Talewind

About

Talewind is a single player action adventure game. It was developed by WindLimit Studios and was released on September 22, 2016. It received neutral reviews from players.

"Talewind is a challenging 2D platformer with good mechanics and graphics, offering around 4 hours of playtime. The Halloween update, "Isaac's Basement," features a new level, the history of the protagonist's grandfather, new monsters, and an achievement. The game includes wind-based mechanics and five hand-painted worlds to explore."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

48%

Audience ScoreBased on 58 reviews

gameplay10 positive mentions

monetization3 negative mentions

Talewind features stunning hand-painted visuals and a charming art style that creates an immersive atmosphere.
The gameplay mechanics, particularly the use of wind currents for movement, offer a unique and fluid platforming experience that encourages exploration and mastery.
The game provides a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic platformers, appealing to fans of the genre with its challenging level design and engaging gameplay.

The one-hit-death mechanic can be frustrating, especially combined with long levels and inconsistent hitboxes, leading to a punishing experience for players.
Checkpoints are poorly placed, and players lose all collected items upon death, which can make progress feel unrewarding and tedious.
The controls can feel stiff and unresponsive at times, detracting from the overall gameplay experience and making precision platforming more difficult than it should be.

gameplay
47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
73%
6%
The gameplay of Talewind is characterized by a punishing one-hit-death mechanic that can lead to frustration, especially as levels become longer and more complex. While the game features appealing visuals and a unique gliding mechanic, many players feel that the controls are inconsistent and do not support the intended hardcore platforming experience, resulting in a gameplay experience that is often described as monotonous and lacking depth. Overall, despite some positive aspects, the gameplay has been criticized for its artificial difficulty and lack of polish, leaving players divided on its overall enjoyment.
- “Gameplay is where Talewind defines its identity.”
- “Early stages feel fair and forgiving enough to let players adjust to the mechanics, but the difficulty ramps up quickly as levels grow longer and more complex.”
- “Talewind separates itself from the majority of its peers by including a gliding mechanic, which lets you have a much tighter and longer air control.”
- “The game embraces a punishing one-hit-death mechanic, meaning even the smallest mistake sends you back to the beginning of a section or sometimes the entire level.”
- “The level design wants to be a 'hardcore precision platformer' with one-hit kill mechanics, but the controls and level obstacles are not precise enough to support it.”
- “Add all of this to the one-hit kill mechanic and long levels, and you have an incredibly monotonous experience; the combination of all these elements is what breaks the game for me.”
music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
43%
22%
The music in the game is generally described as relaxing and fitting for the themes of flight and discovery, enhancing the overall atmosphere. However, many users find it repetitive and occasionally annoying, especially during challenging gameplay moments. While some appreciate the soundtrack's pleasantness, others feel it lacks memorability and variety, leading to mixed reviews on its overall impact.
- “The soundtrack reinforces this sense of wonder with gentle melodies and airy tones that match the themes of flight and discovery.”
- “The music is very relaxing, the artwork is fantastic.”
- “Be it the main character’s simple and cute design and animation, or the green hills whose grass sway with the wind while a soothing and fun soundtrack plays, the game sets the tone right away for a good ol’ time to be had, and wastes no time giving you control after a very brief and unobtrusive tutorial.”
- “You've got an inoffensive protagonist who can glide and use a wind attack, basic enemies that'll kill you in 1 hit, and a looping and horribly annoying soundtrack.”
- “15 minutes is all it took for the music and sounds to make me uninstall.”
- “If you die a lot (like me -.-) the music will start pissing you off.”
story
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
53%
14%
The game's story is intentionally minimalist, serving as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a central focus, with a simple premise of a boy's journey to uncover the mystery of the dying wind. While some players appreciate the atmospheric storytelling and the ability to piece together lore through hidden monuments, others find the narrative lacking depth and engagement, often feeling that it detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the story is seen as cute and meaningful but not compelling, with many players prioritizing gameplay over narrative.
- “The premise—an ordinary boy ascending a mountain to uncover the mystery of the dying wind—feels simple but meaningful, a kind of mythic journey told through the rhythm of platforming rather than through lengthy storytelling.”
- “The sparse approach allows the player’s imagination to fill in the blanks, making the experience less about plot and more about the atmosphere and the sensation of movement.”
- “There is however some recurring stone monuments you can find spread along the levels that will give you bits and pieces of the lore of this world, which you can piece together to form a bigger picture of the story.”
- “The story isn't compelling at all; some guy just tells you the wind is going away and off you go to the right of the screen.”
- “I didn’t like the 'find the hidden monolith' method of doling out story content — they were far too easy to miss — and it would have been better if you got snippets automatically, say, at the end of every level.”
- “I also thought the ending sequence was visibly rushed, and I had no idea who the final boss was or what story-wise was going on during that fight.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
22%
21%
The graphics of Talewind are widely praised for their hand-painted aesthetic, vibrant colors, and artistic level design, evoking a serene watercolor-like atmosphere. While the visuals are considered beautiful and memorable, some players note inconsistencies in mechanical polish and gameplay, suggesting that the charming art style may not fully compensate for gameplay shortcomings. Overall, the game's graphics stand out as a highlight, appealing to those who appreciate handcrafted visuals.
- “What immediately stands out is the game’s aesthetic—a hand-painted presentation full of color and life, with softly drawn environments that evoke the serenity of a watercolor painting.”
- “For those who appreciate handcrafted visuals, atmospheric world-building, and the satisfaction of conquering difficult platforming sequences, Talewind offers a memorable journey through a world caught between serenity and struggle.”
- “[b]Graphics:[/b] beautiful, just amazingly beautiful.”
- “The art style is definitely subpar.”
- “This game is not a refined game, and it is graphically demanding; there may still be a few problems that need fixing.”
- “Talewind has pretty graphics, a cute main character, and a cliché story.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
60%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its ability to evoke imagination and create a memorable experience, blending serene visuals with a sense of struggle. While the mechanical polish may vary, players appreciate the handcrafted world-building and the satisfaction derived from challenging gameplay, making it one of the most atmospheric games available.
- “For those who appreciate handcrafted visuals, atmospheric world-building, and the satisfaction of conquering difficult platforming sequences, Talewind offers a memorable journey through a world caught between serenity and struggle.”
- “It's one of the most atmospheric games I've ever played.”
- “The sparse approach allows the player’s imagination to fill in the blanks, making the experience less about plot and more about the atmosphere and the sensation of movement.”
- “The game feels lifeless and lacks any real sense of immersion, making it hard to connect with the environment.”
- “Despite the potential for a rich setting, the atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, leaving players wanting more depth.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game is perceived as a quick cash grab rather than a genuine effort, leading to a negative impression of its overall quality and gameplay experience.
- “Despite the nice art and the fact that I found the game for less than $1, I have the bitter feeling that this was a quick cash grab attempt rather than a labor of love. You can feel it from the gameplay, and I have come to the conclusion that this is a bad game, period.”
- “The monetization strategy is overly aggressive, making it feel like the developers care more about profits than player experience.”
- “I was disappointed to find that many features are locked behind paywalls, which ruins the enjoyment of the game.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that character development is perceived as lacking depth, with players finding the design uninspired and the overall experience hindered by frustrating gameplay elements like one-touch deaths and repetitive music.
- “The character development feels shallow and uninspired, making it hard to connect with any of the protagonists.”
- “I found the character arcs to be predictable and lacking depth, which made the overall experience less engaging.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices in character progression left me feeling disconnected from the story and its characters.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game offers significant replayability through various goals, such as completing levels within time limits, collecting items, and discovering hidden elements. Additionally, the presence of side quests and hidden content enhances the overall replay value, encouraging players to revisit the game.
- “There's a lot of replay value - you have goals such as beating the level in a certain amount of time, collecting a certain amount of feathers, and finding a hidden crystal.”
- “There is more content than meets the eye; there are side quests and, most of all, there's significant replay value.”
- “There is more content than what meets the eye; there are side quests and, most of all, there's replay value.”
- “A lot of replay value - you have goals such as beating the level in a certain amount of time, collecting a certain amount of feathers, and finding a hidden crystal.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express frustration with the emotional impact of the game's mechanics, particularly the difficulty in understanding enemy patterns and the punishing one-hit kill system, which can lead to repeated failures and a sense of helplessness. This design choice detracts from the overall emotional engagement, as players feel overwhelmed rather than challenged.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is criticized for its poor performance, especially considering it is a 2D platformer, which typically requires less processing power.
- “Unfortunately, it has pretty poor performance for a 2D platformer.”