Tachyon Dreams Anthology

About

In "Tachyon Dreams Anthology," play as Dodger impersonating a space captain to fix a cosmic crisis in this 80s-style sci-fi text-parser adventure. Traverse through prehistoric jungles, a post-apocalyptic world, and alien landscapes, solving puzzles with humorous dialogue. Experience all three episodes of the series, now seamlessly combined with new extra content.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 34 reviews

story6 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game features beautiful pixel art and a vibrant EGA palette that enhances the nostalgic experience of classic Sierra-style adventures.
The story is engaging, with a humorous and emotional narrative that includes clever puzzles and a satisfying conclusion.
The text parser is well-implemented, encouraging experimentation and providing a nostalgic throwback to the gameplay style of the 80s.

Some puzzles can feel random or obtuse, leading to frustration, especially for players unfamiliar with text parser mechanics.
The game occasionally abandons its interesting premise and time-travel mechanic, resulting in a less cohesive experience.
The reliance on typing commands may be challenging for non-native English speakers and could deter some players from fully enjoying the game.

story
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
68%
11%
The story of the game is a nostalgic homage to classic text-parser adventures like Space Quest, featuring a humorous and engaging sci-fi narrative where the protagonist, Dodger, embarks on a time-hopping mission to save the universe. While some players found the story to be occasionally unfocused and overly expository, it ultimately delivers a complete arc with emotional depth, particularly in its later stages. Overall, the blend of silliness and meaningful storytelling resonates well with fans of the genre.
- “The story tells a complete story with a lovely, if not unexpectedly deeper arc at the end that I especially appreciated.”
- “The story does an excellent job hitting those humorous, sci-fi story beats (similar to Space Quest).”
- “The station's computer, Audrey, has charged the hapless and unprepared Dodger with an important time-hopping mission to save the whole universe.”
- “-- story is simultaneously thin and incredibly unfocused”
- “(+) as for the story, I kinda found myself gaining and losing interest at different points, sometimes getting maybe a little too much exposition.”
- “The story itself was pretty silly, but still actually made quite a bit of sense.”
humor
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of whimsical and elaborate text descriptions, often reminiscent of classic sci-fi adventures like Space Quest. While many players appreciate the cleverness and depth of the humor, some feel that certain jokes can come off as forced and that the lack of visual animations for comedic moments diminishes their impact. Overall, the game successfully balances serious themes with lighthearted humor, engaging players both intellectually and emotionally.
- “The story does an excellent job hitting those humorous, sci-fi story beats (similar to Space Quest).”
- “The text descriptions for all the events are very funny and can get humorously elaborate.”
- “And even for those who didn’t grow up with adventures in the 1980s, not only does this game shower you with great humor, it succeeds in making you think about your own life and the path you’ve walked in the process.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The graphics of "Tachyon Dreams Anthology" are a nostalgic homage to the 1980s, featuring a retro art style that may surprise newcomers to the genre with its old-school aesthetic and user interface. Reviewers appreciate the beautiful visuals, vibrant color palette, and overall design, noting that while the game captures the essence of the era, some character and perspective adjustments could enhance the experience. Overall, the graphics are well-received, contributing to an enjoyable and immersive gameplay experience.
- “The graphics are beautiful, and the game took me a few hours to complete, so for my money it is a good deal too, because I had a great, spacey time!”
- “Love the palette and faithful retro art style.”
- “The visuals and overall design were done in good taste; it kind of follows the same thematic beats with a decent variety of colorful locations.”
- “The graphics are what you'd expect from a game that finds itself wanting to be in the 80's.”
- “Compared to most modern graphic adventures, 'Tachyon Dreams Anthology' might shock newcomers to the genre with its blatantly old-school graphics and user interface.”
- “Compared to most modern graphic adventures, 'Tachyon Dreams Anthology' might shock newcomers to the genre with its blatantly old-school graphics and user interface.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The gameplay features a unique AGI-style approach with a focus on textual examination, offering a different type of immersion compared to traditional point-and-click interfaces. While it starts strong with an intriguing time-travel mechanic, the game quickly shifts to a disjointed series of scenes, losing the depth of its initial premise. Overall, players found the experience enjoyable but noted that the narrative could be overwhelming and that the innovative gameplay elements were not consistently maintained throughout.
- “I think this was quite fun and the perfect length for what this adventure offered gameplay-wise.”
- “I will say that text commands are not necessarily inferior to the point-and-click interface; more so a different experience. Sometimes focusing on making the game intuitive, you lose some nuances in the gameplay, and frankly, I think that text commands bring a different type of immersion. The game essentially demands your attention for everything that you do, whereas in a modern adventure, you just hold a button and click on every item on the screen.”
- “It starts with an interesting premise and time-travel mechanic.”
- “I will say that text commands are not necessarily inferior to the point-and-click interface, more so a different experience. Sometimes focusing on making the game intuitive, you lose some nuances in the gameplay, and frankly, I think that text commands bring a different type of immersion. The game essentially demands your attention for everything that you do, whereas in a modern adventure, you just hold a button and click on every item on the screen.”
- “As for the game itself, I enjoyed some parts more than others. I felt slightly overwhelmed by the narrative. I think that the time-travel gimmick you did early was the most interesting part of the game, which wasn't an active gameplay element in the later chapters.”
- “+ rare AGI style of gameplay and you can examine quite a lot of stuff textually.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
Reviewers express dissatisfaction with the limited use of music in the game, suggesting that it detracts from the overall experience. They advocate for an option to enable the game's music, allowing players to choose whether to enjoy the soundtrack or play in silence, as the absence of music significantly impacts immersion.
- “Like you could put an item into the game that would just play the music that is already in the game; you just lose so much by playing the game in silence.”
- “If someone wants to play with no music, they don't have to use it.”
- “I think there are certain features in them that are worth bringing back, and there are other elements that I don't particularly care for, such as limited use of music.”
- “For the music, I get that you're trying to be faithful, but I think it should be optional.”
- “You just lose so much by playing the game in silence.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional depth of the game intensifies in the latter half, as the protagonist, Dodger, revisits his old apartment and confronts unresolved issues from his past, leading to a more poignant narrative experience.
- “The story becomes increasingly emotional in the latter half of the game, as Dodger explores his old apartment and confronts unresolved issues from his past.”
- “The narrative deepens emotionally in the second half, with Dodger revisiting his old apartment and addressing past challenges.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development is noted for its charming and detailed pixelated designs, which contribute to a unique and engaging aesthetic. The combination of heavy pixelation with intricate details adds depth to the characters, enhancing their appeal.

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