The Tiny Bang Story
- February 9, 2012
- Colibri Games
- 5h median play time
"The Tiny Bang Story" is a family-friendly, text-free game with five chapters and over 30 minigames. Players must fix machines and mechanisms, and solve puzzles to restore Tiny Planet after a meteor strikes. With hand-drawn graphics, immersive gameplay, and enchanting music, it was a Top Paid App in several countries and won multiple awards in 2011 for Best Games and Best Adventure Games.
Reviews
- Beautiful art style and relaxing music create a calming atmosphere.
- Challenging puzzles that require thought and observation, making for an engaging experience.
- Fun hidden object mechanics that blend well with the puzzle-solving elements.
- Some puzzles are frustratingly difficult or lack clear instructions, leading to confusion.
- The hint system is tedious, requiring players to collect bugs to earn hints.
- The game is quite short, leaving players wanting more content and a more satisfying ending.
- music624 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and soothing qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. Many players appreciate the beautiful soundtrack, which complements the charming artwork and provides a calming backdrop for puzzle-solving. However, some users noted that the music can become repetitive over time, leading to a desire for more variety. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the game's standout features, contributing significantly to its appeal.
“The music is perfect.”
“The gentle music, the lovely artwork and charming depictions of the people and puzzles all combine together to make a lovely, relaxing little game.”
“Beautiful artwork and lovely soundtrack.”
“The music is like crack to my ears.”
“The music could have been better.”
“The soundtrack can get a little bit repetitive after a while, but it's still nice to listen to and fits the overall theme of the game well.”
- graphics580 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The graphics of "The Tiny Bang Story" are widely praised for their beautiful, hand-drawn art style, which evokes a whimsical, storybook aesthetic. Players appreciate the vibrant colors and intricate details that enhance the overall atmosphere, complemented by a soothing soundtrack. While the visuals are generally considered a highlight, some critiques mention that the hidden objects blend too seamlessly into the backgrounds, making them challenging to find.
“The graphics are absolutely wonderful to look at, and I love how much work the artist has put into all of the finer details within the game.”
“The artwork is beautiful and the music is very relaxing.”
“The graphics are beautifully hand-drawn, and the music just adds to the atmosphere of the game.”
“The graphics are pleasing to the eye, but it is nothing special.”
“There's no proper widescreen; the game displays with some artwork on the sides of the 4:3 pillarbox.”
“The music is not that special, the artwork is all right, but most of the puzzles are not really puzzles; it is just finding pieces hidden on the background... and that is not that fun after a while.”
- story525 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The story in "The Tiny Bang Story" is largely considered minimal and vague, with many players noting that it lacks a substantial narrative or character development. While the game presents a charming visual experience and a backdrop of a world shattered by a meteor, the gameplay primarily revolves around solving puzzles and finding hidden objects rather than unfolding a cohesive story. Overall, players appreciate the art and atmosphere but express disappointment over the absence of a meaningful storyline, making it feel more like a collection of puzzles than a narrative-driven adventure.
“The story line is very engaging.”
“It's cute, the story is nice, but also has a certain melancholy to it, plus the art design is gorgeous.”
“The tiny bang story is a beautiful piece of work, very calming and makes you think with intriguing puzzles, I can feel the hours melt away as I'm immersed in this story told through puzzles.”
“The story is not explained; rather, you build it or play it out; it seems non-existent.”
“The game, besides the name, has no story whatsoever.”
“For a game called 'The Tiny Bang Story', there's not much of a story to speak of, and the ending (if you can call it that) is pretty unsatisfying.”
- gameplay166 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Tiny Bang Story" is primarily centered around finding hidden objects and solving various puzzles, offering a mix of classic mechanics from point-and-click and hidden object genres. While the art style and soundtrack are praised for their charm and relaxation, many players find the gameplay to be frustrating due to poorly designed puzzles, lack of clear direction, and a short overall duration of around 3-7 hours. Despite its shortcomings, the game is recommended for those who enjoy casual puzzle-solving experiences, though seasoned players may find it lacking in depth and challenge.
“Beautiful art style, great puzzles, relaxing gameplay, and a soundtrack that complements everything nicely.”
“The gameplay is a nicely layered integration of various classic puzzle games inside an adventure/exploration hidden object game, which in turn constitutes pieces of an animated jigsaw puzzle.”
“The music, art, and gameplay are charming and immersive without being frustrating.”
“No clear direction, poor hit detection, tedious gameplay and sections where the game menu is removed, amount to a frustrating hour that may make you wish you were at work rather than at play.”
“The gameplay, however, can be frustrating.”
“There is no story, and while the style is decent enough, there's really very little reason to care about this game - it is pure gameplay, and the gameplay just isn't very gripping, as all it is is basically 'find the objects hidden in plain sight'.”
- atmosphere80 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is consistently praised for its relaxing and enchanting qualities, characterized by beautiful hand-drawn art and soothing music that create a fairy-tale-like experience. Players appreciate the balance between serene exploration and challenging puzzles, although some find certain mini-games disrupt the overall tranquility. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature, making it a captivating and enjoyable experience for fans of casual puzzle games.
“A small point-and-click game filled with warm music and a fairy-tale-like atmosphere, featuring various puzzles.”
“The artwork combined with mellow music builds a wonderful atmosphere that you can get lost in for hours.”
“The game design is absolutely beautiful and combined with the background music, it creates a sweet and peaceful atmosphere.”
“Some minigames are too hard and don't fit the game's atmosphere.”
“The game really exudes a feeling of tranquility - the music sets the atmosphere well and the storyline isn't directly fed to the player; rather, the player must look on people's lives as an observer/outsider and piece together the puzzle to figure it out.”
“The atmosphere (helped by its soundtrack) is clear and light, the five levels passing very quickly and pleasantly.”
- replayability49 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its low replayability, with many players noting that once the puzzles are solved, there is little incentive to play again. While some suggest that waiting a significant amount of time may allow for a fresh experience, the consensus is that the game is short and lacks substantial content to warrant multiple playthroughs. Players recommend it primarily for a one-time experience, ideally during sales or promotions.
“It didn't take very long to play, but it has good replayability if you wait until you've forgotten the solutions to play again.”
“The game might not offer much in terms of replayability, but as one has come to expect from these types of games, they can be replayed numerous times at your own leisure.”
“Very unique and there is a replayable factor to it.”
“Unfortunately, once you finish the Tiny Bang story, there's no replay value whatsoever.”
“The only bad thing I would have to say about this game is that there is no replayability at all.”
“The game’s puzzles are set, so replay value is fairly low.”
- grinding37 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, with many puzzles and mini-games described as repetitive and lacking in enjoyment. The gameplay often devolves into trial-and-error mechanics, leading to a sense of monotony and a lack of rewarding exploration. While some elements are appreciated, the overwhelming sentiment is that the game becomes tedious quickly, detracting from the overall experience.
“At first I liked it, but by chapter 2 the game became tedious; by chapter 4, I gave up.”
“The game basically feels like a tedious process of desperately trying to find what you need to click on, followed by all-too-brief moments of actual puzzles.”
“Although I am not averse to an arcade sequence in games of another genre, I find the two arcade sequences here tedious and, in the second case, frustrating. They are very slow, and one mistake in the second sequence sends you back to the beginning.”
- humor33 mentions
- 97 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with many players finding it quirky and entertaining, particularly through its funny puzzles and charming art style. While some critiques mention a lack of originality compared to older titles, the overall sentiment highlights a blend of amusing details and lighthearted gameplay that keeps players engaged. However, a few users noted that the humor may not resonate with everyone, particularly those who find certain themes less appealing.
“I find it especially funny because all of the objects aren't perfectly straight, as you'd expect from furniture or houses.”
“Puzzles are well integrated, done with a quirky humor that adds to the pleasure.”
“What a lovely tiny game with mostly fun puzzles and good humor, totally worth my time and money!”
“Boring, with dubious puzzles and extremely unfunny arcade mini-games.”
- stability16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- -12 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The game's stability is largely criticized, with numerous users reporting significant bugs, particularly in fullscreen mode, which can freeze PCs and require restarts. Many players experienced glitches affecting gameplay, such as issues with the hint system and puzzle completion, especially on Mac systems. While the game's design is praised, the overall consensus is that it suffers from a variety of stability problems that detract from the experience.
“The game is remarkably stable, providing a smooth experience throughout.”
“I encountered some non-game breaking bugs, but overall, the stability is impressive.”
“This game is almost perfect in terms of stability; I rarely face any issues.”
“Fullscreen freezes your PC and I had to restart it.”
“It's a nice puzzle game, but the fullscreen mode is buggy. Otherwise, the game is nice and fun.”
“Delightful little seek-and-find + puzzle game, with similarly delightful storybook-esque illustrations and artwork, but very buggy on a late-2009 MacBook Pro running El Capitan.”
- emotional13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is described as wholesome and heartwarming, appealing to players of all ages, though some found the lack of a significant story disappointing. While the music and visuals evoke positive feelings, others felt a disconnect, viewing the experience as somewhat superficial or lacking depth. Overall, it offers a charming, nostalgic experience that can uplift players, despite some critiques regarding its emotional engagement and replay value.
“This is a smart, chilling, heartwarming game.”
“I started it after a very frustrating day, and the music alone made me feel so much better.”
“Game is beautiful, emotional, the game world makes you wonder.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Users suggest several optimization steps, including running the game in compatibility mode for Windows 7, disabling full-screen optimization, and adjusting high DPI settings to improve performance. Overall, the game's price-to-performance ratio is highly praised, likening it to a Bugatti Veyron in terms of value.
“Well worth the cost; the price/performance here is on par with a Bugatti Veyron.”
“Exe, run in compatibility mode for Windows 7, disable full screen optimization, run as administrator, then under change high DPI settings, at the bottom, change from application to system in the drop down for override high DPI scaling behavior.”
“Well worth the cost, price/performance here is on par with a Bugatti Veyron.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users suggesting it is not worth the price and recommending playing for free through advertisements instead. Additionally, there are criticisms regarding the promotional content, indicating that it fails to effectively showcase gameplay.
“I'd recommend getting it through advertisements; I don't think it's worth $5.”
“6/10 (They really wasted more than half of their advertising video. Show more gameplay in 30 seconds.)”