Tchia was a game we had our eye keenly on a year ago. An open-world adventure game based on the small archipelago of New Caledonia off the coast of Australia, it’s an homage and tribute to the area as much as it is a compelling expedition in video game form. In our PC review around the release, we found it to be “colorful, fun, and sometimes less than wholesome with a hint of frivolity.” Now almost a year removed, the game is set to end its Epic Games Store exclusivity and will be released on Steam in March 2024. Will it be worth picking up for those who abstain from Epic?

As I was able to snag Tchia from Woot.com for a mere $15 and it is currently on sale for that price on the PlayStation Store, I had a good feeling that the cost of entry would be worthwhile. As my PS4 copy came with a free PS5 upgrade, I was able to experience Tchia with great textures and mostly 60 frames per second in performance mode. The gorgeous sunsets and vivacious landscapes were a breath of fresh air across my playthrough, even if the art style of the character models sometimes clashed with the island’s beauty.

In the grand scheme of Tchia, there are only so many main story quests to complete before the game is all said and done. That doesn’t undermine how fulfilling and fun the side stuff is in the game, though – I spent hours whittling away at everything the game had to offer, from stacking stones to shouting from all the highest points as I traversed this great landscape. Add on a behemoth amount of cosmetics to customize Tchia the way you want, races, diving contests, and more, and Tchia can be an open-world lover’s dream come true.

Amidst the massive depth that Tchia has to offer, the tale that is told can go by way too quickly if you’re dead-set on seeing it through to the end. I was taken aback to see that only 5 percent of players had the trophy for beating the game, considering the story is a mere four to five hours. The sense of getting lost in the shuffle might come to some who are overwhelmed by the massive world, but I found a lot to accomplish at my own pace and only wish I could have gauged the story length better to have a longer playthrough.

I really enjoyed my time with Tchia and hope it reaches a broader audience when it releases on Steam next month. While it didn’t force its education of the archipelago onto the player, it’s rewarding to learn more about it and the setting is nailed so well that it becomes a big part of the game’s charm. The open-world formula might be trite to some at this point, but this is a strong example as to why there’s still life left in the tank for a beautiful landscape to collide with an impactful tale and a laundry list of fun things to do.

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Tchia

$29.99

8

Score

8.0/10

Pros

• Stellar Look into New Caledonia
• Great Variety in Gameplay
• Awesome Soul Jumping Mechanic

Cons

• Rough Pacing
• Some Collectibles Not Worth It