TAMASHII

About

"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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 391 reviews

graphics53 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

Incredible atmosphere and visuals, heavily inspired by HR Giger, creating a uniquely unsettling experience.
Engaging puzzle mechanics that require strategic thinking and clone placement, providing a satisfying challenge.
Rich in secrets and easter eggs, encouraging exploration and replayability, making it a hidden gem in the indie horror genre.

Controls can be difficult to understand, leading to frustration during gameplay.
Presence of jump scares and disturbing imagery may detract from the experience for some players.
The game is relatively short, with some players feeling it doesn't offer enough content for the price.

graphics
115 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
51%
3%
The graphics of this puzzle platformer are a standout feature, characterized by a unique blend of gory, surreal, and Lovecraftian aesthetics that create an unsettling atmosphere. Players appreciate the pixel art style, which effectively combines horror elements with intriguing visual effects, enhancing the overall experience. The game's visuals are not only visually striking but also play a crucial role in storytelling, making it a compelling choice for fans of the genre.
- “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.”
- “This is an amazing and addicting platformer with awesome graphics and an interesting narrative.”
- “The game's graphics, art, and atmosphere are great; not much to add there.”
- “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.”
- “Even though the music and graphics are already tense, the way the game ramps it up or distorts the screen with unbearable 'lenses' keeps you on your toes.”
- “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.”
gameplay
93 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
59%
11%
The gameplay of this puzzle platformer is characterized by a solid and enjoyable experience, featuring unique mechanics centered around clone placement and timing challenges. Players appreciate the smooth controls and fair difficulty, which allows for exploration and discovery without excessive frustration. While the game is relatively short, it offers a satisfying blend of engaging puzzles and an atmospheric narrative, making it a recommended choice for fans of the genre.
- “Good puzzle platformer with a simple, well-executed mechanic. No janky showstoppers; the game flows well, offering easy paths. More importantly, the occult storyline is taken seriously instead of shallow spooks, and the visual design is thoughtful and fun.”
- “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 gameplay is simple, but satisfying.”
- “There was only one puzzle I would change (important stuff happens off-screen, and the mechanics of the puzzle require you to fail repeatedly just to collect sufficient information to correctly solve it).”
- “In the end, if you're looking this up for some gameplay - you may buy it to run through once, but that's about it.”
- “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 is kind of a problem; at times it's not responsive and causes an unfair death.”
story
92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
74%
4%
The story of "Tamashii" is a complex and abstract narrative that intertwines themes of faith, the occult, and existentialism, often leaving players puzzled by its cryptic and metaphorical elements. While some appreciate its atmospheric presentation and the depth of its themes, many find the storytelling overly obscure and lacking in cohesion, with numerous intriguing setups that fail to pay off. Overall, the narrative is seen as a mixed bag, offering a unique experience that may resonate with those who enjoy surreal and thought-provoking storytelling, but can also frustrate players seeking clarity.
- “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 unconnected horror elements.”
- “I liked how the story presented itself in its atmosphere, and I think that’s one of the game’s strong suits.”
- “The deeply occult and surreal story engenders cryptic, profound lines of dialogue that are more like black metal lyrics.”
- “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.”
- “Story-wise, a little bit too abstract, trying a little bit too hard, but nonetheless okay; the biggest problem is that, narratively, it just never comes together.”
- “Just don't expect too many specifics from the story, or to understand everything (it's more of a vague arc in which you carry out the will of a deity).”
atmosphere
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
57%
6%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique visuals, unsettling sound design, and immersive environments that evoke a sense of discomfort and tension. Reviewers highlight the effective use of color schemes, lighting, and pixel art to create a haunting experience reminiscent of classic horror games. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, enhancing both the gameplay and the narrative.
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “Fantastic atmosphere and sound design.”
- “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.”
music
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
65%
8%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its ability to enhance the atmosphere and set the mood, while others find it oppressive or basic. Many players appreciate the blend of chiptune and industrial sounds, noting that it can be both captivating and unsettling. However, there are criticisms regarding repetitive loops and certain tracks that detract from the experience, particularly during intense moments like boss fights.
- “Wonderful art and music.”
- “The music (and to a smaller extent, the sound design) also compliments the overall mood of the game, too.”
- “A masterpiece game, sexy pixel work, interesting visuals, first game I would say is intense from its brilliant way of using music, imagery, and atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack is droning and oppressive in a bad way that gave me a headache.”
- “I kept thinking the thumping from the soundtrack was my upstairs neighbors stomping around.”
- “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.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional impact of the game is notably varied, eliciting feelings of genuine discomfort and unease, which some players appreciate, while others report feeling physically ill. Despite its short length, the game's atmosphere is described as both cute and wholesome, contributing to a complex emotional experience that resonates with players.
- “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.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
43%
29%
The game offers strong replayability through its high score and speedrun modes, encouraging players to revisit levels for better performance and to uncover numerous secret achievements. The combination of platforming challenges, puzzles, and a point-scoring system enhances the incentive to replay, making it appealing for completionists and speedrunners alike.
- “Mopping up the final achievements by searching the overworld for secrets and challenging my inner speedrunner with the chamber high scores added a nice bit of replayability.”
- “Best of all, Tamashii has many secret achievements and a strong replayability due to a point-scoring system when you return to past levels.”
- “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.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users praising the graphics quality while others report performance issues that affect gameplay. Overall, the game's optimization appears to be a work in progress, requiring further updates to enhance stability and frame rates.
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users appreciate the character designs, highlighting their appeal and aesthetic quality, which contributes positively to the overall character development experience.
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game is heavily criticized, with users reporting significant issues such as severe chromatic aberration and frequent glitches, reminiscent of playing on an outdated CRTV.
- “Sessions feel like you're on an old CRTV, experiencing horrible chromatic aberration and numerous glitches.”
- “Sessions feel like you're on an old CRTV, experiencing horrible chromatic aberration and numerous glitches.”