Space Tail: Every Journey Leads Home

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Space Tail is a 2.5D adventure platformer, which immerses the player in a deep, emotional plot, and lets him explore new planets and interact with alien civilizations.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

72%

Audience ScoreBased on 33 reviews

story12 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The game features a unique and heartwarming story that effectively engages players and makes them care about the characters, particularly the protagonist dog, Bea.
The art style and graphics are beautifully crafted, reminiscent of games like Ori, creating a visually stunning experience across various hand-painted planets.
The gameplay mechanics, including the use of Bea's senses for puzzle-solving and exploration, provide a refreshing twist on the classic platformer genre.

The story delivery can feel disjointed and confusing at times, with references to characters and events that players may not understand until later in the game.
There are several bugs and issues with collision detection that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences, especially when attempting to collect items or complete puzzles.
The communication mechanic with other creatures lacks depth and can become repetitive, as players often resort to trial and error to achieve desired outcomes.

story
38 mentions
32 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The story is a heartfelt and unique narrative centered around Bea, a dog on a mission to reunite with her owner, set against a backdrop of space exploration. While the emotional depth and character attachment are praised, some reviewers noted that the storytelling can feel disjointed, with individual planet narratives lacking cohesion in the overarching plot. Despite its simplicity, the story's emotional strength shines through, though its delivery may detract from the overall experience.
- “The storytelling was new, unique, and really made you become attached to the characters.”
- “Space Tail is truly a heartwarming story surrounding a lovable dog and an amazing alien world!”
- “It's a beautiful story about a dog who goes through an emotional journey to unite with his buddy.”
- “It could just be me, but the story felt a little disjointed – more like every planet had its own story written in isolation, and then the overarching story tried to link them together.”
- “Sadly, the story is delivered in a strange way, and that affected my enjoyment of the game.”
- “I think with some patching, the story could be elaborated on and make more sense, and really enrich the game.”
gameplay
24 mentions
17 % positive mentions
71 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a story-driven 2.5D platformer that combines stealth, action, and puzzle elements, featuring a variety of mechanics including communication with in-game characters. While the game offers a fun and visually appealing experience, some mechanics, particularly the 'befriending' of aliens, can be frustrating and may overwhelm players with their introduction. Overall, the gameplay is engaging and entertaining, though it has its share of inconsistencies.
- “The gameplay is a story-driven platformer with elements of stealth, action, and a little bit of puzzling.”
- “In terms of the gameplay, it is a classic 2.5D platformer and all the staples are accounted for and familiar.”
- “Gameplay is decent, with a good variety of different puzzle elements to spice things up throughout the 5-7 hour journey.”
- “Some mechanics, however, are more frustrating than they are fun, especially 'befriending' aliens, although it's a very creative mechanic.”
- “But I felt it throws too many mechanics your way right away instead of fleshing them out slowly, plus the animal interaction side of things isn’t very fun in my opinion.”
- “All in all, gameplay is fine to keep you mostly entertained from start to finish.”
graphics
13 mentions
62 % positive mentions
23 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their fantastic art style, detailed environments, and charming character designs, contributing to an overall beautiful visual experience. Players appreciate the smooth performance even on less powerful hardware, with many drawing favorable comparisons to the Ori franchise. Overall, the graphics are considered impressive, with a satisfying blend of 2.5D visuals and engaging animations.
- “The art style is also nothing short of fantastic.”
- “It's a fun and cute game with a beautiful graphical style and unique game mechanics, that's really fun to play.”
- “After the training, you start your space exploration and end up on the first planet, this is where I began noticing more clearly the very detailed graphics and atmosphere; there’s a lot going on that really reminds me of the Ori franchise, and that’s of course a good thing.”
- “I don't have the most modern graphics card, but mine handles more complex games than Space Tail at these resolutions, keeping 60 fps.”
- “This extends to the cutscenes as well, which, while they are basically just still images with a little bit of animation, again the art style really shines.”
music
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with users appreciating its ability to enhance the atmosphere and complement the visuals. While it may not be groundbreaking, the soundtrack is considered decent and fitting for the game's environments, earning a solid rating of 9/10.
- “As for the soundtrack, I'm someone who enjoys game soundtracks and plays them more than regular songs.”
- “These areas are also complemented by some serene music that adds a childlike magic to it all.”
- “Nothing will cause an eargasm, but the music fits the environments.”
- “Soundtracks are always the most subjective, but for me, this was a decent OST.”
- “Music set the atmosphere well.”
emotional
5 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "Space Tail" is highlighted by its heartwarming narrative centered on a dog's touching quest to reunite with its human companion. While the plot may not be the most intricate, the game's emotional strength and cozy atmosphere resonate with players, making it a lovable experience.
- “It may not have the most complex plot in the world, but it has plenty of emotional strength behind it.”
- “Bea's journey and goal to reunite with her human companion is very touching, even if it lacks the nuance of other animal-based games.”
- “It's a beautiful story about a dog who goes through an emotional journey to unite with his buddy.”
atmosphere
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its ambient music and detailed graphics, effectively immersing players in the environment. Many users draw positive comparisons to the Ori franchise, highlighting the rich and engaging world that enhances the overall experience.
- “It’s more focused around ambient and atmospheric pieces, and it does the job very well.”
- “The music sets the atmosphere well.”
- “After the training, you start your space exploration and end up on the first planet. This is where I began noticing more clearly the very detailed graphics and atmosphere. There’s a lot going on that really reminds me of the Ori franchise, and that’s of course a good thing.”
optimization
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally positive, with minimal frame drops reported. However, performance at 4K and 1440p resolutions is lacking, often falling below 60 fps.
- “Lastly, performance is good, with barely any frame drops.”
- “Performance at 4K and 1440p feels inadequate, dropping significantly below 60 fps.”
- “The game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, especially during intense scenes.”
- “Optimization issues lead to long loading times and frequent stuttering during gameplay.”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Users have reported issues with stability, noting that at least one puzzle appears to be intentionally buggy, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “At least one puzzle is buggy, and it feels like it's by design.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I encountered several glitches that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
grinding
1 mentions
200 % positive mentions
-400 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Players indicate that grinding in the game can be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment or multiple attempts to progress effectively.
- “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
- “The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I was getting nowhere.”