Review: Misc: A Tiny Tale (Nintendo Switch)
Inviting you to see the world from a different angle, Misc: A Tiny Tale shrinks you down to the size of a tiny robot named Buddy as you follow him on an adventure into the unknown. Accompanied by his best friend Bag Boy, Buddy leaves his village for the first time following a mysterious explosion in the sky that rained litter down on the world. It is up to you to help Buddy figure out what happened and clean up the mess left in the disaster’s wake.
The world is split into levels, each with unique aspects to its environment. In each one you complete a checklist of tasks as you explore. Every world will need to be cleaned up and will have ten golden cogs scattered around it for you to collect to fix the gate leading onwards. You acquire new tasks with each new character you speak to. Often, if you explore thoroughly on your way around, you may have found exactly what someone is looking for before you even speak to them.
The characters you meet are charmingly written and make the world feel full and vibrant as you glimpse different ways of living in this tiny society. Most are friendly, rewarding you generously for your help and offering assistance in turn. Others become your dearest friends and join you in your quest against the villains threatening your home.
Misc: A Tiny Tale tells a wholesome story of friendship, resilience and a dedication to preserving the beauty of the natural world around you. The relatively simple gameplay, sweet story, cute character designs and gentle environmental message combine to create a game that feels generally targeted towards a younger audience. It certainly delivers its message to kids well, blending a sense of both pride in your environment and satisfaction of a job well done into the work that goes into not only cleaning up, but also nurturing your space until it blooms with life and colour.
At no point is the game patronising, and it’s still plenty of fun for older players. There are plenty of points when Misc: A Tiny Tale is genuinely challenging, testing your dexterity and problem-solving skills as much as your drive to explore. The story equally takes some surprisingly mature twists. These are handled in a way that is accessible to children, but they ramp up the sense of urgency so that it’s difficult not to feel invested in Buddy and Bag Boy’s wellbeing.
Misc: A Tiny Tale is not a particularly long game, but it tells its sweet story and delivers its message well. It is engaging and absorbing, subtly encouraging you to think about the extended impact of decisions and championing the importance of bravery when it comes to defending your friends and communities.
