Review of “Misc. A Tiny Tale”

The moment I started Misc. A Tiny Tale, it hit me like—why does it feel so… nostalgic? Maybe it’s the Chibi-Robo vibes? Who knows. You’re this mini robot dude, hustling around, picking up trash, helping folks like it’s a normal Saturday afternoon. But truth be told, if Chibi-Robo was as endearing as this game, I mean, we’d still be all over that series today, right?

You’re Buddy. Not me, you—just go with it. Buddy and his sidekick Bag Boy (yup, another cute robot) are off to figure out why Golden Cogs have gone kaboom and scattered everywhere. And yes, you’re doing the usual—making pals, sorting out mysteries, and yeah, lots of tidying up. This game’s all about levels—a wild mashup of cleaning and jumping around like in those classic 3D platformers. Collect Golden Cogs to move on—there’s always ten per level. Oh, and trash? It’s kind of like currency, trade it in for stuff to help your quests. The quest log? Super handy. And even though you don’t have to do everything, I just couldn’t stop myself. Everything needed doing before I moved on. It’s like, yes, I ended up with a full 100% completion because, honestly, I was just that swept up in it. Oh, and no timers! Explore as much as you want.

Every level feels different. Seriously. Like, there was this one with gardening and you’re hunting down seeds—kind of zen if you ask me. Although, maybe once or twice, things felt a bit spread out. But mostly, well-played, developers. Then there are these hidden challenges. They’re nuts, the crazy-hard kind. But jump control? Ugh, kind of floaty. Buddy’s shadow messes with your head ‘cause it disappears just when you’re about to land. Who thought that was a good idea? Thank you, but no thanks.

Now brace yourself—Misc’s story takes a left turn when you’re expecting a right. I won’t spoil it, but it’s like starting a bedtime story that ends with a plot twist—goes deep, maybe a bit somber. I ended up way too invested in these characters, and those last few levels? Couldn’t stop.

Played this on a Switch 2, and it’s mostly smooth sailing. Sure, textures sometimes lag, and the resolution likes to dip, but overall, it holds up fine. A Switch 2 version would be cool, but it already takes advantage of extra power—runs at a slick 60 fps now. Fingers crossed for a niched out update someday, but no rush.

Honestly, I thought I had Misc pegged down from the start. It’s more than a Chibi-Robo homage, it’s got this Mario 64 flavor that keeps it fresh. With levels and a need to collect everything, yeah, I was hooked. Did the platforming slow me down now and then? Sure. Did I care enough to stop? Not even close. For me, Misc. A Tiny Tale is climbing the ranks as a top indie pick of the year.