As you all know, urban legends are an integral part of all peoples. They are stories that are passed from mouth to mouth, so that they continue to be reproduced throughout the centuries. As a natural consequence, over the years these stories are magnified or relegated to the margins. In today’s western societies, all of the above is considered old-fashioned and does not bring much glamor as it is considered outdated.
Of course, the source of each story, its validity, who tells it as well as the medium in which it is reproduced, plays an important role. Awaceb, an independent development company from Montreal, succeeds with particular mastery, conveying elements of the popular beliefs of New Caledonia, an island in the Pacific, which is a special homeland for its founders, Thierry Boura and Phil Crifo. The result of the effort was Tchia. Tchia is an open world game with action-adventure elements in a third-person perspective. The game’s soundtrack, language, and aesthetics form the core of its unrivaled charm. Tchia is a girl who lives peacefully in the New Caledonia area until some soldiers land on the island and kidnap her father. Tchia’s faith is shaken and she decides to find out what is behind the kidnapping. Along the way, she will discover that she has some magical abilities and how she will use them for her own benefit. Her journey will be full of surprises, she will meet friends, enemies and the bloodthirsty Meavora. The adventure begins on a raft into unknown waters.
Awaceb’s solution is very easy to handle and quite simplified. You can interact with any object in the environment such as stones, flowers and groceries and you will soon discover that the above item is very important and adds a very interesting touch to the gameplay. You will be able to participate in many mini-games, such as rock balancing, where you will have to balance the stones against each other. As a reward, you unlock new soul tunes. There is also great interest in exploring treasures about which little information is available. Tchia is quite vast and the only means of orientation you will have is a compass, which you will find to be not that accurate. The locations are well designed and you can go anywhere on the map without any restrictions. Although Awaceb is an independent producer, it manages with the means at its disposal to create a map large enough to occupy you for many hours. The local campfires that you will find serve as checkpoints. There, you can replenish your magic skill bar, rest, and enjoy a meal. By using magic he can possess items (soul skip) in the surrounding area. This means that you can control birds and take their form to cover vast distances across the map or even use solid objects like rocks to disarm your enemies in the same way.
Along the way, you will learn how to increase or replenish energy, you must eat exotic fruits or rest at campfires. Quests usually require collecting various materials and moving from one area to another. The truth is that after the first few hours they repeat themselves, which is a bit tiring, so there is always the option to skip a mission and continue your progress normally. However, if you want to have a complete experience, the above is not the best solution since Tchia is not a demanding title and you are not going to have many difficulties or get stuck at some point. Also, for those who plan to experience the experience with their family, there is an option in the menu that removes some scenes of violence, making the cut scenes more family friendly. The few battles you will have to fight are nothing special. You can use your slingshot, possess sharp objects or a flashlight and throw them at your enemies.
From a very early age you will learn to play the ukulele where by combining certain chords you will be able to change the hours of the day. Within the lyrics of the songs you will find elements related to the plot of the story. Both the orchestration and the manner of performance are influenced by New Caledonian folk music. It is also no coincidence that the only presence of adaptive feedback in the PlayStation 5 version is when you play music, which means that the development company is investing heavily in this part.
The world of Tchia is colorful and you will often find yourself gazing at the landscapes and archipelago. Forests, mountains, plains and even clouds at sunset will remain indelibly in your mind, especially when these images are accompanied by the wonderful melodies of New Caledonia. On the technical side, there are textures in the game environment that are not well designed, especially in the reflections of the water, the green foliage of the trees, and the dark ground. In addition to the above details, the world of Tchia is a beautiful and well-designed world and you can enjoy it in 60 frames at 1080p. Tchia is a decent experience that, despite its flaws, manages to connect with the player from the start and it does so because it doesn’t promise more than it can deliver. The plot is slow-burning with no heavy beats and is therefore the best choice for the weekend. If you are nature lovers and want to “escape” from the noise of the city, then Tchia deserves your attention.