Tamarak Trail
- December 31, 2023
- Yarrow Games
- 12h median play time
One flipping good idea can’t save this repetitive roguelike deckbuilder from only rolling above average.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games StoreTamarak 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.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The art style is stunning and adds a unique aesthetic to the game.
- The dice mechanics introduce interesting strategies and combinations, making gameplay engaging.
- The developers are responsive to community feedback and are actively working on improvements.
- The game can feel repetitive and lacks meaningful choices, leading to a sense of tedium.
- Dice rolling mechanics are unreliable, often resulting in frustrating outcomes due to luck-based gameplay.
- The user interface is underwhelming, with missing information and unnecessary clicks that detract from the experience.
- gameplay52 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay is visually appealing and introduces unique mechanics, particularly with its dice-building system, which adds depth to the rogue-like deck-building genre. However, many players find the gameplay repetitive and lacking in clarity, especially regarding enemy mechanics and core gameplay elements, leading to frustration during early encounters. While the game offers fun and challenging experiences, its longevity is questioned due to the repetitive nature of encounters and the need for better tutorials and explanations of mechanics.
“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.”
“Really fun and challenging with interesting mechanics that I haven't seen in other games.”
“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.”
“Many of the game mechanics are sort of hidden.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are widely praised for their unique eldritch frontier/bayou americana style, which many reviewers find refreshing and visually stunning. The art is described as sublime and one of the best encountered in decades of gaming, making a significant impact on the overall 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.”
“Above all, the artwork is stunning.”
- music10 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising the quality of the soundtrack, especially as it builds towards the final battle. However, some players feel that the soundtrack often feels disconnected from the gameplay, lacking impactful placement during key events. Overall, while the music enhances the experience, its integration could be improved.
“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.”
- story2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story is effectively introduced through an engaging demo at the beginning, which sets the stage and captures players' interest. This initial narrative element is praised for its optimal presentation.
“The great demo at the start, which tells us the little story, is just optimum.”
