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Xbox X|SWe've documented 20 accessibility features for Tharsis, including Large Subtitles, Low Pressure, No Quick Reactions, Select Difficulty and No Button Combos. Its accessibility is strongest in Controls and Reading but it also has features in Getting Started, Visual, Audio, Difficulty and Navigation 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.
Our accessibility examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Tharsis accessibility 20 months ago.
Accessibility Notes
Text throughout the game is in high contrast but is often very small. Cutscenes are voiced and also have subtitles which are large and easily readable.
The game is turn-based, so there is never any need to do things quickly or against the clock.
Game Details
Release Date: 12/01/2016, updated in 2020
Out Now: Mac, PC, PS4 and Switch
Skill Rating: 11+ year-olds
Players: 1
Genres: Battle, Simulation, Strategy (Puzzle and Traversal)
Accessibility: 20 features
Components: 2D Overhead, Dice and Grid
Developer: Totally Choice (@TotallyChoice)
Costs: Purchase cost
Controls
We've documented 5 accessibility features for Controls in Tharsis 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.
Mouse And Keyboard
Can play with the following:
Mouse Alone: Can play with just the mouse/mouse-button/mouse wheel.
Button Combinations
Specific button operation required to play
Holding Down Buttons Optional: Holding down buttons for prolonged periods (a second or more) is not required or can be switched to toggling the action on and off. This is in addition to the movement stick/button which is not considered a hold for this purpose.
Rapid Repeated Pressing Optional: Quick, repeated button pressing (more than 2 times a second) is not required, can be skipped or switched to holding a button to trigger a repeated action.
No Simultaneous Buttons: Only one button or key required at a time, in addition to direction stick(s).
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Controls
If you want to play Tharsis, but it doesn't offer the Controls accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Controls accessibility:
- Luck Be A Landlord (11 Controls Features)
- Slay the Spire (9 Controls Features)
- Pawnbarian (8 Controls Features)
- Dicey Dungeons (8 Controls Features)
Difficulty
We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Difficulty in Tharsis 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 Tharsis, but it doesn't offer the Difficulty accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Difficulty accessibility:
- Pawnbarian (2 Difficulty Features)
- Griftlands (2 Difficulty Features)
- Lost in Random (2 Difficulty Features)
Getting Started
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Getting Started in Tharsis 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.
Reaction-Time Not Critical: Individual game actions don’t need quick reactions, or there are settings to lower the requirement for quick reactions. This means you don't need to quickly press a button in response to an on-screen prompt, target a fast-moving target or skillfully complete a scenario against the clock.
Low Pressure: Game tasks aren't time-limited or there's a low-pressure mode. This avoids the pressure of being put on the clock for overarching missions, or failing tasks because you didn't reach a destination in time.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Getting Started
If you want to play Tharsis, but it doesn't offer the Getting Started accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Getting Started accessibility:
- Roadwarden (6 Getting Started Features)
- Slice & Dice (6 Getting Started Features)
- Griftlands (6 Getting Started Features)
- Slay the Spire (6 Getting Started Features)
Reading
We've documented 5 accessibility features for Reading in Tharsis 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.
Moderate Reading: Moderate reading required. The quantity and complexity of reading are at a level that a high school student (14-year-old) would appreciate.
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
Large Clear Subtitles: Subtitles are large, clear and of good contrast. They are at least 1/20 (46 pixels on 1080 screen) the height of a landscape screen and at least 1/40 height on portrait screens, or can be adjusted to be. We base this on the full line-height, including the space above and below the letters. Considered separately from the general text of the game, the subtitles are large, clear and of good contrast.
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.
Voice Acted
Some Dialogue is Voice Acted: Some of the game dialogue and narrative is voice acted. This reduces the pressure on reading all the dialogue text, although not everything is provided audibly.
Navigation
We've documented 1 accessibility feature for Navigation in Tharsis which deals 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.
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.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Navigation
If you want to play Tharsis, but it doesn't offer the Navigation accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Navigation accessibility:
- Citizen Sleeper (7 Navigation Features)
- Lost in Random (6 Navigation Features)
- Slay the Spire (6 Navigation Features)
- Griftlands (4 Navigation Features)
Visual
We've documented 3 accessibility features for Visual in Tharsis which deal with how you can adjust the visuals to suit your needs, and offer additional information if you can't hear the game.
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.
Motion Sickness Friendly
Motion Sickness Friendly: Doesn't have 3D movement elements that may trigger motion sickness, like motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision. Or includes the ability to disable motion blur, depth of field and field-of-vision effects.
Colour Options
Colour Blind Friendly: Game doesn’t rely on colour or can switch to colour blind friendly mode with double coding or similar way to avoid colour dependance.
Similar Games With More Accessibility Features for Visual
If you want to play Tharsis, but it doesn't offer the Visual accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Visual accessibility:
- Slay the Spire (9 Visual Features)
- Griftlands (8 Visual Features)
- The Pale Beyond (5 Visual Features)
- Pawnbarian (5 Visual Features)
Audio
We've documented 2 accessibility features for Audio in Tharsis 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 Tharsis, but it doesn't offer the Audio accessibility features you require, these similar games extend the Audio accessibility:
- Roadwarden (3 Audio Features)
- Pawnbarian (3 Audio Features)
- Loop Hero (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).
Read more about system accessibility settings.
Accessibility Report supported by VSC Rating Board, PlayabilityInitiative and accessibility contributors Ben Kendall
