Do you want a Zelda-style game with difficulty elements reminiscent of Souls-like? Tunic is the answer, and it’s also not only a tribute to the Nintendo classic, but a title with its own identity, with a retro-modern essence that you shouldn’t miss. I’ll tell you in this review.
I don’t know if you remember the map that came in The Legend of Zelda for NES. I think I still have it lying around. It was a booklet included in the game box, giving you some, but not all, of the map grids for you to draw. Shigeru Miyamoto thus outlined the adventurous keys of a saga that would focus on exploration, on sense of discovery. You were thrown into a world that you knew nothing about, and to which you were making sense as you progressed through its forests, mountains and dungeons. Tunic has taken me back to the moment when I tried the Nintendo game, and for that alone it is very special. The work of Andrew Shouldice is a real love letter for those of us who started with this in the 80s and 90s. When you enter the pause menu, you can see an instruction manual from the old days. Its leaves are found as you play, and they indicate the actions of your character, as well as advice on the objects that you can use. All in an unintelligible language, I think as a metaphor for that English that you didn’t know how to recognize as a child either.
You will say that they are nothing more than retro details, but if I start this analysis talking about it, it is because it is important to understand what this action adventure in isometric view. It’s classic Zelda brought to the present, but with a Souls-like touch that makes it even more appealing and unique. From this fusion is born a title with an adjusted difficulty, which is sometimes “cheating” in its mechanics (later I’ll explain), but which is also beautiful visually and a true delight for all types of players in general. In short, an indie gem that you cannot miss.
A Zelda with Souls-like elements
Tunic makes a clear tribute to the classic Zelda. It is something that is never hidden. The design of our character is reminiscent of Link’s, as well as the progression in the adventure: the first thing we get is a swordto later get a shield and a series of objects that allow us to reach new areas of the map. The structure is also similar. We start from a point on the map, and from there we navigate through an open world where there are no shortage of caves to meddle in and the occasional “dungeon”.
But we can’t just talk about homage, because this game ends up acquiring its own personality. You discover it as you play and you realize how bloody it can be… and I mean that in a good way. For example, the enemies will destroy you as soon as you are not well equipped or have reached a certain milestone in your journey. First it will be the sword, then the shield will come to repel attacks or a kind of hook to attract enemies. Bombs are also useful, giving rise to a good number of strategies to finish off enemies that are gaining in complexity and resistance.
That’s why I said that Tunic has elements from games like Dark Souls, because it won’t be unusual for them to end your life over and over again. It is part of the process. Here you also learn that you must be careful, that your character is fragile, and that it is better for you to pray at each of the bonfires that you come across so as not to have to reappear too far from where you were. But don’t worry, because despite losing your life, all your progress is kept. It is a more bearable game than From Software, and I personally appreciate it. In fact, the only penalty is having a few coins taken from you. For this reason, the path becomes very satisfying, with a combat system built on a pleasant simplicity that gains in depth as the hours go by and you master its possibilities.
The fighting they can be so difficult, that there was a part in the adventure in which I understood that there was no way forward, and that the smartest thing was to pass by (in particular, you will see some stealth part). You will also learn to use the head shield, as well as the rest of the available skills. With this I want you to get an idea of how intelligently designed the video game is, also in terms of exploration. They are also brought here. In particular, the developer plays with the isometric perspective to hide paths that are crucial to moving forward. Yours is, therefore, the task of exploring every corner to find those “invisible” corridors and accesses.
If I tell you my experience, I’ve been stuck for a long time, trying to figure out how the hell to continue. It might be a bit frustrating at first, but if you connect with the intentions of the game, you will end up hopelessly trapped. Once you assimilate the logics behind the combat system and the mapping, you end up immersed in its gameplay. In fact, after reading this text, you will already be a little more aware of the subject. Even so, don’t worry, because surprises await you… There are things that I didn’t understand until well into the adventure. And it is that the game is very subtle, for better or for worse.
The game design is purely contextual and generates a lot of satisfactionThis subtlety must be understood as a way to hide central aspects of the video game. You are never told what to do or where to go. There is no point on the map that indicates the next point to explore, nor your objectives. To sum it up, game design is purely contextual, and while it can lead to moments of confusion, it also brings a lot of “eureka, so that’s what I had to do!” satisfaction. The narrative of the game itself works under this logic. You are supposed to be a fox after a treasure, but what is behind this fantastic kingdom?
There is a golden door that hides something, secrets in the depths of the earth and there is talk of a palace high above the sky. As you go through this world and gather the pages of the manual, you are making sense of what Tunic wants to tell you, and that is also part of the fun. Of course, unlike in Zelda, there are no puzzles here… Actually, the biggest puzzle is in the exploration of the world, which is highly intricate. Not only because of the hidden paths that I have told you about, but because you will need certain objects to progress and thus discover new regions of the map. As a consequence of all this, the game lasts about 10 hoursbeing possible that this number is doubled if you want to discover all its secrets, which are not few.
The discovery process is very satisfying. First, because the controls are very agile and you move quickly through this miniature world. Second, and more importantly, because the art design is sensational. Tunic proposes a miniature open world It almost looks like a toy. Its amalgam of tonalities is a delight for the eyes, with very cute designs (kawaii as the Japanese would say), especially in relation to the characters, with a not inconsiderable variety of enemies.
The way in which lighting is used is a true marvel. The visual effects are very careful and support each combat scene. Has huge final bosses, with surprising designs. The designs are varied, going from leafy forests to sandy beaches or purely mountainous landscapes. I have loved Tunic in the playable, but I think I have played it even more intensely thanks to its great graphics, with a performance that is most adequate on PC, the platform on which I have played it. There aren’t many graphical options, but without having the latest equipment, I’ve been able to put everything to the maximum and enjoy great performance (it’s very well optimized).
The soundtrack is another of those elements that harmoniously accompany you on the journey. It fits perfectly with its soft, sometimes melancholic tones, with that retro-modern essence that in the end Tunic gives off. And it is that, for me, it has been a journey back to childhood when I tried Zelda for the first time, but with that feeling of playing something different, unique, with identity and capable of surprising me 30 years later. Test it. Only then can you check if it causes something similar in you.
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