TEOCIDA

Imagine if european occultic practices, gnostic ideas, "extrasensory tutorial" and/or pseudo-occult books from your dad's digital library that you've read in your early childhood, developer's ranting about gamer culture and references TO BRAZILIAN POLITIC EVENTS (WHY????) were combined into one game and result was actually good. "another 10 hours of playtime to brazilian indie game" award goes to teocida, yet again. I won't forget your themes for as long as I live.

So many grotesque buttholes, penises, tits, and vaginas - Hans would be proud (actually I'm not sure, I don't know much about him beside his art). I've puzzled, platformed, fought patriarchy, and had great time in the process. I didn't get into much of the meta-narrative stuff, so there's potentially a lot more to explore.

TEOCIDA is a deeply unconventional puzzle platformer that uses surreal horror, religious symbolism, disturbing imagery, and cryptic storytelling to create an experience that feels deliberately detached from ordinary genre conventions. Developed by Vikintor and published by Vikintor Interactive, the game presents itself almost like an interactive psychological experiment rather than a straightforward journey. Its strongest quality is its commitment to mystery. Instead of clearly explaining its world or intentions, it surrounds the player with symbols, unsettling environments, strange creatures, and abstract ideas that invite personal interpretation. The story centers on the legacy of an infamous seer whose teachings have largely disappeared. Her search for successors leads into the Metaphysical Aptitude Program, an unusual framework that effectively transforms the player's adventure into a sequence of tests. These evaluations deal with subjects such as perception, logic, audiovisual stimulation, subliminal influence, and supposed extrasensory abilities. This premise gives the puzzles an appropriate narrative context because overcoming obstacles can feel like participating in an inc…

incredible vibes, maybe even topping Tamashii visually and musically, which is saying a lot as Tamashii was already excellent on both counts. puzzles and precision platforming were satisfying (although i had to look up some hints for two of the key puzzles lol). the weird, esoteric puzzles for the more hidden content seem cool but as that's not really my thing, i probably won't look too deep into solving them. not sure if i really understood most of the story, anyway, which seems rooted in concepts i'm unfamiliar with. regardless, i found the game worthwhile for the main content alone. definitely one of the most successful games i've played at this type of horror, where playing it feels "wrong", like i'm indoctrinating myself, or at least exposing myself to something bad for my mind.

This kind of serves as a recommendation for all three of Vikintor's current games. I think they're all very underappreciated and I love them a lot, mostly because they fit my personal tastes very well. Tamashii is a true gem in creepy platformers and Teocida is basically more of the same. It's mostly very solid and fun puzzle and precision platforming with an incredible horror aesthetic. The visuals and sound design create an amazing atmosphere and the games don't shy away from interrupting gameplay to just creep you out in fun and creative ways. It always feels like you're uncovering something you're not supposed to, which makes solving all of the puzzles and secrets engaging and rewarding. Don't feel bad for looking up a guide though, because especially some of the deeper puzzles can be quite difficult to figure out on your own because they also incorporate some ARG elements. The writing is similarly cryptic and abstract, throwing a lot of mystical and philosophical concepts at you but it's easy enough to figure out the basics of what's going on with lots of room for deeper interpretations. It has a good length as well where it feels quick and bite-sized but has eno…

Very good game, better than the previous one because it alternates puzzle-platforming with precision platforming, which makes the levels more engaging. I'm not a big fan of all the post-game puzzles though. Too cryptic and not rewarding.