Ghost of a tale: A rodent adventure

Video games have played a role in my life since I was a teenager. I remember that simple tennis game in which you could only see two bars and a small dot crossing the screen from side to side. Then, when colours were introduced, classics such as Pacman gained great popularity and a new gaming world started to emerge. Since then, this industry has been continuously developing a wider range of games, each one more wonderfully designed than the one before and more challenging every time.

I´d be hard pressed to name all the video games I have completed during my adulthood so far and I couldn´t choose a favourite one either. But I feel I should talk about the most recent videogame I have played and which I completed just a few days ago: Ghost of a Tale.

This was a birthday present from my boyfriend as we both love spending our leisure time hitting buttons, coming up with strategies and resolving mysteries in this virtual world. After having played different genres together, I think he certainly understands my taste in games and he hit the nail on the head with this one.

This game tells the story of Tilo, a cute, wee mouse that finds himself imprisoned in a dungeon from which he has to escape in order to track down his wife Merra, who has gone missing. He wakes up in his dark cell and from there the adventure kicks off.

At the beginning, it seems almost unavoidable to be at a loss just because of the huge number of objects than can be picked up and added to the inventory and the uncertainty of not knowing when or how to use them or what to use them for. In addition, Tilo finds himself surrounded by rats in suits of armour against whom he cannot fight but escape or move silently without being seen, which intensifies the level of difficulty even more. That part reminded me of the time I played Alien Isolation, in which subterfuge was the only strategy to survive.

As the game advanced, my curiosity deepened since the inventory was stocked up on lots of different keys that could eventually be used to open chests and doors that were yet to appear. I also encountered various characters that entrusted me with more and more secondary missions which were necessary to progress in the story.

The blacksmith, for instance, was one of the most important characters because he provided Tilo with valuable information, as well as with maps for the different locations. Those maps became essential since the labyrinthian level design of the game was actively trying to make me feel crazy, like “have I been here before?”

Another point worth considering in this adventure is the fact that Tilo is able to pass himself off as a guard, a thief, a pirate, a brigade member or even a king by using costumes that he finds all over the levels. In this way, he can obtain crucial information, go unnoticed and get access to new places.

The concept of time is also used as a mechanic. The story happens throughout the day, so there are some objects that can only be picked at certain hours at night and characters that are only available to talk to in the morning.

All in all, Ghost of a Tale is a fantastic game. It is challenging, entertaining and I would recommend playing it without a doubt. Perhaps, the fact that the end of the game ends on a cliff hanger counts against it and I am sure that most gamers will be looking forward to a sequel!