Thymesiais a phantom . It ’s a word which does n’t just name its raven - like plague - masked friend Corvus , but its beholden nature to the many Soulsborne game which have get along before it . It functions , move , sound , and read like those titles in infinite ways , but absent of their esthetic detail , careful environmental storytelling , or meaningful depth . What ’s leave is a scanty outline , a third - person action RPG with a minimum skill Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , a slew of wiped out mechanic , a paltry roster of enemies , and some atrocious boss fight .

A brisk tutorial division introducesThymesia ’s basics , which meld theparry - reliant gameplay ofSekiro , the Victorian infestation imagery ofBloodborne , and that weighty deliberate Souls combat we ’ve all come to read and enjoy over the past decade . That Corvus seem similar toEileen the Crowseems no accident , just like how the somber thematic tones of the hand echo the Soulsborne games , thoughThymesia ’s lack of new weapons and equippable items removes the opportunity for tucked - away stock traditional knowledge . Even the game ’s sound effect are predictablySouls - esque .

Related : Loot River Review : This military action - Roguelite Feels bare

Arthur Morgan, V, and Link over a blurred Elden Ring Background

deplorably , all of this is primarily trivial , not to mention full of gameplay jank and crooked sharpness . The parry organization is n’t one fashion to play the game – FromSoftware ’s many excellent Soulsborne gamesdelight in offering alternating approaches to fight , character build , armaments , etc . – it ’s a chief tool and a requisite to achiever . Thymesia ’s often loose hitboxes make constant dodge - rolling a risky gambit during combat and most of its honcho are insufferable to get without near - perfect parrying , so make certain to drill in its prefatory areas .

There are no raw weapons to prevail in the game , but there are special limited - use weapons that can be unlocked over time . Obtaining and upgrading these items requires killing enemies over and over , similar in certain respects to the games included in theCastlevania Advance Collection’sTactical Soul system ( no congress ) . However , since only up to two of these weapon can be taken into combat , it ’s easy enough to simply find a practicable pair and keep it through the rest of the biz . Still , it ’s one ofThymesia ’s more interesting mechanics and does at least provide some scrap variety .

Leveling up seems well broken , in that the few offer categories barely increase player stats , even as experience breaker point necessary grow exponentially . Level - ups also grant points for a talent tree -Thymesia ’s other alone offering - which contains special acquirement and upgrades that can be red-hot switch and re - spec’d at the game ’s “ bonfire ” equivalent at any time . This feel fairly redolent ofEldest Souls ’ occupy mix - and - match mechanics , only without the potential synergies and deepness . The skill tree diagram is just too unretentive and unimaginative , though it provide something to tinker with in between boss fight restarts .

D&D Spellfire Art

These systems feed a frequent observation throughout our experience withThymesia : the constant impression of unfinished work and contract depicted object . unseeable walls burst , entire spirit level areas seem cut off or totally fresh , and thin-skinned engagement which divert from the main track rarely end in a worthy reward . There are only three disconnected levels before teleport back to the hub surface area and the final hirer . While it ’s true that thorough play requires counter to these levels for substitute “ sub quests ” with alternate enemy placement , a few truly awful puzzler bosses , or previously unobtainable areas , but it ’s still just three overused level .

The third one of these takes post in a leaden castle filled with politic assets and texture and no meaningful gameplay , traps , or anything of the corresponding . A subsequently overgrown garden area past the castle begins to look more inspired , but it ’s merely a forgetful prelude to a boss , an impressively gravid but ridiculously weak viewpoint - in forDark Souls ' Knight Artorias . For a subgenre of play which loves its castling - crashing escapades , Thymesia ’s empty and uninteresting castle area represents one of the bad of its sort .

technical school issues do n’t do the game any favor either , with some expanse full of stutter and figure charge per unit dips with enemy perpetually snip through walls on death . When those frame rates complicate parrying a gaffer , however , mild annoyance quickly becomes frustration . Most levels look unattractive with repetitive texture , even when play at highest in writing preferences , thoughThymesia ’s hub surface area is remarkably beautiful and elaborated ; it ’s clearly where the money and ontogenesis time went , but it unhappily does n’t sport any additional NPCs , plot of land developments , or activities to plight .

Miyamoto with the Switch 2 and a sad-looking Mario tipping his cap.

Maybe there ’s something more toThymesia . For instance , after its collection of terrible party boss fights , the final Bos is its most exciting and detailed conflict , one that actually requires combat subordination to complete . The game ’s textbook and hand are as one might expect : ape profoundness with vagueness at every step , though perhaps it could have had add together gravity if any of it was representative acted . sure sections ofThymesiacontain the flicker of something greater , the hint at the unrealized potential which was sorely missed with this acquittance .

Thymesiareleases on August 18 for Steam / PC , PlayStation 5 , and Xbox Series X / S. A digital PC computer code was furnish toScreen Rantfor the purpose of this review .

From OverBorder Studios comes a Soulslike - entry , Thymesia . Players step into the shoes of Corvus in a black fantasy world featuring a alone take on psyche - like combat . kill strong opposition to unlock powerful weapons fuck as plague weapons or use Corvus ’ special ability to morph into a brag to take on Thymesia ’s challenges .

Thymesia-Review-Combat-1

From OverBorder Studios comes a Soulslike-entry, Thymesia. Players step into the shoes of Corvus in a dark fantasy world featuring a unique take on Souls-like combat. Defeat strong foes to unlock powerful weapons known as plague weapons or use Corvus’ special ability to morph into a crow to tackle Thymesia’s challenges.

Thymesia Review Boss Fight

Thymesia Review Hub Area

Thymesia Review Finisher

mixcollage-12-dec-2024-05-34-pm-4586.jpg

From OverBorder Studios comes a Soulslike-entry, Thymesia. Players step into the shoes of Corvus in a dark fantasy world featuring a unique take on Souls-like combat. Defeat strong foes to unlock powerful weapons known as plague weapons or use Corvus’ special ability to morph into a crow to tackle Thymesia’s challenges.