A Quirky Journey of Self-Acceptance and T-Posing Adventures
In to a T you play as the 13-year old Teen who lives with their Mum and dog in a coastal town and who has the usual teenage experiences of going to school, dodging bullies and wandering the neighbourhood.
It’s a 3D narrative adventure game where you get to explore, take part in minigames and talk to the town’s inhabitants. So far, so normal but this game is no typical coming of age story.
Developed by uvula, whose creative director is Keita Takahashi, the mind behind the wonderfully offbeat Katamari Damacy, to a T displays perfectly what Takahashi is known for – creating wacky games that bring unique perspectives and experiences.
A T-Posed Protagonist
What sets it apart? Teen has a rather unconventional body: their arms are permanently stretched out to the sides in a fixed T pose. That makes daily tasks like brushing teeth, eating breakfast or getting dressed a challenge. Luckily, Teen has a toolkit of clever workarounds, like an extra-long spoon and the help of an irresistibly cute dog.
Storytelling and Character Mystery
to a T plays out through various episodes, with the story unfolding over eight chapters that feel a lot like a TV series with each episode coming with its own title and a catchy theme tune. There are only two theme tunes that repeat throughout the episodes, which can get a bit dull after a while. However, the changing visuals help to keep things fresh as the story progresses.
At the heart of the narrative is the mystery of why Teen, the main character, has such an unusual T-shaped body. As strange events begin to unfold in the town, like a mysterious glowing object appearing in the sky, the pieces gradually come together to reveal the answer. We won’t spoil what happens, suffice to say it was even stranger than we were expecting.
From Mundane to Magical
Each chapter covers a single day. Some days take place at school, while others fall on weekends. Every morning begins in the same way: your helpful dog assists you in getting dressed, and you can choose your outfit from a large selection of clothes. Then it’s on to breakfast and brushing your teeth. These tasks are completed using the controller, with actions like pouring cereal and milk, turning on a specially adapted tap to wash your face, and using an extra-long toothbrush to clean your teeth. Fortunately, you don’t have to repeat every step each day (unless you want to), since it can become repetitive over time.
It quickly becomes clear that Teen’s shape is not just a physical limitation but a psychological challenge as well. We did wonder why Teen’s Mum hadn’t explored surgery options. But that question is part of the game’s central message: we’re all the perfect shape just as we are, and acceptance is key. Despite the difficulties, Teen remains upbeat, especially when their former bullies begin to embrace their differences and become friends. The game stays fun and light-hearted throughout and is the ideal escape from the not-so-perfect real world.
During school days, you’ll go to lessons and play minigames. These include following your P.E. teacher’s moves by pressing buttons and the D-pad in sequence (think PaRappa the Rapper), doing mental arithmetic in maths, and causing colourful explosions in science class. Between these activities, the story continues through short interactive scenes with other characters. Dialogue is shown on-screen in text, accompanied by Simlish-style gibberish voices.
Exploring the Coastal Town
On weekends, you’re given quests around the town to move the story forward and unlock new locations. You can walk, run, hop onto your trusty talking unicycle or catch a train. These options are joined by an extra fun travel mechanic later in the game that takes advantage of Teen’s unusual shape, letting you reach areas that were previously inaccessible.
A map of the town helps guide you, with locations that you need to visit marked on it. However, navigation can be a bit frustrating – in most episodes you can’t look around freely, which makes it hard to figure out which way to go.
Throughout the town, you’ll find coins scattered around. These can be spent on clothes or used to enter minigames run by four food stall owning giraffes. The goal is to top the leaderboard and win prizes. These games can be surprisingly challenging but one standout is the giant corn-eating contest, where you rapidly chomp through a rotating cob to clear all the kernels.
Customisation in to a T goes beyond picking outfits. At the beginning of the game, you choose whether Teen is a boy or a girl and customise their appearance, including skin tone and hairstyle. If you change your mind later, no problem – a visit to the beachside crab hairdresser lets you switch up your style, and a helpful octopus will even recolour your hair.
Unique Visual Style
The visual style is just as unique as the gameplay. The animation uses a dotted halftone texture, giving the game a fun printed look, almost like an old comic book. This enhances the dreamlike atmosphere that runs throughout.
Although you mostly play as Teen, two special episodes shift perspective. In one, you play as Teen’s mum when she was a teenage punk. In another, you take control of your dog as he lives out his ‘Sherlock Bones’ fantasy. This episode sees him investigating the town’s strange happenings and chatting with animal residents, including a DJ pigeon, a ninja snail and a ladybird journalist. If the rest of the game feels like a dream, this section is a full-on fever dream.
A Wonderfully Weird Adventure of Acceptance and Escapism
We were a little let down by the final episode, which was more heavily focused on narrative than previous chapters and offered limited opportunities for independent play. By the time the story wrapped up, it felt like we hadn’t had enough chances to fully explore the town. That said, once all the episodes are complete, you do have the option to continue in free mode and wander the world at your own pace. However, with the main storyline resolved, the free play felt a bit aimless – we only stuck around briefly before saying goodbye to the world of to a T for good.
to a T is a wonderfully weird adventure whose unique visual style, inventive mechanics and wacky characters set it apart from anything else out there. It’s a game that embraces difference, both in its story and its design. If you want true escapism, then a trip with Teen and their fluffy canine companion around its charming seaside town is highly recommended.
Your Links
This Game is Shaped Differently – to a T Should be Your Next Game Pass Obsession – https://www.thexboxhub.com/this-game-is-shaped-differently-to-a-t-should-be-your-next-game-pass-obsession/
Buy to a T on Xbox – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/to-a-t/9nm6nmbj7zk4
