Tomato Way

About

"Tomato Way" is a game set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by plants, where a young tomato hero earns a living by defeating monsters. The game features non-linear level design with secrets, scary monsters, and psychedelic characters. Gameplay includes melee and ranged combat, with a variety of weapons to purchase, and an arena mode for survival. The focus is on fast-paced, complex battles that may require players to break a sweat.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 401 reviews

story22 positive mentions

optimization7 negative mentions

Tomato Way offers a unique and bizarre experience that blends humor, action, and a surreal narrative, making it a memorable adventure.
The game features dynamic combat with a variety of weapons, providing a visceral and engaging gameplay experience that keeps players on their toes.
Many players found the artistic direction and character design to be creative and charming, contributing to the game's overall appeal.

The game suffers from significant optimization issues, resulting in poor performance and low frame rates, even on high-end systems.
Many players criticized the controls and mechanics as clunky and unintuitive, making gameplay frustrating at times.
The short length of the game, often completed in under an hour, left some players feeling disappointed and wanting more content.

story
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
57%
7%
The story of "Tomato Way" is a whimsical yet profound narrative that explores themes of resilience and self-discovery through the journey of a tomato battling bizarre foes. While some players find the plot nonsensical or poorly executed, many appreciate its emotional depth, vibrant characters, and unique storytelling that elevates the overall experience. However, critiques also highlight its brevity and occasional lack of clarity, leaving some players wanting more from the narrative.
- “The plot of Tomato Way might seem nonsensical at first—a tomato wielding weapons and battling bizarre foes—but beneath the surface lies a narrative of resilience and self-discovery.”
- “The tomato’s journey inspired me to take control of my own narrative, to see myself as the hero of my story.”
- “This game was not only a treat for the eyes but also a treat for the soul; the story brought me to my knees in an odd mix of joy and anger.”
- “I don't get why someone decided to take their time and create this atrocity; the mechanics are annoying, the game is locked at 30 fps (despite your PC's specs), and the story is very random. It has no sense, and in some moments it feels like the developer is trying to make some funny moments but it fails horrifically.”
- “Story: 1/5 - very badly executed.”
- “Length: 1/5 - the story is only one hour long and it all feels way too short.”
gameplay
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
56%
15%
The gameplay of this game is highly polarizing, with some players praising its smooth mechanics, engaging puzzles, and unique art direction, while others criticize it for being clunky, glitchy, and lacking depth. Many reviews highlight a disparity between the promised gameplay duration and the actual experience, with some finishing the game in under an hour. Overall, the gameplay is described as a mix of enjoyable and frustrating elements, making it a hit or miss for different players.
- “The gameplay flowed so well and was so appealing to me: jumping, dashing, and puzzle-solving all seemed effortless.”
- “Gameplay, graphics, effects, co-op... everything is masterfully crafted.”
- “The gameplay: the gunplay is the smoothest gunplay I have ever seen, the swordplay feels real and buttery.”
- “This game promised 10+ hours of gameplay and I beat it in less than an hour.”
- “I don't get why someone decided to take their time and create this atrocity; the mechanics are annoying, the game is locked on 30 fps (despite your PC's specs), and the story is very random. It has no sense, and in some moments it feels like the developer is trying to make some funny moments but it fails horrifically.”
- “It's a very bad game, with bad gameplay and all in all pretty unplayable... it is garbage.”
graphics
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
48%
18%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising their unique and artistic qualities while others criticize them for being low quality and poorly optimized. Many players find the visuals to be intentionally "ugly" or chaotic, which resonates with the game's themes, but this has led to frustration regarding visibility and performance issues. Overall, the graphics evoke strong reactions, ranging from admiration for their distinctiveness to disappointment over technical execution.
- “The graphics, on the other hand, are both visual and cinematic genius at its finest.”
- “From the lifelike 3D graphics to the Hollywood-level voice acting, there is something for everyone.”
- “It's almost as if they hand-placed every triangle in the game to achieve its perfect visuals.”
- “The visuals are horrible, not just because of the aesthetic or quality of the textures and models, but also because of how dark everything is with you barely being able to see the enemies before they kill you.”
- “My eyes were actually getting strained because of how bad the visuals are.”
- “Just a generic shooter, terrible graphics, terrible designs, hell, this is one of the first games I can legitimately call 'ugly'.”
humor
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a unique blend of wit and absurdity, often eliciting laughter through clever writing, quirky cutscenes, and bizarre scenarios. Players appreciate the offbeat, surreal nature of the humor, which ranges from morbid to slapstick, though opinions vary on its effectiveness, with some finding it hilarious while others see it as a failed attempt at comedy. Overall, the game is characterized by its strange charm, making it a memorable experience for those who enjoy unconventional humor.
- “Such a mix of humor and heart took my face to bright light by way of a constant smile, while leading me through delightful challenges with just the right mix of fun and frustration.”
- “The writing was witty, the dialogue clever; it kept me chuckling while at the same time yanking on my heartstrings.”
- “Very funny game, I enjoyed every second playing it; it's horror and comedy at the same time, very enjoyable 10/10.”
optimization
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
38%
44%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with users reporting severe performance issues, including stuttering and low frame rates even on minimal settings. Many reviewers noted that the poor optimization detracts significantly from the overall experience, suggesting that improvements in this area could elevate the game's rating considerably. Overall, the consensus is that the game is currently unplayable for many due to its optimization shortcomings.
- “So my overall rating is 5-6/10; had it been better optimized and informed us better with the controls, it is an easy 9-10/10 considering its price/performance.”
- “The main problem for me is the optimization; for some reason, the game runs with 20-30 fps on my PC even on the lowest graphics, sometimes it drops to 5, making it almost unplayable. The dev (which looks friendly) should fix that, besides adding new things like a save system, new guns, new chapters, etc.”
- “While I cannot support this game due to the consistently bad frame rate, I do hope the dev will make a simpler, more optimized game in the future.”
- “My only complaint is the performance; the game runs poorly and I experienced issues with stuttering.”
- “A genuinely interesting experience that's been gutted by irredeemably bad optimization.”
- “The main problem for me is the optimization; for some reason, the game runs with 20-30 fps on my PC even on the lowest graphics, sometimes it drops to 5, making it almost unplayable.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
18%
27%
Overall, the music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players praising the soundtrack as fun and fitting, while others find it lacking in quality. Highlights include the start menu music and a few standout tracks, but some users criticize the sound design overall. Despite the game's shortcomings, the music is often noted as a redeeming feature.
- “The only thing I can give compliments to is the music, because it was actually kinda fun!”
- “Incredible soundtrack.”
- “Edit: forgot to mention the start menu music absolutely bangs 100000/10”
- “Soundtrack: 3/5 - fitting, but nothing more.”
- “The weapons are bad, the controls are bad, the plot is not interesting, the enemies are stupid, the soundtrack sucks, the game does not last 10+ (the arena doesn't count since it's just the combat mode, which is terrible) and I can't even play the last level.”
- “Now listen to some classical (for the lack of a better word) USSR sounding music.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes a strong emotional response, with players experiencing a range of feelings from joy to heartbreak, particularly through its heartwarming story and impactful character moments. While the gameplay features intense PvE combat, some players noted technical issues that detracted from the overall experience.
- “This game made me cry, laugh, and feel happy while playing it.”
- “It had a heartwarming story and superb gameplay.”
- “Very emotional story mixed with intense and well-done PvE combat.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is often described as vibrant and cartoonish, creating a unique and engaging experience that stands out in its genre. However, some players find the atmosphere inconsistent, with technical issues detracting from their enjoyment. Overall, while the setting and thematic elements are appreciated, they are not enough to compensate for gameplay frustrations.
- “The vibrant colors mixed with fanciful designs created an atmosphere almost akin to stepping into a colorful cartoon.”
- “Atmosphere unrivaled by any game in its genre.”
- “The only thing that kept me playing was the atmosphere and the cutscenes (which are funny as heck, by the way).”
- “While having some interesting thematic decisions and generally holding a strange atmosphere, I cannot recommend this game due to its floaty Unity combat.”
- “Real problem for me - you can't invert the Y mouse axis, and the author was so fair in saying that he doesn't know how to do that. I really like the concept, idea, and the whole setting and atmosphere, but I just cannot play due to those technical issues.”
- “It lacks atmosphere, but that could be because it's in Ukrainian.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development in the game is highly praised, with users highlighting both the exceptional character design and the depth of character growth throughout the narrative.
- “He is a pinnacle of character design.”
- “Amazing character design.”
- “Great character design and development.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game is criticized for being laggy and buggy, with numerous glitches reported. While some users acknowledge a level of craftsmanship, the overall impression is that it feels unfinished and messy, which is often expected from indie games on Steam.
- “This is laggy, buggy, and messy.”
- “Glitches everywhere, but still somehow well made.”
- “I've learned not to expect too much from Steam indie games; they're usually unfinished and buggy.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
The game's replayability is considered limited, with a score of 2 out of 5, primarily appealing to players who enjoy competing for high scores in the arena mode. Overall, it lacks substantial content to encourage repeated playthroughs.
- “The replayability is off the charts! Every playthrough feels fresh and exciting.”
- “I love how each decision I make leads to different outcomes, making me want to replay the game multiple times.”
- “With so many different paths and endings, I find myself coming back to this game again and again.”
- “Replay value: 2/5 - arena mode for those who like their high scores.”
- “Replayability is virtually non-existent; once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to return.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and branching paths makes replaying the game feel tedious and uninteresting.”