Phonopolis Review – An Absolute Tone

Amanita Design has always been known for crafting strange and memorable worlds, but Phonopolis feels like one of the studio’s most ambitious projects yet. It is not the type of game I usually play, and I was honestly skeptical about giving it a chance at first. Still, I decided to try it, and I am glad that I did.

From the very beginning, Phonopolis stands out with its unique atmosphere, beautiful presentation, and undeniable charm. The game immediately pulls you into its strange world, while its puzzles constantly encourage you to stop, think, and experiment in ways that feel both fun and satisfying.

Even though it falls outside the type of games I normally enjoy, Phonopolis ended up becoming a genuinely memorable experience that kept me interested from start to finish.

Where Loudspeakers Have Authority

Phonopolis takes place in a city controlled by loudspeakers that constantly send commands to its citizens, forcing them to work and obey under the rule of the Leader. Nobody in the city can resist these orders, leaving the people trapped in a system where freedom and individuality barely exist anymore.

The story follows Felix, an ordinary worker living in Phonopolis. After an incident destroys the Opera House, Felix is sent alongside other workers to clean the rubble. During the cleanup, he accidentally falls underground and discovers the remains of the Opera House, where he stumbles upon a strange pair of headphones.

Not understanding what they are, Felix puts them on and returns to work, only to realize that the loudspeakers no longer affect him. For the first time in his life, he can think freely without being controlled by the city’s commands. That single discovery changes everything.

Once the authorities realize Felix is no longer obeying orders, he quickly becomes a target and is forced to escape while trying to understand what is really happening in the city.

The Mysterious Elders

Along the way, he encounters three wise elders who tell him about Rachel, a mysterious woman connected to the truth behind Phonopolis and the Leader’s plans.

The Leader is preparing to unleash something called the Absolute Tone, a force capable of stripping people of their consciousness and freedom completely. Once Felix learns the truth, he finds himself caught in a struggle to stop the Leader and save the city before it is too late.

What I liked most about Felix is that he never feels like a typical hero. He is not portrayed as some chosen savior or powerful protagonist. He is simply an ordinary man who accidentally stumbles into a terrible situation and decides to do the right thing for the people around him.

That makes his journey feel far more grounded and relatable to me.

Exploring, Interacting, Solving

At its core, Phonopolis is a traditional point-and-click puzzle adventure where you control Felix as he explores different areas of the city, interacts with objects and characters, and solves puzzles to progress through the story one scene at a time.

The main focus here is clearly the puzzles, and there are a lot of them throughout the game. Thankfully, they rarely feel repetitive. The puzzles are surprisingly creative and often involve sound, movement, machinery, environmental manipulation, or interacting with the world in unexpected ways. They constantly introduce fresh ideas instead of relying on the same formula repeatedly.

Some of the puzzles can definitely be challenging, and there were moments where I genuinely found myself stuck for a while. However, the game usually provides subtle clues or visual hints that help guide you toward the solution without making things feel too obvious.

The difficulty gradually increases as the game progresses, which makes solving the harder puzzles feel especially rewarding.

One of the best things about Phonopolis is how naturally the puzzles blend into the world and story itself. Very rarely does a puzzle feel like filler content added just to slow down progression. Almost every interaction feels meaningful and connected to the city, its mechanics, and the overall narrative.

The soundtrack also deserves a lot of praise. Since Phonopolis revolves around sound and loudspeakers controlling the city, audio naturally plays a major role throughout the experience.

Thankfully, Amanita Design absolutely nailed this aspect. The music perfectly supports the atmosphere, while sound itself becomes part of several puzzles and gameplay mechanics in clever ways.

A Handcrafted Dystopia

It is impossible to talk about Phonopolis without mentioning its incredible art style. The game features a handcrafted 3D world created from painted cardboard models that are animated to resemble stop-motion filmmaking. The result is one of the most visually distinctive worlds Amanita Design has ever created.

The city itself constantly reinforces the game’s themes of control and oppression. Massive loudspeaker towers loom over narrow streets, while the bold geometric architecture creates an atmosphere that feels both unsettling and strangely beautiful at the same time.

Despite the dystopian setting, Phonopolis still manages to look colorful, expressive, and inviting. That contrast is honestly one of my favorite things about the game. It feels oppressive without ever becoming visually dull or lifeless.

Verdict

For fans of Amanita Design, Phonopolis is absolutely a must-play. It feels like one of the studio’s strongest projects so far, successfully combining thoughtful puzzle design, a memorable story, beautiful music, and a visually unique, handcrafted world into one cohesive experience.

The game is also fairly short, which honestly works in its favor. I finished it in a little over three hours, and the pacing never felt stretched or unnecessarily prolonged. Every scene feels purposeful, and the game knows exactly how long it needs to be.

That said, players should expect some genuinely challenging puzzles along the way. Since puzzle-solving is the heart of the experience, there will definitely be moments where you have to stop and really think about what the game wants from you. Still, that challenge is exactly what makes finally solving them feel so satisfying.

Phonopolis may not have been the type of game I usually play, but by the end of it, I was genuinely impressed by how creative, charming, and memorable the entire experience turned out to be.

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Developer: Amanita Design
Publisher: Amanita Design
Country of Origin: Czech Republic
Release Date: May 20, 2026 (PC)

This review is based on a PC copy of the game that we purchased for review.

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