Tempopo review

• Available on Xbox Series X/S, Switch and PC
• Released on 17 April 2025
• Developed by Witch Beam

After the quiet brilliance of Unpacking, it was always going to be tough for Witch Beam to follow it up. That little moving-day gem tugged on all the right emotional strings, so expectations for their next game were sky-high. Enter Tempopo: a rhythmic puzzle game filled with charm and colour — but also one that doesn’t quite seem to know who it’s for.

At first glance, Tempopo is delightful. It’s bright, bouncy, and looks like a game tailor-made for a young audience. Its main characters are pink puffballs (the titular tempopo) who toddle their way across floating islands collecting flowers. But rather than controlling them directly, your job is to set up guidance around the level to help them get where they need to go.

Think of it like building a gentle, musical obstacle course. The tempopo will keep walking forward, turning clockwise when they bump into something. It’s your job to strategically place instructions, perhaps a signpost to send them in the right direction. It starts off easy, but before long the puzzles become surprisingly challenging.

There are no time limits, no scores, and no penalties for trying things out. Tempopo is very much a chill experience on the surface, which makes it a little odd when its difficulty suddenly spikes. The inclusion of a hint system helps — you can use it as often as you want — but it also ends up removing any sense of real accomplishment if you lean on it too heavily.

The core problem, though? Repetition. Each level builds on the last, but the overall formula doesn’t evolve much. That, combined with a whimsical aesthetic that feels squarely aimed at children, creates a weird mismatch. The puzzles are probably too tough for most kids, but the presentation may not hold the interest of older players for long.

None of this is to say that Tempopo isn’t good. It is! It’s clever, calming and sometimes deeply satisfying when you finally piece together the perfect solution. The way everything clicks into place, like a little Rube Goldberg machine, is very cool to witness. But it’s a game best played in short bursts — its charm fades a bit when marathoned.

Witch Beam clearly still has a knack for creating something unique. Tempopo might not hit the same emotional highs as Unpacking, but if you’re in the mood for something mellow, colourful and puzzling, it’s worth checking out. Just don’t expect to fall in love quite the same way.