Developed/Published by The Fullbright Company
Released for Xbox One (8/2/2017)
Also on Linux/Mac/PC/PS4
Tacoma is a sci-fi walking simulator that was initially released in August 2017 for PC, Mac, Linux and Xbox One platforms and in May 2018 received a port to the PlayStation 4. Developed and published by the Fullbright Company, the same studio that brought us Gone Home, Tacoma is similar to that title in gameplay but provides an entirely different environment to explore. We've looked at quite a few of these walking sims on the site, so let's see how Tacoma fares in this popular genre...
Tacoma has you exploring the high-tech space station named Tacoma in the somewhat distant future of 2088. You take control of a subcontractor named Amy Ferrier who has been sent to this space station to find out what happened to the crew members and retrieve the computer AI. As you explore the abandoned station, you'll learn about the crew that was on board via 3D recordings and hacking their devices to read their personal messages.
The story is revealed primarily through text, but the voice acting that's here is all very well delivered. The 3D recordings are presented via AR reconstruction, allowing you to rewind, pause and fast-forward (similar to the Batman Arkham games). The gameplay feels a bit like Gone Home in space, with the story being revealed to the player in a similar fashion, though it's hard to deny that Tacoma contains a much more interesting setting to explore. The overall narrative of the game feels much less personal than Gone Home, but like that title it explores the human reaction to adversity in several ways, particularly when faced with death..
The space station feels appropriately futuristic, containing lots of little details that make it feel as if it was inhabited and a healthy amount of objects within the environment you can interact with. Tacoma is a nice-looking game and the options allow you to switch over to 4K visuals at the expense of a lower framerate. Without the 4K enabled the game runs quite smooth, with only small stutters here and there which I assume is when the game loads new areas up. If you're into walking simulators I'd easily say this one's worth a look, especially if you dig the sci-fi setting. While the story might not be as impactful as Gone Home, Tacoma features an interesting environment to explore and finding out about the death of the space station's crew is a trip worth taking. Tacoma is a bit on the short side and will only last anywhere from 2-5 hours, so I'd recommend picking it up on sale or checking it out via Game Pass if it's still on there (it was as of April 2020).
Final Verdict: Tacoma is a sci-fi walking sim that has you exploring a space station in the future, attempting to find out how the crew died and retrieve the ship's computer AI. While a bit on the short side, this one's worth a play if you like these walking sims.
Purchase Links:
Buy Tacoma - Microsoft Store
Related Links:
Walking Simulators - Xbox Overview
Gone Home - Xbox Overview
Fullbright - Official Site
Tacoma - Metacritic
Tacoma - GameFAQs
Tacoma - True Achievements
Tacoma Achievement Guide - Xbox Achievements
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