Tchia

About Tchia

Awaceb released this indie adventure back in March 2023 for PC and consoles across the board. The game places you in a tropical open world inspired by New Caledonia where movement is everything. You spend your time climbing cliffs, gliding on thermal currents, swimming through clear waters, and sailing a boat around an island chain. Tchia has a unique power that lets her soul shift into any animal or object she spots. This freedom drives the entire experience as you explore over 30 different creatures to solve puzzles or just goof around. It feels like a physics sandbox wrapped in a colorful story about family and tradition.

Gameplay

Sessions revolve around constant movement and environmental interaction rather than combat. You sprint up almost any surface using a free climbing system that ignores standard hitbox restrictions. Once high enough, you jump off and glide until you find another perch or land on water. The soul-jumping mechanic changes how you approach obstacles instantly. Need to cross a gap? Possess a bird. Stuck in a cave? Turn into a dog to dig or a fish to swim underwater. You can also jam out on a fully playable ukulele that unlocks new songs and affects the world around you. The boat feels weighty as you navigate reefs while collecting treasures from sunken ships.

What Players Think

Players and critics have responded well with a Metacritic score of 77 and an IGDB rating of 75.4 based on 23 reviews. Most people seem to enjoy the freedom, though completion rates suggest many stop after exploring rather than finishing every quest. The average playtime hovers around 10 hours for main story runs, but sandbox fans often clock significantly more time just messing with mechanics. Community moods lean heavily toward "chill" and "joyful" when discussing the movement systems. Review snippets frequently praise the climbing feel while noting some pacing issues later on. The achievement count stands at 21 total, which is modest for an open world title.

PlayPile's Take

This game works best if you value exploration over combat challenges. You can grab it now for as low as $6.25 during sales events. The 21 achievements offer enough reason to finish the main path and hunt down every secret. Awaceb created something distinct that prioritizes movement physics over traditional mission structures. It might feel a bit empty if you need constant action or complex puzzles to stay engaged. Stick around for the ukulele playing and animal possession alone. If you want a relaxed afternoon where the map feels alive without pressure, this fits the bill perfectly.

Storyline

Tchia's special gift lets you take control of any animal or object you can find. Use their unique gameplays and abilities to travel, solve puzzles and uncover secrets. Fly around as a bird, explore the ocean as a fish or dig treasures as a dog. Over 30 playable animals and hundreds of objects. Jump and glide your way across a vast archipelago and use the Tricks system for cool stunts and dives. The free climbing mechanic lets you ascend anything in the world without restriction including any physics-driven tree. Sail your customizable boat on turquoise lagoons and dive around coral reefs and shipwrecks.