Tandem: A Tale of Shadows

Tandem: A Tale of Shadows isn’t the first game to utilize dual-protagonist puzzle-solving, and it isn’t the first to use light and shadow as a puzzle mechanic, but it does do a great job of carving out its own niche in the genre with its presentation and puzzle creativity. The spooky atmosphere and charming presentation make this a perfect game to play in the midst of the Halloween season.

Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is a pleasure to play through, leaving the burning desire to learn what’s next and a storm of emotions and feelings as the game’s storyline reaches its conclusion.

Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is a fun and clever puzzle game, but the story falls quite a bit flat with a pretty dark ending. The puzzles themselves are enjoyable with needing to switch between Emma's and Fenton's perspectives a nice mechanic. The story though is just there and while puzzle games don't need stories to be enjoyable, if you're going to have one at least flesh things out a bit. If you don't mind a story that covers just the bare essentials needed to have a story, Tandem's puzzles are pretty enjoyable and I'd recommend checking the game out at some point.

Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is a good game, which will be liked by lovers of puzzle games and those of gothic fairy tales.

In summary, Tandem – A Tale Of Shadows is a lavishly-presented adventure with genuinely innovative gameplay. Fans of puzzle-platformers are sure to love it. Even for those not particularly drawn to the genre, there’s much to admire here, and a lot of fun to be had.

Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is a good game for anyone looking for hours of well-designed puzzles in some interesting locations. I appreciated how it organically expands the ways the two characters interact with the world. I liked the puzzle design, especially when it emphasizes how important it is for Emma to create paths for Fenton. But the game needs much more than good mechanics to stand out. The story never manages to become truly engaging. The triumphant pose that Emma strikes when the pair solves a room quickly becomes grating. The presentation fails to add much to the game. Tandem: A Tale of Shadows shows the Monochrome Paris has ideas and the ability to execute but they need to work on how they package them to capture a bigger fan base.

Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is good where it counts: the gameplay. It may not be a difficult game, but the puzzles are a fine challenge for the average player, while the relatively short playtime means that the title doesn't feel like a chore. Don't expect too much from the rest of the package, whether that's aesthetics, narrative, or a reason to replay it once the credits roll. Overall, it's good enough to check out if you're itching for a puzzle-platformer.

It could use a stronger pairing of story and gameplay, but Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is a cleverly conceived puzzle-platformer stuffed full of dual-character, double-dimension obstacles to overcome.

Overall, Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is a fine game. There are some flaws for sure, but nothing that ruins your overall experience, and what’s there is solid. I’d recommend this game for people who are interested in the light/dark puzzle mechanics, but if you are thinking of getting into it for the aesthetics or the story, I’d give it a pass.

Tandem: A Tale of Shadows marries surreal graphics and unique gameplay to create a truly immersive and visually compelling game. Switching between a top-down and side-scroller view, Tandem is sure to keep you interested with its plethora of interesting ideas and mechanics. If you’re looking for a narrative-driven game, you might want to give Tandem a miss, but if you were after a unique and fresh puzzle platformer that won’t force you into a fit of frustration, then Tandem: A tale of Shadows is perfect for you.

Tandem: A Tale of Two Shadows does a good enough job at executing its well thought out premise. But, it isn't the revolution in puzzle games it purports to be.

Tandem: A Tale of Shadows may be guilty of taking from any and every corner of the genre in constructing its challenges. But while it may zip from one set-up to the next — less-than-concerned with the through-line that ties it all together — the perspective-shifting, requiring of balancing overhead and side-scrolling puzzle-solving alike, just about delivers on the promise its set-up initially paints. Not just on the basis of a satisfying series of environments to conquer, but an admittedly-brief fascination on how everything ends up unravelling, let alone solved. It’s not everyday you stop to marvel for a second at the way two perspectives can play out at once, but that very trait is what Tandem: A Tale of Shadows shines on and in the end utilizes sufficiently well.

Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is a fun puzzle-platformer that will absolutely please fans of the genre and/or Tim Burton. Don’t let its creepy cute demeanor fool you — these puzzles are definitely on the cerebral side and will take some time to tease that solution out. I can see this being a terrific Halloween title for streamers who don’t love the typical scary fare for this spooky holiday but still want to please their followers. In the very least, this little treat has a few tricks up its sleeve that make Tandem: A Tale of Shadows worth the price of admission.

Tandem is built on solid foundations and provides a series of neat and carefully designed puzzles, yet never builds into anything truly inspired.