Isolomus is a bizarre game that doesn’t really fall into any genre. At its most basic, it is a point & click, but without any puzzles or much of anything else in the way of interactivity. It is set in a world made entirely of plasticine to immerse the player inside of an abstract adventure full of uncanny imagery. We start the game by clicking on a weird chunk of flesh with tentacles and are then shown a group of people. Much like we did with the prior mold of flesh, we must click on them and cause them to disappear in a variety of ways.
That is just the first few seconds of the game. Things only get much stranger from then on out as we make our way through a seemingly unrelated series of events. It likely won’t be until you are deep into the journey or on your second playthrough that you may start to understand the meaning behind this madness. There is no text to be found here. It instead tasks you to discover the plot by interpreting the surreal and often times disturbing things we bear witness to. I wouldn’t call it horror, per se, yet there is definitely a sense of unease to be had from the existential dread of observing the incomprehensible.
As stated on the store page, it will last you from ten to twenty minutes. It is a short game, though that figure is only taking into account a single playthrough. There are several decisions to be made throughout that change which of the two endings you get. Isolomus will last you closer to forty minutes if you try to see everything there is. Discovering just how to get new choices is a good deal of fun as you try to make sense of things or simply remember what you did last time to try something else. The Steam achievements are actually helpful for once as it allows you to see if you’ve missed out on any content.
When it comes to gameplay, it mostly comes down to simple click and drag scenarios. Whether it be dragging a key to a lock, or a pair of scissors to a man attached to a wall, there is never any fail state or need to hurry. It focuses more on the experience than attempting to have engaging or thought-provoking gameplay. This is similar to the walking sim genre, in that regard, due to the focus being on the journey itself and the spectacle of the world surrounding you. It is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, yet for those that enjoy a laid-back experience, Isolomus offers one alongside the unease it instills in you.
The sound design is just as disturbing as the visuals. You’ll find that the music would not be out of place in a horror game as it occasionally transitions from warped gargled sounds to oppressing silence. Its sound effects resonate a certain grossness as well, with what I assume is the splat of plasticine whenever something is damaged. I have avoided going into much detail in any specific scene to keep the surprise of this 10-20 minute journey, as the weirdness here is better seen firsthand than read. This is a title I’m unlikely to play again, though it is also one I won’t be forgetting anytime soon. If you love grim and abstract imagery, then Isolomus is a title you’d do well to consider adding to your library. It costs 99 cents, making it a rather inexpensive experience and one clearly made with a ton of heart. Isolomus is a strange, experimental title that manages to captivate the player from start to finish.
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