Tick Tock, by Other Tales Interactive, is being promoted as a “two player game played on two devices”. Yes, you read it correctly, “two devices”. Created in a similar fashion as the Escape Rooms, popping up in cities everywhere, in Tick Tock both players must work together to solve the clues presented to move forward through the story. Each player has different parts to the clues and therefore separate devices are needed.
The players read out loud to each other and explain what they see in order to solve puzzles and unravel the mystery of two clock makers who wanted to control time
https://www.ticktockthegame.com/
I had a chance to try out Tick Tock during the recent Beta. Since a second player was required I invited fellow gamer Xtincshn to join me. The game is playable across platforms on mobile, Nintendo Switch and PC. The type of device you use is not important, as long as you can talk to each other. We tried Tick Tock with both of us on PC and communicating via Discord.
The Beta provided us with a relatively small portion of the game. It was however enough for us to know that we want to try the full game once it’s released. It took us 46 minutes to complete chapter 1. I was surprised by the time it took as it was longer than it felt. Tick Tock has a way of immersing you in the game so that time stands still.
Player 1 impressions – MidnyghtGamer
As you start the game, there is foreboding music, which fades into more of a wind sound once past the intro page. Neither the music nor the wind sounds are very memorable nor are they distracting.
Starting the story was a little unusual and I wasn’t sure if we were starting it correctly. Normally in co-op games you link to the other player in the game, however that is not the case in Tick Tock. This game is set so that you are not connected in any way but verbally. The game is set up so that the screens you see are dependent upon whether you select Player 1 or Player 2.
The mechanics of the game are interesting. The game allows you to scroll sideways and up and down. We learned to try everything to find the clues you need. I also learned to be patient when moving items, such as the radio. If you go to fast you may miss an important clue. I recommend that players write down everything they think might be important. Sometimes the information provided is for a later clue.
As we started to figure out how to apply the clues my excitement built. This then produced a huge let down when we reached the end of the first chapter, and the Beta. I wanted more!
One recommendation for the developers is to include the ability to save the game mid-way through. This may be built into the full version, however in the Beta we did not find any place in the game that gave us the ability to save where we were.
Player 2 impressions – Xtincshn
I found the story immersive, even in just the single chapter we could play in the Beta. The sound fit well without being distracting and the graphics were clean and fit the tone of the story well while being easy to interact with. Each scene consisted of interactive objects within a setting relevant to the story and it became easier to understand the mechanics and problem solving the further into the game we got. It was easy to lose track of time in the search to discover the next clue and the next piece of the story.
Most items we encountered were interactive, even if they didn’t directly relate to the story. For example, outside one house there were several bushes that could be rustled to occasionally cause a bird to fly out. This was a nice touch that increased immersion.
One recommendation for the developers would be to include a small play guide. Something that would provide some explanation on the mechanics of the game. Or possibly even provide a hint button to assist players if they get stuck. For example, in the opening we understood the clues but took some time to work out precisely how to implement them with the watches.
Final impressions – both players
We found it hard to judge the difficulty of the game based on the short length of the Beta version. If the difficulty stays the same as the Beta, then depending on the number of chapters, it may not take players long to complete.
We also don’t see how Tick Tock could be replayable. Once you’ve played the game, you’ll know all the clues so even if your partner is different, it will be much easier. Hopefully the developers are looking into ways to vary the story, so players can return. Perhaps this could mean randomized elements in some chapters. Or creating more than two player parts that are randomly selected with each playthrough (any two being enough to solve the puzzle). Definitely more stories!
Overall the game is very enjoyable. If you are a person who loves to solve puzzles, especially with a friend, this is the game for you. If you do not have anyone to play the game with the developers have added a link to the games Discord Server to help you find another player.
Tick Tock: A Tale for Two is set to be released in 2019 on mobile and PC.
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