The Thrill of Movement: Redefining First-Person Traversal
In a gaming landscape often dominated by massive AAA budgets and sprawling open worlds, sometimes the most profound experiences come in small, focused packages. Recently, two indie titles, VHOLUME and CICADAMATA”, arrived simultaneously to challenge players to master the art of parkour and high-speed movement. While they differ wildly in aesthetic and tone, both share a core obsession: the pursuit of the perfect line.
For fans of Neon White or the fluid mechanics of Mirror’s Edge, these games offer a refreshing dive into route optimization and speedrunning.
VHOLUME: A Brutalist Meditation on Space
VHOLUME is less of a traditional game and more of a brutalist architectural experiment. It drops you into a timeless, oppressive world of concrete slabs and yawning voids, evoking the atmospheric solitude of Fumito Ueda’s works. The experience is designed to make you feel lonesome yet focused, accompanied by a hauntingly precise soundtrack that complements the cold, Eastern bloc-coded environment.
Mastering the Mechanics
The gameplay revolves around a set of basic verbs: run, slide, wall crawl, and jump. However, the depth lies in the nuance. To truly excel in this parkour experience, you must master advanced techniques:
- Bunny Hopping & Sliding: The most efficient way to maintain momentum in a straight line.
- Wall Climbing: A rhythmic process of looking up, jumping, and repeating to scale infinite heights.
- Coyote Time: A technical window that allows a jump shortly after leaving a ledge, essential for high-level play.
With a robust leaderboard system and “ghost” replays, VHOLUME transforms from a contemplative stroll into an addictive challenge where shaving a single second off your time becomes an obsession.
CICADAMATA”: Cyberpunk Chaos and Combat
If VHOLUME is a quiet poem, CICADAMATA” is a loud, abrasive rave. Set in the low-poly, digital world of CASCADE, you play as FAWN-A2 (Callsign: “White Rabbit”). This title blends parkour with aggressive combat, drawing inspiration from the PSX era and classics like Marathon.
Movement Integrated with Combat
In CICADAMATA”, movement isn’t just about reaching the end; it’s about how you destroy the “THREATS” along the way. Your arsenal includes the Joyuse shotgun and a suite of movement abilities:
- Offensive Dashing: Chain through enemies with lightning speed.
- Stomping: Crush opponents or use the impact to rapidly descend and save time.
- Strategic Traversal: Utilizing enemies—like ESPERs—as magnets to propel yourself across the map.
The game also embraces a distinct queer identity, creating a space for fans of Signalis or Nier:Automata, blending high-octane gameplay with an earnest, unfolding narrative.
Why You Should Play Them
Both VHOLUME and CICADAMATA” are remarkably affordable—costing less than a gourmet sandwich—yet they offer depth that rivals much larger titles. They are easy to pick up but daunting to master, making them perfect for gifting to a friend or diving into for a few hours of intense focus.
Whether you prefer the silent, concrete voids of VHOLUME or the neon-soaked, breakbeat energy of CICADAMATA”, both games prove that parkour and movement mechanics are powerful tools for storytelling and player engagement.
Ready to test your reflexes? These indie gems are waiting for you on Steam.
