Tooth and Tail

A beautifully snappy RTS that boasts a great single-player campaign and an endlessly entertaining multiplayer mode, Tooth and Tail is essential for tactical newbies and veterans alike.

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"Tooth and Tail" is a real-time strategy game set in a world of anthropomorphic animals at war. Assemble your forces, dig trenches, and send your animal troops into battle. The game features single-player and multiplayer modes, with a focus on fast-paced, accessible strategy gameplay. Your choices in battle and management of resources will determine your success on the battlefield.

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Play Modes

Reviews

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,694 reviews

story234 positive mentions

grinding14 negative mentions

Deceptively simple yet offers depth of strategy, making it accessible for newcomers and enjoyable for veterans.
Beautiful pixel art and a compelling soundtrack enhance the overall experience.
Fast-paced matches with a unique control scheme centered around a commander unit create engaging gameplay.

Randomly generated maps can lead to frustrating and unbalanced gameplay, especially in the campaign.
Limited control over units can make strategic maneuvers difficult, often resulting in a reliance on luck.
The single-player campaign features significant difficulty spikes that can detract from the overall enjoyment.

story
847 mentions
28 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The story of "Tooth and Tail" is a darkly humorous and engaging narrative set in a world of anthropomorphic animals embroiled in a civil war over food, drawing parallels to historical revolutions. While the campaign features a variety of missions and unique mechanics, many players find the storytelling to be somewhat disjointed due to the procedural generation of maps, leading to inconsistent difficulty and frustrating gameplay experiences. Overall, the narrative is praised for its charm and depth, but some players express a desire for more cohesive storytelling and character development throughout the campaign.
- “The story itself expands as the campaigns progress, and its conclusion is foreshadowed but also extremely satisfying to see play out.”
- “The story is excellent and touches on topics of class, power, and capitalism, the setting is heavily based on the Bolshevik revolution in Russia, and the characters are anthropomorphic animals a la Redwall.”
- “The campaign is fantastic, always switching up rule sets and objectives while telling an interesting and unique story with a fantastic ending.”
- “The storyline is as linear and obvious as they come, where missions must be completed in order to unlock plot elements and even factions, so do not expect anything more than your generic, sophomoric revolutionary story.”
- “The campaign has an interesting story but the missions are just not good... the game is enamored with not giving your opponents reasonable restrictions just to mess you over.”
- “The story is just a thin rubber band tying together a bunch of loose strands that doesn't really make you think other than 'oof'.”
gameplay
484 mentions
30 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Tooth and Tail" is characterized by its simplified mechanics that make it accessible to newcomers while still offering depth for strategic play. Players control a single commander unit, which directs troops in fast-paced matches that typically last under 15 minutes, promoting quick decision-making and adaptability. However, opinions are mixed; while some appreciate the innovative approach and engaging story, others criticize the gameplay for being overly simplistic, lacking depth, and sometimes frustrating due to unbalanced mechanics and random map generation.
- “With interesting mechanics, a surprisingly active competitive scene, and a single-player campaign that is both fun and tells a wonderful story, this one isn't a game to miss.”
- “The gameplay itself goes hand in hand with the story and characters; you can't have one without the other two.”
- “The gameplay is slick, solid, and balanced.”
- “The gameplay is unremarkable, the victories are unrewarding, the themes don't really fit the mechanics, etc. Every time I think about playing it again, I just feel this reluctance and grudgingly say to myself, 'Well, I mean, I paid for it, so I guess I better keep going...' Not a good sign at all.”
- “I really wanted to like this game, but the mechanics seem to be running back and forth clicking and the graphics are terrible... I expect better than 32-bit graphics in 2018.”
- “For a game that advertises itself as a real-time strategy game, the gameplay itself is awful.”
graphics
293 mentions
50 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their stunning pixel art and unique aesthetic, which combines elements of early 20th-century revolutionary themes with charming animal characters. Many players appreciate the beautiful artwork and the immersive atmosphere it creates, although some criticize the gameplay visuals as occasionally unclear or outdated. Overall, while the visuals are a highlight, opinions vary on whether they can compensate for gameplay shortcomings.
- “The artwork is absolutely gorgeous.”
- “The graphics are beautiful and what made me buy this game was when TotalBiscuit (RIP) recommended it and did his series on it.”
- “The art style is breathtaking, absolutely beautiful and characteristic.”
- “Not recommended, just get AOE or Stronghold or any other RTS that you can think of; visuals don't save this for me.”
- “The actual graphics during gameplay look like they are straight out of the 1990s.”
- “I really wanted to like this game, but the mechanics seem to be running back and forth clicking and the graphics are terrible... I expect better than 32-bit graphics in 2018.”
music
211 mentions
66 % positive mentions
32 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its thematic depth and ability to enhance the overall experience. Composed by Austin Wintory, the soundtrack is described as phenomenal, fitting seamlessly with the game's dark and whimsical aesthetic, and is noted for its catchy and immersive qualities. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and emotional impact.
- “The music is amazing to listen to with different tracks for each of the 4 factions.”
- “The soundtrack is one of the best indie game soundtracks I've heard this year, full stop.”
- “The themes, characters, art style, music, and the gameplay all work together to deliver a refined RTS experience with an interesting, political story.”
- “The music is serviceable and the voice acting sits on the extremes of really good and really irritating.”
- “Much too simplistic as an RTS and it fails to deliver much in the way of aesthetics beyond the Slavic dialogue and decent soundtrack.”
- “I was looking forward to this one and it absolutely breaks my heart that I can't recommend this game: while the art style and especially the beautiful still pictures are some of the greatest art I've seen in a video game and the soundtrack, which I'm listening to this very moment, is a masterpiece in my opinion, the gameplay itself was such a letdown I had to refund the game.”
humor
37 mentions
97 % positive mentions
-5 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and charm, blending dark and absurd elements, such as animal cannibalism and social satire, to create a unique comedic experience. Players appreciate the entertaining dialogue, engaging storylines, and the humorous interactions that enhance both single-player and multiplayer modes. Overall, the game's humor is described as both hilarious and immersive, contributing significantly to its appeal.
- “The flavor, charm, and humor are extremely charming, and the commanders all tend to be quite entertaining.”
- “The lore is funny, clever, Soviet, and does a great job with immersion.”
- “I was expecting a fairly care-free but interesting basic story, but it's surprisingly full of progressing storyline and legitimately dark humor, and I love it.”
- “At first glance, it looks like a tutorial: quite plain and not funny at all.”
- “The jokes fall flat and often feel forced, lacking any real wit or charm.”
- “I expected some clever humor, but instead, it was just cringeworthy and awkward.”
atmosphere
33 mentions
55 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Tooth and Tail" is widely praised for its charming blend of dark humor, compelling lore, and a unique aesthetic that combines 8-bit gameplay with high-definition elements. Players appreciate the game's engaging soundtrack and the rich, detailed world-building that enhances the overall experience, making it feel both lively and immersive. The combination of sociopolitical themes and a lighthearted tone creates a distinctive atmosphere that resonates well with fans, even those who may not typically enjoy RTS games.
- “The atmosphere is spot on, the characters are lovable and iconic, and the soundtrack is a masterpiece.”
- “The amazing artwork, design, atmosphere, plot, and soundtrack all help add to my recommendation.”
- “Tooth and Tail is a fine example of how to produce a game loaded with atmosphere, which is truly rare nowadays.”
- “The game's atmosphere and characters ooze charm, and the blend of 8-bit gameplay assets and high-definition UI elements is executed very well.”
- “That brings me to the atmosphere aspect, which is immediately apparent the moment you start the campaign (if not as soon as you hit the main menu).”
replayability
18 mentions
28 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the random map generation and the challenge of achieving difficult goals, others find it lacking and have little interest in returning after initial play. Multiplayer modes and the potential for varied strategies add to its replay value, but frustrations with certain mechanics and a perceived lack of depth may deter some players from revisiting. Overall, the experience can vary significantly based on individual preferences and play styles.
- “I could see this game slowly but surely working its way up to a lot of hours played over time with lots and lots of potential replay value depending on the player and what they like.”
- “There is also a lot of replayability if you want to get all the rare and very difficult achievements which add another level of difficulty into all of the missions.”
- “The maps are randomly generated, which provide good replayability to campaign, multiplayer and make the game unique each time, but does have the problem of occasionally screwing you up, but they have been making good efforts to try and keep it fair.”
- “Zero replayability, haven't touched since its release and not interested in reinstalling.”
- “Great art direction and concepts, sadly only a certain amount of replay value in my opinion.”
- “While I agree that 'endless' and 'replayable' are indeed words that exist within the English language, they are definitely not applicable to this game.”
grinding
14 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often describing it as monotonous and lacking quality of life improvements. Many feel that the bonus objectives detract from the enjoyment of levels, turning potentially fun experiences into exercises in frustration. While some levels offer new challenges, the overall experience is marred by long cooldowns and gameplay bottlenecks, leading to a sense of disappointment and a desire to reclaim lost time.
- “It becomes tedious and frustrating.”
- “The game is monotonous, tedious, empty and lacks so much quality of life it's not a true RTS game or even a strategy game at all, really.”
- “Fun fact: if you play this wasted potential of a game, get ready to go through monotonous grinding for the campaign (literally, I sat down yesterday and said 'let me beat it') and now I want my time back.”
optimization
12 mentions
25 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is tailored for competitive play, resulting in a streamlined experience that may sacrifice unique unit mechanics for balance. While controls are well-optimized for console and work adequately with a mouse, some users report performance issues, particularly on Linux, despite low system requirements. Overall, casual players may appreciate the game's accessibility and atmosphere, but competitive players might find the ranked matchmaking and unit balance lacking.
- “First off, let's start with something this game has done that a lot of recent RTS games have done: they've been optimized for a competitive environment.”
- “At the moment, its controls are optimized for console, and the discussion page indicates this will continue for the foreseeable future.”
- “Gameplay is amazing; an RTS that is easier to learn and master than games like Age of Empires and Starcraft since they optimized this game for controller, so I would totally recommend playing this with a controller.”
- “This usually means the units end up being dull and not having anything special to them. The most fun RTS games I've ever played are usually very unbalanced in a multiplayer setting, but in a way that is interesting because they have really creative touches and mechanics that are hard to round out for an optimized competitive experience.”
- “One thing I've noticed, at least with the Linux version, is that this game has optimization issues.”
- “I will note that economy optimization is minimal.”
character development
10 mentions
50 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The game features exceptional character design and art, showcasing a diverse cast of unique animal commanders, each with distinct personalities and morals. While the visuals and animations are praised for their fluidity and creativity, the depth of character development is somewhat overshadowed by gameplay shortcomings. Overall, the artistic elements contribute significantly to the game's immersive world, reflecting early 20th-century political themes.
- “The art in this game is fantastic, and each commander has their own character development, morals, and personality.”
- “I think the hand-drawn art and the character designs alone are worth the price to experience - I am so drawn to this kind of style and the life it breathes into a game.”
- “The character designs complement this nicely, letting you command a rag-tag army of dodgy weasels and fanatic wolves.”
- “Despite the character design, there's nothing really furry culture-related in this game.”
- “The character designs are very well made, the animations are fluid, but the character development feels lacking.”
- “While the art is fantastic, the character development is shallow and doesn't engage the player.”
emotional
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a mix of discomfort and heartfelt moments, with players noting the impact of certain story elements and the overall theme being both unsettling and poignant. The music enhances the emotional experience, while the narrative leaves a lasting impression, prompting players to reflect on their own feelings and strategies. Overall, the game evokes a range of emotions, from discomfort to satisfaction, contributing to a complex emotional landscape.
- “I also love the wholesome message at the very end of the credits, even though the kindest thing I can do right now is to leave a nice review!”
- “The music is amazing, the story is satisfyingly unfulfilling and heart-wrenching, and the gameplay is fast-paced and incredibly fun.”
- “I could sit and listen to the main menu track play all day; honestly, I haven't quite finished the story, but the overall theme is a little messed up and a little emotional.”
stability
5 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is generally positive, with some players reporting a polished experience free of crashes or major glitches. However, issues such as occasional graphical glitches, AI bugs, and online match freezes due to slow internet connections have been noted, which can detract from the overall experience.
- “Plus, if your badgers die either because of the enemies or the damn weather freezing them to death, then you are screwed.”
- “It's quick and easy to get into online matches, but if they have a slow internet, it can be a pain to deal with the periodic freezes.”
- “AI is a little buggy and dumb at times.”
monetization
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy for the game has been criticized for misleading advertising, as it showcased only cut scenes rather than actual gameplay, leading to disappointment regarding the graphics quality. Players feel that the initial promotional materials did not accurately represent the game's visual experience.
- “When I bought the game shortly after its release, the advertisements seemed exciting and implied sharp and beautiful graphics.”
- “Keep in mind that there were no gameplay screenshots at the time; only the game cutscenes were shown in the advertisements (lesson learned about that landmine).”