TEVI

95%
Game Brain Score Based on 595 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
TEVI Game Cover
Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.
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"Tevi" is a single-player Anime Platformer game with an interesting plot, masterful mechanics, and stunning visuals. As the agile protagonist, players engage in dynamic combat using melee and ranged attacks, with the ultimate goal of defeating challenging bosses and collecting over 300 items. The fantastic soundtrack, humor, and emotional story create a rich and immersive gaming experience.

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Reviews

95%
Audience ScoreBased on 595 reviews
story113 positive mentions
grinding11 negative mentions
  • Great gameplay with fluid combat and a variety of customization options through the sigil system.
  • Stunning graphics and a beautiful soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • Engaging boss fights that are challenging and fun, with unique attack patterns.
  • The story is convoluted and has many unresolved plot points, leading to a rushed feeling towards the end.
  • Exploration is heavily gated by story progression, limiting the metroidvania experience.
  • Some characters feel underdeveloped and are quickly forgotten, lacking meaningful interactions.
  • story572 mentions

    The story of "Tevi" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its ambition and complexity compared to its predecessor, "Rabi-Ribi." While some appreciate the deeper narrative and character development, others criticize it for being riddled with clichés, plot holes, and a rushed conclusion, often feeling linear due to significant story gating on exploration mechanics. Overall, the voice acting and art style are praised, but the story's execution leaves many feeling it could have been more cohesive and engaging.

    • “The story, environments, characters, and music were fantastic; the art style is really cute too!”
    • “Tevi is awesome and cheeky; the combat is pure joy, exploration is awesome, the characters are funny, and the story is actually really deep and emotional.”
    • “The story is not just in the background like in Rabi Ribi; this time it is a proper story with twists and turns and lots of voiced dialogue, many likable characters, and an interesting world.”
    • “The story here is pretty schlocky - it’s a trope-y, amateurish JRPG plot that often feels like your friend loredumping their OCs to you for twenty minutes, and there are a lot of valid criticisms to make about its structure and dialogue and certain plot choices.”
    • “The main plot itself ends up being surprisingly generic despite the effort put into the world and lore.”
    • “The story is just so well put together that it involves every small character you meet along the path and the game gives you reasons to connect with these smaller characters that aren't really relevant to the story.”
  • gameplay228 mentions

    The gameplay in "Tevi" is widely praised for its fluid mechanics, engaging combat, and extensive customization options through the sigil system, which allows players to tailor their playstyle. Many reviewers note that it builds upon the foundation laid by its predecessor, "Rabi-Ribi," offering a more refined experience with a mix of bullet hell and metroidvania elements, though some express concerns about pacing and story interruptions that can detract from the overall experience. Overall, players find the gameplay to be a standout feature, making it a recommended title for fans of the genre.

    • “I really liked the whole sigil mechanics, having a large amount of customization to tailor to your play style; it makes me very happy.”
    • “The gameplay loop is just so much fun with so many ways to customize your gear and playstyle, so much to explore in a huge map with a banger OST and fun boss fights to boot; this game has everything any platformer or metroidvania fan would ever want.”
    • “Tevi is a bullet hell - spectacle fighter - metroidvania that follows in the footsteps of its predecessor rabi-ribi, while elevating gameplay and story to new heights.”
    • “The gameplay is only slightly better than Rabi Ribi; however, the artwork and the music are definitely not as good as Rabi Ribi.”
    • “There is way, way too much dialogue breaking up gameplay every few minutes, and even the music is a downgrade from Rabi Ribi's royalty-free soundtrack.”
    • “The core gameplay loop is to walk directly to each [!] so that I can read 5 minutes of dialog, fight a boss I don't like, read 5 more minutes of dialog, and head directly to the next [!].”
  • music168 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its quality, variety, and ability to enhance the overall experience. While some feel it doesn't quite reach the memorable heights of its predecessor, Rabi-Ribi, the soundtrack is still described as fantastic, immersive, and fitting for the game's environments and combat scenarios. Overall, the music stands out as a significant highlight, contributing to the game's engaging atmosphere and emotional depth.

    • “The music is fantastic and many tracks from the OST are going in my personal playlist.”
    • “The soundtrack is off the charts incredibly great - already bought the DLC for a few bucks.”
    • “The music is simply gorgeous, nuff said about it.”
    • “The music is... somewhat less lovable?”
    • “Meanwhile, even after over 100 hours of playtime, I still struggle to remember what some of Tevi's music sounded like.”
    • “For me, the soundtrack was notably worse than Rabi-Ribi.”
  • graphics78 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received largely positive feedback, with many reviewers praising the beautiful visuals, charming art style, and fluid animations that enhance the overall experience. While some players noted a preference for the previous game's aesthetic, the current art style is described as visually enchanting and appealing, contributing to immersive gameplay. However, a few critiques mention inconsistencies in character designs and a shift towards a more western aesthetic that may not resonate with all fans.

    • “The overall art style is gorgeous - beautiful splashes, cute characters, and the pixel work is wonderfully well done.”
    • “The visuals are stunning; it's the first anime-like game I played, and at first, I was a bit unsure if I'd like it, but after playing a bit, I was pleasantly surprised.”
    • “The game has a visually enchanting art style, from its charming character designs to the well-crafted levels, creating an aesthetically pleasing world.”
    • “While I have grown to appreciate a lot of Rabi-Ribi's silliness, I maintain that its overworld graphics are butt-ugly.”
    • “The character portraits and art style of the characters in general are hideous; while Rabi-Ribi's art might have been 'generic,' at least it wasn't ugly and overdesigned.”
    • “The portrait art style is a bit jarring; it feels too 'western,' and is especially noticeable if you're coming from Rabi-Ribi's portrait art style.”
  • emotional20 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a mix of deep storytelling, nostalgic references, and moments of vulnerability that resonate with players, evoking feelings of joy and melancholy. While some players find the narrative and character development lacking, leading to emotional disconnection, others appreciate the heartwarming and challenging experiences that create a memorable journey. Overall, the game offers a blend of emotional highs and lows, with a few standout moments that leave a lasting impact.

    • “The main menu theme makes me melancholic and emotional for unknown reasons (but in a positive way)!”
    • “As a player of Rabi-Ribi many years ago, some of the references in this game made me feel heartwarming, and one of the references got me crying (very nostalgic moment), and it's probably the first time I ever cried to a reference from a game.”
    • “Things may feel somewhat disjointed at first, but I promise, everything comes together in such an incredible and heart-wrenching way that I'm still coping with everything that happened.”
  • humor18 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever blend of cheeky character interactions and deep storytelling, with players enjoying the mix of hilarious moments and emotional depth. Characters like Tevi and Professor Zema contribute to a comedic atmosphere, while the writing features numerous laugh-out-loud instances and funny easter eggs. Overall, the humor is described as quirky and engaging, enhancing the overall experience of the game.

    • “The story is a lot more interesting and I look forward to every dialogue sequence because there are a lot of funny and genuine moments throughout.”
    • “The characters are all fantastically nuanced, the dialogue ranges from hilarious to compelling... I laughed a lot, and I had a great time seeing it all unfold.”
    • “Tevi herself is a mischievous badass, Sable is the best innocent boy, Professor Zema is a hilarious goofball with great contributions and inventions to improve Tevi's life.”
  • atmosphere15 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its haunting beauty and exceptional aesthetics, creating an immersive world that invites exploration. While the cryptic narrative adds to the mystery, it can also lead to moments of frustration due to its vagueness. Overall, the combination of innovative gameplay, a captivating soundtrack, and well-designed environments contributes to a unique and engaging experience, appealing particularly to fans of experimental indie games.

    • “While it has its flaws, its unique atmosphere and innovative gameplay make it a title worth experiencing for those looking for something outside the mainstream.”
    • “- Tevi excels in creating an atmospheric world that feels both haunting and strangely beautiful.”
    • “The art is absolutely lovely and lends itself very well to the overall atmosphere that the game is going for.”
    • “While Tevi's cryptic narrative adds to its mysterious atmosphere, it can also be frustratingly vague at times.”
    • “The one thing that I believe Hollow Knight trumps Tevi in is its world and atmosphere.”
    • “If you're expecting something like Hollow Knight (dark atmosphere, hostile environment, loneliness, vague goals to work towards while exploring), you won't find anything like that here.”
  • character development14 mentions

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with many players praising the unique and memorable designs that give each character a distinct personality, contributing to an engaging narrative. However, some critiques highlight a perceived downgrade in character design quality compared to previous titles, with certain designs feeling bland or less impactful. Overall, while the voice acting and art are well-received, opinions on character design vary, reflecting a blend of admiration and disappointment.

    • “Character design: every single story character stays in my mind because everyone has an individual design, outfit, and personality that makes them stand out from every other person.”
    • “The character designs are interesting and emotive; all the characters have clear personality and the quality of dialogues isn't half-bad.”
    • “Character designs are lovely, as expected from the team behind Rabi-Ribi.”
    • “The character design and tone of Tevi, in my opinion, is probably the single biggest downgrade from Rabi-Ribi, going from one to the other.”
    • “Tevi has many depressing moments and somber locations, and the character designs are much more down-to-earth, less provocative, and -- key point here -- much less memorable.”
    • “Character designs feel somewhat bland, not really too fetishy nor too mainstream.”
  • replayability14 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it highly replayable due to innovative mechanics, extra modes, and post-game unlocks, others note that once the main narrative is unraveled, the incentive to revisit diminishes. The presence of randomizers and opportunities for backtracking adds variety, but the lack of alternative paths or endings may limit long-term engagement for some players. Overall, it offers decent replayability, particularly for those who enjoy challenging gameplay.

    • “Replayability is very high; I'm already itching to go again.”
    • “Luckily, the game offers extra modes that make it very replayable, with built-in randomizers and a fun approach to progression.”
    • “Tevi has a lot of options for replayability, thanks to its post-game unlocks.”
    • “- Limited replay value: once the mystery of Tevi's narrative has been unraveled, there's little incentive for players to revisit the game.”
    • “While its innovative gameplay mechanics may offer some replayability, the lack of alternative paths or endings limits its long-term appeal.”
    • “That's not strictly a bad thing, but it is a very different thing, and I wonder about the replay value in the end as a result.”
  • grinding12 mentions

    Reviews indicate that grinding in the game can be tedious and frustrating, with players expressing concerns about finite resources, excessive backtracking, and a lack of efficient farming opportunities. While some appreciate the different currency system that encourages exploration, others find the combat and traversal mechanics overly grindy, detracting from the overall experience. The game's large map and lack of clear indicators for collectibles further contribute to the feeling of tedium during gameplay.

    • “But combat is the biggest part and it's just... tedious.”
    • “Sadly, backtracking can feel a bit tedious because the map is huge this time around and there are no indicators on where items are before beating the game first.”
    • “This world is much bigger than Rabi Ribi to the point where exploring for collectibles becomes a bit too tedious, and I do love metroidvanias.”
  • stability4 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report encountering occasional bugs and glitches, others have experienced smooth gameplay without issues. Despite these inconsistencies, many users still find the gameplay enjoyable and engaging.

    • “A bit buggy and glitches; personally encountered a single bug. Other than that, it was fine.”
    • “Gameplay feels a lot better compared to Rabi-Ribi. The ground combo IV alt gives me a rush of dopamine every time the game freezes for a moment, like I'm doing something very right.”
    • “Now, of course, these days in Super Metroid you can get around that by exploiting minor glitches, but until those were found, it's the same thing.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game's optimization features, particularly the sigil and upgrade systems, offer players the opportunity for deep customization and strategic planning for optimal builds against bosses. However, the complexity is manageable enough that casual players can still enjoy the game by using the system as a straightforward upgrade mechanism without needing to delve into hyper-optimization.

    • “The sigils and upgrades really add a lot of variables to keep in mind if you are trying to achieve a hyper-optimized build.”
    • “The sigil system, for example, can be manually optimized to find the optimal build for each boss, but for most players, it is perfectly possible to just treat it as an upgrade system where you can undo upgrades.”
    • “The optimization process feels overwhelming and convoluted, making it difficult for casual players to engage with.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

82% average critic score

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Play time

53hMedian play time
50hAverage play time
30-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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