Tales Of Wakana

Profoundly goofy and cute game. OrangeTiger makes a mean mixtape and I hope to see more games from them in the future.

This is an interesting game. I will say this right away: if the pixel graphics weren’t beautiful, I wouldn’t still be playing. The environments, characters, weapons etc. all look incredible. Basically, it is a platforming action game where you can upgrade your weapons and acquire new traversal and combat abilities throughout the game. It has multiple genre-crossing levels that serve to keep things interesting. I don’t want to spoil them but Tower Defense and Stealth are a couple. The story is nearly incomprehensible, it isn’t meant to be taken seriously. It gave me a chuckle once or twice, but half of the time I have no idea what anyone is talking about. This is probably a translation issue. NBD. The fighting is okay. I’ve gotten to a point in the game where I just skip fighting as much as possible. You don’t get XP (as far as I can tell) you get coins, but not a lot of them and coins don’t get you a heck of a lot as far as upgrades. The weapons all kind of do the same thing so upgrading them is basically just to make number go up. The spells do seem to get slightly different as well as more powerful as you level them. Also, you can’t get overpowered in this game, its all very g…

Pros: Fun Metroidvania, maybe a little too easy but well suited for younger players. Interesting spell mechanics and enemies. Cons: Very unintuitive menu system. Has the worst ending of any video game I've ever played.

Charming metroidvania-adjacent game with a lot of RPG elements. The story could use some work in how it's presented, but I'm enjoying myself so far.

Tales Of Wakana is a passion project that wears its inspirations proudly while attempting to carve out its own place in the crowded indie action-adventure landscape. Developed and published by OrangeTiger, the game invites players into the whimsical Wakana Continent, where Princess Dian Dian embarks on a journey that is equal parts coming-of-age tale and grand fantasy adventure. Rather than focusing solely on a single gameplay formula, the title embraces experimentation, presenting an experience filled with exploration, combat, puzzles, and an assortment of gameplay styles that continually reshape the player's expectations. At its core, the game is an action RPG with strong platforming elements. Dian Dian's arsenal consists of dual blades, axes, and elemental abilities tied to Ice, Lightning, and Wind magic. Combat encourages players to adapt to different enemy behaviors, and the gradual acquisition of new skills gives a satisfying sense of progression. The developers have packed the world with an impressive amount of content for an independent release, including dozens of side quests, a sizable roster of enemies, and numerous boss encounters. These battles often serve as the game…

Just starting it again (after loving the demo). So far it's not disappointing me at all. A really fun metroidvania with tons of style and a bizarre sense of humor that makes it incredibly endearing to me. Love the sound effects too; they give me 80s arcade nostalgia.