So you picked up TetherGeist and you are already staring at a wall of spikes wondering what you got yourself into. Welcome to the club, because this game loves to kill you.
TetherGeist is a combat-free precision platformer from O. and Co. Games where you guide a young mountain shaman named Mae on a coming-of-age pilgrimage. It draws a lot of comparisons to Celeste, and honestly that company is well earned.
The twist is Mae’s spirit cannot fully leave her body like other shamans, so she projects it as a tether through her adorable axolotl companion, Bao. That tether is everything, and learning to think with it is the whole game.
If you love the genre, it slots right in with the heavy hitters we covered in our roundup of indie games that are better than most AAA releases. Now let’s get you through your first few hours without throwing your controller.
1. The Tether Is Your Entire Moveset
The single most important thing to internalize is that Astral Projection is how you actually move. Mae’s regular jump barely matters compared to the tether.
When you project, you send Bao outward to a spot, and then you either teleport or launch yourself to that spirit.
Every gap, every hazard, and every clever shortcut is solved through the tether, not through normal jumping.
Stop thinking like you are playing Super Mario and start thinking like the spirit is your real body.
Once that clicks, the level design suddenly starts making sense.
2. You Can’t Just Spam Your Projection
Here is the trap that catches almost every new player. You cannot mash the projection button forever, because your uses are limited and need to be replenished.
You refresh your ability by collecting orbs scattered through each room and by landing on solid ground.
This turns every screen into a tiny puzzle about resource management.
Plan your path so you grab the orbs you need in the right order.
Burning all your charges in the first two seconds is the fastest way back to the checkpoint.
3. Die Freely, the Checkpoints Have Your Back
TetherGeist expects you to fail, a lot. There is literally an achievement for dying 1,000 times, so do not take your deaths personally.
The good news is the checkpoints are extremely generous and retries are basically instant.
You almost never lose more than a few seconds of progress.
Treat each death as free information about what not to do next time.
The fastest way to improve is to keep slamming into a section until your fingers learn the rhythm on their own.
4. Learn Each Azae in Isolation First
The big toys in TetherGeist are the seven Azae, which are spirit abilities that completely change how your projection works.
The game introduces them slowly, usually one per new region.
When you unlock a fresh Azae, the early rooms are basically a tutorial in disguise. Use that breathing room to get comfortable before the game starts stacking complications on top.
The first Azae lets you move your spirit a short distance and teleport to it.
Another launches Mae toward the spirit so she can smash through obstacles and bounce off walls.
Do not rush past the easy version of a new power. The difficult rooms assume you already have the basics in muscle memory.
5. Think in Routes, Not Reflexes
This is a precision platformer, but it is just as much a puzzle game. Most tough rooms have one intended solution, and your job is to find it before you execute it.
The standout example is the spirit-ball Azae, which fires your spirit in a straight line that banks off walls and even passes through spiky thorns.
It rewards you for thinking geometrically about angles and ricochets.
Before you start frantically jumping, pause and read the whole screen. Trace the route in your head first, then commit to it.
When a section feels impossible, it usually means you have the route wrong, not that your timing is bad. Step back and look for the path you missed.
6. Teleport Through Hazards on Purpose
New players see vines, crystals, and thorns and assume those are hard walls. They are not always obstacles, and that mindset will hold you back.
Your teleport Azae can pass straight through certain hazards that would normally block or kill you.
Damaging vines and crystal barriers become handy shortcuts once you realize you can warp through them.
Get in the habit of asking whether a hazard is actually a doorway in disguise.
Some of the slickest solutions in the game involve teleporting through the exact thing you were trying to avoid.
7. Don’t Forget the Humble Wall Jump
With all the flashy spirit powers, it is easy to forget that Mae can still jump and wall jump the old-fashioned way. That basic movement is quietly essential.
A well-placed wall jump lets you reposition, grab extra height, and conserve a projection you would otherwise waste.
Saving even one charge can be the difference between clearing a room and resetting.
Look for safe walls to kick off of between projections. Squeezing out a little extra distance with a wall jump often turns a brutal sequence into a comfortable one.
8. Explore the Villages and Talk to the NPCs
Between the platforming gauntlets, TetherGeist drops you into peaceful hub villages full of characters to meet. It is tempting to blow straight through them, but slow down.
Some collectibles are locked behind talking to villagers and helping with their problems.
If you skip every conversation, you will miss content and pieces of the world.
These areas also carry the heart of the story, from Mae’s hidden condition to the spiritual rite she is desperate to reach.
The game touches on community, faith, and growing up, and the villages are where all of that lands.
You can usually walk right and ignore the chatter, but you will get a richer experience if you stick around.
9. Slow Down and Hunt for Secrets
TetherGeist is packed with hidden rooms, alternate paths, and tucked-away treasures. The world quietly rewards players who poke at every corner.
Curiosity pays off here in a real way, since the game features multiple endings tied to what you discover and do.
A blind sprint to the finish will leave a lot on the table.
There is also a thriving speedrun layer, complete with achievements for discovering advanced movement techniques. Even if you are not a speedrunner, stumbling onto a slick trick feels fantastic.
When a room offers a path that looks optional, it is usually worth checking. The best secrets are hiding exactly where the game dares you not to look.
Settle Into the Rhythm
The moment TetherGeist truly clicks is when a section you have failed twenty times suddenly flows in one clean, confident run.
That flow state is the whole reward, and it is genuinely addictive.
The game has full controller support and runs great on Steam Deck, so play it however feels most comfortable for tight inputs. Precision platformers always feel better with a pad in your hands.
Be patient with yourself, lean on those forgiving checkpoints, and let your spirit do the heavy lifting.
Mae’s pilgrimage is tough, but every wall you finally conquer makes the next one feel possible.
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Images in this article are from the TetherGeist page on Steam and used under Fair Use.