Ghost of a Tale

It's sweet and funny and gorgeous, with such incredible attention to detail. It even managed to make me tear up a little bit without ever feeling poe-faced. It's just great story telling, great world building and great gameplay. Possibly the most imaginative game I've played in years. Do bear in mind that, being an early access title, it is somewhat poorly optimised so you may not be seeing the graphics at their best in order to get a decent framerate, but the art style still holds up well at lower settings.

This game is a delight. Your character is the most adorable one I've seen in a videogame since A Boy And His Blob, but it's not all about the gorgeous graphics. Stealth, puzzles and well-written lore and dialogue make this a must buy. Seriously, I'm not writing a long dull review because I don't want to spoil anything. Watch the trailer, then buy. And don't worry that the characters are animals if you're repelled by all things Furry - the cast of this game are as far from cartoony anthropomorphic abominations as you can get. Just buy it!!

Amazing game with amazing characters, sotry and setting!!

I don't write a lot of reviews but this one is a special case. Despite the obvious cuteness and the incredibly well-done animations, there's an undertone to this game that's darker than it appears. A melancholy feel accompanied by generous helpings of mystery and worry and adventure and loss and hope. There are moments in this game that are genuinely touching. The characters you meet are great, and there's definitely some humourous beats as well. Generally the gameplay is about exploration, finding objects, and solving the occasional puzzle. If gameplay=combat for you, then this won't be your cup of tea. Personally I loved it, and I don't generally love puzzle games or collecting things. This game, though, felt like it offered enough challenge to intrigue, but not too much to make it overly frustrating. And most collection stuff led to backstory reveals that were well worth the payoff. My playthough was a bit over 18 hours. I think you could complete in 10 - 20 hours depending on your patience and whether you wanted to complete all side quests etc. In all honesty, I think the $25 price tag is a steal. This is much better than the majority of AAA dreck that the likes of EA, Ubisoft, and Activision are dishing up for $60 and not a microtransaction to be seen. I really hope the devleoper makes some decent money out of this because they really have earned it IMO. I'll line up to buy a sequel if he ever makes it. Or if he crowdfunds it, I'll sign up for that too.

This game is a work of art in so many ways it's hard to pick one. Its art style and dark fantasy setting are reminiscent of titles like Dark Souls and The Witcher,while adding a unique twist in the tradition of anthropomorphic animals that could fit a Disney/Pixar movie : the amount of detail is unreal (which is ironic,since the game runs on Unity);and runs so smoothly that major publishers should be ashamed they can't run their triple A titles so perfectly. The balance of contrast and saturation is spot-on,creating a beautiful balance of realism and fantasy that is never heavy on the eyes,and the amount of detail is greatwhile not being overbearing,meaning you won't need witcher vision/eagle sight/search function to spot items you can interact with,and in case you're having trouble,the tooltip will let you know regardless. The gameplay is an odd mix of adventure,RPG and stealth : you are limited in violent options to contestual actions,like pushing a barrell to drop it on a guard,at least in early access,but the ability to hide in every nook and cranny and the speed at which you can outpace enemies are great tools at your disposal,together with quick wit and tool management. By doing quests and collecting items you can unlock abilities that will make your life considerably easier,and provide meaningful insight into the main story. The main quest is a bittersweet story that is captivating for both mature and younger players and deals with themes ranging from loss to relationships and racism,war and oppression,selfishness and selflessness,and despite the lack of voice acting the NPCs are interesting,often quirky and snappy,turning your seemingly clever answers against you. Exploration is the core of the experience,since all of the above are not very deep in their own way:there's no hardcore aspect,but it doesn't detract from the game in any way since it all wraps together. If you like atmosphere,adventure and like stories with uncommon protagonists,get this game.