Tomba! Special Edition

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 209 reviews
  • music
  • graphics
  • story
Tomba! Special Edition Game Cover
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Tomba! Special Edition is a remastered version of the classic platformer game where you play as Tomba, a fierce warrior on a mission to defeat nefarious pigs. This edition includes quality of life improvements such as save anywhere, rewind, and analog control toggle. It also features a museum, new soundtrack, and an interview with the creator, Tokuro Fujiwara.

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Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 209 reviews
music15 positive mentions
optimization3 negative mentions
  • Tomba is a beloved cult classic from the PS1 era, known for its unique gameplay and charming characters, making it a nostalgic experience for many players.
  • The game features quality of life improvements such as the ability to save anywhere and a rewind feature, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
  • The inclusion of a museum with behind-the-scenes content and remastered music adds value for fans and newcomers alike.
  • The port is criticized for being a lazy emulation of the original game, lacking significant graphical improvements and widescreen support.
  • Many players have reported technical issues, including the game not launching, audio glitches, and bugs that prevent achievement completion.
  • The remastered soundtrack has been noted to have awkward looping and audio issues, detracting from the nostalgic experience.
  • music107 mentions

    The music in the remastered version of the cult classic PS1 game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the updated soundtrack while expressing nostalgia for the original. However, numerous bugs and awkward looping issues in the remastered tracks have detracted from the experience, leading some to prefer the original music. Overall, while the remastered music offers a fresh take, its implementation has been criticized for disrupting immersion and gameplay.

    • “The remastered music is really nice, but you can switch back to the classics whenever you feel like it.”
    • “Maybe best of all is the brand new soundtrack; I was cautious about it before release because I enjoyed the original so much, but so far pretty much every track has felt like an improvement or at least of equal quality.”
    • “The music is wonderful; I would deliberately mess around in a few areas just so I could hear it for a while longer.”
    • “Not only that, but the 'remastered' soundtrack is bugged.”
    • “I played through the entire game with the original soundtrack, partly because of the bugs with 'remastered' audio being lazily overlaid over original audio, which causes issues with music starting at the loading screen, and looping issues which kill immersion.”
    • “The 'remastered' music leaves some aspects to be desired and it repeats at awkward intervals.”
  • graphics41 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over the lack of significant updates or remastering, particularly for a title that could have benefited from modern enhancements. While some appreciate the nostalgic charm and the blend of 3D environments with 2D sprite work, others criticize the graphics as outdated and poorly executed, likening the remaster to a simple copy-paste rather than a true upgrade. Overall, the visuals evoke a sense of nostalgia but leave many hoping for better graphical improvements in future releases.

    • “Charming graphics and ridiculously fun.”
    • “The visuals are a nice blend of 3D environments mixed with 2D sprite work, and it is honestly pretty amazing and ambitious for a game developer's first outing in the 90s.”
    • “This whimsical atmosphere has stuck with me for 20 years, and I still couldn’t help myself from just enjoying the visuals in my most recent playthroughs.”
    • “Horribly remastered (the new menus and graphics seem to be designed by someone that has learned graphic design in a 1 hour training), but I give all honors for bringing back on spotlights probably the most misunderstood and underrated game ever produced.”
    • “The visuals also seemed grainy from what I have seen; I was expecting somewhat of a remaster and not just a straight-up copy-paste (which I could have lived with if I was able to actually play it).”
    • “As far as I can tell, there's no graphical improvements or upscaling at all.”
  • story26 mentions

    The story of Tomba (or Tombi) is a nostalgic blend of classic platforming and RPG elements, featuring a charming protagonist and a variety of quests that engage players. While the narrative is simple and reminiscent of 80s and 90s games, the convoluted quest design and confusing map can detract from the experience, making it challenging to track objectives and complete missions. Overall, the game offers a whimsical adventure, but players may find themselves frustrated by its occasional lack of clarity and depth.

    • “The story puts you in the shoes (or lack thereof) of Tomba, a feral jungle boy armed with a deadly blackjack and a sick mane of pink hair, quite possibly making him the only male to rock the color and not have preferred pronouns!”
    • “It’s full of charming characters and cool quests that keep you engaged.”
    • “Tomba, or as I remember it as Tombi, was an interesting platformer as it blended 2D and 3D together into 2.5D, but it also threw in some RPG elements like leveling up, side missions, and a mission-based structure like an RPG's storyline.”
    • “Now, 20 years later, I understand why; the convoluted map and quest design and cut content has you traveling back-and-forth a ton to figure out where you need to go and when.”
    • “The NPC and story are typical classic old school style with simple messages like those classics in the 80’s and 90’s games with subtle clues, so don’t go expecting a deep cast or story.”
    • “Cutscenes in the base game originally had sound effects that played like when you blow the fog away with the furious tornado (spoilers wow, but come on guys it's the first mission!) There are no wind sounds at all, no sound of the fog getting swept away... it really is a shame.”
  • gameplay15 mentions

    The gameplay retains the core mechanics of the original game, enhanced by a rewind feature and the ability to save anywhere, which many players appreciate for easing challenging sections. While some users note sound issues and outdated graphics, the overall experience remains solid and nostalgic, appealing to fans of the classic title. However, the lack of modern features like widescreen support and customizable controls may deter some players.

    • “The rewind mechanic is a great touch for this classic gem.”
    • “Gameplay-wise it's nice to be able to save anywhere and the rewind has been great for when I'm feeling impatient with some of the trickier platforming sections.”
    • “The gameplay is still very solid, and if one can see past the 'outdated' graphics, the charm and fun of the game will be quite apparent.”
    • “The only real changes to the gameplay are being able to save wherever you want and the rewind feature, and both of those are nice, but it's still pretty much the same game that released on PlayStation, for better or worse.”
    • “It has no widescreen support, terrible keybinds on keyboard (with somehow Xbox glyphs being shown during gameplay) that you cannot rebind from the game, the simplest CRT filter known to mankind, and a save state/rewind functionality that any emulator could've provided you in the last 20 years.”
    • “There are even videos that clearly show the gameplay is visually unchanged and clearly an emulation.”
  • optimization7 mentions

    Overall, user experiences with optimization vary significantly; while some report no performance issues and smooth gameplay, others have encountered random lag and drops in performance. The disparity suggests that hardware differences may play a significant role in the game's optimization performance.

    • “That being said, I personally have had no issues with performance.”
    • “Additionally, I haven't noticed any marked performance issues while playing, either.”
    • “Dropped in performance quite a bit and would just start lagging randomly then stop.”
    • “Performance-wise, it was playable.”
    • “The reviews saying that there are many performance issues are likely on a laptop from the stone age.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized as quirky, creative, and hilarious, though some players noted the removal of features like text speed adjustment and the complete absence of Japanese adds an amusing twist to the experience.

    • “It's so quirky, creative, and hilarious.”
    • “It removed some minor features like adjusting text speeds, and removed Japanese entirely, which is just kind of funny.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability has improved significantly compared to the original, with smooth performance on platforms like the Steam Deck. However, some users have reported minor glitches, such as characters exhibiting unusual floating behavior during hits.

    • “It runs so much better than the original and performs excellently on the Steam Deck.”
    • “The game maintains a steady frame rate, providing a smooth and enjoyable experience.”
    • “I've encountered very few bugs, making for a stable and reliable gameplay experience.”
    • “I have noticed a few weird glitches where my character will float in a strange way when getting hit, almost like he is wearing a parasol and a gust of wind caught him.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly impossible to progress without losing progress.”
    • “I've experienced several instances of the game freezing, which disrupts the overall experience.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy has been criticized as a lazy cash grab, indicating that it prioritizes profit over player experience.

    • “Unfortunately, this is a lazy cash grab.”
    • “The monetization system feels exploitative and heavily favors players who spend money.”
    • “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's whimsical atmosphere leaves a lasting impression, with players consistently enjoying its captivating visuals even after many years.

    • “This whimsical atmosphere has stuck with me for 20 years, and I still couldn’t help myself from just enjoying the visuals in my most recent playthroughs.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect to be somewhat tedious, particularly due to the repetitive nature of back-and-forth tasks.

    • “Nothing major, but it can be a little tedious when you go back and forth.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and often becomes a chore rather than an enjoyable part of the game.”
    • “I find myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which really takes away from the overall experience.”
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