But there's a welcome helping of humor and touching moments in the mix that kept me invested. Different songs can be learned that change the time of day, affect the weather, and summon an animal or object to you.Īdmittedly, aspects of the story caught me off guard, with some instances of cartoonish violence (that aren't overly graphic) and Maevora serving as quite an unsettling antagonist in an otherwise charming backdrop. While you can have jam sessions any time you like, it also has a practical use not unlike a certain Ocarina of Time. The ukulele Tchia can pull out of her bag at any time is a fantastic feature that factors into some of my favorite scenes in the story. But with so many animals in the world that have their own abilities, it would have been great to have more of a reason to use them directly to complete missions.Īs well as having a wealth of cosmetic items to unlock with some inclusive features such as pride flags for your boat, the adventure is a real celebration of music and culture. Racing challenges, for example, make more of the Soul-Jumping by having you race as different animals, and there's also a treasure hunt that requires you to become particular critters. In order to clear the camps, you have to burn the guards and any fabric piles down by warping into explosives or using burning wood, which does get a little repetitive. The latter areas are full of guards known as Maano, who are made out of fabric and work for the kidnapping antagonist. You can of course be as experimental as you like as you venture from one main objective to the next, but for the most part, the missions will see you gather different items or take out various guard camps.

but I would have loved to have seen the adventure do more with what is undoubtedly the best mechanic in the game. There are a few instances where you'll use Soul-Jumping as you set about completing the story. While you do have a Soul-Meter that depletes as you control a critter, this can be replenished by eating food and increased by completing Totem Shrine challenges scattered around the islands.

Whether it be sprinting across land as a deer, laying explosive eggs as a chicken to blow up walls, or climbing just about anything as a gecko, each animal has a practical skill that can be put to use to explore the world. Embodying fish or sharks gives you more speed to explore underwater, while warping into a bird or locust allows you to cover vast distances. While you can jump into small objects and use them as projectiles, this ability really shines when it comes to the animals. Soul-Jumping is the real star of the show in the world of Tchia, though.

Tchia review ign