#Evaluate: TEVI
Table of Contents
Evaluate: TEVI
From this angle, analyzing CreSpirit and GemaYue’s newest collaboration TEVI appears contradictory however not unwelcome. It advertises itself as a Metroidvania/bullet hell mash-up, and it’s an idea I like, regardless of my mindset on each genres. The lovable anime artwork type and developer’s current pedigree with Rabi-Ribi solely served because the icing on the cake. TEVI is even bought as Rabi-Ribi‘s successor as a consequence of having the identical style mash-up and GemaYue’s return.
Whereas I by no means performed Rabi-Ribi, my time with TEVI might need bought me on it. Though TEVI suffers from a reasonably uninteresting plot early on, the improbable gameplay and development system make it a pleasure to blast by.
TEVI (PC [reviewed], Change)
Developer: CreSpirit, GemaYue, and Ein Lee
Writer: CreSpirit and Neverland Leisure
Launched: November 29, 2023
MSRP: $29.99 (PC), $34.99 (Change)
Some journeys begin with a stumble
TEVI‘s hook is fairly easy. Gamers management the titular lead, a lady on the hunt for Astral Gears. These objects are stuffed with a strong power known as mana, and Tevi collects them to assist her rabbit-obsessed father’s analysis.
Becoming a member of her are Celia and Sable, an angel and demon who’re each created from magitech. They principally observe her journey inside her orbiters, tiny floating orbs that shoot off numerous ranged assaults. Of TEVI‘s narrative selections, it’s neat seeing one thing like magitech recontextualized as a complete race of individuals with distinct subraces.
Sadly, it takes a bit for the story to get rolling. Whereas the opening sequence set 30 years prior helps arrange TEVI‘s vital plot factors, it takes a while for something attention-grabbing to occur. For the primary few hours, the plot devolves into in search of Astral Gears with out a lot path and comes off as unfocused.
The conversations round Celia’s chest measurement and the aforementioned obsession Tevi’s father has with rabbits don’t assist, both. The latter comes off particularly bizarre, given how he initiatives it a bit onto his daughter, whose hat has mechanical rabbit ears to mix in with beastkin, who look human with animal ears and generally tails.
These solely occur just a few instances across the beginning hours and for transient moments, however that is what TEVI leads with. So whereas I used to be having fun with the gameplay loop, it did really feel like I used to be watching an unfunny anime throughout cutscenes.
Any points I’ve with the narrative disappear shortly because the tone focuses on the Astral Gears’ objective, and stopping the unfold of a corrupting entity often known as the Decay. TEVI by no means transcends right into a storytelling masterpiece, however the core characters get stable arcs, and the closing hours are compelling with a surprisingly bittersweet conclusion.
Whereas having a sluggish tempo initially of a narrative is ok, TEVI doesn’t put its greatest foot ahead. At the least my largest points with the story don’t happen typically, and actually simply didn’t go away the perfect first impression.
Hopping by artwork
Even when my story complaints prolonged all through TEVI, the artwork path would have compelled me to maintain enjoying. All through the whole lot of its runtime, TEVI is an ocular feast.
It’s arduous to find out my favourite space within the sport as a result of every has one thing particular about it. From Morose’s unusually cozy industrial setting, to the lovable mushroom cottage-core vibes of Merry Village, even the start areas are distinct and wonderful.
TEVI is usually a soothing sport to casually roam round in. A few of my favourite moments got here from simply soaking within the various atmospheres. Even the wet and considerably melancholic Gloomwood and town of Ana Therma are nice to probe for collectibles.
This isn’t to say that TEVI solely has the comfortable vibes going for it. Some areas, like The Plagued Forest, present how devastating Decay is by turning a standard forest right into a poisonous wasteland. The creatures and equipment nonetheless alive are corruptions of their former selves, spewing much more Decay. It’s so prevalent within the air that, earlier than getting into the forest, Tevi wants a fuel masks to guard her from the toxins.
The Plagued Forest additionally occurs to be the place TEVI‘s plot picks up, because it demonstrates how Decay took over swathes of its world. One equally desolate mid to late-game space is especially haunting as a consequence of its reference to Tevi’s backstory, exhibiting glimmers of what was there earlier than.
TEVI‘s character artwork can also be stable, if vague from different video games with an anime-adjacent artwork type. Regardless that a number of the revealing outfits look genuinely uncomfortable to put on, each main and minor characters have cool designs. A standout for me is Tevi’s design, which demonstrates her capabilities as a mechanic whereas showing simple to maneuver round in. It’s uncommon for me to love the protagonist’s design probably the most in a sport, however Tevi herself is cool sufficient that I’d need to cosplay her.
As fantastic as TEVI‘s artwork path is, its gameplay is its biggest energy. I’d contemplate it ok that it’s grow to be arguably my favourite Metroidvania this 12 months, and one which’s excellent for taking part in on a handheld.
Heavenly bullet hell in my Metroidvania?!
TEVI‘s better part is by far its gameplay loop as a result of it’s a pleasure to play. It takes the perfect of its inspirations and goes wild with them.
Beginning with the way it handles its Metroidvania parts, exploration is improbable. Not only for how fairly its world appears, however as a result of exploration is nearly at all times rewarding. There’s loads to see for positive, but it surely generally looks like there’s a potion with a everlasting increase or cash blocks round each nook.
Everlasting motion skills additionally come alongside at a good tempo. There are mainstays just like the double bounce and slide, however others stand out in enjoyable methods. The jetpack, for one, lets Tevi achieve extra air whereas letting her float for just a few seconds. As soon as I bought used to the way it labored, the jetpack was improbable for touchdown jumps I’d have in any other case missed. It’s additionally improbable in boss bottles, for avoiding the tail finish of significantly lengthy assaults.
And TEVI‘s boss fights have some wild assaults. That is the place the bullet-hell inspiration comes into play. Boss battles are the sport’s largest highlights, and produce out its greatest qualities.
Though fight isn’t deep, it gives some enjoyable choices. Airdashes and slides work as assaults and are nice for fast motion, and Tevi’s fundamental four-hit combo is at all times dependable for stable harm. Celia and Sable even have three completely different cost pictures which have their makes use of, each out and in of fight. These and extra can obtain flat upgrades, or be boosted with sigils Tevi can equip.
If boss assault patterns remained easy and comparatively grounded, TEVI‘s fight could be serviceable. Fortunately this isn’t the case, as even boss encounters within the opening hours are a blast to combat.
An early instance of that is Tevi’s buddy and self-appointed rival, Vena. As one other engineer, she assaults utilizing her numerous bombs and stat-buffing robots to provide her a leg up. It’s an excellent introduction to how the handfuls of boss encounters alternate between large lasers, lock-on assaults, and clusters to take out the participant. These three are probably the most rudimentary descriptions of boss strikes, however every makes use of these fundamental ideas to create dozens of dazzling assaults that take all types of various shapes and speeds.
One other factor I admire in regards to the boss development is that every new encounter incrementally provides to the bullet sample complexity. Even with an excellent little bit of upgrades collected, every combat felt prefer it was at all times getting a bit more durable. The ultimate encounter had me sweating due to how a lot there was to maintain monitor of. Late-game fights are not any joke in TEVI, with loads of screen-filling assaults and slim margins to keep away from them, and I like it.
It’s a small level to harp on, but it surely’s an space TEVI excels as a result of, from a gameplay and narrative standpoint, the stakes match up fairly effectively. I want I may say the identical about regular enemies, nonetheless. Whereas not actively detrimental to the general expertise, regular enemies pale compared to the boss encounters.
There isn’t a lot to say in regards to the common enemies, apart from they serve their objective as obstacles. To not say they’re poorly designed. Even probably the most fundamental machine enemies recycled all through the sport at all times come again with a novel spin on their base assaults. It’s simply that the bosses completely shined brighter every time they appeared over TEVI‘s prolonged journey.
A prolonged and worthwhile journey
One thing that shocked me about TEVI was its size, taking round 25 hours with solely half of the objects collected. With detailed exploration and dedication to search out each merchandise and improve, playtime may most likely enhance to 30-35 hours.
This doesn’t even account for a way replayable TEVI is, with the way it handles issue. Alongside growing enemy assault harm, increased difficulties additionally bump up the enemy bullet density. It’s a neat means of holding repeat playthroughs on excessive difficulties recent. This doesn’t even account for different modifiers, together with a Turbo Mode to extend sport pace or Random Sigils, which randomizes the place sigils are discovered on this planet.
These prospects wouldn’t matter a lot if TEVI was a slog to get by, but it surely’s the alternative. Even when the story drags to start with and it’s simple to blitz previous regular enemies, TEVI is at all times a pleasure. Merely maneuvering across the surroundings is fantastic as a consequence of how lovely and different every locale is.
The boss battles make TEVI shine probably the most as a result of it has a number of of the perfect fights I’ve performed this 12 months. As odd as this comparability is perhaps, I’d say they’re as pleasurable as Armored Core 6‘s fights. Each have frantic and difficult battles which can be by no means unfair.
TEVI is a nice shock that hopefully doesn’t fly underneath most radars. Even with my gripes, I can comfortably advocate TEVI to anybody in search of a stable Metroidvania with a bullet hell twist.
[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]
