Space Tail: Every Journey Leads Home

Space Tail is a solid puzzle platformer so far. The story is simple but tugs at the heart. I really want Bea to find her way home.

Game is IMMUNE to two different CPU throttlers - can't manage to jump and land on that teeny platform without going just a little bit too far, or not quite far enough, so you slip down and have to go back and try again (and again)? Too bad; can't slow things down to make it more manageable, so I guess I'll just hafta un-install the game and remove it from my library. So so sorry that I gave these wipes my $$...

This is an enjoyable indie game with great platforming and pleasant art. The fact that you play as a dog and use its senses is a big plus. You’ll be right at home as soon as you pick up the controller. Dog Bea can jump, swim and squeeze through tight spaces. What makes the game unique are the three senses you can use to make progress or solve puzzles. If anything emits a red aroma and is therefore harmful, you can detect it through smell. Additionally, this sense identifies orbs and other crucial objects for progress. It's interesting to note how the outside world responds to your scent. Depending on how you smell, a creature or door might open a path forward. However, if you want to get rid of the odor, you may need to find clean water or take a shower. Hearing works in a similar way as it allows you to spot triggers that react to sound. You make progress by either barking or sneaking. And then there’s sight that allows you to see connections between objects. Doors are always linked to a trigger, which may be found by simply following the door's colored lines. You can perceive moods and breakable items with sight as well. Collectibles are a bit tricky. You need to scan points of interest when you get close enough, but the problem is that there’s no indication that something is actually a collectible. Since they blend in so well with the surroundings, it is nearly necessary to explore every nook. The extra skins, which resemble floating blueprints, are much easier to locate. The final element is communication. Once you come across a neutral creature, you can choose from a variety of dog tricks and watch the response. Different creatures react differently to tricks, so you need to find the one they like. All is not lost even if you make a mistake. Simply go away for a while and the creature will return to its neutral state. Make them happy and they’ll give you something or open the path forward. It can get repetitive after a while because it’s hard to find the right trick on your first try. Each of the planets is unique with its environment and creature. The planets are visited in a linear order and can’t be re-visited if you want to explore. Well, you can replay a completed planet from the main menu, but that will overwrite your current progress. Planets also have unique puzzle designs and abilities needed to solve them. When you travel to another planet, you lose those abilities but always gain new ones. On each, the objective is to simply advance and reach the last room. The most frequent goals involve avoiding enemies and solving challenges by moving an object to the proper location or utilizing your skills. There may be various ways to leave a room, some of which are riskier than others. There are also hidden secrets. These typically conceal health or shield orbs, each of which fills a bar. When the bar is full, an upgrade is yours. Your completion will depend on how much you enjoy exploring, as there is no map and no information on the amount of things in each room. Without a companion, you are helpless in the face of enemies. For instance, a fire wisp can smash through anything, whereas a robot can temporarily hack into doors and other robots. Enemies can also be jumped on and used as a platform to reach higher places. Achievement hunters won't find it too hard to get everything. Even though you'll have to replay the entire planet if you miss a collectible, it's not too bad if you keep track of them because you'll know if you've missed one because they unlock in order.

Jest piesio, to i polecajka jest ;)

według mnie gra jest fajna także przekonywująca do granie niestaty nie udało mi się przejść jescze całej gry bo z tego co sprawdzałem do jak odpaliłem granie w chmurze to nie było zapisu gry ale tak to gra spoko fajnie że trzeba wykorzystać sterownie klawatury i myszki a nie jak to w większości grach oparta jest na klawiaturze według mnie gra spoko warto kupić

[MINOR SPOILERS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE GAME AHEAD] It's a fun and cute game with a beautiful graphical style and unique game mechanics, that's really fun to play. Sadly, the story is delivered in a strange way, and that affected my enjoyment of the game. You start out doing the tutorial, and once you've completed it, a small cutscene plays explaining how your character is put onto a rocket and sent into space. It then says "She tries to penetrate the metal to ensure that her intuition is correct and that 808BY is still flying out there somewhere", but at this point in the game you have no idea who 808BY is. Because of some free DLC that was installed, I thought that I had somehow started from the mid-point of the game, but no, this is the start of the game. Referencing a character that you apparently have a connection with and are supposed to know, but don't. The into cutscene then goes on. "A horrible fireball engulfs the escape pods when a shot from the station hit the space between them. [...] Bea is terrified as she has just been separated from 808BY." A moment ago we were being placed into a rocket, and now we're in an escape pod and there's a space station shooting things? No escape pod or station has been mentioned previously, again, reinforcing the feeling that you've missed a chunk of story. Also, another mention of 808BY - a character we're yet to meet. Yes, you can unlock lore as you progress through the game and view it in the gallery, but players aren't likely to do this during the tutorial section. This isn't the only time it happens in the game either. There are other examples where things/characters are mentioned for the first time in a way that implies you already know what/who they are. I think with some patching, the story could be elaborated on and make more sense, and really enrich the game.