TAMASHII

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 195 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • story
TAMASHII Game Cover
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"Tamashii" is a single-player horror platformer game with a good story and masterful visuals, inspired by 90s Japanese games. As an unnamed soul, you are tasked by an ancient entity to discover the evil source in his temple. The game features full controller support, auto-save, level select hub, time trial/score attack, and optional slow-motion mode to help solve timing puzzles. Look out for secrets, Easter eggs, and the warning for flashing lights.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 195 reviews
graphics27 positive mentions
replayability2 negative mentions
  • The game features beautiful visuals and a unique art style that creates a creepy atmosphere, reminiscent of H.R. Giger's work.
  • Puzzles are well-designed and challenging, providing a satisfying gameplay experience that encourages exploration and critical thinking.
  • The game successfully blends horror elements with engaging platforming mechanics, making it a memorable experience for fans of both genres.
  • The game is relatively short, with some players feeling that it doesn't offer enough content for the price.
  • Jump scares and random screamers can detract from the overall experience, making it feel cheap or overly reliant on shock tactics.
  • Some players found the controls unresponsive at times, leading to frustrating moments during platforming sections.
  • graphics57 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and unsettling aesthetic, blending pixel art with horror elements reminiscent of Lovecraft and Giger. Players appreciate the beautiful visuals and atmospheric design, which enhance the gameplay experience, although some note that the distortion effects can occasionally hinder readability. Overall, the art style and visual storytelling are considered the standout features, creating a captivating and eerie environment that complements the game's narrative and puzzles.

    • “The visuals, the color scheme, and the screen filters all create this beautifully unnerving and foreign atmosphere that I don't think many other games I've played have achieved.”
    • “Incredible atmosphere building and vibes, unique visuals and fun puzzle gameplay, with lots of secrets if you want to explore more.”
    • “The game's graphics, art, and atmosphere are great, not much to add there.”
    • “As you make clones to solve the puzzles, the visuals get more distorted, enough that it sometimes affects the readability of levels and sometimes you'll get killed by things you won't notice.”
    • “The sounds are compressed and bad in quality, to fit with the cursed SNES aesthetic; unfortunate, but feels almost necessary.”
    • “The puzzle aspect is fun too, but the platformer and bosses, while intense and always featuring quality music and graphics, suffer from a lot of trial and error, which is not true difficulty for me.”
  • gameplay49 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is generally described as a solid and enjoyable experience, featuring well-designed puzzles and a unique clone mechanic that adds depth to the platforming. While some players found the gameplay to be short and occasionally frustrating due to jumping mechanics and checkpoint placement, many appreciated the smooth controls and the balance between challenge and accessibility. Overall, the game successfully combines engaging puzzle elements with a captivating atmosphere, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.

    • “Incredible atmosphere building and vibes, unique visuals and fun puzzle gameplay, with lots of secrets if you want to explore more.”
    • “The gameplay is solid, and mostly un-frustrating, even when you fail repeatedly, because through almost all of the game the failures feel 'fair', and failing doesn't feel punitive.”
    • “The puzzles were actually very good; there are many well-designed timing challenges that use a clone mechanic.”
    • “Before giving a detailed review, I want to give an objective summary for those who don't have time to read: not worth your money, much less your time. You get 2 hours of gameplay, 3 if you are drunk or struggle with dynamic puzzles.”
    • “The gameplay is fine, but it's kind of annoying trial and error puzzle platformer stuff.”
    • “It's not a bad game, but it's too short. The platforming is not great either; there are some issues with jumping mechanics which can be unresponsive and cause unfair deaths.”
  • story47 mentions

    The story of the game is a polarizing aspect, with some players appreciating its dark, occult themes and unique presentation, while others criticize it for being overly cryptic and lacking coherence. Many reviews highlight the intriguing yet confusing narrative that intertwines religious symbolism and abstract metaphors, often leaving players feeling that the story does not fully come together or pay off. Overall, while the atmospheric design and artistic elements are praised, the narrative's execution is seen as a significant weakness, with some players finding it difficult to engage with or understand.

    • “Despite its short length, it provides an entertaining story that is only complemented by the design of the game.”
    • “A unique puzzle platformer with an intense occult, H.R. Giger aesthetic and a story that plays a lot of neat tricks on you.”
    • “The story is pretty interesting, all of it ties to faith, godhood, and the religious occult - hence the biblical references in visuals, plus there are the fourth wall breaking messages and just straight up cursed seemingly not connected horror elements.”
    • “The biggest disappointment in the game is in the story, as there's a lot of snippets where it seems like something interesting is set up, that never actually pays off; the game is full of one-offs that don't tie into anything, and visual metaphors that don't actually have anything to do with the story being told.”
    • “The story is overly cryptic and obscure, sprinkled with a few jump scares, making it a decent but short skill/puzzle platformer that ultimately feels lacking.”
    • “Story-wise, it's a little too abstract and tries a bit too hard, but the biggest problem is that, narratively, it just never comes together.”
  • atmosphere27 mentions

    The atmosphere in Tamashii is widely praised for its unique blend of pixel art, unsettling visuals, and immersive sound design, creating a deeply eerie and nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic horror games. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke genuine discomfort and tension, enhanced by its clever use of lighting and color schemes. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and engaging players in its bizarre narrative.

    • “Incredible atmosphere building and vibes, unique visuals and fun puzzle gameplay, with lots of secrets if you want to explore more.”
    • “The visuals, the color scheme, the screen filters all create this beautifully unnerving and foreign atmosphere that I don't think many other games I've played have achieved.”
    • “Competent puzzles to exercise your brain, a deeply unsettling atmosphere to strain your will and sanity, and a few hidden areas that make you think the game is bugged, Tamashii is quite the unique indie experience.”
    • “Walls are gray, decorations are gray, the whole atmosphere is gray.”
    • “Competent puzzles to exercise your brain, a deeply unsettling atmosphere to strain your will & sanity, and a few hidden areas that make you think the game is bugged, Tamashii is quite the unique indie experience.”
    • “Sure there are several annoying jumpscares here and there, but I don't think it stopped many people from enjoying something like Cry of Fear, the focus is definitely more on atmosphere and that cursed glitchy aspect.”
  • music24 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and mood, particularly during intense moments and boss fights. However, others find certain tracks droning or uncomfortable, with background noises detracting from the overall experience. While some describe the soundtrack as catchy and immersive, others feel it lacks variety and can become repetitive or unsettling.

    • “The visuals are beautiful, all the little secrets are so fun, and the music is catchy and never gets annoying.”
    • “Wonderful art and music.”
    • “The music (and to a smaller extent, the sound design) also complements the overall mood of the game, too.”
    • “Good puzzles, incredible Giger architecture, but the soundtrack is droning and oppressive in a bad way that gave me a headache.”
    • “It also did not help that there were these drilling noises in the background with the music, that kind of got to me.”
    • “The sounds set the mood, but the music is too basic to be remarkable, with short loops that don't quite grate but add very little.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game elicits a wide range of feelings, from genuine discomfort and unsettling moments to cute and wholesome experiences. While some players found it physically ill-inducing, others appreciated its ability to create a strong atmosphere despite its short length. Overall, the game effectively engages players' emotions, leaving a lasting impact.

    • “It is short in terms of length, but the atmosphere and genuine discomfort this game made me feel was top notch.”
    • “It made me feel very unsettled at times, which I love when a game can do that.”
    • “Very cute and wholesome.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game offers strong replayability through its high score and speedrun modes, encouraging players to revisit levels for better performance. Additionally, the presence of secret achievements adds further incentive to replay, enhancing the overall experience.

    • “So here's what's great about this game: horror theme, platforming, puzzles, audio design, graphics, plot, secrets, replayability, and a couple of 4th wall breaks.”
    • “Has a 'high score' mode which is basically just speedrun mode for each level if you're into that or if you want some replay value.”
    • “Best of all, Tamashii has many secret achievements, and a strong replayability due to a point-scoring system when you return to past levels.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Overall, users report mixed experiences with optimization, noting that while some players enjoy smooth graphics and solid performance, others encounter significant frame rate drops and graphical glitches. Many suggest that further patches are needed to enhance stability and improve the overall gaming experience.

  • character development1 mentions

    Reviewers appreciate the character designs, highlighting their charm and appeal, which contributes positively to the overall character development experience in the game.

    • “I also adore the lovely character designs!”
    • “The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form a genuine connection with each character.”
    • “I appreciate how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel authentic and engaging.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Users report significant stability issues, including severe chromatic aberration and frequent glitches, reminiscent of playing on an outdated CRTV.

    • “Playing feels like you're on an old CRTV, with horrible chromatic aberration and numerous glitches.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to enjoy.”
    • “I encountered constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the overall experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

2hMedian play time
2hAverage play time
2hMain story
5hCompletionist
2-2hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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