We've documented 22 accessibility features for Tails of Iron, including Fully Voiced (Or No Speech), Select Difficulty, Play Without Hearing, Visual Directional Cues and Speaker Indicator. Its accessibility is strongest in Navigation and Reading but it also has features in Controls, Getting Started, Visual, Audio and Difficulty to reduce unintended barriers.
This report is created with input from accessibility experts and the player community to help people find games that have the accessibility features they require. Once you have found potential games on the database, there are excellent specialist accessibility sites that offer in-depth reviews to guide your purchasing decisions.
External examiner, Angela Hickman Newnham, first checked Tails of Iron accessibility 2 years ago. It was re-examined by Angela Hickman Newnham and updated 2 years ago.
Accessibility Notes
Almost all of the text in the game is narrated, and no reading is required to play. The mice speak to each other using picture bubbles and the narrator explains what you needs to do next. All equipment information is displayed using visual bars to show you how equipping the item will affect your stats.
The font that is used throughout the game is a stylistic font that can be challenging to read and is not very large. Quest and side quest details are written on reminder cards in the journal in even smaller small text, and this is the only time in the game in which there is specific text that is not read by the narrator or indicated visually on the screen it is shown on. However, even if you do not read or listen to the narrator's dialog there are clear and easy to follow objectives placed on the map with arrows on the screen pointing towards them.
Although the game cannot be saved anytime, there are very frequent save points available and you are unlikely to lose much progress if you use the save points as you come across them.
The main character Redgi bounces up and down continuously while he walks, which may exacerbate motion-sickness
Game Details
Release Date: 17/09/2021
Out Now: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox X|S
Players: 1
Genres: Fighting, Simulation (Action, Adventure, Narrative and Role-Play)
Accessibility: 22 features
Components: 2D Side-On and Hand-Made
Developer: Odd Bug Studio (@OddBugStudio)
Costs: Purchase cost
Controls
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Controls in Tails of Iron which deal with how you control the game, different options for alternative inputs and whether you can remap these settings to suit your needs.
Gamepad
Can play with the following:
Multiple Buttons & Two Sticks: Can play with multiple buttons and two sticks.
Controller Vibration
Vibration Optional: Controller vibration not used in the game or you can disable it.
Informative Vibration: Controller vibration indicates events or interactions in the game, echoing visual and audio cues. This can provide additional information about progress, approaching enemies or hitting a target.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls
If you want to play Tails of Iron, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- Dark Souls (10 Controls Features)
- Biomutant (9 Controls Features)
- Dark Souls III (8 Controls Features)
- Sea of Thieves (8 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Difficulty in Tails of Iron which deals with how you can adjust the challenge of play, and whether this is locked once chosen or can be adjusted as you play.
Difficulty Options
Select Difficulty: Select the level of difficulty from a range of presets. This not only offers a way to adjust the challenge of a game but enables you to do so without dealing with individual criteria.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Difficulty
If you want to play Tails of Iron, but it doesn't offer the Difficulty accessibility features you require, this similar game extends the Difficulty accessibility:
- Unto The End (2 Difficulty Features)
Getting Started
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Getting Started in Tails of Iron which deal with what support is offered to get started with the game. This includes customising the experience when you first open the game via any onboarding processes it provides as well as tutorials and other assistance when you first start playing.
Assistance Getting Starting
These features aid your play of the game in terms of cognitive load on learning controls, dealing with pressure and coping with the environment and challenges.
Tutorials: There are helpful tutorials and instructions on how to play. Information is provided in a timely manner, with appropriate level of detail.
View Control Mapping: You can view a map of controls during play. This clearly displays the mappings of actions to buttons/keys/mouse/keyboard without having to leave the game. This includes games that always display buttons to press during play.
No Jump Scares: No sudden loud noises or popping-up scary visuals that unexpectedly appear without warning, or the option to disable them.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play Tails of Iron, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- Biomutant (6 Getting Started Features)
- Elden Ring (5 Getting Started Features)
- Valheim (4 Getting Started Features)
- Unto The End (4 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 5 accessibility features for Reading in Tails of Iron which deal with how much reading or listening comprehension is required, how well the game provides visual and audible access to the text and whether subtitles and captions are a good fit for purpose.
Reading Level
How much reading is required to play the game's main path or story and how complex the language is. The presence of voiced characters doesn't reduce this requirement, as it's recorded as a separate datapoint.
Simple Minimal Reading: Minimal reading is required. The quantity and complexity of reading are at a level that a primary/elementary student (9-year-old) could understand.
Text Visibility
High Contrast Text: Text colour contrasts to the background or can be adjusted to be. The text in menus, instructions and other information is presented in high contrast with a solid background.
Subtitles
All Speech Subtitled (Or No Speech In Game): All spoken content has subtitles, or there is no speech in the game. This means there is no requirement to hear spoken dialogue or narrative to play the game.
Captions
Speaker Indicator: Textual captions indicate who is speaking (or there is only ever one person speaking). This can also be indicated visually in the game with character icons or placing text in speech bubbles next to the person speaking.
Voice Acted
All Dialogue is Voice Acted (Or No Speech In Game): All of the game dialogue and narrative can be voiced, or there is no speech in the game. This means there is no requirement to read the dialogue and narrative text to play the game.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Reading
If you want to play Tails of Iron, but it doesn't offer the Reading accessibility features you require, this similar game extends the Reading accessibility:
- Biomutant (7 Reading Features)
Navigation
We've documented 6 accessibility features for Navigation in Tails of Iron which deal with how the game provides guidance and assistance to navigate its worlds. These are only for games that have traversal and exploration in 2D and 3D spaces.
Clarity
Large Clear Navigation: The in-game navigation and maps are clear to read. They offer large text and offer markers that are large and of high contrast. Where text or information is small, there are settings to zoom-in and increase visibility.
Clear Mission Objectives: The game provides clear, structured missions with directional guidance and advice on which can be attempted next. This also indicates (ideally on maps where they are provided) which missions can't be attempted because you do not have the appropriate items yet.
Visual Directional Cues: Additional in-game visual cues that signpost where to go next and how close you are to arriving. This can be with camera movement to focus on your destination or important items. It can use light, breadcrumb trails, in-world pointers to identify your mission's target location.
Head-Up Display
Head-Up Display Navigation: Indication of where to go next with overlaid arrows, minimaps and waypoint markers. This supplements in-game visual and audible cues with additional guidance about where you are and where you need to go.
Game Map: View a map of the game world during play, with the landscape, points of interest and missions highlighted throughout the entire game. This enables the orientation of the player and the world, confirming a direction of movement and the location of destinations or points of exploration.
Menu Navigation
Menus Don't Wrap: Menus don't wrap and stop the cursor at the bottom of the list if you press down. Or menus do wrap but make it clear that you are back at the top of the list with sound or narration.
Visual
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Visual in Tails of Iron which deal with how you can adjust the visuals to suit your needs, and offer additional information if you can't hear the game.
Interactive Elements
Large Game Elements: Game characters and other elements are large and distinguishable. Enemies and player characters are at least 1/6 of the height of the screen. Or there is a zoom feature to make them larger.
Visual Distractions
No Screen Shake: No screen shake effect or it is included but it can be disabled. This includes the absence of screen shake for dramatic effect as well as to indicate hits on a target.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Visual
If you want to play Tails of Iron, but it doesn't offer the Visual accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Visual accessibility:
- Biomutant (5 Visual Features)
- Unto The End (5 Visual Features)
- Sea of Thieves (5 Visual Features)
- Dark Souls II (4 Visual Features)
Audio
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Audio in Tails of Iron which deal with how you can adjust the audio of the game and whether audio cues compensate for aspects of the game that are hard to see.
Adjustable Audio
Balance Audio Levels: Set music and game sound effects separately. This enables you to select your preference as well as ensure critical game sounds aren't obscured by other audio.
Play Without Hearing
Play Without Hearing: No audio cues are necessary to play the game well.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Audio
If you want to play Tails of Iron, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, this similar game extends the Audio accessibility:
- Carrion (3 Audio Features)
System Accessibility Settings
In addition to the accessibility features provided in the game, you can also use system-wide accessibility settings:
Nintendo Switch
Nintendo Switch has some built-in features, including a lockable zoom, that can be used on all games.
PC
Windows has extensive accessibility features. Some, like colour correction, work with games. Lots of accessibility software can be used with PC games, from voice recognition to input device emulators.
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 4 has a range of accessibility settings. Some are system only, some work in games (invert colours and button mapping).
PlayStation 5
PlayStation 5 has a range of system-wide accessibility settings.
Xbox One
Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games.
Xbox Series X|S
Xbox One has a system features, the excellent co-pilot share controls mode and adaptive controller support for all games.
Read more about system accessibility settings.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors @growingupgamers