Tanglewood

Tanglewood is a solid game that shows there is still life in a video game era long since forgotten. I highly recommend it, if not just for the puzzles and visuals. It’s a well-made game.

86%Game Brain Score

music, graphics

optimization

89% User Score Based on 70 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

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About

Tanglewood is a single player platformer game. It was developed by BIG EVIL CORPORATION and was released on September 16, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

Set in a fictional world, this puzzle-platforming game follows a young creature, Nymn, who is separated from the family pack after the sun sets. Unable to get back to the safety of the underground home, Nymn must find a way to survive the night terrors and get to morning. Tanglewood's world is a dangerous one after dark, and Nymn must use skills of evasion, special abilities, traps and trickery to…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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89%

Audience ScoreBased on 70 reviews

music16 positive mentions

Tanglewood captures the nostalgic feel of classic 16-bit platformers while introducing charming visuals and engaging gameplay.
The game features tight controls and a variety of puzzles that, while not overly difficult, provide a satisfying challenge and encourage exploration.
Players develop a genuine affection for the main character, Nymn, and the emotional storytelling enhances the overall experience.

The game suffers from a lack of variety in puzzles and enemy types, leading to repetitive gameplay and a feeling of emptiness in the maps.
Controls can be unintuitive, and players may need to refer to the manual to understand game mechanics, which detracts from the overall experience.
The soundtrack is minimal and sometimes absent, resulting in moments of silence that can feel unfinished or lacking in atmosphere.

music
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
55%
7%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its nostalgic chiptune quality and atmospheric fit, while others criticize its minimal presence and lack of looping, leading to moments of silence. When the soundtrack does play, it is described as beautiful and evocative, enhancing the gameplay experience. Overall, while the music is appreciated for its quality, many players wish for more frequent and varied tracks to fill the quieter moments.
- “The music matches the themes and the gameplay involved, and by itself, you'll be wanting to listen to more of it; it's lovely!”
- “Has an amazing soundtrack; one or two songs were a bit meh, but the rest were amazing. I believe they would count as chiptune, and I want to continue listening to it well after I finished the game.”
- “The art and music are atmospheric, lending a distinct mood to every stage.”
- “The game is noticeably quiet at times, to the point that I could've thought the level's music track must have bugged out, but even basic sound effects seem to be missing from things as simple as the default jump you can perform.”
- “The only things about the game I really have a gripe about is how the music isn't looping, creating many moments of silence.”
- “Maps are mostly empty, enemies are basic, and the music is noticeably lacking.”
graphics
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
77%
11%
12%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their vibrant 16-bit style, showcasing beautiful artwork and detailed visuals that enhance the nostalgic experience of classic gaming. Players appreciate the charming character designs and the varied graphical quality across levels, with standout moments highlighted by stunning backdrops. Overall, the combination of appealing visuals and a fitting minimal soundtrack contributes to an engaging and immersive gameplay experience.
- “The artwork is beautiful, and for a game with no dialogue, the story is well delivered and the characters are lovely.”
- “Stunning graphics, amazing gameplay, and a compelling story.”
- “The graphics are outstanding, the platforming is challenging, and the soundtrack is great!”
- “Every time I fire up an emulator to revisit some cherished game from the Mega Drive or NES or PSX, I last about 30 minutes before I realize how much I've been spoiled by modern graphics and dual analogue sticks.”
- “But stick with it and it opens up as a nostalgic adventure from the 16-bit era of gaming (it is a Mega Drive/Genesis game after all). Music is very minimal and the graphics vary from level to level but are always just detailed enough.”
- “What they've done with the graphics/style/music for the Mega Drive (Genesis) is amazing.”
gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
59%
14%
The gameplay in Tanglewood is praised for its tight controls, innovative mechanics, and well-paced introduction of new elements, keeping players engaged without overwhelming them. While the puzzles are described as mildly challenging, they offer enough variety to prevent monotony, and the overall experience is enhanced by stunning graphics and a compelling story. However, players may need to consult the manual to fully grasp the controls and mechanics.
- “Tanglewood is a beautiful classic-style action/puzzle/platformer with very tight controls and perfectly paced mechanic introduction.”
- “I was genuinely invested in this little fox thing and the gameplay is innovative and varied enough that at no point do you feel bored or as though you're replaying puzzles presented slightly differently.”
- “In terms of pure gameplay, Tanglewood is utterly accomplished; the gameplay is always fun and maintains its challenge without ever stepping over the line into any objectionable artificial difficulty padding.”
- “You have to read the manual to understand the controls and game mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is fairly simple puzzle platformer busywork.”
- “The puzzles were only mildly taxing, and each stage has a fresh game mechanic to introduce variety to the gameplay (but without overloading the player).”
story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
68%
14%
The game's story is described as simple yet emotionally stirring, effectively conveyed through beautiful artwork and pantomime, despite the lack of dialogue. Many players appreciate the nostalgic feel reminiscent of Mega Drive/Genesis titles, highlighting an unexpected and painful plot twist that adds depth to the experience. Overall, the narrative is considered one of the best on the Genesis, resonating well with those who enjoy immersive storytelling.
- “The artwork is beautiful, and for a game with no dialogue, the story is well delivered and the characters are lovely.”
- “The story is a simple one, but it is probably the best story ever told on the Genesis and will stir your emotions.”
- “Stunning graphics, amazing gameplay, and a compelling story.”
- “The story...well considering it is going for a Mega Drive/Genesis feel, there isn't a huge amount going on, which could be a plus or negative depending on what you like.”
- “It has a story told in pantomime, like many other 16-bit classics.”
- “[spoiler] and that plot twist, why must you do this to me!”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
37%
13%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its distinct mood created by the art and music, earning high marks from users. However, some players feel that the atmosphere can become less engaging over time, giving an impression of being unfinished. Overall, it combines a colorful, nostalgic aesthetic with a darker undertone reminiscent of titles like Limbo and Inside.
- “Atmosphere and music 5 stars.”
- “The art and music is atmospheric, lending a distinct mood to every stage.”
- “It's an amazing game yet with the puzzles designed like in Limbo and Inside by Playdead, with a little bit of Sonic. The big evil corporation really took inspiration from these games; I can feel it. People are going to disagree here, but I can feel that the dev really took Limbo and demade it into a more colorful, warm, and fuzzy 90s game, but it still has that unsettling and dark kind of atmosphere (dark in a sense, not actual dark). It's more with chapters rather than going in a straight line, you know what I mean.”
- “It's an amazing game yet with the puzzles designed like in Limbo and Inside by Playdead with a little bit of Sonic. Big Evil Corporation really took inspiration from these games; I can feel it. People are gonna disagree here, but I can feel that the dev really took Limbo and demaked it into a more colorful, warm, and fuzzy 90s game, but still has that unsettling and dark kind of atmosphere (dark in a sense, not actual dark). It's more with chapters rather than going in a straight line, you know what I mean.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Users highlight the game's high replayability value, suggesting that it remains engaging and enjoyable even after multiple playthroughs. The accessibility of the game, indicated by its ability to run on low-end devices, further enhances its appeal to a broader audience.
- “It has a lot of replayability value, in my opinion, and if my toaster can run it, everything can.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers praise the character design and animation as visually appealing, highlighting their quality and charm. However, there is no mention of depth or progression in character development, suggesting a focus on aesthetics rather than narrative growth.
- “The core character design and animation is lovely.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game runs smoothly without any performance issues; however, it is optimized primarily for a desktop resolution of 1080p, which may affect the experience at other resolutions.
- “There aren't any performance issues, but the game only seems to work best when launched at a desktop resolution of 1080p.”
- “There aren't any performance issues, but the game only seems to work well when launched at a desktop resolution of 1080p.”