TSIOQUE Detailed Opinions

Steam Curator

Overview

TSIOQUE or "chiock" is a game that I've had my eye on before since I sometimes enjoy a good point & click adventure. The animations looked fantastic in this, and when it finally made its way into my library, I knew I just had to try it out.

This title is described as a dark and playful point and click adventure game. This description is on point. Reminiscent of Dragon's Lair, despite the cutesy and cartoonish animations, there are plenty of gruesome ways to find your demise.

Gameplay

While this is a point and click adventure game that usually demotes very casual play, there are plenty of spots in the game that can be unconventional to what p&c fans typically expect. You will still be exploring areas and searching for interactable hotspots. There is an inventory bag that you can pull items out of and use. Players will not have to combine individual items. They will need to find their use in the world by using them on other objects. Tsioque will sometimes meet her demise, but the checkpoints are very forgiving.

So far, the game sounds like a pretty conventional point & click game, but where it starts to tread into territory not often explored with fans of the genre is when it starts to give you some timed challenges. Some screens involve such mechanics as sneaking without getting caught, pulling out items quickly before something happens, or playing a minigame similar to quick-time events to survive a sequence.

There are those notorious somewhat stretched logic puzzles that most known in point and click games. While there is no hint system available in the game of any sort, there are extensive walkthroughs available in the community if you get stuck. The other minor gripe I had with gameplay involves the waiting for animations. While I think the animations are fantastic, sometimes waiting for them got a bit tedious. This wait time is most noticeable if a door or object you didn't mean to travel to is interacted with. Since there is no way to cancel an action, players will have to wait for the full animation every time, regardless of how long. There is also no way to speed up movement, such as double-clicking to run.

Graphical Design

The graphical design is where TSIOQUE shines through. Despite how low key annoyed I felt that I had to wait for an animation to finish if I accidentally clicked something, it was an absolute treat to see all the animations at work. The animation flows very well, and there is a lot of good humor in them as well. The screens are also designed intricately with detail and feel diverse.

Story & Dialogue

Players take the role of Tsioque. She is the young princess of a castle that has been overrun by a wizard. Meanwhile, the royalty who would probably best be able to rescue Tsioque is away for battle. There is a lot of humor riddle throughout the story and events in the game, and it is all overall very wholesome.

The voice acting done well. There is more dialogue at the start and end of the game than in the rest of the game. Regardless of where it appears, it's performed well. Dialogue is presented in rhyme, which makes it even more wholesome.

Music & Sound

The music and sound design is probably the thing that shines through the most alongside the animation. It sets the mood of the screen you are on. It ranges from suspenseful to whimsical. Coupled with the animation, it just makes things much more enjoyable to watch.

My overall experience

The game can be finished fairly easily in one session. You can pick up and continue the game wherever you left off. There are a few missable achievements, which gives reason to dive back into this one a second time. Overall my regular run and completion run took around 3.5 hours total. I referred to a walkthrough for a few puzzles, but overall they weren't too illogical.

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ pros ♥

+Fantastic animation

The cartoon animation helps build the world and makes for a cute adventure.

+Fitting soundtrack

The soundtrack fits each screen well and mixes a lot more charm to the animations displayed.

+Story is cute

The rhyme and overall theme make this element that much more wholesome.

(っ>▬<)っ x cons x

-Timed puzzles & events

Just something to keep in mind if you are used to p&c adventure games not using these mechanics. There are more than a few instances throughout that players will have to react well.

-Waiting for animations

Although they are very charming to watch, waiting for an incorrectly clicked animation or general animation can be tedious to the impatient.

-A bit short

While the animation holds up this game very well and there are plenty of great elements, the base price is a bit high for your overall gameplay.

Wrap Up

TSIOQUE is certainly a game worth trying out if you enjoy point & click games. There is a demo available if you'd like to see if it is your cup of tea or not. Although it's a bit short and has some minor mechanic issues, it is still a great wholesome game; and the animations are worth experiencing. You can tell that a lot of love has been poured into this game. There are plenty of influences that blend hand-animated animations and humor very well, and this stands competently among them.

𝕀𝕗 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝔼𝕟𝕛𝕠𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕋𝕣𝕪

Day of the Tentacle