Tevi is a metroidvania with bullet hell and RPG elements. That simple description belies the true nature of this side-scrolling title, which features lovely graphics, chibi characters, Japanese dialogue, a deep menu system, and a strong combat element. With so much going on, does it hit the mark?
There’s a long and detailed story here, with the titular Tevi acting as our protagonist. She’s also a beastskin, a species of human with animal qualities. She’s an outgoing gal who ventures into the wild to seek legendary items known as astral gears. These rare artifacts are introduced via a cutscene set years earlier when the world was under attack. Unbeknownst to Tevi, others are also seeking these gears, triggering a race to find them all.
Along the way, Tevi meets many interesting characters. These include all manner of creatures, such as demons, angels, and other beastskins. Some are more friendly than others; you never know when Tevi’s tough persona has offended the wrong person in the past, triggering a boss fight. Other meetings are more fortuitous, with her greatest allies even joining her quest. These party members aren’t playable, instead hiding within Tevi’s spinning orbs to grant her extra power. The orbs serve as Tevi’s long-range attack, although she also has a melee option that’s equally useful.
Tevi carries a deadly sword that she wields with precision. Combat is fast-paced, with button-mashing combos proving to be very satisfying. Each time you encounter an enemy, your attack is scored by a letter in the top right. I enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment that came with attaining an S as often as possible.
Enemies vary immensely. This is also where the bullet-hell element comes into play, with certain enemies spawning projectiles that need to be avoided. Merging bullet-hell gameplay with platforming elements presents a new challenge if you’re used to the typical top-down style of the genre. Avoiding bullets in a side-scrolling environment can be tricky, but it works well overall. Thankfully, Tevi comes with six difficulty settings to cater for all skill levels.
As with any metroidvania, exploration is part and parcel of proceedings. There’s a vast world to explore, which can get complicated. A map helps clarify things, but it wasn’t the most intuitive example I’ve seen. This player found herself wandering around quite often, unsure of where to go next. This could be frustrating for some players, but it seems typical of the genre. Various save points and teleportation pods help keep things accessible, too.
One thing that took me by surprise was the amount of on-screen dialogue. If you’re looking for a text-heavy story, you’ll enjoy this outing. Initially, it interrupted the flow quite significantly. My recommendation is to stick with it, as the action does pick up after the first couple of hours, revealing a more robust outing. It’s a shame the dialogue bogs things down during the early part of the game.
Apart from exploring and fighting (and talking), there are a few other objectives to keep you playing. Items can be found hidden around the landscape or for sale in the town store. These upgrade your stats, allowing you to customize Tevi to some degree. You can also use recipes to prepare food, providing another boost to your stats. There’s a lot going on in the menu, and it pays to check back occasionally to make sure you’re as powered up as possible.
The graphics are lovely. This side-scrolling adventure features many varied and colorful backdrops with a 16-bit look that’s simply charming. The background stands out while the foreground pops. The chibi-looking characters are also well designed, oozing personality. Interestingly, these short, cute characters are juxtaposed with taller, more anime-esque versions of themselves during dialogue scenes. It creates an interesting style and compliments the audio and voiceover work.
The soundtrack is equally wonderful and a stand-out part of this game. Upbeat tunes and dramatic beats accompany you on your journey, adding to the atmosphere. The audio blends a synth beat with an anime vibe to help draw you further into the action. The voicework—which is entirely in Japanese with subtitles—is excellent, too.
Overall, Tevi is a beautiful-looking side-scrolling metroidvania with bullet hell and RPG elements. A heavy load of dialogue slows things down initially, but there’s a deep game hiding beneath the surface with satisfying action and gameplay.
