Loneliness

Loneliness

Jordan Magnuson · 2021 · Experimental, Abstract, Minimalist, Casual, 2D

PC
This game is free to play. Get it on Steam →

Screenshots

About Loneliness

An experimental, minimalistic art game that explores a single emotion and takes only a few minutes to play through. Loneliness is a simple top-down exploration game where the only available input is movement. Explore a flat landscape populated by other squares that engage in various social behaviors represented metaphorically through patterns of their own simple movement.

Loneliness was originally released as a Flash game in 2010. It was featured prominently by Extra Credits (Season 4, Episode 3: Mechanics as Metaphor) and others, and received a variety of accolades, including being nominated for the Extra Credits Innovation Awards. Other people said the game was the worst thing they'd ever played--but at least it wasn't on Steam.

This is a 10th anniversary release that is true to the original game, except that the end screen has been notably removed, as described at the game's home page. The original version of the game is available on Steam as part of The Gametrekking Omnibus.

Credits:
Game by Jordan Magnuson
Music by Kevin MacLeod

What Steam players say

Recent verbatim reviews from Steam — separate from playze.io community reviews below.

Not recommended Jan 30, 2026
The squares just move directly away from your Avatar square in a strait line when approached and fade away. There isnt any unique patterns, there is no deeper interactions, progression, interesting or neat patterns to emerge. You just scroll to the top of the screen scattering a few mildly unique patterns of squares until the game fades to black. I sincerely think the positive reviews on here are trolling, Yes, the game was "positively review bombed", especially that guy with 300 hours played, he's just leaving the game on in the background, there is no long term progression or anything. There is a million more things that could have been done with this concept, but it wasn't expanded on at all. Colors could have changed, squares could change personality interactions depending on what you do, squares could have dispersed into random and unique patterns, attitudes and interactions could change over time,etc. etc. there is none of that. You see the time played on the reviews, there isn't even a game here, even for free, so much more could have been done with little effort, sadly it wasn't.
3 found this helpful
Recommended Nov 29, 2025
A very deep game with a profound message. It really made me think about how we fight loneliness. After being avoided by the other black squares for a while, I caught myself avoiding them too, afraid of breaking their synergy, even if it left me alone. Maybe sometimes we stay lonely because we fear disrupting others’ peace and becoming an inconvenience. The music fits perfectly, and the atmosphere grows darker as the hope of fitting in fades. I definitely recommend this game.
1 found this helpful
Recommended Jun 19, 2026
lol, this not-game (in the author's own words) only lasts a minute so I had to re-open it and leave it running for a bit longer to be able to write a review. SO... Loneliness. Something a LOT of us are experiencing nowadays. And I guess that this [b]VERY[/b] little effort not-game acts as a metaphor of that condition. Well, if I take something from this micro-experience-thing is this: At least the pixelated protagonist of this thingy does something many lonely people are NOT doing, which is [b]actually trying to reach out to other people[/b]. But sadly, everyone rejects him for some undisclosed reason, walking away from him and eventually fading from his life. And so, if there is any lesson here about Loneliness, it may be that even if you do what many others don't and actually get out of your comfort zone to be more social and meet others, just doing that does NOT guarantee you any friends nor a significant other. So, if something about yourself is making you repellent instead of attractive to people, you need to figure out what that is and FIX IT, or you will remain lonely foreeeeeeeeeeever... which isn't so bad. WAY better being alone and in peace, than in bad company. SO, s…
Recommended Apr 7, 2026
My life:The game
Recommended Jan 16, 2026
very touching
Recommended Nov 20, 2025
Relatable

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