This game truly blew me away in just how smart it is. I went into Tunic just expecting a cute, simple, perhaps slightly difficult isometric adventure, and what I got was a cute, simple, and slightly difficult isometric adventure, alongside some of the most insanely impressive and unique puzzles and progression mechanics that I've ever seen in a single-player game.
Piecing together the instruction booklet is such a fascinating way to go about progression. Getting a new page is a satisfying experience not only in and of itself, but also due to the likelihood of a new revelation to come along with it, alongside some beautiful art. While I do feel like some things are a little too unclear at times to almost a point of frustration, this approach overall is very successful.
Figuring out the 'final' puzzle of the game once you have every page I have no doubt is going to be something I will never forget, and I cannot express enough how truly impressed I am with how carefully and intelligently crafted it was. The realization I had and the entire process of recording the solution was nothing short of awesome.
Tunic is a very solid experience for the core gameplay and combat alone, but the cryptic nature of the world that slowly unravels itself through a unique medium adds an important layer, solidifying this game's ability to stand on its own—on a pedestal—in the world of indie games.
8.5/10
Piecing together the instruction booklet is such a fascinating way to go about progression. Getting a new page is a satisfying experience not only in and of itself, but also due to the likelihood of a new revelation to come along with it, alongside some beautiful art. While I do feel like some things are a little too unclear at times to almost a point of frustration, this approach overall is very successful.
Figuring out the 'final' puzzle of the game once you have every page I have no doubt is going to be something I will never forget, and I cannot express enough how truly impressed I am with how carefully and intelligently crafted it was. The realization I had and the entire process of recording the solution was nothing short of awesome.
Tunic is a very solid experience for the core gameplay and combat alone, but the cryptic nature of the world that slowly unravels itself through a unique medium adds an important layer, solidifying this game's ability to stand on its own—on a pedestal—in the world of indie games.
8.5/10