Tick Tock Isle
- August 18, 2015
- Squiddershins
- 3h median play time
Tick Tock Isle is a great start to what could be a fantastic game, but as it is it's fairly average. Out of place platforming and a lacking story hold Tick Tock Isle back from what is otherwise a solid (but short) adventure game.
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreTick Tock Isle is a charming puzzle-adventure game where you manipulate time. Play as a curious explorer, solve puzzles by rewinding and advancing time, and interact with quirky island inhabitants to uncover the island's secrets. With hand-drawn art and a whimsical score, this game offers a delightful experience full of intriguing mysteries.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features charming pixel art and a delightful soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- It's a short and sweet adventure that can be completed in about 1-2 hours, making it perfect for a casual gaming session.
- The characters are endearing and the story, while simple, is engaging and filled with humorous dialogue and pop culture references.
- The gameplay involves a lot of backtracking and can be confusing due to the layout of the house and the lack of clear guidance.
- Some players found the platforming mini-games frustrating and not well integrated into the overall experience.
- The game is quite short, which may leave some players wanting more depth and content.
- story79 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story of "Tick Tock Isle" is described as whimsical and entertaining, featuring a light-hearted narrative centered around time travel and quirky characters. While some players found the plot to be simple and lacking depth, many appreciated its humor and charm, making for a fun and engaging experience despite some tedious exploration. Overall, the game is noted for its cute storytelling and beautiful pixel art, contributing to a memorable adventure.
“Easily a great game with a wonderful story and lovely characters!”
“The story is fun with lots of little jokes interlaced through it, fun puzzling and fantastic vibe to it.”
“This game has a great story with lovely characters and its own flair.”
“The story, characters, and puzzles lack substance.”
“The story that's there is not emotionally engaging.”
“My biggest complaint is that there is quite a bit of repeated and sometimes tedious exploration needed to find the right item or event to trigger the story to move on.”
- music72 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its charm and fitting retro style, enhancing the overall atmosphere and experience. Many players found the soundtrack relaxing and enjoyable, with unique themes for each character that contribute to the game's whimsical feel. Overall, the music is considered one of the standout features, complementing the beautiful pixel art and engaging gameplay.
“The pixel art is gorgeous, and the music is excellent, giving this little adorable island the perfect atmosphere.”
“The music is also amazing; I love every single track, and if the OST was for sale, I'd buy it in a heartbeat.”
“I really enjoyed the colorful pixel art, the relaxing soundtrack (flutes in an island setting, along with telltale tick-tock sounds are very fitting), and the endearing characters that change over time the more you interact with them.”
“The family musician, Melody, is uninspired; Rod and his wife clash over his laziness; Rivet and Brazo, two other residents, lament their lack of skill in certain areas.”
“The music is generally okay.”
“I really hope they release the soundtrack as either a stand-alone album somewhere or here on Steam as a bundle or a separate 'DLC', so to speak.”
- graphics72 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming pixel art style, which is described as cute, colorful, and visually appealing. Many reviewers appreciate the well-done animations and the overall aesthetic, noting that the graphics contribute significantly to the game's nostalgic and whimsical atmosphere. However, some users mention minor issues with clarity in full-screen mode, suggesting that playing in window mode enhances the visual experience.
“Beautiful graphics, compelling music, and puzzles that actually require you to use your noggin.”
“The excellent pixel graphics help keep things interesting, and the sound design fits the atmosphere well all the way to the adorable ending.”
“Great graphics, stellar music, a retro, whimsical feel, good story with a nice message, fun characters... I don't have anything but good to say about Tick Tock Isle.”
“Generally speaking, I'm not a big fan of pixel graphics, but Tick Tock Isle's graphics are relatively easy on the eye.”
“It's better to play in window mode since all the graphics are sharper and nothing is cut off at the edges. But, when attempting full-screen by pressing Alt+Enter, the graphics were a bit blurry and at least the main menu was out of focus.”
“This is not a strong recommend, but it's a quick adventure with endearing pixel art graphics.”
- gameplay42 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally described as simple and basic, often revolving around exploration and item collection, with some players noting a lack of depth and unsatisfying endings. While the game offers a charming art style and relaxing atmosphere, many reviewers found the gameplay to be short and occasionally confusing, leading to mixed feelings about its overall value. Despite these criticisms, some players appreciated the casual nature and fun puzzle mechanics, making it suitable for brief, enjoyable sessions.
“This is a very nice game, it has easy controls and a pretty easy to follow gameplay.”
“Beautiful art, good story, a nice price, memorable gameplay, beautiful music, good atmosphere.”
“Adorable art style and relaxing gameplay.”
“Backtracking might be the only gameplay element.”
“That lack of gameplay shifted my way of thinking, which in turn sort of ruined my experience, especially when the ending suddenly turned up and I was left wondering if it was worth my time even playing the game.”
“Gameplay is pretty basic: explore an island with a big house on it and look for items to collect and people to use those items on to solve their problems.”
- humor22 mentions
- 91 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for being charming, funny, and well-integrated with the characters and story, contributing to an enjoyable experience. Many reviewers highlight the cleverness and charm of the humor, alongside the game's vibrant visuals and soundtrack. However, there are a few dissenting opinions, with some players finding the humor lacking despite its comedic label.
“It was funny and charming.”
“The story is fun, the characters are funny, and the controls are simple.”
“Funny, smart and quick-paced with a map small enough that the puzzles wouldn't be frustrating even if they weren't mostly pretty sensible.”
“Not funny at all despite the funny tag.”
“Not funny at all despite the funny tag.”
- emotional14 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is predominantly described as heartwarming and wholesome, featuring a sweet story complemented by beautiful pixel art. While some reviewers noted that the narrative may not be deeply engaging, the overall experience is relaxing and enjoyable, making it a delightful game worth playing.
“Sweet heartwarming story and beautiful pixel art!”
“It's a heartwarming tale and kept me fully engaged.”
“As I said, these are very minor complaints in an otherwise heartwarming and thoroughly enjoyable game that is well worth your time.”
- atmosphere12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beautiful pixel art, excellent music, and charming sound design, which collectively create a memorable and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the game's personality and tone, noting that even the absence of voice acting contributes positively to the overall ambiance. Overall, it is described as a delightful and relaxing adventure that effectively captures a captivating atmosphere.
“Its a pretty cool and cute little adventure game to chill on when you want to play something short and simple, it has tons of personality and a good atmosphere all around it, worth checking out.”
“The excellent pixel graphics help keep things interesting, and the sound design fits the atmosphere well all the way to the adorable ending.”
“The pixel art is gorgeous, and the music is excellent giving this little adorable island the perfect atmosphere.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious due to repetitive exploration required to progress the story. However, the entertaining dialogue and witty writing help alleviate the monotony, making the experience feel more rewarding with humorous interactions and mini-games. Overall, while the grinding can be laborious, it is balanced by engaging content.
“My biggest complaint is that there is quite a bit of repeated and sometimes tedious exploration needed to find the right item or event to trigger the story to move on.”
“Although this sounds tedious, the dialogue and writing is entertaining and witty, which makes this game less of volunteering and closer to work - the gamer is rewarded with humorous one-liners, mini-games, and jokes.”
“Pretty much just a cheap/short game for badge/trading card farming.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the artwork and character designs are praised for their quality and the animations are well-executed, there is no specific mention of character development in the reviews provided.
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game's replayability is limited, with many players feeling that once the main content is completed, there is little incentive to return. However, some users appreciate the potential for different playstyles or choices that can offer a fresh experience upon replaying. Overall, while there are elements that may encourage multiple playthroughs, the consensus leans towards a lack of substantial replay value.
