Tacoma Reviews
Tacoma is a playable science fiction film with exciting ideas, but it is flat in terms of gameplay and emotion.
Review in German | Read full review
Tacoma tells a compelling story with a disappointing conclusion.
Tacoma is a rightful heir to Gone Home. Exploration of the station, with the possibility to learn about the crew through holographic projections, makes us feel we are in a very lively place and the main story, that wants us to think about capitalism and I.A.'s future is captivating, even thought the experience is quite short.
Review in French | Read full review
Tacoma's augmented reality cast allow it to tell its engaging story in a unique way. It's a slow burn of a game that deftly interrogates interpersonal relationships in an engaging sci-fi setting.
Fullbright has crafted an impressive yet ultimately unfulfilling narrative adventure in Tacoma. Its characters and setting are some of the best in the medium in terms of dialogue and atmosphere, but the overarching plot is far too weak to hold them altogether. That being said, exploring the lonely space station is a journey I don't regret taking.
While some may find Tacoma's length and lack of gameplay depth off-putting, it still manages to feel full in itself. A grounded, futuristic setting serves as Fullbright's most creative stage yet for thorough environmental storytelling that shines with an ordinary yet endearingly authentic cast of characters.
My sole criticism is its length. Given how tied up I was in the suspense, Tacoma's short play time seemed almost merciful, but I would have liked to have spent more time with each of the characters (even the AI, Odin), or get a more thorough exploration of the game's intriguing conclusion. That being said, Tacoma is remarkable and I look forward to the impact it will have on narrative devices in videogames.
An abandoned space station, impetuous corporate interests, a curious A.I. — Tacoma's facade floats between charming futurism and abrasive, old-fashioned avarice. This may seem like inhospitable space to explore the depths of benevolence, but the power of identity and humanity are alive and well supported inside of Tacoma's twirling science fiction architecture.
Another smart entry into the interactive narrative adventure/walking sim genre, Tacoma is a sci-fi story that's engaging from beginning to end. To state the obvious, if you dig this kind of game, then you're going to love Tacoma too.
Fullbright captured lightning in a bottle with Gone Home, and I began Tacoma wondering whether they could hold onto it, as rare as that is. Thankfully, they did. The core mechanics are simple, yet they make sense within the game's world. Most importantly, they do not over-complicate matters. It allowed us to take in another magnificent Fullbright narrative.
Though short, Tacoma is a great narrative adventure, especially for fans of sci-fi.
Tacoma is a niche game for fans of calm, more grounded sci-fi stories. If you are not one of them, don't count on any thrills whatsoever.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Tacoma makes you feel like a digital detective, as you trace the threads of a broad social web of relationships and motivations.
Rather than big and bombastic, Tacoma is small and personal, inviting you to be involved. It's a strong testament to the power of visual narration and characterization possible in today's video games despite some nit-picks here and there.
The story, the characters and the dialogue of Tacoma demostrate the evolution of Fullbright. The interaction system and the complete control over the story is interesting, while the mid-sections are dull and boring.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A diverse narrative-driven space adventure for people wanting actual emotions and relationships in their games; that is Tacoma.
Tacoma developer Fullbright should be commended on creating a very original game and given they were responsible for Gone Home, it's great to see them using this premise and adding another layer of complexity with some very clever story telling.
Tacoma shines where it counts, and that is with the story it tells and the feeling that each character within it feels real.
The PS4 version of Tacoma doesn't add anything new to the PC and Xbox One ones, and thus is still a compelling and emotional journey to the space that we strongly recommend you take.
Review in Italian | Read full review
In Tacoma, the creators of Gone Home tell intimate stories at a galactic scale
