Tropicalia: a Brazilian Game

This game is a hidden gem which would deserve more recognition! Pros: - [b]Setting:[/b] Tropicalia takes place in pre-colonial South America and includes many elements of Brazilian folklore and indigenous mythology. This gives the game a unique identity with an original universe to explore. This is a very nice change from the usual medieval fantasy / scifi universes that we are used to see in such RPG games. - [b]Gameplay:[/b] The RPG system is overall classic but Tropicalia also includes a souls-like system for skill points which works very well for this kind of game. - [b]Exploration:[/b] The game contains a huge open world with many interconnected maps that progressively unlock with the learned exploration skills (push boulders, swim, etc.) in a Metroidvania/Zelda spirit. - [b]Graphics:[/b] The 2D graphics are retro-style (similar to the first Final Fantasy games) yet great-looking, and the character/monster design is really well-done. Many of the creatures encountered in the game are unique due to the original setting, which feels very refreshing. - [b]Game duration:[/b] Beating the 7 main bosses is likely to take at least 20 hours of gameplay, and there are many secrets to unlock that give important advantages (like equips or weapons) that should not be overlooked given the challenging difficulty. - [b]Puzzles:[/b] The game contains many puzzles which are greatly designed and become diabolically difficult in the latest parts of the game. Completing all of them took me many hours of thinking (sometimes for a single puzzle) and was a big challenge. - [b]Capybaras![/b] Cons: - [b]Bugs:[/b] The game contains a few bugs here and there, from crashes at the end of fights to out-of-bound moves in the world map (which also crash the game). - [b]Story:[/b] While the setting is very interesting and original, the story is essentially a pretext for pushing the player to explore the world and beat bosses. This isn't a big issue in itself, but the scenario could have been a bit richer. - [b]Balance:[/b] The difficulty is overall well-balanced and challenging in hardcore mode but once certain skills are unlocked, bosses (even the ones in the latest parts of the game) become a bit too easy. All in all, I really loved this game and I absolutely recommend it to anyone interested in retro RPGs and pre-colonial South America!