Tamarak Trail

One flipping good idea can’t save this repetitive roguelike deckbuilder from only rolling above average.

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Tamarak Trail is a story-driven, choice-based narrative game set in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. As the new park ranger, you'll make decisions that affect the town and its inhabitants, while uncovering secrets and solving environmental mysteries. With multiple endings, your actions will shape the future of Tamarak Trail.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

59%

Audience ScoreBased on 31 reviews

gameplay8 positive mentions

The game features stunning artwork and a unique dice-building mechanic that adds depth to the gameplay.
The gameplay is fun and challenging, with interesting mechanics that encourage exploration and experimentation.
The developers are responsive to community feedback and are actively working on updates to improve the game.

The dice mechanics can feel unreliable, leading to frustrating moments where luck can dictate the outcome of runs.
Gameplay can become repetitive over time, with a lack of meaningful choices and enemy variety in encounters.
The user interface and tutorial could use significant improvement, as many mechanics are not well explained, leading to confusion.

gameplay
26 mentions
31 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
Gameplay reviews highlight a mix of innovative mechanics and areas needing improvement. While the unique dice-building system adds depth and variety, many players find the game repetitive and lacking in clear tutorials and explanations for mechanics, leading to frustration. Overall, the game offers fun and challenging experiences, but its longevity and engagement may be hindered by its core mechanics and the need for better in-game guidance.
- “Really fun and challenging with interesting mechanics that I haven't seen in other games.”
- “The dice mechanics add a fresh way of thinking, very different from the usual card-based game.”
- “This game brings some new ideas to the rogue-like deck-building genre, in the form of making separate builds on dice, and adding in mechanics based around that system, such as bouncing dice off of each other.”
- “Some card mechanics are hard to figure out and not very well explained.”
- “I found the gameplay repetitive and a bit dull, especially early on where you are fighting the same monsters over and over again while you try to upgrade the lodge to get bonuses to help you.”
- “I wish there were more information about enemies and game mechanics in-game; it can be hard to figure out what you need to do until you've seen things in action a few times.”
graphics
5 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The graphics are widely praised for their stunning artwork and unique art style, blending elements of eldritch frontier and bayou Americana, which offers a fresh perspective on the die-roguelike genre. Reviewers highlight the visuals as some of the best encountered in their gaming experiences.
- “One of the best artworks I encountered in my 30+ years of gaming experience.”
- “The graphics are great with a style of eldritch frontier/bayou Americana that I haven't seen anywhere else and works incredibly well.”
- “The art style is just sublime and an interesting take on the die-roguelike genre.”
music
5 mentions
80 % positive mentions
-40 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with some tracks improving as players progress, particularly during key moments like the final battle and boss fights. However, the soundtrack's placement often feels disconnected from the gameplay, leading to an underwhelming experience at times. Overall, while the quality of the music is acknowledged, its integration into the game could be enhanced.
- “The soundtrack is good and gets even better the more you advance, building to the epicness of the final battle.”
- “Music is very good.”
- “The art's great for the game, as well as the animations, the sound design is solid, and there's at least one good song on the soundtrack during the third boss fight.”
- “The soundtrack's placement is underwhelming.”
- “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety.”
- “The audio quality of the tracks is disappointing.”
story
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-500 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The story is effectively introduced through a compelling demo at the beginning, which sets the stage and engages players with its concise narrative.
- “The great demo at the start, which tells us the little story, is just perfect.”
- “The narrative is engaging and keeps you invested in the characters.”
- “The story unfolds beautifully, with twists that keep you on the edge of your seat.”
- “The great demo at the start, which tells us the little story, is just optimal.”
- “The story feels disjointed and lacks coherence, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “Character development is shallow, leaving me disconnected from their journeys.”