TinkerQuarry

About

"TinkerQuarry" is a surreal horror RPG inspired by "The Nutcracker" ballet, where a girl and her rabbit companion explore a dollhouse-like world to escape. The game features top-down pixelated graphics, turn-based combat, and multiple story paths based on player choices. Players must navigate through puzzles, sentient toys, and a mysterious being called "Stayawhile" to uncover the truth and find their way out.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 75 reviews

story15 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

The game features charming artwork and well-designed characters that enhance the overall experience.
The story is engaging and complex, with a mix of whimsy and darker themes that keeps players intrigued.
Combat mechanics are challenging yet rewarding, and the game offers multiple routes and replayability.

Navigation can be confusing due to the maze-like layout, making it easy to get lost.
Some players experienced issues with repetitive dialogue and bugs that hindered progression.
The combat system is considered basic and could benefit from more depth and variety.

story
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
51%
8%
The game's story is widely praised for its depth, emotional engagement, and character development, often drawing comparisons to titles like Undertale. While some players find it occasionally hard to follow or slow in parts, the overall narrative is described as intriguing, with unexpected twists and a blend of somber and lighthearted moments. The worldbuilding and character nuances reflect a strong dedication to storytelling, making it a compelling experience that leaves players eager for more.
- “I can confidently say the story of this game is better than Undertale, which says a lot considering the scuffed art style and the fact that this game has flown mostly under the radar.”
- “The premise of the story is great, the characters are nuanced and likable.”
- “Yes, it has its kinks, and yes this may seem similar to Undertale or One Shot, but this story has the twists and turns that draw you in wanting more; overall 9/10!”
- “The story can be a bit hard to follow at times and a little open-ended in places but is otherwise solid.”
- “Sure there’s plot but there’s no gameplay happening.”
- “The story starts pretty normal, but gets pretty dark.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their charming and aesthetically pleasing art style, which features a mix of hand-drawn and pixel art elements. While some users noted inconsistencies in quality and occasional graphical glitches, the overall impression is that the artwork complements the intriguing story and character personalities well. The unique art style, combined with fitting music, enhances the game's atmosphere, making it an enjoyable visual experience.
- “The artwork is charming.”
- “The art is aesthetically pleasing, and the music fits with the art extremely well.”
- “The art style is unique and cool, but my only problem is with the font.”
- “I can confidently say the story of this game is better than Undertale, which says a lot considering the scuffed art style and the fact that this game has flown mostly under the radar.”
- “The artwork varies a bit in quality and the fine details can be difficult to make out, but overall is pretty and charming.”
- “A few things I noticed is that some graphics occasionally appear and disappear.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
37%
19%
The gameplay is generally praised for its fun mechanics, engaging storytelling, and colorful characters, though some players found the battle mechanics basic yet effective. While the game offers a mix of easy-to-learn and challenging elements, it suffers from pacing issues in the latter stages, leading to segments with minimal gameplay. Overall, the experience is enjoyable, with replayability due to decision-making that impacts the plot and gameplay.
- “Very fun game mechanics and enjoyed the storytelling.”
- “I was first drawn in by the colorful, unique characters, but then I came to appreciate the game even more for its complex, interesting story, tense battles, and easy to learn but hard to master gameplay.”
- “With good gameplay, art, and a plot that makes me want more, I recommend you play this game.”
- “I won’t spoil more since the game is really short, but the last third after that annoying boss is just a long hallway of almost no gameplay happening.”
- “Sure there’s plot, but there’s no gameplay happening.”
- “At first, the fighting mechanic was a bit confusing, but after playing it a couple of times, it was pretty straightforward.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The music in the game is generally praised for its ability to evoke emotions of whimsy and dread, complementing the art style effectively. However, some users noted a lack of diversity, with only a few memorable tracks that tend to fade into the background, leading to suggestions for longer and more varied compositions. Overall, while the soundtrack is appreciated, there are calls for improvement in its length and variety.
- “Kudos to everyone who worked on the music!”
- “The music is excellent, from the bleak area themes to the orchestrated boss music.”
- “Fantastic soundtrack.”
- “The music is not exactly diverse; I only recall three separate tracks, and they mostly faded into the background.”
- “The music all has the same sort of sound and feeling, although it doesn't actually have any melody similarities.”
- “The music needs to be longer; I think the music repeats itself in a short amount of time.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players appreciate the balance between combat and exploration, noting that grinding is minimal and not overly tedious. The game allows for progress without excessive grinding, making it suitable for casual play, while the battle mechanics are simple yet effective.
- “The purpose is clear, but these segments, which are far and few, can get a bit tedious to get through without too much happening.”
- “I don't like too much grinding in games, so I'm glad this game balances the fighting and world exploration well.”
- “I also appreciate that the combat isn't too difficult; I don't have to spend hours and hours grinding to get to the next part of the story, and can instead breeze through the game after dispatching twenty or so rats.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as charming and engaging, combining humor and creativity to create an enjoyable experience. Players appreciate its catchy elements and simplistic controls, which enhance the overall ambiance.
- “It's always really atmospheric and just catchy too.”
- “It's funny, creative, and fun to play, with its overall charming atmosphere and simplistic controls!”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
Reviews highlight that the game excels in character development, focusing on tragedy and emotional depth, which enhances the overall horror experience. Additionally, the character design is praised for its beauty, complementing the narrative's emotional weight.
- “There is quite a bit of horror, but it's more about tragedy, character development, and emotion.”
- “The level design and scenery were really nice, and the character design was absolutely gorgeous!”
- “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with anyone.”
- “I was disappointed by the lack of meaningful growth in the characters throughout the story.”
- “The characters seem to remain static, with little to no evolution in their personalities or arcs.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users report that the game's stability is compromised by persistent bugs, particularly noted during the ending sequence, which includes issues with specific events not functioning as intended.
- “The game is still buggy, especially towards the end, where two events occurred simultaneously.”
- “I encountered multiple crashes during gameplay, which made it frustrating to progress.”
- “The stability issues are a major drawback; I often experience lag and unexpected shutdowns.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is praised for being funny, creative, and enjoyable, contributing to a charming atmosphere that enhances the overall gameplay experience.
- “It's funny, creative, and fun to play, with its overall charming atmosphere and simplistic controls!”
- “The humor is spot-on, making every moment enjoyable and keeping me laughing throughout the game.”
- “I love the witty dialogue and clever puns; they add a delightful layer of fun to the gameplay!”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting a desire for more content due to its engaging narrative and immersive experience. However, some criticism is directed at the combat system, which detracts from the overall emotional impact by feeling repetitive and lacking depth.