4/5 ★ – brudanos's review of Tunic.

Tunic is often referred to as a Zelda inspired adventure and although there are clear indicators that would prove this accurate, I found it to be more closely related to games such as Death’s Door and Hollow Knight that have a clearer Souls-like feel. So, a Zelda Souls-like? That feels about right and let me tell you, this 12-hour adventure is a hell of a good time, as long as you appreciate some hair pulling moments of challenge. Like Kena: Bridge of Spirits, there are difficulty ramps, especially with the bosses, that disrupt the flow of the game. Some of these bosses are punishing and your health/stamina/magic management is going to be the key for success. What is unique about Tunic is the instruction booklet that you will piece together page by page as you find them throughout the world. The game has its own language and for a good part of the game, you will have no idea what is going on. As you collect pages, you will learn about items, gameplay elements, maps, secret locations, lore, and much more. That sense of discovery was actually really cool, and I felt a feeling of accomplishment when I realized things, for example, how to upgrade my stats without first finding the instructions on how to do it. The controls of the game are really tight and well executed and there are so many secrets passages to find. I can’t tell you how many times I went through an area just to find a path that went behind a rock or building that would have allowed me to completely bypass an area. It never annoyed me, in fact, I was always impressed by it. I would slap my knee and be like, “them sons o bitches, they got me good.” Also, for a cute a game as this, the story is quite a downer and not what I initially expected, that is unless you figure out the way to fully complete the game and unlock the good ending. I definitely recommend you give Tunic a shot, the obscureness and difficulty is sure to turn people off, but if you take the time to upgrade and learn the gameplay, you’ll find that this little gem is 100% worth your time. Here is an interesting gameplay tip I learned by accident: - The Ice Dagger is clutch as it freezes enemies and allows you to get some good hits in, it is a heavy magic user, only allowing you 3 casts to start. - The Holy Cross shoots a fire beam at enemies and is great for enemies at a distance or flying enemies. It doesn’t use as much magic, allowing you 16 shots to start. - Did you know you could equip both items and if you press both buttons at the same time it will shoot an ice beam that freezes and damages enemies? Which means instead of just 3 cast to freeze, you can do the full 16 of the Holy Cross? You do now. Beat: 4/7/2022 Time: 12 Hours