Has anyone noticed how popular the whole “plague doctor” aesthetic has become? No, Just me? Okay then. Before we go on, let me say I did not want to write this review. I’ve been sitting in this review for almost the entire month now, just procrastinating and disrating myself from having to sit down and think any more about this bargain bin Bloodborne.
By all accounts, Thymesia should be a great game. I mean, it’s a soulslike, something everyone loves, with a chilling Victorian aesthetic sure to grab anyone’s attention. However, in reality, Thymesia never feels like it stands on its own and instead feels like a cheap and lacklustre copy of something great.
Much like the game, it so heavily copies, I mean “draws inspiration from”, Thymesia is set within a gothic-style Victorian kingdom that has fallen to monsters and sickness. Players take on the role of a plague doctor. They are tasked with saving the kingdom from all that plagues it while trying to restore their character’s memories.
Most of the story and world-building in-game is delivered through the collection of lore throughout the game. The problem is, even as someone who usually loves reading, none of the game’s lore is well written. And even if you try to get past the numerous spelling and grammar mistakes scattered throughout, the game’s world is not interesting enough to warrant the effort.
Also, did I mention that the game requires a LOT of reading? Not a single character is voiced, meaning if you care to know the story, you will constantly be reading while cutscenes are delivered in silence.
When I started up Thymesia, my partner got really excited about the game and what it promised to be, so I went into it with a level of anticipation and excitement that I honestly wish I didn’t. The combat is the meat and potatoes of the game; for the most part, it’s pretty straightforward. Slash, roll and dodge your way through the game with one twist to the formula: wounds. The heart of combat in Thymesia revolves around wounds.
Whenever an enemy takes damage, their health bar turns green, and if they go without taking damage for a couple of seconds, their health regenerates. Your character is equipped with a ” Plague Claw”, which can damage foes while their bar is green and also steal powerful attacks from them. Now credit where credit is due; this is a fantastic combat system that rewards aggressive play and suits me perfectly.
However, Thymesia itself doesn’t like combat. The plague claw is slow to use and charge, and whenever you get to use it, the frame drops and general game lag, making the experience extremely off-putting.
