Tombeaux
- November 5, 2018
- paverson
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Get on itch.io Store"Tombeaux" is a first-person exploration game set in a historically accurate 3D environment, focusing on midwestern American history. Players discover unique objects and narratives in a transforming environment, reflecting on the past and future. It is a story-rich walking simulator, suitable for all ages, with a focus on education and contemplation. The developer will donate 100% of profits to protecting the river the game is based upon.
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Reviews
- Tombeaux serves as a meaningful educational experience, providing insights into the history of the St. Croix River and the impact of colonization on the environment and indigenous peoples.
- The game features beautiful graphics and a soothing soundtrack, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the storytelling.
- All profits from the game are donated to environmental conservation efforts, making the purchase feel like a contribution to a worthy cause.
- The gameplay is very limited, consisting mainly of walking and listening to monologues, which may not appeal to players looking for more interactive experiences.
- Performance issues, such as lag and inconsistent audio quality, detract from the overall experience, making it feel less polished.
- The game is quite short, lasting only about 30-45 minutes, which some players feel does not justify the price.
- graphics8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics received mixed reviews; while some players praised the visuals as beautiful and soothing, others criticized them for being mediocre and accompanied by poor performance. Several users noted that despite some appealing elements, the game does not stand out compared to better-performing titles at similar price points.
“Beautiful graphics and soundtrack.”
“It's very pretty graphically, and 100% of the profits go back to the St. Croix Watershed Research Station to protect the river you've explored.”
“Graphics are bad, performance was awful (like 20-30 fps for such an ugly game, wtf).”
“As far as the visuals and actual gameplay go, though, there isn't much to say.”
“The music is soothing, the visuals are pretty (well, if your computer isn't a toaster), and the message is something that I'd like to see more of in games.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally considered simplistic, consisting of six levels focused on item collection and listening rather than interactive challenges or puzzles. While there are performance issues and some cringe-worthy voice acting, players appreciate the meaningful experience and the developers' commitment to research and charitable contributions. Overall, the gameplay may not be the main draw, but it serves its purpose within the game's context.
“While not all of the voice acting is equally evocative and the game would certainly have benefited from more player interaction or perhaps some interesting puzzle mechanics, the resulting experience is nonetheless a highly meaningful and commendable one.”
“Yes, some of the voice acting is pretty cringe, gameplay and performance-wise it has some issues, but you don't really play these types of games for the gameplay, and considering the obvious amount of research that went into the game and the fact the developer donates the profits from this game really gives me nothing to complain about.”
“As far as the visuals and actual gameplay go, though, there isn't much to say.”
“Gameplay-wise, you have 6 levels where you collect one or four items, then listen to someone.”
“Yes, some of the voice acting is pretty cringe, and gameplay and performance-wise it has some issues, but you don't really play these types of games for the gameplay.”
- story6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story is a reflective journey centered around a river, exploring themes of community and history through snippets triggered by item collection. It features short chapters set in various time periods, highlighting the struggles of the region and drawing on real historical accounts, though some find it a bit overwhelming. Overall, it offers an interesting narrative that resonates with broader themes across different communities.
“Take your time (you'll get an achievement for it if you do) and remember that, even though this story focuses on a single river, this is a tale that is found all across the continent in communities large, small, and nearly lost or forgotten.”
“Your main objective is just to wander around and pick up items that trigger story snippets that, as far as I understood, were written or said by real people of that age.”
“Croix first reminded me of the Caribbean island bearing the same name, but the proverbial tombs of our story shall highlight the struggles of the St.”
“There are short 'chapters' as you play through the story of this location that take place during different time periods.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The music in "Tombeaux" is praised for its soothing quality and effective integration with voice acting, enhancing the game's atmosphere. The original soundtrack features 14 tracks, although its availability and pricing remain unclear. Overall, the sound design complements the beautiful graphics and meaningful themes of the game.
“Featuring both voice acting (audio reenactment of various letters detailing the many issues plaguing the St. Croix River) and a convincing soundtrack, there really isn’t anything to complain about regarding Tombeaux’s sounds.”
“+ beautiful graphics and soundtrack.”
“From what I've noticed on the game’s Steam store page, the OST contains 14 songs and it's included separately as well, yet its status or pricing is up for debate since it can’t be purchased nor claimed as free DLC.”
“The music is soothing, the visuals are pretty (well, if your computer isn't a toaster), and the message is something that I'd like to see more of in games.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with players noting significant performance issues such as low frame rates (20-30 fps) despite the game's unremarkable graphics. While some appreciate the game's research and charitable contributions, many feel that better-optimized titles are available at similar price points, leading to disappointment in the overall performance and visual quality.
“It scaled perfectly to my native resolution, and considering that the title exhibits no sudden movement and requires no quick reflexes, I’m willing to overlook the frame drops, which are probably an issue of optimization rather than technical dysfunction.”
“Graphics are bad, performance was awful (like 20-30 fps for such an ugly game, wtf).”
“Moreover, while some graphics look nice, I've seen much better looking games with better performance at the same price or less, and the explorable areas are roughly limited.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Tombeaux" is criticized for falling short of its goal as an atmospheric walking simulator, with users noting that it primarily fails to create an engaging environment, while its educational elements are only marginally effective.
