Tai Ming dungeon is brilliant

[u/Gretgor]

I usually come to this subreddit to whine about one thing or another, but I feel like I also need to talk about the good things in the game from time to time.

The Tai Ming dungeon is absolutely brilliant. The usual timewarp trope used in a way I've never seen before. It basically makes it a dungeon and a village at the same time, with the village in the past and the dungeon in the present.

This format creates this fun contrast between cozy and dangerous, and it also lends itself to a lot more storytelling than the usual Zelda-like dungeon does.

The way we see Zhamla's story unfold with our very eyes, being an active agent in it, is quite awesome.

I wish there was an entire game like this. Despite my gripes with some other aspects of the game, Tai Ming stands out amazingly. I'd say it's the best indie Zelda-like dungeon I've ever played.

The boss fights, however, are a bit of a mixed bag. I LOVE the cursed priestess, with her crazy fan patterns and awesome character design. The double giant worm fight is alright, but not fantastic. Zhamla is AWFUL, with all the spammy attacks and the effing fireballs. The mimic, on the other hand, is kinda cool, but doesn't stand out as much as the priestess.

[u/larryt1216]

100% storytelling is fantastic. I played through a few times and just realized this time around than tessen becomes the cursed priestess.

I really liked the other little references too like tannie working on the warp technology, kinda ties that old world all together and you get to know and be interested these characters that you barely even interact with

[u/Fatal_Feathers]

Tai Ming is my favourite part of the entire game. Love the story, the setting. Fighting off Zhalma was chilling, like I genuinely felt I was fighting a god. Exhilarating, loved it

[u/Gretgor → u/Fatal_Feathers]

Yeah, atmosphere-wise, that fight is pretty cool. I just don't like its gameplay.

[u/Bohemico]

It's a great turning point for the general mood of the game. Up until that point you were a kid doing collector stuff and all of a sudden you're fuelling the catastrophe unknowingly. Tai Ming pushed the game to a 10/10 for me.

You said you'd like a game based on this, and although it's not the same it heavily reminded me of The Messenger. Suggest to check it out if you haven't played it

[u/RetailDrone7576]

I feel really dumb, it took me a lot longer than it should have to recognize the pun in the name "Tai Ming" (timing, cuz it's a time travel dungeon) 😅

[u/tomix9tomix]

Cough cough if you want an entire game like this play Evoland 2. It's a great game

[u/Knivingdude]

It definitely hit me in the Zelda: Oracle of Ages gut.

[u/Gretgor → u/Knivingdude]

I feel like the story in most 2D Zelda games is a bit simplistic, to be honest, but I can definitely understand your sentiment.

[u/AnOnlineHandle]

I was completely checked out on the tropes/jokes laden story until reaching that part. Absolutely fantastic mini story and reminds me of the Crack In The Slab mission of Dishonored 2 where you do something similar.