I feel like for the last year now I keep seeing this game shown off at different online presentations such as PlayStation’s State of Play, and finally “Tchia” has been released. Developed by Awaceb, this action-adventure game, players take on the role of the title character Tchia, who lives a peaceful life with her father until a family friend arrives, and her father is kidnapped by a local ruler. Tchia embarks on a journey to rescue her father and explore the tropical archipelago. However, the story in “Tchia” is not as emotionally gripping as some players, like me, might have hoped, there’s a lot to like here.
One of the key features of Tchia’s gameplay is her unique ability to “soul jump.” This ability allows her to possess and control various animals and objects found in the world, using their power to travel to new areas, solve puzzles, and defend herself against opponents. In addition to soul jumping, when she’s human, Tchia is equipped with a glider and a raft, which allow her to quickly navigate between locations. The game’s open-world exploration style, which feels similar to the “Legend of Zelda” series, particularly “Breath of the Wild,” may be what really gets people to give this game a try, while it’s not as violent as that series, there are a lot of similarities. Players can explore the vast tropical islands, uncover points of interest, mini-games, and cosmetic items, meet NPCs, and complete side quests. Similar to the “Assassin’s Creed” games, players must journey to high points of the map to reveal nearby points of interest. However, soul jumping into an animal that can fly can help speed up the process.
While the tropical islands in Tchia are fictional, the game has been designed to feel authentic. The dialogue, soundtrack, traditions, and musical mini-games are all in their native language, adding to the overall cultural experience which felt very authentic in its own way that I appreciated. One of the most fun rhythm mini-games is playing the ukulele, which also happened to remind me of the Ocarina in the Zelda game “Ocarina of Time.” While the map is expansive, with many points of interest to discover, some of the content can feel like filler and distract from the main storyline.
Performance-wise, things are less positive to say unfortunately, the game can be quite buggy, with occasional frame drops and freezes that require restarting from the last save point. Despite these issues, “Tchia” offers a beautiful and immersive tropical world, with tons of unique (even if they’re a little familiar) gameplay mechanics that adds to the overall experience. The islands are not only huge but also incredibly beautiful, especially during the sunsets. The game’s overall sense of culture and authentic world-building make it stand out from other action-adventure games I’ve played in a long time.
Overall, while Tchia doesn’t give players a sense of urgency to complete it, it is still a game that is perfect for those looking for something more lowkey, a relaxing and calm experience travelling through the tropical lands. It’s currently available for PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium tier members at no extra cost, while non-members can still purchase the game for the reasonable price of thirty dollars. With its sense of adventure and cultural immersion, “Tchia” is a game that will delight players looking for something different in their gaming experience.
8/10
Tchia is available for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PC via the Epic Games Store. For more information, visit https://www.awaceb.com/tchia.
Related: Nick Navarro Reviews
Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
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