out of 10
The short version
Tidewright $24.99
Tidewright is a near-perfect puzzle game: clever without being cruel, beautiful without showing off, and exactly as long as it needs to be.
Best for puzzle fans and anyone who loved short, story-led games
What we like
- Puzzles that teach without tutorials
- Warm, understated writing
- Gorgeous hand-painted art
- Optional challenges for completionists
Keep in mind
- Final chapter is noticeably easier
- Soundtrack loops can grow repetitive
Key specs
- Length
- 7 to 9 hours
- Genre
- Puzzle adventure
- Platforms
- PC and consoles
- Price
- $24.99
Tidewright begins with a simple task. Your grandmother’s ferry company is failing, and you have one season to deliver enough cargo to keep it afloat. Each island is a puzzle: move the boat, read the tides and get every crate ashore before the water turns against you.
Puzzles that trust you
The genius of Tidewright is how little it explains. The first island introduces the tide. The second adds currents. The third quietly combines them, and by the time you reach the midpoint you are juggling moorings, sandbars and a moon that changes the rules each night. We never felt lost, and we never felt handheld.
A story told in small moments
Between islands, you return to the family harbour, where conversations change based on how the season is going. There are no big twists. Instead there are letters, arguments over dinner and a slowly repaired relationship between a mother and daughter. It is the kind of writing that lands precisely because it never raises its voice.
Where it slips
The final chapter is easier than the two before it, which takes some tension out of the ending. The soundtrack, lovely for the first few hours, loops a little too obviously on longer puzzles. Neither issue stopped us from finishing it in two sittings.
Final verdict
One of the year’s best
Tidewright is thoughtful, beautiful and expertly designed. If you have a free weekend, spend it here.
