Tacoma

About Tacoma

Fullbright released this indie adventure in August 2017 for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Linux, and Mac. You play as Amy Ferrier on a mission to retrieve an AI core from the Tacoma Lunar Transfer Station in 2088. The setting is a high-tech facility where six crew members once worked before a disaster unfolded. Your goal involves scanning every room and object to uncover how these people lived and died. This isn't a shooter or a puzzle platformer with complex mechanics. It relies entirely on environmental storytelling through recovered audio logs and visual clues scattered throughout the station. The game asks you to piece together a narrative of trust, fear, and resolve without traditional combat or dialogue trees.

Gameplay

You walk around the station at your own pace using standard movement controls. Time moves normally while you explore, but you can pause to examine objects or trigger recorded holographic logs left by the crew. These recordings play back in real time as if you are watching a ghost from the past. You interact with computers, lockers, and personal devices to find text files or audio messages. The core loop involves moving from one area to another, scanning specific items with your wrist device, and letting the game show you what happened moments before an event occurred. There are no combat encounters or skill checks. You simply follow a path of clues that reveal the crew's daily routines and their final days. The experience feels like walking through a crime scene where the evidence talks for itself.

What Players Think

Players on PlayPile have given this title a solid score, with an average IGDB rating of 74.3 out of 100 based on 136 reviews. Most users report spending between 2 and 3 hours completing the main story. The community mood leans heavily toward thoughtful and melancholic rather than exciting or frantic. Review snippets often mention the emotional weight of the story and how the short playtime leaves a lasting impression. Completion rates are high because few people get stuck or quit early. Critics note that the game succeeds in its narrative goals but warn those expecting length will feel let down. The consensus is clear: this is a short, focused experience that prioritizes character drama over gameplay variety.

PlayPile's Take

Tacoma works best for players who want a short story about people rather than a long simulation. It costs around ten dollars on most stores and offers roughly 2.5 hours of content. You will earn three achievements for finishing the game and finding all logs. The writing is sharp and the tech demo aspect holds up well even years after release. Do not buy this if you need forty hours of content or want to fight enemies. Fullbright made a tight narrative piece that respects your time. Buy it now if you have a quiet evening and want to finish a story before dinner.

Storyline

Amitjyoti Ferrier (referred to as Amy in-game) is hired to board the Tacoma Lunar Transfer Station and retrieve ODIN's AI core, who ran the station alongside 6 crew members. As she explores the station, she can recover various Augmented Reality (AR) logs detailing the lives of the crew.