Tuncheis an indie game that was developed by the smaller studio of Leap Game Studios. They have made several games before this, butTuncheis their first big title. It’s a combination of two celebrated genres that gamers may not have thought to join before.
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Tuncheis a roguelikebeat ‘em up. The story follows a group of five travelers who have come to the Amazon to acquire a vast treasure. Each character has their reasons for walking into these treacherous jungles. What else is there to know about this new hybrid indie game? Here are a few tips to get started.
6What’s In A Typical Run?
Players start the game by choosing one of five characters. After that, the run begins with each room consisting of players pummeling foes into a bloody pulp. After that is done they will get rewarded with several things which are decided by the door/portal they chose.
This branching pathway system, indicated by sigils, is similarto a gamelikeHades’. Sometimes doorways will lead to story beats or mini-games, but for the most part, every room will be the same albeit with different prizes at the end. It’s good to mention that the only thing lost in death is gold and temporary perks called Spiritual Orbs.
5There Is Co-Op
Tunche is a unique roguelike due to its ties to classic beat ‘em ups. Besides the combat style, it alsofeatures a couch co-opwith up to four players. There are no difficulty options in the game or even accessible features.
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That’s a shame but there is a plus side. Co-op can help even the odds.Tunchecan be fun alone but it might be best to wait for this one out until players can for sure get at least one friend or loved one together for some co-op action. It should help make the game feel less tedious and overall weaken the steep grind.
4Understanding Room Choices
The symbols for each room are never clearly spelled out to players. This is an instance where trials are needed. The biggest doorway to look out for will be labeled EXP, which is short for experience points. There is no straight EXP in the game like in a typical RPG though so this level is odd.
It’s called Essence inTunche. At camp, Essence can be used to buy upgrades for every individual character. Part of the reason whyTuncheis such a grind is that Essence is held back by these door prizes. It’s not rewarded to players upon successful kills, again,unlike typical RPGs. The tip here is to always go for doors marked with the EXP logo.
3Spiritual Cores To Look Out For
There are other symbols players should look out for in doorways. Characters can gain temporary perks called Spiritual Orbs which was mentioned earlier. One of the best early ones to find is called Leech. It sort of looks like a spiral typhoon. Thankfully the image above should clear up any confusion. At level one this Spiritual Orb will heal the player one HP for every kill.
That may not sound like a lot, but it is a massive boost. Even though Spiritual Orbs are lost in death, players can upgrade them back at camp. That means that the next time players pick up Leech, if they increased it to level two, it will heal two HP. These upgrades carry over for the whole party, unlike the Essence skill trees. Any sort of bloodsucking ability like Leech is very valuablein a roguelikelet alone a beat ‘em up.
2Essential Essence Upgrades
Every character in the game has their own skill tree. There are different tiers to each tree as well ranging from heroes gaining new moves to stat boosts. There are two essential upgrades to tackle first. There is one called Utility Belt, which will increase the potion slots from one to two.
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The other upgrade requires players to defeat the first boss. This will unlock a tier in the skill tree called Bestial Vitality. Buying this will increase HP and MP by 100 thus doubling up on power. Any sort of health boost or healing upgrade is usually the first thing to get recommendedin a roguelikeexperience soTuncheis no different.
1Combat Tips
Using melee attacks doesn’t cost players anything. Using ranged attacks, even the basic starter option, uses MP though. These ranged attacks are usually weaker but there is a plus side. This will keep the players safer due to the advantage of distance. This is a basicstrategy for roguelikesbut it’s still worth mentioning.
It might be a good idea to exhaust all MP before jumping headfirst into a brawl. Every successful hit will replenish the MP gauge. A good tactic would have players use MP, then switch to melee, and then back to ranged attacks once the meter is completely refilled. Repeating this process should, again, keep players safer. A good dodge roll or two is also necessary.
Tunchewas released on August 03, 2025, and is available onPC,PS4,Switch, andXbox One.
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