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Dyad

Right Square Bracket Left Square Bracket · Jul 17, 2012

PC · PS3

Everyone

About

Dyad is an abstract racing/shooter/puzzle hybrid where players move forward by manipulating other vessels on the track.

Dyad also explores the mind state of the player -- the game is designed to create a strong sense of flow, upon which it offers different contemplative approaches. The topics of contemplation, called Mantras, create a thought-based metagame on top of the audio-visual gameplay.

An independently-developed project created by Shawn McGrath, Dyad is made for play on PlayStation 3 consoles. It has also been demonstrated at festivals using "The Machine", a device built for full immersion into the Dyad experience.

Trailers & screenshots

Scores by platform

PC

Critic 7.7 (4 critics) · Gamer 7.8

PlayStation 3

Critic 8.3 (19 critics) · Gamer 7.0

7.9

Critic reviews

  • PC Gamer

    PC Gamer · Jul 04, 2013

    8.6
    Dyad is sometimes a little too restless – by the end all its ideas are available in concert, removing some of the precision necessary in earlier levels and subjecting you to maelstroms of colour and enemies that require the invulnerability mechanic to get through. At its best though, Dyad's intoxicating speed and soundscapes are matched with finely articulated challenges that remind you just how rarely games reach for the sublime.
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  • Hardcore Gamer

    Jeremy Peeples · Jul 27, 2012

    9.0
    As an experience, it’s one of the most unforgettable of the generation, and overall one of the best games on PSN. It reminds me a lot of Flower in the sense that there are a lot of intangible qualities that make the game something you need to experience, along some that you can put a finger on fairly easily. It’s a different kind of must-play experience than most games, but still easily worth your time and money.
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  • Game Revolution

    Daniel Bischoff · Jul 25, 2012

    8.0
    Despite those drawbacks, the highly stylized Dyad is well worth your time and money. Once you get in the zone and start hitting enemies in succession, the blistering speed, graphics, and sound can put you in a trance. Pretty soon you'll hear colors.
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  • GameSpot

    Kevin VanOrd · Jul 20, 2012

    8.0
    There are a few times when Dyad's abstract presentation is so overwhelming that you don't feel in control of your own destiny. But by and large, this unique game keeps you invested. Each stage lulls you into a pleasant rhythm, but Dyad changes the pace so frequently that you can never be complacent. It's a great mix of comfort and excitement, making it easy to lose yourself in the barrage of sound and energy.
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  • The Escapist

    Susan Arendt · Jul 20, 2012

    8.0
    Dyad is elegant and joyous, a hurricane waiting to be tamed - and you might hate it. That's true of every game, I know, but this is one of those games that you will either want to beat into submission as you bend it to your will, or one that you'll play for a few levels and abandon as soon as the learning curve starts to arc too high. There just isn't a whole lot of in between here.
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  • Joystiq

    Richard Mitchell · Jul 17, 2012

    9.0
    There's a lot happening in Dyad – enough so that onlookers may question whether you're controlling it at all – but in all its visual and aural splendor lies a simple, stimulating experience that's difficult to put down. Dyad manages to create a beautiful synthesis of music, visual design and gameplay mechanics, and it does so without missing a beat.

See all critic reviews

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