Tidal Affair: Before The Storm
- November 24, 2015
- Overcurfew
- 8h median play time
Get on SteamTidal Affair is a stealth adventure game that immerses you in the midst of conflict between pirates, rebels, and what governs the islands of Alter Tides.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a unique and interesting gameplay mechanic that allows players to control enemies and use them strategically.
- The hand-drawn art style is visually appealing and creates an immersive atmosphere, reminiscent of a painted canvas.
- Levels offer multiple approaches and challenges, encouraging players to think creatively and plan their actions.
- The control system is awkward and unresponsive, making gameplay frustrating at times.
- The stealth mechanics are inconsistent, with enemies often detecting players in situations where they shouldn't.
- The user interface and menus are poorly designed, leading to a lack of polish and usability issues.
- gameplay14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as interesting and unique, featuring a blend of stealth and tactical shooter mechanics, with the ability to control enemies and freeze time. However, it suffers from poor design and controls, particularly with an erratic cursor that hampers precision. While the core mechanics are solid and engaging, the user interface requires significant improvement to enhance the overall experience.
“Interesting and unique gameplay.”
“At its core, Before the Storm is an isometric adventure game that heavily features stealth and tactical shooter mechanics.”
“The fusion of tactical and action gameplay is really well implemented, and the graphic style is very nice to see.”
“The game has two major downsides - poor gameplay design and controls.”
“The main gameplay feature requires you to control enemies and their guns, but you can barely point the cursor where you want because it jumps all over the place.”
“It seems like they didn't find a way to add more variety to the 'control' mechanics.”
- graphics11 mentions
- 82 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique hand-drawn and painterly style, which many players find appealing and well-suited to the game's atmosphere. The art style is described as rugged yet charming, resembling oil paintings, and is considered a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. However, some users noted that while the graphics are impressive, they are accompanied by awkward controls.
“The main plus of this game (and what sold it to me) was the graphic style.”
“The art style is nice; this looks like a hand-painted oil painting.”
“The fusion of gameplay tactical/action is really well implemented, and the graphic style is very nice to see.”
- music8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's music has received high praise, with many reviewers highlighting its solid soundtrack and recommending the soundtrack bundle, especially at a discount. While the game features a unique art style, the music stands out as a key positive aspect, appealing to both casual players and soundtrack collectors.
“The soundtrack is rock solid, and I can see many people purchasing the soundtrack.”
“For music fans or collectors of soundtrack edition games, I would recommend taking full advantage of the game plus soundtrack bundle, especially at the current 35% discount.”
“The music is also good.”
- story4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The story features an engaging narrative centered around tribal politics, complemented by beautiful hand-drawn animation. Players navigate levels while avoiding guards and uncovering the plot, which adds depth to the gameplay experience. Overall, the storyline is intriguing, though some players prefer to wait for the full release to fully appreciate it.
“The story is quite interesting.”
“While lovely hand-drawn animation tells an interesting story about tribal politics between chapters, your main task is to bypass or takedown each enemy using any means necessary.”
“I'll add a proper review once the game is out of early access; I just don't want to spoil the story for myself too much because I want to play the finished version.”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks coherence, making it hard to stay engaged with the characters.”
“The plot twists are predictable and fail to deliver any real emotional impact.”
“Character development is shallow, leaving me feeling disconnected from the protagonist's journey.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive quality, featuring lush jungle environments that create a painterly experience for players.
“Atmospheric, with lush jungle environments; it feels like you're moving through a painting.”
“The haunting soundtrack perfectly complements the stunning visuals, creating an immersive experience.”
“Every corner of the world is filled with intricate details that draw you deeper into the game's atmosphere.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find that the most effective grinding strategy involves the repetitive and tedious method of eliminating single guards, as it proves to be safer than attempting to orchestrate more complex scenarios with multiple enemies.
“The tedious approach of suiciding single guards is far safer than trying to set up scenarios where the 'best' guard can take the others down.”
“Grinding feels like an endless chore, with little reward for the time invested.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes the game feel more like a job than a source of entertainment.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's stability is marred by buggy cutscenes, which detract from the overall experience and can disrupt immersion.
“The game is plagued by buggy cutscenes that disrupt the overall experience.”
“I encountered numerous issues with cutscenes that were riddled with bugs.”
“The stability of the game is severely affected by the frequent bugs in the cutscenes.”
