There's no arguing that Tsunami 2265 is a terrible third person shooter with mecha elements. It could be said that it has no redeeming qualities. Even as a bargain bin purchase, I feel the ten dollars I put down for it could have been better used lighting a cigar. Still, there has to be a good side to anything. Let's see what kind of spin can be put on it to make Tsunami 2265 look like a logical, entirely intended train wreck.
First things first, the game's relatively pretty. It looks decent. Sure, the cel shaded thing has been done to death by many other games that pulled it off fantastically better, but they wouldn't look so good if there weren't games like Tsunami showing off what the norm looks like. It takes a lot of humility to take that kind of hit so that other games can look better by comparison. Besides, the graphics do the job alright by conveying the anime look and feel. The same goes for the sound; if it were anything more than passably mediocre, it might draw attention away from the point the game's trying to make with the graphics.
As far as the gameplay goes, the team behind Tsunami didn't half-ass the job. No, the fact that the mecha portions of the game have only two weapons with unlimited ammunition is a prime element of Tsunami's elegant design. Many games confuse the player with complex weapons of varying stats and specializations, offering too many choices when it comes to customization and combat strategies. Ultimately, one or two of the weapons are the best, eclipsing all others. Tsunami merely decided to give them to the player right from the start. The game has a story to tell; it can't take the chance of leaving players with underpowered weaponry if it means they may not make it to the next cutscene.
Another sound decision was to not even give the player the option of inverting the mouse controls. After all, too many cooks spoil the broth; players mustn't be confused with a perplexing plethora of options. Invert mouse is an antiquated function anyway, a leftover of flight simulators. It has no place in this cutting-edge, science-fiction tale of man and machine.
All in all, Tsunami 2265 may be not much to look at, mind-numbing to play and otherwise unremarkable in a sea of much better games, but that's exactly what makes it so effective. It's meant to tell a story and let the player reflect on the ongoing plot as they mindlessly wander around plain corridors looking for keys while spamming heavy artillery. In the end, this reflection leads the player to a better understanding of themselves and the world around them. That, or it leads them to a refund, a lighter and a cigar.
First things first, the game's relatively pretty. It looks decent. Sure, the cel shaded thing has been done to death by many other games that pulled it off fantastically better, but they wouldn't look so good if there weren't games like Tsunami showing off what the norm looks like. It takes a lot of humility to take that kind of hit so that other games can look better by comparison. Besides, the graphics do the job alright by conveying the anime look and feel. The same goes for the sound; if it were anything more than passably mediocre, it might draw attention away from the point the game's trying to make with the graphics.
As far as the gameplay goes, the team behind Tsunami didn't half-ass the job. No, the fact that the mecha portions of the game have only two weapons with unlimited ammunition is a prime element of Tsunami's elegant design. Many games confuse the player with complex weapons of varying stats and specializations, offering too many choices when it comes to customization and combat strategies. Ultimately, one or two of the weapons are the best, eclipsing all others. Tsunami merely decided to give them to the player right from the start. The game has a story to tell; it can't take the chance of leaving players with underpowered weaponry if it means they may not make it to the next cutscene.
Another sound decision was to not even give the player the option of inverting the mouse controls. After all, too many cooks spoil the broth; players mustn't be confused with a perplexing plethora of options. Invert mouse is an antiquated function anyway, a leftover of flight simulators. It has no place in this cutting-edge, science-fiction tale of man and machine.
All in all, Tsunami 2265 may be not much to look at, mind-numbing to play and otherwise unremarkable in a sea of much better games, but that's exactly what makes it so effective. It's meant to tell a story and let the player reflect on the ongoing plot as they mindlessly wander around plain corridors looking for keys while spamming heavy artillery. In the end, this reflection leads the player to a better understanding of themselves and the world around them. That, or it leads them to a refund, a lighter and a cigar.