Tunic Preview: Zelda, But Souls
Four years ago during E3 2017, a tiny little fox swept us off our feet with a gorgeous reveal depicting a grand adventure in a colorful, dream-like dioramic world. Since the initial announcement, Tunic has lived in this realm of astronomically anticipated indies such as Hollow Knight: Silksong and Axiom Verge 2 that fans’ have been feverishly waiting years for the slightest inkling of a release date. Is 2021 the year the world finally meets our new little fox friend? Well as much as I hope it truly is, I don’t have that answer right now. But in my time with Tunic during LudoNarraCon 2021, I can confidently say that the anticipation seems as if it will be well worth the wait.
On the surface, Tunic clearly draws inspiration from the famed The Legend of Zelda franchise; another game with another young green-tunic’d lad with a sword and shield off on a big adventure destroying pots. Many indies in the past has followed this basic formula because, well, it works! And while this is the case for Tunic aesthetically, the actual gameplay and feel hold a whole different layer that players may not be expecting. Tunic is, in fact, a souls-like.
I understand that may raise a red flag for some, but it shouldn’t. Tunic blends the mechanics and game design of both classic Zelda and traditional FromSoftware that provides the hooks of a Souls game without being overall punishing. Before we get into the moment to moment quality that Tunic borrows from FromSoftware, let’s talk about the most intimidating aspect of the Souls influences first; the battle mechanics and enemies.
In a way, Tunic knows the player will be approaching the game as a Zelda initially, with the first wave of enemies mechanically reminiscent of the block-and-swing attack approach. The shift in approach arrived when fighting my first bigger enemy; a troll-like monster armored up and equipped with a sword and shield. While the attacks are from this particular enemy are slow, you begin to notice that blocking with the shield takes up stamina akin to Dark Souls, and facing threatening enemies head on may result in getting hit. With this, I found myself beginning to fight as if I was playing Bloodborne; dodging rolling into enemy attacks and striking from the back when an opening arose. And like Bloodborne or Dark Souls, taking the enemy down with this strategy was welcomed with familiar satisfaction. Now the key difference here is that the basic enemies, at least in my time with the opening of the game, do not the share the same brutal tendencies that Souls enemies do. Each enemy is very approachable, and I only found myself getting caught when I was rushing or sloppy. This is where the touch of Zelda influences comes into the fray with the fighting mechanics.
Where the fights ramp up to a Souls-level are with the bosses. In my demo, I encountered one boss; a floating stone creature with three orbs for eyes (a possible nod to the Triforce?). I quickly realized this was no Zelda boss. There was no way to hold up my shield while waiting for an opening. You’re not welcomed with a giant health bar, a poetic name, and a terrifying roar when entering the arena, but you do not have much time to assess the situation before you are rushed with a massive sword. Similar to Souls bosses, Stone Guy (unofficial name) very much feels as if it was designed to be faced multiple times. You learn in death. I faced Stone Guy three times, learning their pattern, how many hits I can get in, where it’s safe to dodge roll, and when I need the shield. By my third run at them, they were down to a sliver. But in classic Souls fashion, I rushed in for one final hit and was met with a death. Luckily, Tunic shares more FromSoftware elements that are welcomed upon reaching your demise.
On top of combat, Tunic borrows the more moment to moment elements from Souls as well. While adventuring around, you will come across statues which tower above you. These serve as a type of “bonfire”, or a checkpoint where you can restore health and your restart point upon death. Additionally, you will uncover shortcuts in your adventure to make traversal back to a certain point a breeze. This may change later on in the game, but the opening was generous with statues and shortcuts, signaling to me that Tunic doesn’t want to scare you away with these Souls influences.
Unlike the Dark Souls bonfires, Bloodborne lamps, or Sekiro idols, these statues (at least in my demo) do not serve as a fast travel point, a place to upgrade, or spend currency. As you defeat enemies, you are collecting coins that seem akin to souls or blood echoes. Upon death, you lose all coins collected in that run, but you have the chance to reclaim what was lost where you fell. At the time, it’s unclear what this currency does. If I had to make a guess, you’ll be able to upgrade heath and stamina.
All of these elements sound on par for any Soul-like, but Tunic finds brilliance in blending it with the Zelda-like genre not only on the surface-level combat set up, in its overall presentation. The game is presented in a dream-like diorama that harkens back to an isometric version Link’s Awakening. The game is the definition of vibrant. The world is rich with secrets teased all around you, with rewarding left turns and hidden-in-plain-sight area filled with items to help you along your path. Its familiar inhabitants are colorful with whimsical designs, and brought even more to life with smooth animations. The game feels as if it has the Zelda-level of polish we’d expect from Nintendo first party, except tied neatly into an indie package.
Tunic is an outstanding blend of two favorite game franchises of mine. For folks with similar interests, you will be pleasantly surprised upon taking control of the little fox. These Souls influences may sound awkward for a game representing itself as another Zelda, but instead it’s trying to do something inherently new while rooting itself in familiarity. Personally, it set the stage for even more surprises deeper into the adventure, and I cannot wait to uncover them all for myself.
Written by Mike Towndrow