Review of “Misc. A Tiny Tale”

Ah, Misc. A Tiny Tale. If I had a nickel for every time someone pitched it as a Chibi-Robo-like, I’d have… well, a few nickels, I guess. But there I was, controlling this tiny robot hero, zipping around cleaning trash and making friends. And let me just say, if Chibi-Robo had been half as fun and charming as Misc, I’d probably still find myself diving into those games on the regular.

So here we are, buddy. You, a little bot named Buddy, and your pal Bag Boy, off to solve the mystery of these random Golden Cogs scattered after some explosion. Don’t ask me what those cogs even do. It’s part of the charm, I suppose. Anyway, along the way, you pick up trash, make friends, solve the odd problem or two—it’s one of those games that’s broken up into distinct little levels. It’s got that 3D platformer feel, you know? Think a bit Mario 64, with a twist of environmental care.

Now, these Golden Cogs, they’re keys. Collect ’em, and you unlock fancy new doors. Each stage is just a small collection quest, ten cogs, tons of trash. Cleaning up doesn’t give you cogs exactly, but turn it into currency; it’s a whole economy of being neat and tidy. I was supposed to just plow through, but somehow, I ended up doing everything. I guess the game kind of sunk its claws into me without me realizing it. Oh, and pro-tip: no time limits here. You wander, you explore, you breathe it all in at your own pace.

Each level’s got something unique going on. One had me out in the garden—planting seeds and chopping down evil weeds or something. Really, some levels felt a bit too massive, but hey, I like a challenge. The hidden platform challenges, though? That’s where you test your mettle. Buddy’s jumps? Not the best. Floating and confusing with shadows that vanish when you need them most. Kind of like life, I guess.

But who knew the story would pull me in that deep? No spoilers here, but I expected sunny and cozy and got something with depth, maybe even a little darkness. You get attached, you know? By the end, I was locked in, just had to know what happened next.

I played this on my trusty Switch 2. Solid enough performance but a few hiccups here and there—typical stuff. Textures take a tiny siesta before fully loading. And while there’s no official Switch 2 update, the extra power cleans up the experience nicely. Less pop-in, smoother frames. Wouldn’t mind seeing what a dedicated patch could do, though.

First impressions? This game is anything but just another Chibi-Robo clone. Shifting gears to a Mario-esque 3D quest? Genius, honestly. And even if some hiccups slow it down briefly, the game’s character keeps you going. Misc. A Tiny Tale is already a top contender for indie game of the year on my personal list. No idea how that happened, but there it is.