Secret Files: Tunguska

About

"Secret Files: Tunguska" is a point-and-click adventure game that explores the real-world mystery of the Tunguska event in 1908. As protagonist Nina Kalenkov, players uncover a global conspiracy involving ancient legends, high-tech secrets, and powerful organizations. The game combines captivating puzzles, rich narratives, and historical intrigue for an immersive and exciting experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 286 reviews

story113 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

The game features an interesting and intricate story that keeps players engaged throughout.
It has charming environments and well-designed graphics that, despite being dated, still provide an enjoyable visual experience.
The gameplay includes a variety of puzzles that range from straightforward to challenging, offering a satisfying experience for fans of the genre.

The voice acting, particularly for the main character Nina, is often criticized as being annoying and poorly executed.
Many puzzles are considered illogical or obscure, leading to frustration and reliance on walkthroughs to progress.
The dialogue contains sexist undertones and attempts at humor that may not resonate well with all players, detracting from the overall experience.

story
222 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
48%
1%
The game's story is generally praised for its intrigue and complexity, with many players finding it to be the strongest aspect of the experience. While some reviews note that the narrative can become strange or convoluted towards the end, others appreciate the engaging plot twists and character development. However, there are criticisms regarding pacing, voice acting, and the integration of puzzles with the storyline, leading to mixed feelings about the overall execution of the narrative.
- “Very nice point and click adventure game, with rather mind-boggling situations to resolve at times; the story is definitely the strong point here, along with well-written characters.”
- “The story is great, the voice acting is good, the puzzles are sometimes a pain and sometimes simple!”
- “Crazy good story!”
- “So if you're looking for a game with a story that moves forward with little effort, look elsewhere.”
- “The plot is silly yet seems to take itself seriously, with bizarre tonal shifts from lighthearted to edgy, and characterization is absent.”
- “The voice acting is atrocious, both in German and English (mostly played in English), emotions are never properly conveyed and the story seems very ridiculous as a result.”
graphics
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
35%
6%
The graphics of the game, released in 2006, show their age but are generally considered functional and appealing, with vibrant hand-drawn backgrounds and decent 3D character models. While some players note graphical glitches and a lack of modern polish, many appreciate the immersive environments and detailed scenery that enhance the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are seen as a strong point of the game, despite not meeting contemporary standards.
- “The graphics are very pretty and vibrant; backgrounds are drawn, and characters are in 3D.”
- “It was published in 2006, so don't expect 4K graphics; however, the landscapes and characters aren't bad at all, including cutscenes.”
- “The scenery and art are great; despite older graphics, the game is immersive - Russia, Cuba, and Ireland are all nicely captured.”
- “I won't go further into graphics or animations - this game originally released in 2006, so it shows some age - but there are many things wrong here that have nothing to do with age.”
- “Plus I had some graphical glitches, so I wouldn't personally recommend it.”
- “[*] Character graphics and movements – the game was 5 years behind even when it was freshly released.”
humor
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
95%
5%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the absurdity and quirky dialogue, while others find it sexist and poorly executed, particularly in the German version. There are moments of genuine hilarity, often stemming from the naive protagonist and bizarre puzzle solutions, but the overall comedic quality is inconsistent, relying heavily on personal taste. Despite its flaws, many players enjoy the game as a light-hearted, B-movie-style adventure that can be entertaining if approached with the right mindset.
- “Between the abysmal yet hilarious voice acting to the batshit insane puzzle solutions (taping a mobile phone to a cat, of course!) to the extra thick layer of cheese that coats everything, it's hard to argue this isn't fun in its own strange way.”
- “Enjoyable overall if you don't expect too much and take it as a funny B-movie point-and-click adventure with some moon-logic that will likely require a guide handy if you value your time and/or sanity!”
- “The moment with a cat was ridiculous, to be honest! It's like the developers have their own sense of humor.”
- “Some of the dialogue in the German version sounds very fake and unfunny.”
gameplay
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
48%
10%
The gameplay is a polished standard point-and-click experience, featuring a mix of intricate and often absurd puzzles that provide a satisfying challenge. While the character-switching mechanic adds some depth, it is underutilized, and the overall mechanics are smooth and accessible. Players appreciate the engaging story and visuals, though opinions on voice acting vary.
- “Overall, it is well-designed, featuring an intricate story and solid gameplay that provide great satisfaction.”
- “The gameplay is a very standard point-and-click affair, but has a couple of things to ease your time in solving some of the most convoluted and outright bizarre puzzles I have ever seen. From using silicone to get an imprint off a sign to show in a camera, to slowing down a record with weights to make a desk clerk dance slower so the painter outside can paint a picture of her for her political campaign flyers, this game gives Gabriel Knight 3's cat hair mustache puzzle a run for its money; they are just that absurd - sometimes.”
- “Other than that, the gameplay was really smooth and the visuals of the game were really well made.”
- “The gameplay is very standard point-and-click affair, but has a couple of things to ease your time in solving some of the most convoluted and outright bizarre puzzles I have ever seen. From using silicone to get an imprint off a sign to show in a camera to signal to the person watching through it, to slowing down a record with weights to make a desk clerk dance slower so the painter outside can paint a picture of her which she can use for her political campaign flyers and then reward you with opening the gate inside. This game gives Gabriel Knight 3's cat hair mustache puzzle a run for its money; they are just that absurd - sometimes.”
- “Tldr: gameplay is eh.”
- “Halfway through the game, players are introduced to a 'Maniac Mansion'-similar character-switching mechanic.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Overall, the game is noted for its smooth performance, even if it shows its age. While some aspects, like voice acting, received criticism, the optimization remains a strong point, contributing to a generally enjoyable experience.
- “Despite the negative review, I would like to point out that the game runs smoothly, even though it is 'a bit older'.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent graphical glitches and other bugs that can hinder progress, leading many users to recommend against it. Overall, it is perceived as poorly made and unstable.
- “The game is very cheaply made and full of glitches.”
- “Eventually, the glitches made it so that I couldn't go any further in the game.”
- “Plus, I had some graphical glitches, so I wouldn't personally recommend it.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is criticized for being insufficient, mirroring the shortcomings of classic adventure films that also feature minimal character growth and awkward dialogue.
- “Character development is pretty lacking.”
- “It's obviously emulating the old adventure films, which are also severely lacking in character development and full of cringey dialogue.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The reviews indicate that the game's replayability is high, with players appreciating the variety of choices and outcomes that encourage multiple playthroughs. Many users highlight the engaging mechanics and different strategies that can be employed, making each session feel fresh and rewarding. Overall, the game offers substantial replay value that keeps players coming back for more.
- “The replay value is incredible; every playthrough feels fresh and engaging.”
- “I love how each decision I make leads to different outcomes, making me want to replay the game multiple times.”
- “The variety of character builds and story paths ensures that no two playthroughs are ever the same.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The music aspect of the game has received criticism for the absence of in-game background music, which many users feel detracts from the overall experience.
- “There is a lack of in-game background music.”
- “The game suffers from a lack of in-game background music.”
- “The absence of in-game background music is quite noticeable.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's meticulous attention to detail and immersive atmosphere are frequently highlighted, establishing it as a standout title in the adventure genre, particularly appealing to fans of mystery and suspense.
- “The game's attention to detail and immersive atmosphere make it a standout title in the adventure genre and a must-play for fans of mystery and suspense.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the repetitive back-and-forth tasks. However, the developers have mitigated this frustration by reducing the time spent on these activities, which helps alleviate some of the monotony.
- “Going back and forth between these two could be very tedious, but thankfully they shorten the time you have to watch it, to not waste time.”