Crunchyroll: Tengami review – “Lovely to look at, but let’s leave it at that”

by

  • Absolutely stunning aesthetics
  • Gameplay leaves a lot to be desired
  • Story can be a hit or a miss

Experience the tale of reviving a wilting Sakura tree as you explore an intricate Japanese pop-up book, and this, in essence, is what Tengami offers.

In terms of its unique features, the atmospheric puzzle game excels due to its intriguing paper-folding mechanism. However, one may question whether this element significantly enhances the total experience, or if it merely serves as a novelty that falls short in delivering on its potential impact.

There’s no denying the irresistible appeal of Japanese-themed aesthetics, in my opinion – I’ve always loved the image of pink cherry blossom petals blowing in the wind, complemented perfectly by a striking red torii gate in the middle of a forest. The painterly art style in Tengami coats the whole thing in an evocative, almost ethereal glow, which is exactly why I was excited to dive into this at first glance.
The visuals are the star of the show here, as even the gameplay leaves a lot to be desired. I initially thought the paper-folding mechanic was such an ingenious idea, and it was for a while – you’ll get to swipe through different creases and folds to connect staircases, or flip the pages of the pop-up book you’re in to uncover hidden objects you otherwise wouldn’t see.
While that’s an inspired concept in itself, it’s the execution that falls by the wayside here. Objects you need to tap will emit a glowing effect to show that they can be interacted with, but they’re not exactly the most intuitive (thank goodness there’s a hint system).
I did find the folds from the pop-up book incredibly interesting – apparently, everything you see here can be recreated IRL, so the accuracy and the faithfulness to the art of paper folding are off the charts. Some clues are hidden within the folds themselves, which adds another dimension of problem-solving to an otherwise run-of-the-mill narrative puzzler.
I suppose if it’s a symbolism for – much like the sakura petals that bloom and fall – the impermanence of life, I can accept the fact that that’s all there is to it. That we need to move through this world caring for the trees around us, that we go back and forth solving problems that may seem tedious at first glance but actually build our character in the long run. That clues aren’t always as obvious, and that sometimes, the things we’re looking for are right in front of our eyes and we just need to look at them from a different angle – all we have to do is turn the next pop-up page.

Or, it could all simply be that life is a pointless struggle that has no meaning in the end.

Given my unwillingness to accept the second option, I find myself compelled to lean toward the deep first one. In this light, understanding Tengami becomes completely logical.

Read More

2025-01-24 20:18