Tahira: Echoes of the Astral Empire (PC) Review

Tahira: Echoes of the Astral Empire is a tale of loss and revenge. Like any good tale of revenge, it becomes evident early on that protagonist Tahira is not just fighting for her own gains, but for those of her people. Along with her horse companion, Irba, she sets out to avenge those she loves, and prevent the loss of those who depend on her.

Now, let's get this out of the way. This is, if nothing else, absolutely gorgeous looking. The fluidity of the animation is high, and the detail is crisp and clean. Never once does the game appear choppy or the frame rate bogging. Perhaps some computers will drop the occasional frame, but visually this is a highly pleasing experience.

The core gameplay is that of a typical tactical RPG. The player navigates the battlefield by moving around on a grid. It's very important to pay attention to the tutorial, because even just moving around can be a complicated thing. A lot of the combat is deep, but grasping it can feel like an unnecessary hurdle. Just this facet alone could lead to a lot of people walking away early on.

Outside of combat, Tahira speaks to various denizens and her faithful companion, Irba. Irba doesn't have dialogue, and instead simply makes faces. He's an irritating travel companion none the less, being a caricature of a better companion. Fortunately, one doesn't have to speak to him often enough for it to wear too thin. The other characters are pretty standard companions, and NPCs are rarely very interesting. It doesn't destroy the experience, or even drag the story down, it's just that it never feels like anyone but Tahira is worth caring about.

This is clearly the game you'll want if you want complex gameplay, beautiful art work, and a decent story only hindered by the dialogue. Getting a grip on the battle system would be a treat, as sometimes there's nothing more enjoyable than learning a system. If this sounds up your alley, jump in, just make sure you're in it for the complexity.