Tensei by Project Pegasus

Every once in a while a game comes along that reminds me that these things can be great as a relaxation tool. No EXP to grind, no bullets to dodge, just crisp visuals, simple gameplay, and lovely visuals to help you reach a place of Zen. Tensei by developers Project Pegasus is one such game, and a strong one at that.

Dragon’s Flight Across the Waves

Tensei places you in an endlessly vertical Zen landscape full of mountains, hot springs, blowing tall grass, and temples. Your one goal? Ascend until you can’t anymore.

As an innocuous (and weirdly cute?) little black sphere, you have a number of options to make your way further and further towards the heavens. Your ability to triple-jump is quite pronounced, you’re able to roll up any and all surfaces (including walls), and your bounce ability gives you plenty of extra lift you need to reach even greater heights.

Along the way, there’s plenty to interact with, including orbs that power you up, launch rings that fire you into the air, and bits of corruption that threaten to halt your progress. Interacting with any of these (including destroying the latter with your bounce) charges a meter at the bottom of the screen. Fill it up, and you transform into a dragon, soaring with rapid speed and eliminating any corruption in your path for a few seconds. Rinse and repeat until you decide to stop.

Heart of a Dragon

While Tensei might not sound like much in terms of its gameplay, it’s the experience overall that really marks it as something special. The simple but addictive gameplay gets elevated by its gorgeous production. The black and white visuals look and feel like living brushwork, and seeing things like changing seasons as you ascend through the world is a real treat.

This is all accompanied by a serene soundtrack that accentuates the action perfectly. Simply put, I haven’t played a game this relaxing in a long time.

If one thing might turn some people off, it’s that I’ve basically described the entire game here. Aside from some achievements to collect and scores to beat, most of your games of Tensei are going to feel much the same. It’s not likely to become your next late-night marathon game, but I also don’t think it’s trying to.

The Verdict

At the rock-bottom price of $3, it’s hard not to recommend Tensei. You’re probably already pretty sure if this is for you or not, but if you’re curious, I firmly encourage you to open your mind and find your wings.

Tensei is available via Steam.

Watch the trailer for Tensei below: