There’s no denying it, Tinkertown is cute.
The ever popular retro style pixel art looks like something lifted straight out of the SNES era. Given that Tinkertown is an action adventure RPG set in a sandbox world, it’s potentially a match made in heaven (as proven by many games which have come before it). So, what delights and dangers does Tinkertown have in store?
Well, Tinkertown has actually been around for a few years. In fact, it was first released on Steam Early Access nearly four years ago. The game has had numerous updates with the latest version marking its debut on Xbox.
Before diving in you’ll have the opportunity to create your character and name the world for them to explore. There are a decent range of templates available with which to personalise your hero. Otherwise, despite only being given the option to give your world a catchy title, the procedurally generated element will ensure no two are quite the same.
Your first job is to build your own little kingdom, before braving the great outdoors. Staple resources such as wood and stone can be used to erect walls, doors and numerous decorative items. Adding in workbenches and other crafting stations will turn the key materials you forage into weapons, armour and much more.
You’re guided through these first steps, and it’s a good job because the UI isn’t the most intuitive. It all works well enough once you know the ropes, but it’s clear this is a game which began life on the PC.
Once you’ve had a crash course in home building, you’ll be on your merry way. The main quest chain will see you delving deep into dungeons to take on boss characters and nab their coveted loot, and despite their issues these segments are the most enjoyable parts of the game.
It’s here where combat takes a central role, you’re equipped only with a regular and charged attack. You can craft melee weapons such as swords and daggers, as well as ranged weapons like staffs and bows. The scrapping takes place in real time, and it is very easy to aggro enemies and get overwhelmed, so caution is advised. You’re likely to get punished swiftly if you attempt to steamroll in on the offensive.
Sadly, it’s exactly in these situations where I found the control scheme lacking somewhat. I had no way to deal with several incoming threats at once; some could attack at range and others would teleport right next to me to attack. The combat is so limited that it feels turn based, in the sense you can only realistically deal with one enemy at a time, despite the fact it isn’t. Often fleeing was my only option, and ensuring I had potions assigned to my D-Pad shortcuts. With no block option and a very limited dash ability (which then needs to cool off), even legging it isn’t easy.Â
The dungeons are challenging but give a real sense of progression, not only in story terms but because of the items you can find which then unlock new crafting recipes. This is very much a branching process, meaning you’ll be tripping over the new cooking, crafting and building options available to you before long.
Discovering new materials will unlock even more possibilities thanks to different utilities you will be able to build. There is an awful lot to discover in Tinkertown, as you craft new gear, decorate your home space, stock up on supplies for your quests and much more. Advancing yourself is essential to success as you encounter stronger enemies.
No cutesy sandbox RPG would be complete without fishing, would it? Well, Tinkertown has you covered. Once you equip your fishing rod and apply some bait, you can cast your line and get stuck into a mini game when you catch a bite. It’s simple stuff, effectively a button press once the lured fish swims towards the edge of the catch circle. Repeat this three times and you’ll land yourself a tasty dinner.
There is a fair amount of backtracking in Tinkertown, and this means you’ll certainly get your steps in. As your inventory will fill up pretty quickly too, this will get a little frustrating before long. You can pack some potions which will immediately take you home, or build fast travel stations. The problem with the latter is that they aren’t cheap, and getting access to the resources needed will take you a good while.
Aside from everything else, there is something undeniably relaxing about wandering the biomes of Tinkertown as you gradually reveal more of the world map. The chirpy and occasionally atmospheric soundtrack accompanies you through woodland forest, desert plains, icy wastelands and scorched earth. Yet despite the numerous resources that you’ll need to gather, the environments themselves aren’t terribly diverse. For all of your exploration, you’ll seldom come across off-script surprises or intriguing distractions. There are a few, however it’s mostly very formulaic.Â
There are side quests to tackle, but they will all task you with building a home from home for each character at some point, before you proceed through the usual chain of collect this and kill so many of that. Before too long, you’ll likely push these deviations to one side and gravitate back to the main story.
Now, I’m no games master but I was surprised with how the difficulty ramped up between dungeons. Take the second, for example. Not only were the enemies more numerous, agile and powerful, but the area itself was full of hazards. There were plenty of occasions where I was progressing quite smoothly, only to get locked in a room and ambushed by a mob of enemies which killed me instantly.
In the event of death, you are chucked back to the entrance of the dungeon, and happily get to keep your items. However, it still feels cheap and pretty unfair. This was despite realising many attempts earlier that I needed better gear, and began the grind to harvest resources and craft what I needed. Despite this, it didn’t make clearing the dungeon easy in any measurable way. Easier? Well, I guess a little.
Tinkertown’s sandbox element allows you to create your own story behind the action, and this includes bringing some companions along for the adventure. You can have up to three others join you by inviting them over to your world, or by sharing friend codes and joining theirs. You know what they say, a problem shared is a problem halved after all.
Tinkertown is a game with heart, and is a nice place to be. However, there are improvements that need to be made before it can reach its true potential and keep you coming back for more.
Tinkertown Arrives on Xbox: Craft, Build, and Explore in a Cozy Sandbox Adventure – https://www.thexboxhub.com/tinkertown-arrives-on-xbox-craft-build-and-explore-in-a-cozy-sandbox-adventure/
Buy Tinkertown now – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/tinkertown/9P9T08TGQSKX
