I don’t like Tunic. That’s actually me being too kind to the game. I don’t like it at all, at all. I see the praise, hear the GOTY chat – even from our own Dom – but I hit buttons on my Steam Deck and wonder what the hell people like about this obnoxious, obtuse, time-wasting of games. I decided Tunic, the darling of Xbox Game Pass, wasn’t for me. I uninstalled it twice, but I just couldn’t get into this so-called modern classic game.
Tunics look beautiful. Since its debut, it’s been on my radar as a game I have to play at launch. Like a retro Zelda (but made today), its art style oozes childhood whimsy, but it’s no joke. The soundtrack also seemed incredible, and the small portion of the game I saw in the trailer hinted that there was a huge mystery to unravel. Boy, am I excited to play with tunics.
But then I did.
I honestly don’t think I’ve ever bounced back from a game so hard in my entire life. Disappointment reached a level usually reserved for me when I realized that what I liked about the look of the game was actually another survival sim. “Oh, I have to chop wood, don’t I? Shall I make bandages out of seaweed and dental floss found in the luggage of dead plane passengers strewn across the beach?” I’m out!
But why do I bounce back so much? It’s really that simple: I found the whole experience of playing Tunic to be an absolute chore. There are multiple parts to this, which I will briefly explain below:
- What am I going to do? Maybe I’m just being really stupid, but in the 30+ years I’ve played video games, I’ve managed to find my way in every other game I’ve ever played. So why is Tunic’s world designed so that every path is hidden by someone determined to ruin your day?
- Maps are annoying – yes, it’s cute to have an instruction book that builds up as you play, its secrets are revealed, etc., but show me a map that connects all the regions of the world together , please!
- Why are these enemies so bloody and annoying and have such bad combat? Why create such a gorgeous world to explore (and actually properly scrutinize) if your combat sucks all the fun out of the room? Then go to hell and find out that your ghost thing just can’t fly with me. get rid of.
There’s a lot of it, but it’s how those elements come together into a stinking, toxic goo that makes the whole experience feel out of place. I was playing Tunic wondering if the game wanted me to have fun. To be clear, I am absolutely not.
As is my habit, I rant on Twitter in the hope that others will share my pain. A few people have done it. I tried the game a few more times afterward, got nothing, and voiced my thoughts again, saying that I’ve been told over and over again that it’s a cute game. I feel bad, but I need to know I’m not alone.
and then someone gave me the answer. There is a “no glitch mode” in the accessibility options. For anyone in the past like me, that’s just another name for God Mode. You can’t die. After activating a hidden option, Tunic popped open, like Leeds United’s defense in a crucial Premier League game.
How different it is for this game to be able to travel the world without fear. In fact, I needed a little pointer from a former colleague, but I’ve been fine since then. I would travel the world, observing every nook and cranny, squeezing into every unseen pathway, and venturing into every dark cave entrance.
I started piecing together the instruction manual and unraveling some secrets, and in doing so I didn’t repeatedly bump into unfair boss fights or fall at the feet of forgotten enemies. I gained multiple new abilities, experimented with looting items, discovered hidden objects, and immersed myself in every bit of the world.
Don’t get me wrong, I still think there are some big issues with Tunic (this map is at the top of my list of bad design picks), but how did this game go from “this is the most overrated monotony I’ve ever come across Bland,” to “Damn, I’m really sad it’s all over,” is truly remarkable.
If you’ve given up on Tunic for any of the reasons above, try No Fail Mode. I did, and I can now say that I put in 25+ hours into one of the best games on Game Pass (also on PC, Switch, PS).
