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We’ve been following the story of TetherGeist, a new pixel art precision platformer from developer O. and Co. Games, and it releases today on Switch and Steam. For this review, we’re putting ThetherGeist on the Switch through its paces and checking out its interesting mechanics. The game is a traditional precision platformer, where death is all around, and one slight mistake requires going back to the last checkpoint. What makes TetherGeist stand out is the unique tether mechanic that allows the game’s hero, Mae, to project herself through objects and in different directions.
TetherGeist is set in a world where everyone has a separate spirit that can fly around and travel anywhere. When they come of age, the youngsters go through a ceremony called the Binding. This helps them fully embrace their spirit side, but Mae cannot use her spirit like the rest of her friends. Her spirit is tethered to her, and where it goes, her corporeal body must follow. This leads to Mae being denied taking part in the Binding. Not to be dissuaded, Mae decides to take the harder route of taking her body on the Binding journey, and so begins the adventure.
The opening levels of TetherGeist act as a well-thought-out tutorial that gets you used to controlling both aspects of Mae. She has the usual jump, wall slide, and wall jumps, but can, once powered up with spirit orbs, project herself through obstacles. It all sounds very simple, but the catch is momentum. If you dive into a teleport at the wrong angle or without enough speed, you won’t be able to fling yourself over to the other side and fall to your peril.
The main reason it becomes difficult is that you cannot just spam the teleport button, as you must time each jump to pick up more orbs that allow you to perform another teleport. It’s harder to explain than to show, so we suggest that any readers watch the trailer above, and it will hopefully make more sense! The bottom line is that Mae has a puzzle on her hands with each jump, and there is a lot of trial and error that will occur to get through each section. Luckily, there are plenty of checkpoints, so you usually only have to string a handful of maneuvers together.
It all adds up to TetherGeist having all the frustrating hallmarks of a tight, precision platformer with a genuinely unique play mechanic. After completing a few levels, you’ll be greeted with a cutscene that moves the endearing story along, and soon be off to another part of the adventure with a different themed level. Most of the levels slowly introduce new obstacles or ways for Mae to traverse the platforms. We started to enjoy the game a lot more once the variety of puzzles started to open up. Without spoiling it too much, things start to get really tough but fun, once bouncy mushrooms make an appearance.
The presentation in TetherGeist is one of its best features. Before mentioning the beautiful pixel art throughout, the cutscenes have the feel of a high-definition comic book, and it’s easy to see that the developers have thought a lot about how Mae’s world is presented to us. Add in the relaxing, toe-tapping soundtrack, filled with easy beats and slow rhythms, and this is a high-quality game. The story also deals with inclusion, disability, and self-confidence, and actually got us thinking about the world, which you wouldn’t expect from a budget indie game. The story definitely pulls a little on the heartstrings; you’ve been warned.
Overall, TetherGeist is a fun, challenging, and beautiful game with a decent story, excellent presentation, and unique gameplay. It starts to get really tough quite quickly, and this is by no means a game for casual platform fans. Some of the puzzles are downright devious in the best way, and there is plenty of longevity as every level has secrets to find, some of which will leave you scratching your head for a while due to the high level of reflexes needed to grab them. A brilliant example of mixing great video game art, storytelling, and compelling action. Platform fans should not sleep on TetherGeist, especially if you’re looking for something a little different.
