Under $8: Dystopian parkour game launches with 97% positive Steam reviews

The premise of VHOLUME doesn't sound particularly exciting at first: A family's food ration cards have gone missing and need to be recovered from the responsible ministry. Unfortunately, it's located on the other side of a dystopian metropolis filled with brutalist concrete buildings, abandoned industrial facilities and surreal megastructures. And since VHOLUME is all about speed, players won't be strolling leisurely through the streets, but sprinting across rooftops, through shafts and along towering concrete walls.

The basic controls are deliberately kept accessible, but those who dig deeper into the movement system can build up more and more speed, chain movements together and even skip entire sections with well-timed jumps. Many of the 62 levels offer different routes and shortcuts. And that's where the real heart of VHOLUME lies: Rather than simply completing a level by any means necessary, the goal is to find the perfect route, optimize movement sequences and shave a few more seconds off your personal best time with each attempt.

That should make the game particularly appealing to speedrunners. Target times, medals and global leaderboards add an extra layer of competition. The ghost system also lets players follow other players' runs – useful for discovering new shortcuts or picking up a trick or two. Those who would rather race through the concrete landscapes together can play all levels in multiplayer. And if the 62 courses eventually aren't enough, the Steam Workshop provides additional content in the form of community-made levels.

So far, Steam players have been particularly impressed by the movement. Wall runs, slides, bunny hops and jumps are said to feel satisfyingly fluid and precise. The monumental concrete landscapes, subdued electronic soundtrack and freedom of movement have also received plenty of praise. However, the game isn't entirely free of stumbling blocks: Stairs, narrow passages and smaller obstacles can sometimes abruptly kill the momentum players have worked hard to build up. The rather thin story and relatively short main campaign haven't won everyone over either.

Overall, however, the verdict is remarkably clear: 97% of more than 1,200 Steam reviews are positive. That has already earned VHOLUME, which was only released on August 21, the No. 8 spot among Steam's Popular New Releases. The game normally costs $8, but a 10% launch discount brings the price down to $7.20 until August 28. On the Steam Deck, VHOLUME is rated “Playable.”