Every now and then Game Freak likes to come out of its Nintendo-centric shell and prove it’s capable of create games that aren’t about turn-based critter battles. Tembo the Badass Elephant is proof positive.
A fast-paced action platformer with tight controls, killer style and gloriously satisfying destruction, Tembo is about as far from playing with your pocket monsters as you can get. I wouldn’t mind waiting a little longer between Pokemon releases if it meant more games like this. Plus it’s published by Sega, making it one of that company’s better releases in recent memory as well.
Here’s the backstory, courtesy of the game’s Steam page.
Shell City is plunged into a state of emergency after coming under attack from the devastating forces of PHANTOM. Terrifying war machines, emblazoned with skulls, tear through the city leaving a trail of destruction in their wake! As the National Army struggle to contain PHANTOM, General Krenman sees the mammoth task at hand and calls upon the only thing that stands between Shell City’s obliteration and its salvation; the peanut chompin’, villain stompin’, PHANTOM romping BADASS Elephantidae…TEMBO THE BADASS ELEPHANT! Aided by his faithful avian companion Picolo, it’s up to TEMBO to jump, smash, punch, swing, and butt stomp his way through the PHANTOM hordes as he aims to bring about the end of their tyrannical onslaught. Featuring 18 cleverly designed 2D side-scrolling levels, a whole host of deadly enemies and a unique comic book style art, TEMBO THE BADASS ELEPHANT is the heaviest action adventure of the year…weighing in at about seven and a half tons of fun.
Tembo the Badass Elephant arrives tomorrow on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
The First Five is the first five minutes of a game with light commentary. Once the five minutes are up, so are we.
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