This is a poetic short story in video game form. It's a world of fairies and anthropomorphic animals, filled with magical contracts that govern what people can and can not do. Each species has their own set of powers (foxes can break contracts, badgers are contract lawyers, etc). It reminds me a lot of the myths from Watership Down. The story itself is about how "hurt people hurt people" and the power of forgiveness. If you explore the world and talk to people you'll find a variety of themes in the subtext of what they say; everything from toxic relationships, to alcoholism, to dealing with loved ones in a coma. There's a lot going on here just below the surface, and the music highlights it beautifully. This isn't a game for everyone. It's for players who like weird little indie games with a unique voice. People who are looking for action packed gameplay that will push their graphics card and 40K monitors to the limit should probably look elsewhere.
Thistledown: A Tragedy of Blood
- Release Date:
- May 28, 2020
- Developer:
- Hermit Gamesmiths
- Publisher:
- Hermit Gamesmiths
- Platforms:
- Windows Mac
Game Tags
About This Game
Pain
Thistledown is a small, personal story set in an epic fantasy world. It's a meditation on the pain and helplessness that we feel in the face of tragedy, and how we cope.
Story
Stories help us navigate our lives, stories move us, and make us better. Thistledown is a great story, told with deep respect.
World
We sought to make a world that felt real and bigger than the story itself, so we put in major work building the world of Thistledown, only 10% of which will be in the game. We made a world that feels like you are only glimpsing a bit of it, because you are.
Characters
You'll encounter sad, real stories as you explore the world. Characters are well-developed, varied, and real.Story Only Mode
I believe everyone should be able to experience the story, so I've included a "Story Only" mode, which skips challenging platforming and all combat. Players of all skill levels can experience what Thistledown has to offer, without the need to reach a certain skill level.GAMEPLAY
Thistledown is mechanically light, but I've worked to make the gameplay as satisfying as possible.
Fight
Oni carries an oversized thistle with her. You can make your way a little safer by killing things with it.
Jump
Oni is a Kouneli, a rabbit person. If nothing else works, she can always jump her way to safety.
Explore
What's going on? Explore the edges of this world. Figure out the backstory. Nothing's given to you, this game expects you to figure it out.
Best of luck.
Screenshots
User Reviews
Thistledown is as it states, a narrative story about tragedy. The gameplay is relatively meaningless, as it merely serves to push the story further, only going so far as to allow the player to progress from one area to the next, and interacting with a few choice characters and minor lore tidbits. However, I find the story felt inconclusive. It felt anticlimactic just to end so suddenly with such an ambiguous ending. I do hope in the upcoming Thistledown game, a more satisfying story awaits.
System Requirements
Minimum
- OS *: Windows XP or later
- Processor: Intel or AMD Dual Core CPU
- Memory: 1 GB RAM
- Graphics: DirectX 9 (or later) compatible graphics card with at least 32MB of memory
- DirectX: Version 9.0
- Storage: 300 MB available space
- Sound Card: DirectX 9 compatible sound card, or integrated sound chip
FAQ
How much does Thistledown: A Tragedy of Blood cost?
Thistledown: A Tragedy of Blood costs $4.99.
What are the system requirements for Thistledown: A Tragedy of Blood?
Minimum: Minimum: OS *: Windows XP or later Processor: Intel or AMD Dual Core CPU Memory: 1 GB RAM Graphics: DirectX 9 (or later) compatible graphics card with at least 32MB of memory DirectX: Version 9.0 Storage: 300 MB available space Sound Card: DirectX 9 compatible sound card, or integrated sound chip
What platforms is Thistledown: A Tragedy of Blood available on?
Thistledown: A Tragedy of Blood is available on Windows PC, macOS.
Is Thistledown: A Tragedy of Blood worth buying?
Thistledown: A Tragedy of Blood has 100% positive reviews from 2 players.
When was Thistledown: A Tragedy of Blood released?
Thistledown: A Tragedy of Blood was released on May 28, 2020.
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