, I played several great games in 2023. My top five for the year were: 5) Iron Lung 4) Devotion 3) Sephonie 2) Citizen Sleeper 1) Disco Elysium * I started EarthBound on the last day of 2023, so it will likely be the first game I finish in 2024. ** itch.io games will be linked below.
positive · AI labelView post →Difficult and frustrating platforming, unlike the more chill and vibe-driven Anodyne games. The puzzles are alright but not tight, and the game mainly feels strange and disjointed from the 3-4 hours I've played.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Absolutely adored this game, from its softly shaded low poly style to the mix of platformer and puzzle gameplay, and inspiring yet sometimes unnerving story elements. It was also SUPER fun playing the game early to find ways to clip out of bounds or bugs in the camera controls. Definitely intend on replaying this game to 100% completion someday, as well as all of Analgesic Productions' other games haha
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The way things bounce between a solid platforming system and the puzzle mode is a nice workout for the brainmeats and the fingers alike, and I really enjoyed how the narrative played out in what were effectively interactive mindscapes/flashbacks. Also, thank you for the free-roaming options that made life easier for those of us not the best at the more intensive parkour-y bits that still wanted to see and unlock All The Things.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i really enjoyed this game!! it kind of feels like it's having an identity crisis at points, mostly with its interesting blend of puzzle game and 3d platformer - but beyond that lies a very fun, relatively short game about a lot of different themes that tells an interesting story. it's pretty clear what influences this game broadly, but i quite enjoyed what it ended up doing. lots of interesting things to come away with after just a single playthrough. hoping to give it a few replays, but we'll…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Parkour with Plants The non-combat game with actual gameplay I've been dreaming of from time to time, without weapons, but still full of (interpersonal) conflict. Controls with a learning curve so steep you couldn't be blamed for thinking something is broken, until it clicks and then the free form movement comes to life, with only minor frustrations. As with Anodyne 2 you have to come with an open mind, ready to absorb a good amount of earnest Gaianism. Sephonie is the least cynical game I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →(Played primarily on PS5) another Analgesic banger - one of the best indie studios we have, just firing on all cylinders right now. essential for anyone who is interested in/designing for 3D platformers. it's rare to encounter genuine surrealism in games and Analgesic are sooooo good at using retro aesthetics and really great writing to create a sense of otherworldliness... and then the gameplay of Sephonie feels like a 3D platformer from a different dimension too.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really enjoying my time with this game. Really lovely characterizations, mysteries in the plot. BRILLIANT soundtrack as always, and I love the world they've built here. My only caveat would be that the pathfinding is occasionally too obscure, which is a creative choice in the interest of open exploration, but I got stuck a few times :P
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm a fan of other titles by Analgesic Productions (my favorite is Anodyne), so I decided to try Sephonie when I heard it was coming out. I love how the graphics are surreal and futuristic, it makes the game feel so dreamy! I enjoyed the 3d platformer gameplay too, it was easy to learn for even a casual gamer like me. Writing was very interesting too, as expected by Analgesic, and it was fun to learn about each of the characters throughout the game. Overall, if you're looking for something new…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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