Tacoma

An excellent "interactive movie" game. A really compelling story, and the way it's told through the hologram recordings makes you feel really connected to the characters. I felt like I could see them, even though I never even saw their faces.

Don't expect much in terms of gameplay or replayability, the point of these types of games is the story, hence why I call it an "interactive movie". This is a great game in that genre though, the story isn't going to blow your mind or anything, but the character development and immersion are excellent, and make it really easy to sink in and feel emotionally connected to the characters.

Brilliant.

A good 3-D sci-fi game. Can 100% in under two hours, so it is quite short.

Tacoma is a brilliant walking simulator. The mechanics it includes are lively and creative enough to give you a sense of control over the linear story and progression.

Tacoma never took off quite as much as Gone Home, which is a shame, because I consider this game to be as good, if not better!

To speak briefly about the mechanic elements of the game, it is an extremely fulfilling experience getting to watch back recordings of the crew of the Tacoma, and start to piece things together about their personalities, roles on the ship, and what various secrets they may be hiding from one another. Being able to replay and follow different characters, and see what they were looking at on (what is effectively) their phones definitely gives the game a bit more interactivity than most walking sims.

Moving onto the characters and voice acting, and wow! Every single character feels vibrant and real. I didn't like them all on a personal level, but in terms of the writing, there isn't a weak character amidst the bunch. The voice actors absolutely nail their roles, from Clive Siddiqi to the ODIN AI, everyone feels well acted and the writing is subtle and colorful.

I'm not going to summarize the story of the game, given that the elements of mystery are really the driving factor here, but I got very invested, very quickly. The worldbuilding is phenomenal, telling you everything you need to know about the world in small show-don't-tell snippets often presented as cryptic dialogue or items on the walls, floors, and surfaces of the Tacoma station.

The art is a huge plus as well - for a game about exploration, and watching people interact in a space, Fullbright was right to pay so much attention to the spaces you occupy and what items are placed there. The whole Cassette Futurist vibe is fully present, but almost every aspect of the design feels real, feels lived in. Not only does the Tacoma station make sense, it is also astoundingly beautiful.

The entire game feels vaguely similar to Obra Dinn, and that is absolutely a compliment. There are not really many puzzle elements to speak of, nor is there as rewarding a gameplay loop, but the game isn't here to be similar to Obra Dinn: it's largely interested in showing you a group of characters and telling a narrative with them.

Ultimately, I really enjoyed this game, and I can't believe it put it off so long! For me, the experience was about seven hours, but I approached it with a completionist mindset, and thoroughly examined every single piece of the background. If you're more interested in the broadstrokes, I could imagine you getting through the game in about 2-4 hours. Short, but well worth the asking price!

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I originally wrote a review only 2.8 hours in, and that's below, but it's deffo gonna rehash a lot of what I said !

You can read it below:

Finally got around to playing this (my backlog is immense) and wow.

I am only 3 hours in, and to be honest, the game has already proven itself to be worth the extremely low asking price.

The atmosphere this game sets up in unrivalled.

The characters feel very strong and are quite relatable, and the voice actors absolutely kill it. Especially whoever voices Clive Siddiqi! The world is fairly bleak in a mundane and believably dystopian way, a lot of show-don't-tell worldbuilding in the background - very tasty, very nice.

This is, of course, a walking simulator, so if you are expecting the game play to impress, you're very out of luck, but it's got some very unique and engaging mechanics. So far there has been little to puzzle solve, other than putting the pieces of the story together as I watch them, but I am having an immense amount of fun rewinding and following different characters in the little set pieces.

Ultimately, even from my very short playtime, I can already highly recommend this game. Even if it fumbles the rest, the child-like glee I have had for the past three hours exploring a space station and people's memories is worth it!

(obviously I will be updating my review when I finish the game, I just wanted to leave this here to remind me to do so)

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Nice and detailed. I love this game!

Really enjoyed this! Only issue was - it's too short ;_; We need more!!!

A simple walking-sim type game filled with excellent writing and a thought-provoking story.

It took me far too long to finish this. I played a couple of hours when it first came out, but my progress didn't save and I couldn't face starting over. Fast forward several years and I've forgotten enough of the early story that I was happy to start from scratch.

Tacoma naturally shares a lot of its DNA with Gone Home. There are a few puzzle elements but they're no real challenge to figure out, making this more like an interactive story where you gradually fit the pieces together until the context, actions and outcomes of the story fall into place. Where Tacoma differs is that thanks to the AR mechanic, the characters feel much more present than the did in Gone Home. The holograms have very expressive body language and the voice acting is solid (although in 2025 it is a bit jarring to hear Dawnn Lewis now she's so familiar from Lower Decks!). The AR recordings are probably the games strongest and most innovative aspect - getting to follow the same sequence of events from different viewpoints is very fun and the controls for it are really intuitive. Although Tacoma is a short game (probably around 3 hours if you're trying to find all the clues and recordings), I would heartily recommend it to anyone with an interest in this kind of storytelling/investigative genre.

Game released in 2017, played in January 2025. Wow... I'm kind of glad I waited this long because this game's plot is eerily relevant to recent news and developments in AI despite being 8 years old now, inadvertently further enhancing my experience in a massive way. I feel an impulse to compare it to the dystopian novel "1984" to a small degree, at the very least. With current real-world controversy surrounding potential AI self-awareness/consciousness. With Suchir Balaji, former researcher at OpenAI, found dead in his San Francisco apartment shortly after becoming a whisteblower. With the aforementioned OpenAI, previously an open source entity, now ironically succumbing fully to corporate capture. Talk about visionary plot writing, as these topics all feel so retroactively relevant to this game in many ways.

I usually don't care for games as vehicles for story telling as I always find them too shallow, too obvious/predictable, too cookie cutter, too adolescent for my liking (I'm fussy and jaded unfortunately). While Tacoma was still easy to digest, it's plot is one I found highly engrossing and intriguing in the way it leaves a trail of coherent crumbs for you to piece together and consume at your own leisure, leading to an ultimate bigger picture and satisfying conclusion. It may be a quick meal compared to other games with longer play durations but I was left very satiated and eagerly looking forward to returning to this dev's future endeavors and what else they can cook up for me.

Gameplay-wise, this might be the best walking simulator I've ever played this is one of the best games I've ever played. The way the majority of the plot and puzzle pieces unfold in fragments of augmented-reality based recordings for you to watch and listen to in the well thought out space station environment is incredibly immersive and feels very voyeuristic. It's as if you are in the same room listening to conversations unfold in real time, individuals then leaving for other rooms and having separate simultaneous conversations that force you to follow them in order to discover what else they do/say (you can conveniently rewind these conversations so you don't miss a word). Very unique and very satisfying to investigate and piece things together.

The insane attention to detail further increases immersion and feelings of human presence on the abandoned space station. There are so many subtle details that add so much to the immersion for me. Things like oily fingerprints on a clipboard that can only be seen under the right lighting conditions. Nutritional and manufacturer's details found on the back of fictional food packets but portrayed ultra realistically and accurately. "Throwaway" information and references that refer back to other "throwaway" information and references, placed purely for subtle but highly effective world/character building. Many of these details I am sure I have totally missed and would require multiple play-throughs to discover all of it.

I'm left with so many positive feelings and thoughts from this game that I could write so much more, but you really should just play it for yourself.

story-focused, walking sim, in space. my bread and butter for a game to get lost in for a few hours ♥

Beautiful! Wish it could have been longer, but really impressed with the detail and care put into this vignette.

gg

This game, as well as [I] Gone Home[I], are the top dogs in terms of storytelling combined with a walking simulator. It really needs to be played twice in order to appreciate the unpredictable and refreshing twists that the writers have crafted along the way. I wish the Fullbright group was still making games like this, but I'm really glad these two juggernaut walking simulators exist!

This is a visual novel, of sorts. Relieve yourself of the expectation that you'll need to solve any mysteries, and it is quite a good experience.

Tacoma is good. Compared to Gone Home, the environments are a bit less detailed and 'lived in' but the story, characters, and gameplay, such as it is, are more compelling.

The main standout here is instead of being in an empty house, you're in an empty spaceship, but there's AR recordings, like a video Obra Dinn. This conceit effectively means the space house isn't empty, it's full of characters, and so Tacoma is a lot more focused on them. While theIr depth could be questioned, I certainly liked learning about them. The main idea of walking around while re-replaying the recording is good and engaging.

There's some really interesting or pretty areas, but I felt like the environments weren't huge standouts. There's only so much you can do with standard issue modular fabrication units, but there's still plenty of the characters effects to pick through. It's also nice that most areas of the station have windows, so you can pretty much always look out and be reminded that you're actually on a rotating artificial gravity spindle.

Tacoma also left me with an interesting bit of insight. On two occasions I activated a moving panel and, having spent so long looking at incorporeal AR projects of people, was surprised when a pencil or bolt rolled off. So when we finally get this tech, be prepared for that kind of incident.

Finally, the story is riveting. Like others of its genre, Tacoma is pretty short; but it could have held my undivided attention for longer. A good experience and successor.

Structurally/narratively, this game is almost identical to Gone Home in how it presents itself. But that's not to knock it--Gone Home was fantastic and so is this. It tells an interesting story in a novel way. It feels like an immersive play; all the performances are wonderful, the setting is interesting, and the mystery intriguing. It did feel like it was just starting to really get going by the time it ended and while that is a slight fault of the story, it's also indicative of me wanting to spend more time in this world with these characters. I wanted more, and I do wish there was more. Alas, this is all we have: a solid, if a little too short, game.

(Not sure what's up with my playtime, this game took me about 2.5 hours to complete)

If you hate when a sci-fi story isn't entirely made of straight-white-dudes, then you owe it to yourself to examine your weird narrow tastes so you can enjoy this excellent story. Like a lot of its kind, its nature as a game is mainly to get you into the head-space of the story rather than provide you with a chance to influence the game. In that regard, it does excellently at immersing you into this highly detailed and personal story of individuals fighting against capitalism. A rare look into a future that is a marked improvement from our own, while still baring the teeth of our worse impulses.
The variety in the cast was a breath of fresh air in sci-fi storytelling. The story is not about marginalised people and their struggles, rather more so a survival story centred on diverse characters, which was lovely. We need stories that let the future demonstrate a more accepting global culture as much as we need stories that tackle that suffering.

Roberta and Natali's relationship was cute as hell, and it was those human touches that grounded this story.

I would recommend this to filmmakers, because you can try to find the best angle for each important piece of dialogue & mean, it's sci-fi in the best sense! Realistic, human and troubling.

This is an excellent narrative game. Be aware, it is very short, and for the price it's maybe not the best value for money. However, it is still a fantastic experience. If you can get it on a good deal, I highly recommend it. I don't really know what else to say that will not spoil the game, but I almost never leave reviews, and it's an experience that might be exactly what you need.

Simple gameplay but infinitely satisfying to explore a story and watch it unfold in this way.

A great, compact interactive sci-fi story.

I came into this game expecting Obra Dinn in space. Please understand that you will not quite get that experience here.

I'm a big fan of detective/deduction type games like Obra Dinn and Golden Idol, etc, and I originally got this anticipating that experience in a Sci-Fi setting. This game is not that, however I was very pleasantly surprised by the experience.

This is closer to a walking simulator like Edith Finch than it is to a detective game. There is still an interesting mystery to unravel and absorb, however you will not be in charge of solving it, if you play through the game, the mystery will be solved for you as the game conveys its story to you.

I was not aware of this fact and took notes the entire time, expecting myself to need to solve the mystery myself at some point, I did not need to, however I think it still added to my experience.

There is a LOT of great detail, environmental storytelling, and great character interactions throughout this story, more than enough to take notes on and come to your own little "aha!" moments as you piece things together.

The game is relatively short, you can beat it in an afternoon if you dedicate one to it, but still a great experience and one that left me very satisfied with my purchase.

Very nice story based game

Not for everyone. If you don't mind reading and wasting time picking up every single item to inspect it then you'll truly enjoy this 2-4 hour narrative.
Even if you enjoyed similar ''walking-sim'' narratives I can still see how this specific game can lack from someones expectations.

Its anti capitalist dystopian sci fi narrative seems to be strongly grounded in reality. You could even say it predicted Musk getting into government. While tastefully portraying a realistic path we might go on our self if things wont change all from work stress to genocide.

The story is weak. It's more focused on you filling in the blanks of this universe and characters and for that it is commendable. But I hardly see anything else I truly can praise about it.

Glad I finally played this after 7 years tho... Especially sad that I had to play this after Mouthwashing which tackles few of the same topics but in less complex way, but also is more emotionally resonant and leaves a real impact with their set pieces. While this game just give you the space to relate and ponder.

If you put these two games next to each other and compare it scene by scene then yes. Tacoma is painfully bland and simple. But even with that I truly want to give this game some flowers. At least for set artist to think more how unique game scenery and interaction can add to the story by playing with the players imagination.

Its not bad. It just isn't anything special to me.

I will say. these two games doing a bundle together on steam would be genuinely funny. two very different sides of the same coin.

A game in space where you can't move up or down or rotate when in zero-g. Some signs and stuff are upside-down and you can't do anything to fix it.

Also has zone transitions that take a full minute with no warning that you're going to transition zones. Accidentally sent myself back immediately after waiting a minute to get to a new area. Ridiculous.

Short graphic adventure about solving the disappearance of a space ship crew. Story is interesting and knows how to make you want to learn more. Gameplay is pretty simple even for these type of games, so if you are looking for a graphic adventure without challenging mechanics/puzzles I def recommend this game. Loved the diversity in its characters as well.

Nice game!) Some little!

The gang at Fullbright did it again. While Tacoma did not hit me with the emotional gut punch like Gone Home, the story nonetheless kept me engaged and needing to know what happened to each member of the crew. This is another walking sim so know that beforehand in case these aren't your thing. Graphically it's beautiful to look at, making exploration of the Tacoma a joy. The characters are unique and interesting, which really helped me get invested in their storylines and figuring out what happened on the station. The game is short, you can knock out the main story in under 2 hours for sure, but exploring and unearthing every little clue the Tacoma has to offer adds a couple of more hours, and is worth it in my opinion.

It is very short (about 2h) but it is fun exploring ...

Innovative storytelling but rather short. Get it on sale.

Beautiful game. Such interesting stories to be found by investigating every nook and cranny. It actually made me sympathize with a fictional AI. Will absolutely play again <3

really lovely game, adore the way the gameplay and story elements interconnect. my only complaint is the length is a little short, i wish there was a little more meat to the story, but it's a wonderful game and i've come back to it a couple times very happily.

If u've played (and felt for) Gone Home, u should know what to expect here with the same dev having worked on this. Absolutely loved this. I recommend playing this during a day off bec u really need to take ur time. Really need to be patient enough to get to know these characters, know the story, and look around to get a sense of what happened and feel for it all. Also, zero-g basketball is A+. Outstanding

a

More story than game, TACOMA is a proto-Obra Dinn with greater emphasis on storytelling over deduction. Relatively short but immensely enjoyable, outstanding voice work and great attention paid to detail make TACOMA a very special experience overall.

Exploring the story and each conversation from different angles is really interesting. I wish the story was a bit longer or more complex to explore the idea more, but it was fun.

Graphics and sound effects are top-notch, environment is top-notcher (does that sound right...? meh, whatevs). Story and game concept is well thought out and highly creative. As you watch through the recordings of the crew's dialogues and actions, you understand how they think and why they think.

It's as if you're really there like some angel watching from above.

I'd give this a 9/10, due to the fact that I CAN"T GET ENOUGH OF IT.

Good

Good near-future sci-fi story. Laid-back exploration gameplay. Technically accomplished. 9/10

I really enjoyed both the writing and environmental storytelling. It's more of a story that's being told to you than a game (e.g. it has no "puzzles" to complete it). But it's also philosophical and very grounded sci-fi. A good experience with great visuals on a space station.

If you have played Gone Home, this game is similar; however, in my opinion it is superior because it has the time rewind system, the story it tells is interesting, but although in gameplay I liked it more than the previous game, it is still a walking simulator, more like an interactive movie that seeks to tell a specific story than a game that seeks to entertain you.

Tacoma is a story game free of any challenging gameplay, AKA a "walking simulator", with a science fiction setting. You are tasked with retrieving a valuable object from an abandoned space station, and in the process you try to discover what happened to the crew.

The story premise appeals to me, and in principle I think there is nothing wrong with using the medium of "first person 3D graphics" to tell an essentially non-interactive story. However, I think there is a problem when the final product ended up less immersive than a novel would have been. What's the point of getting a first-person perspective in all of this 3D world if it ends up glaringly static, to the point where it never really feels like I am there at all?

I know I could enjoy challenge-free narrative games, but I guess this take on it is not for me.

A story-based exploration game - I know it won't be to everyone's taste, but if that sort of game interests you, I thought it very enjoyable.

Despite game is woke and gay on every corner (evil corporation treat like shit low-level workers, no white men onboard of space station and so on) - game is fine for 1-2 bucks. It's short, have nice atmosphere and entertains. Don't expect Moon (2009) movie experience, but it is super close to it.

Touching game with a great setting and a soundtrack that still haunts me. Cool game about labour, weird that "Free Tibet" comes back into fashion in the future.

Cool story game. Well put together, smart and well written. Its a little on the short side but worth it.

Quite a good story game. Had a lot of fun playing however not a lot of replay value

Similar to gone home but with anti-capitalist themes and set in the future, instead of themes of LGBT and adolescence, set in the past. Really great, though I felt had a little less emotional payoff than gone home.

Get this on sale. I wasn't expecting this to take me less than 2 hours to complete.

Overall mixed opinions, and of course with Steam not having that option, I'll lean towards recommending (but only on sale) because the game overall did keep my attention.

I am not a puzzle person. I am not always in the mood for a game with combat. I love post-disaster and trying-to-figure-out-what-happened-to-this-place stuff. I love space games.

This literally ticked all of the boxes for me.

The execution and story with all of these aspects was a bit disappointing though. Didn't mind watching the recordings, but I didn't like how you had to rewind them to get the whole picture, like if someone was in a different room nearby, or if a character was walking around to a different area while another one was talking to someone else, etc. Not a huge deal, but it did kind of make it feel like the game was trying to artificially add more runtime.

The characters weren't that interesting to me, although the one lady in charge and the one gentleman were alright.

I was also expecting this to be more dark and morbid, but then again, I've played through the Dead Space games way too many times. There was some emotional weight to the game, but with the short playtime, it wasn't as impactful as it could have been.

The ending took me by surprise, and with the amount of games I've played and books I've read, this is always welcome. Just felt like there could have been more and like it was unfinished. It's an alright game, but I don't know if I would play it again.