Wren and the Tidebell
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About Wren and the Tidebell
Wren and the Tidebell is a top-down action-adventure set on Saltmere, a small island of fishing villages, sandbars and sea caves. For a hundred years the great Tidebell in the bell tower rang the sea in and out. Then the Undertow rose from the Drowned Bay, cracked the bell and carried its three chimes into the deep, and the sea has stood high ever since.
Wren is the bell ringer's apprentice. She has a sword and one thing nobody else can do: ring the little bell shrines that still answer the Tidebell. Every shrine turns the tide for the whole island. At low tide the tideflats dry out into wet sand, sandbars join the shore and the mouths of sea caves open, and scuttlecrabs come out on the flats. At high tide the flats flood, lash eels wait in the water, and the floating planks rise level with the piers so you can walk across them. Most paths on the island are open at only one of the two tides, and many puzzles need both.
The island is a map of 25 screens, from Thornwood and the lighthouse in the north to the harbour and Kelpwick Chapel in the south. Villagers along the way tell you where to go next: Bram the bell ringer, Ness at her harbour stall and Hessa at the lighthouse. Four dungeons hold the story: Kelpwick Chapel on the flats, Gloam Grotto behind the east cliffs, Windward Spire on its rock, and the Undertow's own hall under the bay. Each of the first three gives Wren a new tool and ends with a guardian who holds a chime.
The tools open the island step by step. The hook line pulls Wren across water and gaps to old mooring posts and drags small creatures to her. The storm lantern throws a flame that burns bramble and lights braziers, and it lights the dark rooms of the grotto. The shell horn blows sand dunes away and stuns everything around her. Small keys open doors inside each dungeon, a great key opens the guardian's door, and each dungeon has a floor plan to find.
Hearts are kept as half hearts. Wren starts with three, gains one for every guardian and one for every four heart shells found on the island. Sea glass from pots, chests and creatures buys kelp tonic, which gets her back on her feet once, and a single heart shell from Ness. The island is saved at every room, and a fall only costs you the room you were in.
Game Details
- Developer
- PixelDen (original)
- Released
- Genre
- Adventure
- Platforms
- Desktop, Mobile
- Controls
- Arrow keys or WASD move Wren. Z or Space strikes with the sword, talks to villagers, reads signs, opens chests and rings bell shrines. X uses the selected tool and C swaps between your tools. M opens the map and P or Esc pauses. On a phone or tablet the stick moves Wren, SWORD strikes and talks, ITEM uses the tool and SWAP changes it; tap the text box to read on and the pause button at the top for the menu.
- Languages
- English, Español, Deutsch
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the tide work in Wren and the Tidebell?
Ring any bell shrine and the tide turns on the whole island. At low tide the tideflats and sandbars are dry and you can walk on them; at high tide they are water, but the floating planks rise and become bridges. Many paths are open at only one tide, so you will ring shrines often. Each dungeon also has shrines inside.
Where do I go first?
Talk to Bram beside the Tidebell in the bell tower. Ring the shrine in Saltmere square to bring the tide down, then walk south over the dry flats to Kelpwick Chapel, the first dungeon. Villagers change what they say after every chime, so talk to them again whenever you are stuck.
What do the three tools do?
The hook line from Kelpwick Chapel pulls Wren to wooden posts across water and gaps and drags small creatures to her. The storm lantern from Gloam Grotto burns bramble, lights braziers and lights up dark rooms. The shell horn from Windward Spire blows sand dunes away and stuns every creature near you.
What happens when I lose all my hearts?
You can continue from the start of the room with full hearts, or save and quit. A kelp tonic from Ness's stall gets you back up once without falling. Each fall takes 100 points off the finale bonus, up to ten falls.
Is my progress saved?
Yes. The island is saved every time you enter a room and whenever you find something, so Continue on the title screen puts you back where you left off. If you are logged in, the save also follows you to other devices.
How is the score calculated?
Each tool is worth 500 points, each chime 1,500, each guardian 1,000, each heart shell 100 and each chest 50. Beating the Undertow adds 2,000 minus 100 per fall and a speed bonus for finishing within 90 minutes of play. Sea glass does not score.
