Tandem: A Tale of Shadows

71%
Game Brain Score Based on 122 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Tandem: A Tale of Shadows Game Cover
Puzzle game fans that like the idea of playing with lights and shadows will likely enjoy Tandem: A Tale of Shadows and should consider picking it up.
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Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is a single-player fantasy platformer game with a captivating story, stunning graphics, and impressive music. Explore five Victorian-inspired worlds as Emma and her teddy bear Fenton, switching between top-down and side-scroller views to solve puzzles and uncover clues about the disappearance of magician Thomas Kane. Experience a thrilling and atmospheric adventure, reminiscent of Tim Burton and Jules Vernes, filled with danger, mystery, and twist-filled storytelling.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Epic Games
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

71%
Audience ScoreBased on 122 reviews
gameplay19 positive mentions
stability6 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique dual-character gameplay mechanic that creatively utilizes light and shadow, providing an interesting puzzle experience.
  • The visuals and atmosphere are beautifully crafted, with a charming art style and an immersive soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • Many players found the puzzles to be enjoyable and satisfying, with a good balance of challenge that keeps the gameplay engaging.
  • The puzzles are often criticized for being too easy, linear, and repetitive, lacking the depth and creativity expected from a puzzle game.
  • The story is considered weak and underdeveloped, leaving players wanting more substance and engagement from the narrative.
  • Technical issues, such as sluggish controls and resolution problems, detract from the overall gameplay experience, making it feel less polished.
  • gameplay75 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by its innovative mechanics and dual-dimensional traversal, combining top-down and side-scrolling perspectives that create a unique experience. While the puzzles are generally easy and rewarding, some players feel that the mechanics are underexplored and the overall gameplay lacks depth, leading to a sense of incompleteness. Despite these criticisms, the game is praised for its charming visuals and engaging mechanics, making it a worthwhile experience for puzzle enthusiasts.

    • “The setting is stunning and the puzzles are easy, but still feel rewarding, with new mechanics added each chapter, which makes the experience an enjoyable, relaxing play.”
    • “Tandem: A Tale of Shadows marries surreal graphics and unique gameplay to create a truly immersive and visually compelling game.”
    • “Switching between a top-down and side-scroller view, Tandem is sure to keep you interested with its plethora of interesting ideas and mechanics.”
    • “It has great visuals, a good soundtrack, but its boring gameplay really cripples this game.”
    • “The gameplay here is a mix of puzzles and platforming but the game doesn't excel at either.”
    • “There are quite a number of mechanics, but they are not explored anywhere near their full potential, and I don't find them to be particularly creative as well.”
  • story70 mentions

    The story in "Tandem: A Tale of Shadows" is generally considered weak and underdeveloped, with many reviewers noting its brevity and lack of substance. While the game features well-made cutscenes and some unexpected twists, the narrative feels shoehorned and fails to engage players, leading to a consensus that the puzzles are the main draw rather than the story itself. Overall, the potential for a compelling narrative is recognized, but it ultimately falls short, leaving players wanting more depth and coherence.

    • “Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is a fun and visually pleasing little puzzle game with an interesting story.”
    • “Story is alright, the cutscenes are well made and the ending was something I did not expect.”
    • “The story, the game dynamics, the mood, everything looks great but I reckon the most important value of the game is the superimposing of two different planes for both worlds and playing with the geometry of shadows.”
    • “The only thing I found a little lacking is the story, or more so the lack thereof.”
    • “It seems like the developers shoehorned this story without much thought or concern, which is a waste because this story had a lot of potential to be a good dark fairy tale.”
    • “This goes double for the ending, which is 50 percent 'wow, that sucked' and 50 percent 'what was the point of...any of this, if that is the way they ended it?'”
  • graphics61 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful art style, immersive atmosphere, and clever use of light and shadow. However, some players note inconsistencies in visual presentation and a lack of interactivity that detracts from the overall experience. While the visuals are often described as charming and engaging, they are sometimes overshadowed by gameplay issues, leading to a perception that the graphics alone cannot elevate the game.

    • “The visuals are top-notch and the puzzles are fun; some were also pretty challenging, I had to stop and think a little bit.”
    • “Tandem: A Tale of Shadows marries surreal graphics and unique gameplay to create a truly immersive and visually compelling game.”
    • “Graphics and atmosphere are pretty with good use of light and shadow.”
    • “Too difficult to read text, art styles aren't cohesive, the music doesn't match the visual presentation, etc.”
    • “Sumptuous graphics, most of which you can't see because of the perspective, and can't interact with, embellish disappointingly linear problem-solving (often the only thing you can interact with removes the only barrier to progress).”
    • “While the graphics and atmosphere of the game are pretty solid even if unremarkable, the puzzle and platforming aspect of it just falls short of making it a good game.”
  • music34 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its immersive quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, often described as eerie or relaxing, which complements the visuals and gameplay. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's aesthetic appeal, despite some criticisms regarding gameplay engagement. Overall, the music is considered a strong asset, elevating the experience for players seeking a soothing and atmospheric environment.

    • “The music is out of this world - really fits the whole atmosphere of the game - it has an eerie/spooky vibe that actually perfectly matches everything else in the game.”
    • “One of Tandem’s strongest suits is the atmosphere - greatly reinforced by its musical score - and the camera angle.”
    • “If you're looking to relax, hear some amazing zen music & enjoy a co-op self game... this is it!”
    • “It has great visuals, a good soundtrack, but its boring gameplay really cripples this game.”
    • “Too difficult to read text, art styles aren't cohesive, the music doesn't match the visual presentation, etc.”
    • “The music doesn't match the visual presentation.”
  • atmosphere13 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its eerie and immersive qualities, enhanced by a captivating musical score and effective use of light and shadow. The mansion's design evokes a subtle creepiness reminiscent of Victorian fairy tales, contributing to a strong sense of place. However, some reviews note that while the atmosphere is solid, it may not be enough to elevate the overall gameplay experience.

    • “The mansion looks great; it has a subtle creepy vibe to it, and the relaxing OST really gives the locations a nice push in atmosphere.”
    • “One of Tandem's strongest suits is the atmosphere - greatly reinforced by its musical score and the camera angle.”
    • “The music is out of this world - it really fits the whole atmosphere of the game; it has an eerie/spooky vibe that perfectly matches everything else in the game.”
    • “While the graphics and atmosphere of the game are pretty solid, even if unremarkable, the puzzle and platforming aspect of it just falls short of making it a good game.”
    • “The graphics and atmosphere of the game evoke a sense of Brothers Grimm scary fairy tale, the old Victorian kind.”
    • “[limited narrative, no atmosphere, uninspiring presentation]”
  • stability6 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is generally solid, with most players not encountering significant bugs or glitches. However, some users reported issues in the final level, including characters getting stuck and wandering out of bounds, which detracted from the experience and required multiple attempts to complete. The game does include a self-correcting feature for minor glitches, but the final level's instability impacted overall enjoyment.

    • “Nevertheless, the game would have been charming enough if not for the final level which (unlike the rest of the game) appeared buggy. Emma wandered out of the playing area and couldn't get back, and Fenton got stuck in shadows for no apparent reason, so it took three attempts to complete. The downer ending, worthy of the League of Gentlemen, made me wish I'd not completed it and robbed the game of any replay value.”
    • “Technical issues, glitches, and bugs are prevalent throughout the game, affecting the overall experience.”
    • “The game does a good job of detecting and self-correcting issues, but there are still moments where Fenton gets stuck in the air after jumping, which can be frustrating.”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and somewhat boring, particularly noting difficulties with navigating the chapter map using mouse and keyboard, as well as issues with button detection. While not considered terrible, the overall experience is marred by these repetitive and frustrating elements.

    • “I don't think this game is awful by any stretch of the means, I just think it's kind of boring and tedious.”
    • “Navigating the game's chapter map was also a bit tedious with mouse and keyboard, and some buttons have poor detection for your cursor.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game's replayability is significantly hindered by a frustrating final level plagued with bugs, leading to a disappointing ending that discourages players from revisiting it. Additionally, the short length and abrupt cutscenes further diminish its replay value. Overall, players feel that the experience lacks the charm needed to warrant multiple playthroughs.

    • “Nevertheless, the game would have been charming enough if not for the final level which (unlike the rest of the game) appeared buggy (Emma wandered out of the playing area and couldn't get back, Fenton got stuck in shadows for no apparent reason) so that it took three attempts to complete, whereupon the downer ending, worthy of the League of Gentlemen, made me wish I'd not completed it, and robbed the game of any replay value.”
    • “[Short length, little replayability, cutscenes and dialogue seem to cut off early or end abruptly]”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

64% average critic score

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