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Tidalis

65%Game Brain Score
gameplay, story
grinding, replayability
65% User Score Based on 173 reviews

Platforms

LinuxPCMac OSWindows
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About

"Tidalis is an arcade puzzle game with single-player and local multi-player modes for up to 2 players. The game features a unique 'streams' mechanic where players set up chain reactions of like-colored blocks by right-clicking and dragging paths through arrows. With 20 game modes, 115 adventure levels, and various special blocks and items, Tidalis offers both casual appeal and hardcore depth."

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Tidalis screenshot
Tidalis screenshot
Tidalis screenshot
Tidalis screenshot
Tidalis screenshot
Tidalis screenshot
Tidalis screenshot
Tidalis screenshot
Tidalis screenshot
Tidalis screenshot
Tidalis screenshot
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65%
Audience ScoreBased on 173 reviews
gameplay14 positive mentions
grinding8 negative mentions
  • Tidalis offers a unique gameplay mechanic where players create 'streams' to connect and eliminate blocks, providing a fresh take on the match-3 genre.
  • The game features a variety of modes and challenges, including an extensive adventure mode with numerous levels that keep the gameplay engaging.
  • The soundtrack and visuals are well-received, contributing to a relaxing and enjoyable gaming experience.
  • The game suffers from a lack of clarity in its mechanics, making it difficult for players to understand how to effectively create combos and chains.
  • Many levels rely heavily on luck, leading to frustrating experiences where players may find themselves stuck due to unfavorable block arrangements.
  • The graphics and interface feel dated, and the story elements are often considered unnecessary or poorly executed, detracting from the overall experience.
  • gameplay
    63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Tidalis features a unique "streams" mechanic that allows players to connect and match blocks of the same color, offering a blend of casual and complex puzzle-solving experiences. While the game boasts a variety of levels and mechanics that keep the gameplay fresh, some players find the interface dated and the increasing complexity can lead to frustration. Overall, the game is praised for its depth and originality, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its challenging nature and occasional repetitiveness.

    • “The core gameplay is smooth and has that easy-to-learn-hard-to-master hook that so many good puzzler games have.”
    • “The adventure mode level design is fantastic in its level variety and the chain mechanic looks and feels satisfying.”
    • “There's a lot of variety and depth to the stream mechanic which is quite surprising.”
    • “The main mechanic of this game is poorly implemented, and quite difficult to use.”
    • “The basic mechanics of this game are already somewhat complex for a block puzzle game, but once it starts adding more mechanics and requires doing combos of several levels, I can't keep up.”
    • “As a result of all of this, the gameplay feels slow, tedious and not particularly satisfying.”
  • story
    48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it unengaging, poorly written, and unnecessary for the puzzle gameplay. While some appreciate the charm and humor in the story, others criticize it as tedious and cringeworthy, suggesting that the game would be better off without it. Despite the varied opinions, the inclusion of a story mode does provide a structured progression and some players found it intriguing enough to keep them engaged.

    • “Actually really fun for a puzzle game with a story.”
    • “The story is silly, but adds to the informal charm - it's all very 'lovely' and the humor's dry and inoffensive.”
    • “In addition, the story mode has me intrigued: I want to know more about the characters presented, which is rare in a puzzler.”
    • “The storyline is baffling, bizarre, and completely unnecessary.”
    • “But the story is tedious and the developers seem to know this as they've added a 'skip cut scene' button to bypass all of it if you want.”
    • “The story is so terrible the game would be better off without it.”
  • music
    32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread praise for its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many reviewers highlighting the beautiful and catchy soundtrack, particularly the work of Pablo Vega. While some players found the sound effects to be occasionally grating, the relaxing and immersive atmosphere created by the music was noted as a standout feature, making it a great choice for casual gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the game's strongest aspects, contributing significantly to its appeal.

    • “It's overall well made and has a great soundtrack.”
    • “The music is exceptional (especially the title music) and, whilst some complain of the cartoony graphics, I find them to be very pleasing.”
    • “The cute visuals and music just seem to meld with each other, creating a mesmerizing experience which you have to see and hear to believe.”
    • “Music and sound effects are okay, but they get a little grating after a while.”
    • “Many of the sounds that play are little jingles, and they can be dissonant with the music depending on when they play.”
    • “It's especially unpleasant when you set off several combos at once, as it plays a separate instance of the sound effects for each combo, all layering on top of each other along with the music.”
  • graphics
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players noting that they appear dated and do not scale well to modern resolutions, while others appreciate the charming, childlike style and vibrant colors. Despite occasional glitches, many find the visuals pleasant and well-suited to the game's casual nature, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience. However, some critics argue that the simplistic graphics fail to reflect the game's intricate mechanics, potentially underselling its appeal.

    • “The cute visuals and music just seem to meld with each other, creating a mesmerizing experience which you have to see and hear to believe.”
    • “Visuals (9/10): the tiles are very beautiful, and the colors are just right for a game such as this.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful, the soundtrack is superb, and the gameplay is well polished.”
    • “The graphics are a bit dated and the game isn't really my thing.”
    • “Be aware that the game graphics don't scale to modern screen resolutions (it seems to be targeting 1280x720?), they just get smaller.”
    • “Really bad graphics, that do not convey how intricate the mechanics are.”
  • grinding
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is a mixed experience; while there are numerous levels and varied objectives that keep gameplay fresh, many players find the overall process tedious and time-consuming. The inclusion of grindy achievements adds to the feeling of unnecessary prolongation, with some players reporting hundreds of hours spent to complete them. Despite the option to skip cutscenes, the gameplay can feel slow and unsatisfying due to the repetitive nature of certain tasks.

    • “Four hours and over forty levels in, and it still feels tedious as hell.”
    • “The gameplay is nowhere near 100 hours long, but the makers made sure they slipped in some grindy achievements just to make sure you have to play the game longer than you need to.”
    • “As a result of all of this, the gameplay feels slow, tedious and not particularly satisfying.”
  • humor
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players find it charming and amusing, others criticize it as inconsistent and overly forced, particularly in the cutscenes. Overall, it is described as light-hearted and quirky, with moments of genuine fun amidst some distracting elements.

    • “Some people thought it was terrible, but I think it's quite funny and daft in a good way.”
    • “The writing is functional, light-hearted, and vaguely humorous, but it's really just there.”
    • “A cute, quirky, and really funny puzzle game with some unusual twists!”
    • “The other gripe I have with the game is the bizarre cutscenes, which are needlessly distracting and try-hard unfunny to boot.”
  • replayability
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is mixed; while it offers level creation and multiplayer options, these features have not significantly enhanced replay value for many players. Conversely, some users appreciate the variety of modes and modifiers in the puzzle game, which contribute to its replayability. Overall, opinions vary widely, with some finding limited replay value and others enjoying the challenges presented.

    • “Underrated puzzle game with some tough puzzles and a lot of replayability from its many modes and modifiers.”
    • “You can create your own levels and there's multiplayer - but none have really seemed to stand out or show much in the way of replayability.”
    • “Does not have much play value, nor replay value.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is generally positive, with smooth gameplay and no significant crashes or bugs reported by some users. However, a few players have noted the presence of minor graphical glitches that detract from the experience.

    • “The gameplay is smooth, and there are no glitches, crashes, or bugs in my experience.”
    • “I appreciate the game's stability; it runs flawlessly without any interruptions.”
    • “The performance is consistently reliable, making for an enjoyable gaming experience.”
    • “The game offers some pleasant graphics and graphical style, although there are some ugly glitches here and there.”
    • “The gameplay is also smooth, but I have encountered glitches, crashes, and bugs during my experience.”
  • character development
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is noted for its unique and surreal design, which some players find disorienting or reminiscent of altered states of consciousness. This distinctive approach contributes to a memorable and unconventional experience, though it may not resonate with everyone.

  • monetization
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviewers suggest that the game's monetization strategy could have been more effective if it were web-based, potentially generating higher revenue through ad sales, as they believe it is better suited for tablet platforms.

    • “They'd have made more revenue making it web-based and getting money from selling ads - it's a tablet game at best.”
    • “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive, pushing players to spend money just to enjoy basic features.”
    • “It's frustrating that essential content is locked behind paywalls, making it hard to progress without spending real money.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game revolves around the strategic challenge of creating "pipelines" to maximize the flow of color, which evokes a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment as players connect and interact with the blocks. This gameplay mechanic fosters a deeper engagement, as players invest emotionally in the success of their strategies.

  • atmosphere
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized by its comfortable and immersive qualities, enhanced by cutscenes and music that some players enjoy, while others may choose to skip the story. Overall, it provides a relaxing environment for players looking to unwind.

    • “The cutscenes and music are probably a matter of taste (personally, I liked the music but skipped through most of the story), but if you want to just sit down and relax, they create a comfortable and immersive atmosphere.”
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16h Median play time
13h Average play time
8-18h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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