Summary
Tevi is a fantastic 2D Metroidvania with a colorful cast of characters. The visuals are appealing, the audio is bopping, and the game is accessible to players of all backgrounds. Whether you’re a fan of bullet hell shooters, Metroidvania games, or simply crave an immersive adventure, Tevi promises an unforgettable experience.
Developer – CreSpirit
Publisher – PM Studios
Platforms – PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 (reviewed)
Review copy given by publisher
Nowadays there’s always another indie Metroidvania releasing with a unique twist of sorts. Well did you know of a little title called Tevi, a game categorized as a Metroidvania with bullet hell elements? It was released back on PC and Nintendo Switch back in 2023 but has now made its way onto PlayStation 5! Developed by CreSpirit and published by PM Studios, Tevi can be seen as the spiritual successor to Rabi-Ribi, a 2D side scrolling exploration platformer. Get ready for an epic journey filled with mystery, magic, and mayhem!
Set in the world of Az, Tevi has you take on the role of the titular character, Tevi, a rabbit (?) who proclaims to be a genius, set off on a journey to search for Astral Gears. You are accompanied by Celia, an angel Magitech as well as Sable, an innocent demon. The narrative of Tevi weaves a tale of intrigue and magic, where the world is scarred by ancient conflicts. As Tevi, you seek answers about your past and the enigmatic events that shaped this realm. Tevi’s memories are fragmented, and her journey becomes a quest for self-discovery. Throughout the game, you’ll encounter powerful artifacts left behind by a lost civilization. These relics hold the key to unlocking Tevi’s true potential and understanding the world’s history.
The gameplay of Tevi is mainly that of a Metroidvania, where you acquire new skills that allow you to traverse previously inaccessible areas. These include the dash, slide, and double jump, just to name a few. With this also comes platforming of course. I didn’t really vibe with the fact that you can’t drop below platforms you’re standing on, but that’s a minor gripe. Controls feel refined, responsive, and smooth. Level design is great and naturally brings you back to areas that unlock further subareas and hidden paths. The lush, interconnected world of Az boasts over 40 areas waiting to be explored. From serene forests to treacherous toxic depths, each location holds hidden secrets and challenges.
Tevi is equipped with both a trusty dagger and an oversized wrench. Her melee attacks are as stylish as they are deadly. Her two friends, Celia, and Sable, as mentioned above, assist you in combat in the form of two floating balls that can be used to fire projectiles. Each orb provides different bullet types and contains different properties depending on the situation you are in. For example, Celia can fire homing missiles whereas Sable can pierce through enemies. Using ranged attacks consumes mana, which can be restored fairly quickly.
Perhaps the most impressive part is the exhaustive sigil system in Tevi. This is where you can customize and tweak your character’s build with hundreds of different abilities to unlock and tons of equipment to collect. There are a ton of sigils to craft, some of which provide basic stat boosts or heal you whereas some others can be incredibly complex to use. Nonetheless, the game is balanced and fair, and provides an incredible amount of depth if you want to dive deep.Â
Bosses, of course, are a spectacle too, forcing you to use all the tools in your arsenal. These intense action sequences are often multi-phased, and where the bullet hell-ness of the game truly comes into play. Timing, strategy, and reflexes are crucial as you strive to overcome these challenging foes. The normal mobs are alright and some areas suffer from repetitive enemy placement, which can diminish the overall experience.
Tevi obviously contains elements of fan service and anime tropes, which may or may not mesh well with you given your tastes. Dialogue is generally delivered through static visual novel-esque panels. You can skip through these if you desire, so don’t feel you need to sit through slogs of text before you can jump back into the action.
The PlayStation 5 port of Tevi is fantastic, with ultra fast load times, and excellent performance. It only takes up a little over 1 GB on your console too. With a VRR supported display, this game runs at 120 frames per second and takes only 5 seconds to load in. 6 difficulty modes are offered: Cakewalk, Picnic, Normal, Hard, Expert, and Infernal BBQ (yes you read that correctly) along with custom game modes such as free roam. These can be tweaked and changed at any time in-game as well. The PS5 version contains 66 trophies for a Platinum, and you’ll definitely get your money’s worth if you choose to do everything there is to do.
The game features in-game subtitles in English, Japanese, Chinese, but only dialogue audio in Japanese. The Japanese voice overs are fantastic, as the game features well-known VAs such as Lynn, Yoko Hikasa, and Natsumi Fujiwara. This is not to mention the addictive soundtrack that plays in the background. I could sit for hours listening to the title track alone. There’s even a streamer friendly mode so you don’t get any copyright strikes!
Tevi is a fantastic 2D Metroidvania with a colorful cast of characters. The visuals are appealing, the audio is bopping, and the game is accessible to players of all backgrounds. Whether you’re a fan of bullet hell shooters, Metroidvania games, or simply crave an immersive adventure, Tevi promises an unforgettable experience.
