TAURONOS
- April 3, 2017
- cavaliero
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"TAURONOS is a single-player Horror Arcade game where you, trapped in an ancient labyrinth, must evade the invincible Minotaur and discover tools and rewards to defeat it. With 6 chapters, 42 stages, and multiple upgrades, the game draws inspiration from Greek mythology, creating a dark atmosphere through retro pixel art, voice acting, and metaphorical storytelling. The game takes about 2 hours to complete."
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox
Reviews
- Tauronos features engaging gameplay with well-designed levels that keep players on their toes, combining exploration, survival, and puzzle elements effectively.
- The game has a strong atmosphere enhanced by good sound design and voice acting, which adds depth to the experience.
- Players appreciate the challenge presented by the Minotaur and traps, making for a tense and rewarding gameplay experience, especially with the variety of upgrades available.
- The game lacks the ability to replay specific chapters or levels, which can be frustrating for players who want to explore missed secrets or improve their performance.
- Some players have reported bugs and clunky controls that can lead to unfair deaths, particularly in relation to traps and character movement.
- The visual variety is limited, with many levels feeling similar in design, which can detract from the overall experience.
- gameplay13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by slow-paced dungeon crawling from a top-down perspective, with a focus on avoiding traps and enemies like the minotaur. While the mechanics are simple and accessible, some players find the repetitive nature of the stages and the underutilization of certain features detracts from the overall experience. Despite its decent challenge level and good map design, the gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some describing it as hard and boring.
“The gameplay, pixel art, and the sound effects coalesce into a wonderful and tense experience.”
“Decent storyline and presentation, simple, yet deep mechanics, good map design, excellent challenge level.”
“The stages look a bit similar even though they’re different in terms of gameplay design.”
“The gameplay is generally slow-paced dungeon crawling from a top-down perspective.”
“Furthermore, given the slow-paced gameplay, having to replay lengthy sections is not necessarily a very enjoyable prospect.”
- atmosphere13 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its rich and immersive qualities, enhanced by atmospheric music, sound effects, and strong voice acting. Players appreciate the game's dark aesthetic, effective use of lighting and fog, and the overall tension it creates, although some feel a silent protagonist could have intensified the experience. The combination of pixel art and audio elements contributes significantly to the game's suspenseful and intriguing atmosphere.
“Well acted voice over with great creepy atmosphere.”
“The artwork and atmosphere are superb.”
“Tauronos has a great dark atmosphere (the lighting and fog), nice art and also some good voice acting.”
“The atmosphere would have been a thousand times stronger with a silent protagonist.”
“It's difficult to get a sense of how much tension and atmosphere Tauronos creates while skimming over the screenshots or videos on the store page.”
“The game uses a bold retro pixel aesthetic, but it's the music and sound effects that do most of the legwork when it comes to building tension and atmosphere.”
- story11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as captivating and unique, with a blend of simple yet deep mechanics and engaging plot twists that keep players interested. While some reviewers feel the narrative could be richer, the overall presentation, including voice acting and art, enhances the experience. It appeals to those seeking a quick adventure filled with secrets and challenges, despite its somewhat straightforward premise.
“Not everyone will like it, of course, but it's somehow different than the other games; it has that something that makes you interested in the story.”
“The voice acting really fits the character, the graphics were crisp and complemented the gameplay, there are hidden secrets to explore, monsters to avoid, and what appears to be a very deep plot despite the simple appearance.”
“Awesome pixel art, rich atmosphere, and quite an interesting story!”
“The story: you're in a labyrinth for some reason.”
“Edit: so this was the first game I played on my mission to play brand new indie games and review them, and it appears I've severely overestimated the average indie game's quality.”
“Having a story at all gives it a couple points alone.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's graphics receive mixed reviews, with some praising the crispness and atmospheric artwork, while others criticize the lack of variety and an unappealing color palette. The art style, described as "pseudo-pixel art," is noted for its simplicity, but some players feel it lacks the detail and effort expected in sprite design. Overall, the visuals seem to evoke strong opinions, ranging from appreciation for their uniqueness to disappointment in their execution.
“The voice acting really fit the character, the graphics were crisp and complemented the gameplay, there are hidden secrets to explore, monsters to avoid, and what appears to be a very deep plot despite the simple appearance.”
“The artwork and atmosphere are superb.”
“The art style in this game is very interesting.”
“And lastly, the game lacks variety in terms of graphical assets and color palette.”
“All I can say is the graphic design is ugly; the sepia tone is bland!”
“Graphics: that sort of 'pseudo-pixel art' where your character and the environment are 69-bit sprites or what have you, but they didn't feel like putting in the effort to have multiple sprites so that they wouldn't be turning and making their pixels diagonal.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is minimal but highly atmospheric, effectively enhancing the overall tension and immersion. While there are few songs, the sound effects and the main character's voice contribute significantly to the game's ambiance, allowing players to remain attuned to their surroundings. Overall, the combination of retro aesthetics and atmospheric sound design creates a compelling experience.
“I enjoy playing it; the music and the voice of the main character make you feel the atmosphere of the game.”
“The art and music are really atmospheric.”
“There isn't a lot of music, but all of it is quite atmospheric.”
“There’s almost no song playing (except when you find upgrades), so you can keep your ears open to listen to everything that’s happening around you.”
“The game uses a bold retro pixel aesthetic, but it's the music and sound effects that do most of the legwork when it comes to building tension and atmosphere.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is perceived as mediocre, with players feeling that the mechanics detract from the intended emotional journey, leading to frustration rather than engagement.
