PlayStation 4 Critic Reviews

Although a little dated in design, Tamarin is a ton of fun for fans of good old fashioned Collectathon platformers.

Tamarin is a cute monkey with a gun. It's as jarring as it sounds. Not helped by a wayward camera and some awful checkpointing, this isn't quite the Jet Force Gemini spiritual successor it could be. More like Git Force Gemini.

Tamarin had the ingredients to become a remarkable experience, but the final product is a weird and shocking mixture of tones and genres. It has its moments, but terrible camera movements and cumbersome exploration ruin the experience.

Tamarin has a quirky and fun concept (a monkey with a gun), but its poor 3D platforming, inability to inform the player properly about objectives and where to go, and dated look with bugs make it a title that few people have any good reason to play, especially when there are much better games of the genre out there right now on PS4.

Overall, Tamarin is an admirable attempt to bring back a type of game not widely popular in modern times. However, despite my love of old-school experiences, this sticks too close to its roots in the worst possible ways — this adorable monkey can’t save shoddy, outdated game design.

On the surface, Tamarin is a cute, beautifully-made action game with the most adorable of protagonists. However, while the game succeeds in its colorful aesthetics and enticing music, it lacks in its depth and storytelling. There is ultimately too much monkeying around and not enough substance. The game gets an A for effort when it comes to creativity, but ultimately the frustration outweighed the enjoyment.

One of the more disappointing games of the year, Tamarin is pretty to look at but dead behind the eyes, offering very little to win over fans of Rare’s golden age.

Tamarin is boring, repetitive and full of issues. Unfortunately, this team of ex-Rare members have been unable to replicate the glories of their past.

Tamarin may look like the ideal nostalgic fix - evoking fond memories of Rare's Jet Force Gemini - but this is not the game you are looking for. Tamarin's external charms hide flawed and deeply dull gameplay. What's most frustrating is the squandered potential of Tamarin, this could have been a game worth playing, but sadly you're best keeping a safe distance from this particular monkey.

Tamarin may be an adorable game but it's also one that'll make you wonder if it's sponsored by the NRA with its odd use of guns.