The Polynomial cover art

The Polynomial

A music-reactive 3D space shooter set in fractal visualizer worlds.

Here's the argument for where this game sits - disagree freely.
Match your experience?
EXECUTION6 /10READS0 /10VARIANCE2 /10OPTIMIZATION3 /10

the cheat-test profile

The four axes - the argument

Each axis is rated on its own - how far one cheat would trivialize the game here. They don't trade off; low on all four means the game is an experience, not a contest.

  1. Execution

    cheat: Aimbot - perfect inputs

    6/10

    Free-flight aiming and dodging in 3D space matters

  2. Reads

    cheat: Out-predict an adaptive opponent

    0/10

    Enemies follow simple patterns, not adapting

  3. Variance

    cheat: See what's hidden / map the RNG

    2/10

    Enemy spawns have arcade randomness

  4. Optimization

    cheat: A perfect solver / coach

    3/10

    Little system depth beyond moment-to-moment flying

How to read this

Each axis is named by the cheat that would break the game along it. Execution is the hands. Reads is out-thinking an adaptive opponent. Variance is hidden information & RNG. Optimization is the solvable systems layer. A game's region is the top one or two axes.

These four aren't one rating split four ways - they're independent 0-10 questions. A 9 on one axis takes nothing from the others, and a game low on all four isn't missing data: it's telling you there's no skill here to cheat.

The basis is how the majority actually plays this game - not a niche mode or a personal run. For a game with very different modes (a story campaign versus ranked multiplayer), that's the version most people mean.

Compare with

Similar games

see all โ†’

Ranked by shared genre first, then by how closely the cheat-test profile matches - a cross-genre tag means a pick matched on skill profile alone.

Audiosurf cover art

Audiosurf

Pure Mechanics ยท music rhythm racer

E
R
V
O
Audiosurf
Sayonara Wild Hearts cover art

Sayonara Wild Hearts

Practiced Mastery ยท rhythm action

E
R
V
O
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Golden Axe II cover artcross-genre

Golden Axe II

Pure Mechanics ยท beat-em-up

E
R
V
O
Golden Axe II

Game details

Released
2009
Developer
Dmytry Lavrov
Platforms
Linux, PC, Mac
Modes
Single player
IGDB critics
40/100
IGDB users
59/100
ShooterMusicIndieActionScience fiction