One of my most anticipated indie games from 2023 and I finally got to finish it a couple days ago. TEVI is a really solid and satisfying metroidvania + bullet hell mix that will be sure to please any newcomers to this type of game.
But I have to admit, it's not quite ~as~ good as Rabi-Ribi. It's an ambitious game for sure, I do have to respect the amount of effort they put into making a large story full of lore and complete voice acting (with recognizeable japanese talents, even!), but the cliched nature of the many directions the story takes and mixed tones do hold it back from making it a special experience. Thankfully the characters are all fun and likeable, really carries the story for the most part.
This new direction just doesn't feel quite as earnest and niche as Rabi-Ribi was. Just feels very held back, almost as if they're to please a different crowd altogether. Feels pretty clear considering the overall gameplay feels a lot more accessible/easier on normal difficulty and even the localization style feels like it's trying to be more mainstream.
But honestly, these might just be personal nitpicks. Rabi-Ribi is a very special game for me and I was hoping this one would capture that same magic. But that doesn't mean it's a bad game! It's fantastic and i'm sure anyone going into blindly will find it more enjoyable than I have.
The level design is still pretty top notch, boss fights are as awesome as ever, OST is top tier and the character designs are a good mixture of cool and cute. I explored 100% and found 80% of every item in the game, did all sidequests and experienced most of the boss rush modes after the endgame and it all feels worthwhile. I might even return it for more playthroughs on higher difficulties.
I highly recommend it!
But I have to admit, it's not quite ~as~ good as Rabi-Ribi. It's an ambitious game for sure, I do have to respect the amount of effort they put into making a large story full of lore and complete voice acting (with recognizeable japanese talents, even!), but the cliched nature of the many directions the story takes and mixed tones do hold it back from making it a special experience. Thankfully the characters are all fun and likeable, really carries the story for the most part.
This new direction just doesn't feel quite as earnest and niche as Rabi-Ribi was. Just feels very held back, almost as if they're to please a different crowd altogether. Feels pretty clear considering the overall gameplay feels a lot more accessible/easier on normal difficulty and even the localization style feels like it's trying to be more mainstream.
But honestly, these might just be personal nitpicks. Rabi-Ribi is a very special game for me and I was hoping this one would capture that same magic. But that doesn't mean it's a bad game! It's fantastic and i'm sure anyone going into blindly will find it more enjoyable than I have.
The level design is still pretty top notch, boss fights are as awesome as ever, OST is top tier and the character designs are a good mixture of cool and cute. I explored 100% and found 80% of every item in the game, did all sidequests and experienced most of the boss rush modes after the endgame and it all feels worthwhile. I might even return it for more playthroughs on higher difficulties.
I highly recommend it!