I enjoy a good puzzle game from time to time. There are plenty of games out there that use light and darkness to quality effect, such as the game Contrast. Tandem: A Tale of Shadows uses light and darkness effectively, but I find myself left a little dissatisfied by the experience overall.

In Tandem: A Tale of Shadows, you play a young girl named Emma, and a magical teddy bear named Fenton. Both Emma and Fenton find themselves in a magical mansion, where they are attempting to solve the mystery of the disappearance of Thomas Kane. However, this mansion is not all that it seems to be and contains five worlds inspired by the works of Jules Verne, Tim Burton, and Arthur Conan Doyle.

The goal of the level is to guide Fenton to the mirror shard in each level. Fenton plays on a horizontal side-scrolling platformer plane in which he must walk along shadows. However, if Fenton is obscured by shadows he can’t move at all. This is where Emma comes in. Emma must use her lantern or other light sources in a top-down 3D plane to line up pathways, shadows, and light spots for Fenton to traverse.

Additionally, each world has its own “gimmick” of sorts, which changes the puzzles somewhat. The puzzles are simple enough to figure out, though there are some that require precision platforming to pull off. There are a few harder puzzles sprinkled in, but I can’t say that I’m particularly wowed by any of them.

Each world has its own share of enemies, obstacles, and traps to avoid, along with secrets that unravel the mystery of Thomas Kane’s disappearance. However, I find that the story itself feels under-developed, so the player doesn’t have much reason to really care about the mystery at hand. In fact, the overall experience is solid, but I’m left feeling unsatisfied.

I’m not even sure how to explain it really, other than that it feels half-baked like the developers should have built up the story and world more. There is dialogue and narration, but it feels more like something you’re watching rather than something you are actively participating in. As a puzzle game, I would say it is average.

The controls are smooth, though the emphasis on platforming can be off-putting for people who want a more traditional puzzle experience. Sometimes the puzzles are less about figuring it out and more about physically being able to pull it off. The visuals are moody and each level is visually unique. Some of the mechanics are cleverly crafted but poorly telegraphed in terms of how to make use of them.

Overall I find that my experience with Tandem: A Tale of Shadows is somewhat lukewarm. For all that it does right, I can think of several games that have done better. I think if you’re interested in it, by all means, give it a try. If you’re just looking for something new to tickle your brain, you might want to go elsewhere.

A Nintendo Switch review copy of Tandem: A Tale of Shadows was provided by Hatinh Interactive for this review.

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Tandem: A Tale of Shadows

$24.99

7

Score

7.0/10

Pros

• Interesting Mechanics
• New Puzzle Elements in Each World
• Simple Controls

Cons

• Storyline is a Bit Bare and Boring
• Puzzles are Simplistic
• More of a Platforming Challenge Than a Puzzle One
• Can be Hard on the Hands