Touch Type Tale - Strategic Typing

There have been many genres within gaming that have came and gone, chalked up as a sign of the times. You have the music games with guitar and DJ deck peripherals that were all the rage in the 2000’s or the point and click games of the 1990’s which were eventually outclassed by immersive open level design and narrative-driven gameplay. Another genre that had the same fate was the typing game genre. These games were made to teach typing while still offering a fun and engaging gaming experience. Well, Touch Type Tale aims to bring this genre back into the spotlight and show this new generation what they have been missing.

This game plays like other typing video games of yesteryear such as The Typing of the Dead, Typer Shark Deluxe or Tux Typing. However, this game has a modern spin that can also be seen in games like Epistory – Typing Chronicles or The Texorcist: The Story of Ray Bibbia. This game aims to be equal parts engaging and educational. However, is this game a fun and practical title, or simply a chore to endure. We find out in our review of Touch Type Tale.

A Game that Wont be Type Cast

When we first sat down to this title, we assumed that this title would have a pretty predictable format. An overarching story and a series of typing puzzles and speed challenges to work through to progress the narrative. Well, we couldn’t have been more wrong and frankly, we were glad to be mistaken. This game mixes it up with a competitive RTS style format that urges players to become better typists through pairing them against real world opposition. It’s a game that isn’t just a series of words to mindlessly enter. It’s a game where your choices matter and the competitive aspect only adds to the appeal of this game.

The game does also have a rather sizable and gripping story mode too. Where players will have to fight to build a civilisation with just the tips of their fingers. We admit that the narrative behind this story is a little bit thin and the visual content is only slightly more refined than a decent flash game. However, this doesn’t matter when the gameplay and format are so cohesive and fun.

The game essentially plays like a resource management game not unlike Mobile games like Clash of Clans, Rise of Industry or Age of Empires. Yet all you are doing is typing random words on a screen. Its tricking you into becoming a great typist through its alluring gameplay and that is a testament to the wonderful game design at play here.

The Verdict

Overall, this game is limited by what it is. After all, its a game about typing random words. However, in terms of creativity, thinking outside the box and keeping the gameplay fresh for long periods of time, this title ticks every box. The small issues that stop this game from being categorised as a great game are the poor visuals and the rather lacklustre main story campaign.

Pros:

• Includes full story mode campaign
• Competitive Multiplayer is an excellent addition
• Gameplay is cohesive and easily accessible for all

Cons:

• The core narrative is weak
• The visual offerings leave a lot to be desired