TSIOQUE

Charming visuals, puzzle solving, medieval fantasy, there’s literally nothing else you need in your life. I had a few frustrations here and there, but all in all TSIOQUE felt so worth my time; grab it for a rainy day, curl up on the sofa and prepare for a game best experienced first hand.

The narrative can be just as frustrating as the Tsioque’s wonky UI. The game doesn’t bother to explain which door you’re supposed to open next, the need to carry dragon scales with you, or what this magic potion does. These problems stem from primitive gameplay mechanics, as well as absence of dialogue, supporting characters and an in-game diary.

You will probably enjoy Tsioque if you bear in mind that it’s a two-hour (tops) classic animated film which sometimes needs you to do some light thinking and influence the story. A perfect plan for an evening with a kid. [01/2019, p.64]

Overall, the gameplay of TSIOQUE is a layer of entertaining complication. It offers up a little bit of new and a little bit of old and sprinkles it with a helluva protagonist that is fun to play. It doesn’t necessarily redefine the point and click genre, but it shows that there is more to it than you might remember. The gameplay is simply a methodically well put together masterpiece that will certainly make you wish for those LucasArts days when they ruled the roost in this genre.

In Tsioque, solving the puzzles unlocks the story but the puzzles don’t really add much to the tale (which takes a somewhat abrupt change of direction near the end). For much of its length, the slightly post-modern fairy tale isn’t all that engaging, either, or at least not as engaging as the characters and visuals. I wish the developers had voiced their heroine and made the puzzles not just satisfying to solve but a satisfying part of the narrative.

A warm, modern twist on a classical story from a game with surprisingly intelligent puzzles. Its short duration and the lack of direction prevent it from reaching “indie darling” status, but we can think only a few other adventure games so lovingly made over the last few years.

A good traditional graphical adventure that, however, is far from achieving the quality of the titles on which it’s inspired.

TSIOQUE’s late game story machinations are a bit of a pill to swallow, but they aren’t enough to overshadow what is otherwise an enjoyable, gorgeous fairy tale adventure.

Tsioque is recommended to someone who wants to play a nice, dark, smart, but not perfect, point 'n' click adventure, while its short duration and the eccentric finale are undoubtedly shortcomings that need to be seriously considered.

A melting pot of puzzles, adventure, fun, and feel-good charm make your short time with Tsioque very enjoyable.