Tametsi
- October 18, 2017
- Grip Top Games
- 73h median play time
Tametsi is a single-player logic game where you must discover and mark hidden mines on a variety of tile layouts using clues provided. With 100 hand-designed levels, 60 additional puzzles, and a note-taking feature, players can expect around 40 hours of gameplay. The game automatically saves mid-level progress, and while it can be challenging, it does not require guessing to complete the levels. Note: there is no in-game music.
Reviews
- Challenging and rewarding puzzles that can be solved purely through logic, with no guessing required.
- Variety of grid shapes and mechanics keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging.
- Excellent value for money with over 160 hand-crafted puzzles, providing many hours of gameplay.
- Some puzzles can feel overly complex or frustrating, especially in the later stages.
- The game lacks a polished aesthetic and audio, which may detract from the overall experience for some players.
- The drawing tool does not save notes between sessions, which can be inconvenient for players trying to keep track of their reasoning.
- gameplay60 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Tametsi is a complex and challenging evolution of the classic minesweeper mechanics, incorporating various tile types and innovative mechanics that enhance puzzle-solving depth. Players can expect a steep learning curve and a significant amount of content, with over 100 hours of gameplay available, particularly for those familiar with minesweeper-style logic. While the game excels in puzzle design and offers a rich variety of challenges, some players note a lack of polish in its visuals and occasional unclear mechanics.
“Extremely interesting puzzles that add new mechanics and push minesweeper-style puzzles to the absolute limit.”
“Every level has one solution, and the multitude of mechanics and intelligent level design allow every puzzle to feel fresh and new, and there is a ton of content.”
“It's impressive how this game takes such a simple concept, that being minesweeper with a few extra rules, and manages to turn it into such an interesting and challenging puzzle game, all through the use of well-made handcrafted levels and clever use of the base mechanics of minesweeper.”
“It won't take long for the gameplay complexity to increase to such an extent that finding the correct path through each level becomes extremely non-trivial.”
“I noticed a mechanic that is poorly explained (the 'neighbors'), a solution where guessing was needed, and a tile that had a '1' and minimum had 2 around it (3 if I didn't read the mechanic wrong, again) in this short time I played it.”
“Even though there is a tutorial on mechanics, the game really expects you to know your hexcells very well, since you are quickly thrown to the deeper end with the puzzle difficulty rising fast.”
- music26 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game features no in-game music or ambient sound, which some players find strange but ultimately not detrimental to the experience. Many users appreciate the minimalist design, noting that the lack of music allows them to enjoy their own playlists while solving the challenging puzzles. Overall, while the absence of a soundtrack may reduce the atmospheric quality, it does not hinder the enjoyment of the gameplay.
“Great game to play while listening to music/podcasts.”
“There's no in-game music so you can open YouTube/Spotify/Steam music/whatever and chill.”
“I bought it for half price after reading about it on Rock Paper Shotgun, but even if you paid the full price of $3, this is the best $3 game with no music that you will ever play.”
“The game has a fairly minimalist presentation with simple menus and no music.”
“In Tametsi, there is no music, only you and your crushing despair as you stare at a puzzle helplessly.”
“My only gripe is the lack of in-game music and limited sound effects.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally described as simple and functional, prioritizing gameplay over aesthetics, which some players find lacking in polish and style. While the visuals are colorful and pleasing in certain aspects, they often evoke a "developer art" vibe, leading to mixed feelings about their overall quality. Despite these shortcomings, the game runs smoothly on low-powered systems, and the focus remains on the engaging puzzle mechanics rather than visual presentation.
“The levels are the perfect mix of difficult and aesthetic.”
“It only has hexagonal cells, but the graphics and sound are very pleasing.”
“The game has an appropriately low resource footprint, and I was able to run it flawlessly alongside HD video even on a very low-powered system with an integrated graphics card.”
“The presentation is unfortunately lacking, with a spartan aesthetic.”
“Extreme practicality over any sense of style, with basic graphics and a complete lack of music.”
“Tametsi is unfortunately not nearly as aesthetically pleasing as the Hexcells games, but otherwise a worthy competitor.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the challenging and fair nature of the hand-crafted puzzles, others feel that the repetitive logic chains and increasing complexity lead to a tedious experience, making the process of solving them feel monotonous over time.
“As far as I can tell, some of them have deep, complex logic chains before you're able to make any determinations, which ends up being very tedious to clear those last few puzzles.”
“The puzzles began to feel the same, requiring the same sorts of deductions, and became large enough that even solving just one was tedious.”
- emotional3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is enhanced by its unique and varied puzzle mechanics, which challenge players to think creatively and adapt to different rules and shapes. This complexity can evoke a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment as players navigate through intricate levels and solve the minesweeper-style challenges. Overall, the emotional engagement stems from the blend of strategy and creativity required to succeed.
- replayability2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers good replayability, but its potential is hindered by performance issues and the lack of support for user-generated content, which could have significantly enhanced its longevity.
“Very replayable too if you want.”
“The game offers a lot of replayability, allowing players to explore different strategies and outcomes.”
“Each playthrough feels unique, making it a game you can return to time and again.”
“Sadly, the game is a hard-to-run Java abomination and contains no support for user-made or custom levels, which is a real shame given that it would extend its replayability by hundreds of hours.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized as dark and playful, likening it to a more aggressive version of Minesweeper that adds a comedic twist to its challenges. While some puzzles may be overwhelming, the overall content is appreciated for its value and entertainment.
“Minesweeper's bigger, meaner brother who will chew on your bones laughingly.”
- story1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story of "tametsi" is noted for its complexity and depth, providing a challenging narrative experience that appeals to players who appreciate a rigorous intellectual challenge.
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is noted to be less immersive compared to other games, primarily due to the absence of an ambient soundtrack; however, some players feel that music might have been distracting given the complexity of the puzzles.
“It lacks a bit of atmosphere that the other games have with their ambient soundtracks, but I feel like music would have gotten distracting in this anyway with how immensely brain-busting the puzzles get at the end.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, making it hard to immerse myself in the game world.”
“Despite the interesting premise, the overall atmosphere is lacking, leaving the environment feeling empty and unengaging.”
- stability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, users report good stability, with the game running smoothly on Steam Play, although the lack of a native Linux version is noted as a drawback.
“The only flaw I've found is that there's no native Linux version, but it runs great in Steam Play (Mint 18.2 with NVIDIA graphics).”