The first-ever game developed by OverBorder Studio, Thymeisa is an action-RPG Soulslike that takes heavy inspiration from games like Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Playing as the mysterious Corvus, players must navigate the Kingdom of Hermes, which has crumbled following the emergence of a deadly plague.
As with any Soulslike, tutorials are sparse, and players will need to do a lot of trial and error to learn the intricacies of the game's many systems. While some of these systems will be familiar to Souls-veterans, Thymesia has thrown in a few curveballs to make their game stand out in the genre.
10 Understanding White And Green Health
Enemies in Thymesia have two health bars and understanding what each means is essential for progressing in the game. White health operates like a standard health bar, depleting when the player lands a hit on the enemy with their Saber attacks. Green health is a more unusual beast.
When an enemy's white health is lowered, their green health bar will be revealed underneath. Green health can only be damaged with Claw attacks. It's important to attack the green health whenever it's visible because the enemy will regenerate their white health up to the same level as their green health after a few seconds of respite. It's also important to invest Talent points into the Claw, which extends the weapon's combo as well as boosts its damage, making green health easier to take down.
9 Don't Worry About Stamina
Unlike pretty much any Soulslike on the market (except for Sekiro), Corvus does not have a stamina bar. That means the days of dashing in, landing a couple of hits, then dashing back out to recharge stamina are over.
Players should absolutely take this to heart and never let up the attack. Offense and aggression are the name of the game here, so attack the moment an opening presents itself, and don't let up unless absolutely necessary. The enemy will be taking the same approach.
8 Learn The Parrying Rhythm
Yet another similarity to Sekiro is the parrying system, which operates almost identically in Thymesia. Nearly every attack in the game can be parried, even heavy swings from giant enemies. As such, mastering the parrying mechanic will make dispatching the game's various enemies a breeze.
The parrying in Thymesia is all about timing. Pressing the parry button at the right time will result in a blocked attack, and matching the rhythm of an enemy's combo can block the whole thing. It will take a bit of messing with to get the feeling right, but the parry window is surprisingly generous. Before long, players will be knocking aside attacks like they're nothing.
7 It's Ok To Upgrade Every Stat
In most Souls games, it's important for players to pick a couple stats that their character is going to specialize in early on in a playthrough and then focus on upgrading them above all others. That is not the case in Thymesia.
Stat points come fast and furious in this game, and it won't take long for players to get a neglected stat up a half-dozen levels if they decide it suits their playstyle. An even better approach is to simply upgrade them all consistently, at least until they're all at level 10 since there are only three stats to worry about. Unlike in a FromSoftware game, being a "Jack-of-all-trades" in Thymesia is a viable option.
6 Experiment With Plague Weapons
Following the aforementioned Saber and Claw weapons, there are also Plague weapons, which are essentially Thymesia's magic system. Each Plague weapon has a different effect; some do damage, some can block attacks, and some can even heal.
While players will only get one use out of a Plague weapon in the beginning, eventually they'll be able to equip one to use regularly, and further upgrades will allow a second to be equipped as well. It's important to use those opportunities early in the game to get a feel for how each Plague weapon works. Then, once the ability to equip them is unlocked, players can focus on upgrading the one that best suits their playstyle. Farming enemies that make use of a specific Plague weapon is also the best way to upgrade that weapon for Corvus, so make sure to hunt them down.
5 Don't Neglect Feathers
On top of all the weapons listed above, Corvus also has access to Feathers, which are his version of throwing knives. They don't do much damage, but they're reliably accurate and can cover a lot of range. Unlike in other Soulslikes, where this type of weapon would only really be used to aggro enemies from a distance, they have a much more valuable application in Thymesia.
Specifically, hitting an enemy with a Feather will prevent their white health bar from regenerating. Sometimes, players will find themselves too far from their enemy to maintain the offensive, and the enemy's health will start to regenerate. Hitting them with a feather before that happens will halt their regeneration and buy Corvus a few precious seconds to get in close and re-engage them in combat.
4 Respecing Talents Is Easy
The Talent tree in Thymesia is Corvus' skill tree, allowing him to upgrade his combos, unlock new abilities, or strengthen the ones he already has. Each upgrade will cost a Talent Point, but thankfully, spending a Talent Point isn't a permanent commitment.
Returning to the Talent Tree and clicking on an acquired Talent will remove the Talent Point from it and put it back in reserve, allowing it to be spent on any other Talent in the tree. This allows for constant adaptation to any situation. Talent points can be applied to abilities that grant more Shards or Items while farming and then applied to deal more damage or extend attack combos when heading into a boss fight. It's a great and extremely flexible system.
3 Complete Sub-Quests
After completing an area, players will be given the option to move on or to return to the area to take on Sub-Quests. While backtracking may feel like it is slowing the game's progress, Sub-Quests provide valuable rewards that are well worth going back for.
Specifically, Sub-Quests usually grant a large number of Memory Shards, but certain unique enemies that players find within Sub-Quests will also grant valuable rare items. It's also worthwhile to go back and see the unique enemies that won't appear in the main game. Some of them are very twisted.
2 Pick A Potion Type And Stick To It
Unlike most other upgradeable tools in Thymesia, the items used to upgrade Corvus' potions are few and far between. Given Corvus will have access to three types of potions after completing the second area, players are unlikely to find enough potion upgrades to fill the skill trees of all three.
As such, the best course of action is for players to settle on which potion type they prefer early on and focus on upgrading that one before the others. Standard, Long, and Fast Potions all come with unique benefits and detriments, as well as unique ingredients that can be added to each, so get a feel for them and decide which one feels the most natural.
1 Explore Every Nook
Areas in Thymesia aren't particularly large, but just like in any Soulslike, they are packed with hidden areas and shortcuts. Sometimes they just make the run to a boss fight shorter, but they can also lead to hidden mini-bosses, rare items, or pieces of lore.
As such, it's important to take the time and explore each area thoroughly. Secret passages are often hidden behind breakable barrels and crates, but others can be trickier to spot. Dig around in each room, and there's a good chance that something hidden will reveal itself.
Thymesia was released on August 18th, 2022, and is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.