As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you’ll like too. POPSUGAR has affiliate and advertising partnerships so we get revenue from sharing this content and from your purchase.
In the opening moments of Tunic, you — playing as a cute little fox — wake up on a beach, yawn, do a biiig stretch, and start climbing the stairs in front of you. It’s a lot like how Elden Ring begins — in that game, you wake up in a church and have nothing else to do but start walking. Neither game gives you an objective marker or even tells you what to do. They just drop you into a world and let you discover it on your own.
There are lots of reasons Tunic is being described as a “cute Elden Ring,” including its approach to combat, the shrines where you save, respawn and level up, and its big, awe-inspiring boss battles. But the biggest similarity between the games is their dedication to creating a sense of mystery — and the biggest difference is that Tunic is a whole lot cuter.
The art style is probably the first thing that will make you want to play. It’s a colourful 2D world where even the spiders that want to kill you are a little bit cute. Your little fox looks around as you explore, gazing at butterflies that flutter by or treasure chests you might have otherwise missed. As you explore, you’ll find pages of an instruction manual that teach you how to solve puzzles and more advanced techniques, and even these are overwhelmingly cute.
But underneath its cute as a button exterior is a game that’s just as challenging as Elden Ring — and for this, Tunic offers “No Fail Mode”. With this turned on, you become invincible during combat, meaning there’s literally no way for you to fail. It’s a great option for people who want to experience the game without struggling with the combat, and you can even turn it on just for specific fights.
Tunic is available now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC on Steam, Epic Games, Humble Bundle, GOG and itch.io. It’s also available on Xbox Game Pass. While you wait for it to download, amuse yourself with these reactions from other players who are in love with this cute isometric action game!
