Tharaba

Tharaba is a really simple arcade fighting game, but I actually like how focused it is. There is no big story or complicated progression to distract me. I am thrown into battles against randomly generated enemies and the main goal is to survive while getting the highest score possible. The whole game is built around timing, precision and trying to make every attack count. The combat is all about getting the timing right. I have to land attacks at the right moment while also watching for opportunities to dodge incoming attacks. A successful hit is not just about pressing the attack button whenever I can. The better I time everything, the more I can build up my score and keep the fight going. I enjoyed this because it gives the simple controls a little more depth than they initially suggest. The score chasing is probably the strongest part for me. Tharaba encourages me to keep improving my own performance rather than simply completing a fixed set of levels. Every fight becomes another attempt to beat my previous result, and that works well with the random enemy encounters. I like arcade games that can be picked up quickly but still give me a reason to replay them, and Tharaba definitely has that quality. The visual style also fits the game nicely. It uses colourful two dimensional pixel art with a cartoon martial arts look, which gives the fights a playful feeling instead of making them overly serious. The old school presentation suits the short arcade format very well. It also supports a controller, which I think is useful for a game where quick reactions and precise timing are so important. The biggest weakness is the lack of variety. Since the entire experience is centred around fighting randomly generated enemies and chasing a high score, there is only so much to do once I have spent enough time with it. There is no large campaign or deep character progression to keep me occupied for a long period. I think the game works better when I treat it as something I play for short sessions rather than expecting a huge fighting game experience. I also appreciate how lightweight the game is. It is a very small download and the simple presentation means I can get into a match almost immediately. There are also Steam achievements tied to things like improving my performance and getting into a stronger rhythm. These little goals give me something extra to work towards without changing the basic nature of the game. Overall, I think Tharaba is a fun little score attack fighter that does what it sets out to do. The combat is simple, but the focus on precise attacks, dodging and timing gives me enough to learn and improve. The random enemies and high score focus help with replayability, although the limited variety eventually becomes noticeable. I would not recommend it to someone looking for a large fighting game, but as a quick arcade experience built around timing and chasing a better score, I think it works surprisingly well. Rating: 6.6/10