Suntides Pitch 3.0
SUNTIDES - Complete Walkthrough
Prologue
The game begins in a remote Tibetan monastery where twelve year old Pemba lives under the guidance of Master Tendzin. The night before the Omnaki invasion, Pemba has a prophetic dream in which a desperate man warns him to find a journal in the monastery library. The next morning, Pemba finds the journal belonging to Dr. Daniel Rougeau, an expedition diary mapping the locations of twelve cosmic artifacts called Suntides. Before Pemba can process what this means, an alien ship descends and destroys his village. Omn’arch, the Omnaki leader, announces that Earth’s reincarnation cycle is now frozen and that whoever recovers all twelve Suntides will rule as god-king of a transformed human race. Master Tendzin dies shielding Pemba from an energy blast, his final words incomplete. Pemba, clutching Rougeau’s journal, sets out to collect all twelve Suntides..
Level 1: Aries - The Island of Athletikos
Pemba arrives at a volcanic island with Greco-Roman fire aesthetic and lava everywhere. Before doing anything else, Pemba should read Rougeau’s journal entry for this level, which provides atmospheric hints and a quest log that will populate as he discovers sidequests. The first major decision of the game happens early in the Aries level at the Hall of Weapons, where Pemba must choose his permanent weapon from a sword, axe, bolas, or bow and arrow. This choice cannot be undone and affects combat style for the entire game, so choose carefully based on your preferred playstyle.
The level is filled with Greco-Roman warrior enemies and lava-based hazards. Pemba should explore the volcanic island thoroughly before engaging in the main quest. The lava chariot race is a sidequest found in the eastern part of the island and requires quick reflexes to navigate the lava tracks. The Warrior Games sidequest offers multiple athletic competitions that reward gold and useful items.
At some point during exploration, Pemba encounters Medusa as a miniboss or enemy encounter. Fighting Medusa requires avoiding her gaze and attacking from the sides or behind. The Gemini invisibility mask is not yet available at this point but will be useful against Medusa on return visits.
The boss of the Aries level is Zar’keth, a Greco-Roman athlete who fights with relentless aggression and gives Pemba no time to think. The key to defeating Zar’keth is decisive action without hesitation. Overthinking leads to getting hit. The battle demands pure courage and forward momentum. When Zar’keth is defeated, Pemba receives the Aries Suntide, which is the weapon he chose in the Hall of Weapons.
Near the end of the level, the volcano erupts and Pemba must escape quickly. This is a timed escape sequence requiring fast movement through a crumbling environment. Do not stop to collect items during the eruption. Get out as fast as possible. As Pemba exits the island, it falls apart in volcanic destruction behind him.
Level 2: Taurus - Forest of Earthly Pleasures
Pemba arrives at a verdant green forest during daytime. Read Rougeau’s journal entry for the Taurus level before proceeding. The forest is lush and filled with walking turnips and mushrooms as regular enemies. Bigfoot roams the deeper parts of the forest as a moderate enemy or miniboss encounter.
Early in the Taurus level, Pemba should seek out Brambleheart the Star-Seer, an old hermit wizard living in the woods. Brambleheart requests that Pemba go to town and get him emberleaf to smoke. This is the Emberleaf Request sidequest and is highly recommended because completing it unlocks Brambleheart’s teaching sessions where he smokes the emberleaf and explains astrology concepts including aspects, elements, houses, and other technical information essential for understanding the chart interpretation puzzles later in the game.
The Taurus level has several contests including a cooking contest, baking contest, bullfighting, and log rolling. These are all optional sidequests that reward gold and items. Before attempting the drinking contest however, there is a critical mechanic to understand. Early in the Taurus level, Pemba swallows a key that opens the entrance to Terra’gon’s boss lair. The drinking contest sidequest then presents itself and Pemba must win it without drinking so much that he vomits up the key. Drink enough to win but not enough to lose the key. This is one of the trickier sidequests in the early game.
The Crab Casino is available in this level and allows Pemba to gamble gold to win or lose money. Little crabs in tuxedos run the casino. Special items are available only through casino winnings so it is worth spending some time here if you have gold to spare, but be careful not to lose everything.
The boss of the Taurus level is Terra’gon, a fat raccoon collector and raconteur who talks too much. Terra’gon is a tank character who is slow but nearly indestructible. He tells stories and asks questions about those stories and lets Pemba pass if Pemba humors him. The key to surviving Terra’gon is patience and resource management. Do not try to overpower him. Instead outlast him through careful healing and measured attacks. When Terra’gon is defeated, Pemba receives the Taurus Suntide, raccoon-like armor that reduces damage. As Pemba exits the Taurus forest, a fire consumes it behind him.
Level 3: Gemini - Carnival of Echoes (Island of Dr. Casper N. Pollack)
Pemba arrives at a tropical island during daytime. Read Rougeau’s journal entry before proceeding. The island is home to a carnival and amusement park with a sideshow run by the mysterious Dr. Casper N. Pollack, a Dr. Moreau-esque crazed geneticist working on invisibility who splices animals together. The creatures Pemba fights throughout this level are spliced animal chimeras created by Dr. Pollack’s experiments. Dwarf amusement park employees are also enemies throughout the level.
There are several rides on the island that Pemba must go on and beat as part of progressing through the level. Each ride presents a different challenge or minigame that must be completed to advance. The sideshow contains additional encounters and challenges worth exploring for gold and items.
At some point in the level, Pemba encounters the one of us lies one of us tells the truth Labyrinth-style puzzle. Two identical spliced creatures present themselves and one lies while the other tells the truth. Use classical logic to determine which one is telling the truth and choose correctly to advance.
Late in the level, Dr. Pollack reveals his true Omnaki identity as Twi’lix, a two-faced sideshow freak, and boss battles Pemba while wearing his invisibility mask. During the boss fight, Twi’lix phases in and out of visibility. Watch for patterns in where he appears and attack during those windows. When Twi’lix is defeated, Pemba receives the Gemini Suntide, the invisibility mask with a small Gemini jewel embedded in it.
The mask grants brief invisibility but causes Invisibility Sickness if worn too long. Learn the timing carefully as this mechanic becomes critical in later levels, especially Scorpio. As Pemba leaves the island, the traveling sideshow ends and the carnival falls apart behind him.
Level 4: Cancer - Selenite Sands
Pemba arrives at a nighttime beach by moonlight with haunted or Japanese ghost aesthetic. Read Rougeau’s journal entry before proceeding. The beach is dark and visibility is limited. Collect selenite fragments throughout the level as they reflect moonlight and improve visibility significantly. Crabs and other beach life are regular enemies. Little bad guys that poison Pemba lurk throughout the level and ghosts wander the beach.
Early in the level, visit Quimley Shop to purchase the conch shell. The conch shell is essential and summons the ghost of Maren, Lun’areth’s dead pirate lover, when used. Keep this item and use it strategically during the boss encounter. A witch in a hut on the beach will cure Pemba of poison and teach him spells. From this level onward, magic is available in the game.
The Crab Casino is located on the beach where little crabs in tuxedos run casino games. Pemba can win or lose gold here. Unique items are available only through casino winnings so visit when you have surplus gold.
The tide pool system is one of the most complex mechanics in the Cancer level. On this first visit the tide is high and most pools are submerged or inaccessible. Only the shallow pools near shore are reachable, containing basic healing items and selenite fragments. The witch mentions returning when the moon is different. Use the Cancer Suntide after receiving it to cycle through moon phases. New Moon creates the lowest tide with the most pools accessible while Full Moon creates the highest tide with the fewest pools accessible. Different phases reveal different items and areas and certain puzzles require specific moon phases to solve. Shell messages in the tide pools spell out coordinates to the Drowned Lighthouse. Crab trails lead to buried treasure. Selenite reflection puzzles create patterns showing maps to the Moon Temple entrance. Coral formations point toward hidden areas.
A major sidequest involves helping a grandmother recreate her late mother’s Moon Cake recipe through a cooking minigame timed to lunar phases. Complete this sidequest for significant rewards and emotional narrative payoff.
The boss of the Cancer level is Lun’areth, a grief-stricken psychic witch who weaponizes buried emotions. Her crying attack and siren calls are powerful and her psychic force attacks hit hard. Most critically, Lun’areth has a dead boyfriend named Maren and screams if you bring him up, triggering a devastating powerful attack. Do not mention Maren during the boss fight unless strategically necessary. Use the conch shell purchased from Quimley Shop during the boss encounter to summon Maren’s ghost. When Maren appears, it significantly affects the dynamic of the boss fight. When Lun’areth is defeated, Pemba receives the Cancer Suntide, a moonstone that restores health. The moonstone also allows Pemba to cycle moon phases which is essential for the tide pool system on return visits.
The Reunite the Lovers quest becomes available after the boss fight. On return visits with the airship, access deeper tide pools to collect Maren’s Ring from his shipwreck offshore, Glowing Plankton from bioluminescent pools, Ghost Anchor pieces from multiple pools, and Moon Pearls from deep pools. Perform the ritual at the Drowned Lighthouse to reunite Maren’s ghost with Lun’areth. When completed, the entire beach aesthetic changes. The crying stops, the beach becomes peaceful, and the ghosts are at rest.
Level 5: Leo - Kingdom of the Sun King
Pemba arrives at a golden palace under eternal midday sun. Read Rougeau’s journal entry before proceeding. The level is bright and golden with wooden enchanted knights as the primary enemies throughout the palace grounds.
The Leo level has four sidequests. The beauty contest is found in the western wing of the palace and rewards gold and cosmetic items. The escaped zoo animal sidequest tasks Pemba with finding and returning a missing creature from the royal zoo, which has more significance than it initially appears. The tattoo sidequest is optional but provides a permanent cosmetic mark and minor stat boost. The acting sidequest is perhaps the most important of the four.
Pemba must memorize lines and perform convincingly in a play that Sol’arion is staging. Learning the lines and performing them correctly is mandatory for gaining access to certain areas of the castle. The performance troupe found throughout the level tells facts like guides and should be listened to carefully as they provide useful intelligence about Sol’arion’s weaknesses and the level’s secrets.
The boss of the Leo level is Sol’arion, a lion king with a beard who is a failed actor. He uses mirrors as weapons that deflect projectiles and shoots fireballs. Avoid standing in positions where his mirror attacks can reflect back at you and use the environment to block fireballs. When Sol’arion is defeated, Pemba receives the Leo Suntide, a lion headdress that increases attacks.
Level 6: Virgo - Harvest Star Hospital
Pemba arrives at a medical facility in early afternoon. Read Rougeau’s journal entry before proceeding. Everything in this level is cats. All the doctors are cats, all the escaped mental patients are cats, all NPCs are cats. The cat doctors and escaped cat patients from the mental ward are the primary enemies throughout the hospital.
Early in the Virgo level, Pemba first encounters members of the Slumberus cult in the asylum. They wear all white and claim that this world is fake and the dream world is real. They are agents of Dissolv’ara. Take note of them as they will appear again in greater force during the Libra and Pisces levels.
Coded diaries are strewn throughout the hospital and must be decoded to advance through the level. Pay close attention to each diary and work through the coded messages carefully. This is where chart interpretation puzzles are introduced as a major mechanic. Start with the simple Sun sign matching puzzles and use what Brambleheart the Star-Seer taught about elements and aspects to solve the more complex charts.
The boss of the Virgo level is Dr. Vindemiatrix, a cat doctor who is allegedly dying but is actually just a hypochondriac. Giving him pills during the boss fight slows him down and quells his attacks. Stock up on pills from the hospital shop before the boss encounter. When Vindemiatrix is defeated, Pemba receives the Virgo Suntide, a shield that reduces enemies’ attacks.
Level 7: Libra - Kingdom of Balance
Pemba arrives at a royal kingdom at sunset with balanced architecture and aesthetic obsession throughout. Read Rougeau’s journal entry before proceeding. Regular enemies are minions whose sole job is to praise Harmonia. Lyre-playing pickpockets roam the kingdom playing songs that make Pemba dizzy and then steal his gold. Keep your distance from the pickpockets or defeat them quickly before the dizziness sets in.
The level features a music composition mechanic and a musical contest where Pemba plays an instrument. Engage with this mechanic as it connects to the broader themes of the level and rewards meaningful items. The art competition sidequest tasks Pemba with painting something that embodies perfect balance and teaches color theory and composition in the process.
Somewhere in the Libra level Pemba acquires a love potion. This is essential for the boss encounter and should not be used before reaching Harmonia.
The boss of the Libra level is Harmonia, a shallow princess and beauty queen who casts love spells that make Pemba fall in love and unable to attack for periods of time. The boss encounter proceeds in a specific sequence. First Harmonia offers sweet treats to Pemba and one of them is poisoned. Study the treats carefully and use available clues to determine which one is poisoned. Refuse that one. Then give Harmonia three genuine compliments. Finally give her the love potion. When she receives the love potion she falls in love with Pemba instead of fighting him and gives him the Libra Suntide, a mirror that allows switching weapons and armor, without traditional combat. From this point forward Harmonia sends love letters to Pemba throughout the remainder of the game. The letters contain bonus items useful in whatever level Pemba is currently in when they arrive.
During the Libra level, the Slumberus cult executes their sleep gas attack similar to Aum Shinrikyo, releasing gas to put everyone to sleep so they can all enter what the cult believes is the true world together. This is the last encounter with the Slumberus until the Pisces level. As Pemba leaves the kingdom with everyone put to sleep, the level falls apart behind him.
Transition: The Tuareg Slavers
As Pemba exits the Libra level with everyone put to sleep around him, he runs into Tuareg slavers. The Tuareg are a nomadic desert people wearing cool blue outfits. Every Tuareg is allowed one slave who must be spiritually lower on the totem pole than the Tuareg who owns them. The Tuareg enslave Pemba. They agree to free him if he goes into a great quicksand lake at the bottom of which lives the Omnaki scorpion Venom’aris.
Level 8: Scorpio - Underworld Tunnels
The Scorpio level begins with Pemba enslaved by the Tuareg and tasked with descending into the great quicksand lake. Read Rougeau’s journal entry before proceeding. The descent through the quicksand is a Dig Dug style level of digging through layers to reach the bottom where Venom’aris waits.
In the desert above before descending, Pemba can seek out Sahir of the Sands, an Arabian Nights style swami character who tells stories of constellation origins including Sagitta and Scorpius. Listening to Sahir’s stories teaches the inner mechanics of different signs and is highly recommended before descending into the quicksand.
Early in the Scorpio level, Pemba befriends someone who seems like an ally. This person appears genuinely helpful and earns Pemba’s trust over the course of the level. Do not become too dependent on this character. The Gemini invisibility mask can be used to secretly follow this person and discover their true intentions early. However, using the mask underground risks Invisibility Sickness. Manage the mask timing carefully to gather intelligence without triggering sickness. If you prefer to let the betrayal unfold naturally, be prepared for the emotional impact of the Judas moment when this person turns Pemba in to Venom’aris at the end.
The boss of the Scorpio level is Venom’aris, a scorpion who uses poison as a weapon that prevents Pemba from taking attack turns. This is one of the most mechanically complex boss fights in the game because Pemba must manage two debuffs simultaneously. Venom’aris poisons Pemba regularly, preventing attacks. The invisibility mask helps reposition during poisoned turns but risks Invisibility Sickness on top of the existing poison debuff. Strike a careful balance between using the mask for repositioning and allowing enough recovery time to prevent sickness from compounding the poison. When Venom’aris is defeated, Pemba receives the Scorpio Suntide, pincers with poison abilities.
Level 9: Sagittarius - The Hidden City of the Archals
Pemba arrives at an overgrown ancient city like a Mayan city or Angkor Wat during midday. Read Rougeau’s journal entry before proceeding. Pemba is tasked with clearing out the jungle-reclaimed ruins to reach the hidden Mesoamerican-style civilization called the Archals. Giant spiders and giant cockroaches are the primary jungle enemies throughout the level. Tribal natives inhabit parts of the ruins.
Before reaching Arch’eron, Pemba must face the Quetzalcoatl, a lizard serpent god serving as a precursor miniboss. The Quetzalcoatl is a significant challenge and Pemba should be fully healed and well-equipped before this encounter. The Sagittarius bow obtained later is not yet available so use whatever weapon was chosen in Aries combined with all available Suntide powers.
There is an archery contest sidequest available in the Archals civilization. Completing it rewards gold and items and is good practice for the bow and arrow combat style if that was Pemba’s weapon choice in Aries.
The boss of the Sagittarius level is Arch’eron, a Mesoamerican warrior with headdress and bow who secretly wanted to be a rapper the whole time. The boss battle combines physical combat with a rap battle mechanic similar to 8 Mile and PaRappa the Rapper. While Pemba engages in the rap battle, Arch’eron offers logic puzzles and philosophy puzzles to distract while he reloads his bow. Answer the philosophical challenges correctly to break Arch’eron’s shields and deal significant damage. Wrong answers cause psychic damage to Pemba. The level reveals a Christology parallel where the Cathedral Lands theocracy worships The Savior in a thinly veiled false religion. Ancient texts show that before the Omnaki, humans practiced star-wisdom openly. When Arch’eron is defeated, Pemba receives the Sagittarius Suntide, a bow and arrow for long distance attacks. After leaving Sagittarius, a thief steals one of Pemba’s items needed for the final levels.
Level 10: Capricorn - The Mountains at the World’s End
Pemba arrives at a winter landscape with snow-capped mountains at dusk. Read Rougeau’s journal entry before proceeding. This entry is the most ominous of all the journal entries, barely legible, ending mid-sentence with clear signs of struggle. Abominable snowmen, snowmen, yeti, and ice guys are regular enemies. Penguins are mid-level enemies throughout the mountains.
Dr. Daniel Rougeau’s presence is felt throughout the Capricorn level through his Lovecraftian-style narration and notes left along the mountain path. Follow his trail upward through the mountain climbing sidequest. As Pemba ascends, he finds evidence of Rougeau’s final camp with signs of struggle and bloodstains but no body. Rougeau is already dead. His ghost has been in Pisces all along. Chron’oros killed him long before Pemba began the quest.
During the Capricorn level, Pemba discovers a giant UFO with Egyptian theme crashed in the mountains. This is the ship the Omnaki originally came to Earth in and it contains cartouches showing their origins and arrival to Earth.
The boss of the Capricorn level is Chron’oros, a heavily armored giant possum and the hardest boss in the game with the highest toughness and hardest hits. Chron’oros controls time itself, speeding, slowing, and looping moments to force learning through repeated failures. The boss battle tests everything simultaneously including combat, chart interpretation, philosophy, emotion, and strategy. Do not be discouraged by repeated failures as this is intentional design. Each failure teaches something essential about the fight. Study Chron’oros’s patterns through every attempt and adapt accordingly.
When Chron’oros is defeated, Pemba receives the Capricorn Suntide, the airship. This unlocks Metroidvania-style backtracking to all previous levels where previously unreachable areas are now accessible. The airship also makes it possible to hunt the thief who stole Pemba’s item after Sagittarius. Return to each level to gather clues about the thief’s location and complete new challenges requiring late-game abilities. Each level has a Thief’s Mark hidden somewhere and finding all of them reveals the thief’s lair.
When returning to Cancer with the airship, the tide is now low, revealing previously inaccessible deep tide pools, cave tide pools, bioluminescent pools, and offshore tide pools containing Maren’s Ring, Lun’areth’s Locket, Drowned Sailor’s Journal, Tidal Armor, and other significant items. Use the Cancer Suntide to cycle moon phases and unlock different pool configurations for specific items and puzzles.
Level 11: Aquarius - Sky Palace of Mad Genius
Pemba arrives at a floating palace in the sky during early day with a techno and sci-fi setting in space. Read Rougeau’s journal entry before proceeding. The level features unorthodox or bizarre combinations of things and unreal or surreal objects throughout. Physics are altered here and when Pemba jumps he jumps higher than normal due to altered gravity. Adjust your movement and combat approach accordingly.
The level has logic puzzle mechanics with Baron von Munchausen and Dr. Seuss style riddles and wordplay games. Engage with these carefully as they gate progress through the palace. Approach them with lateral thinking rather than direct logic.
The boss of the Aquarius level is Uran’ixus, a Mad Hatter character with a water jug like the water bearer. The water jug is full of ideas that drive you insane. His plot is to dump insane ideas on the whole world to distract everyone long enough that he can take over. After defeating Uran’ixus, the boss informs Pemba in a riddle that there is no Pisces land and that he has to dream it. Uran’ixus gives Pemba a sleep potion in a clear glass shimmering pastel pink bottle. Pemba receives the Aquarius Suntide, a crystal ball that lets him see the future. Do not drink the sleep potion until ready to enter the final level.
Level 12: Pisces - Ocean of Lost Boundaries (FINAL LEVEL)
When ready for the final level, drink the sleep potion from Aquarius. There is no physical Pisces land. Pemba enters a dream sequence, a night realm of pirates on the open seas where boundaries dissolve and dream logic rules over reality. This is the most narratively significant level in the game and contains the resolution of the entire time loop mystery.
Dissolv’ara is the boss of the Pisces level, an HP Lovecraft Dagon-style creature that is part fish and part man with horror aesthetic. He uses mind control, psychic weapons, and Magic Eye-style visual illusions. Enemies use confusion spells that disorient Pemba. His fears manifest as enemies from his subconscious that he must fight. Fish enemies, subconscious creatures, ghosts and banshees, and dream-pirates populate the level throughout.
The Slumberus cult appears in Pisces in a larger and more powerful version, serving as Dissolv’ara’s magistrates and henchmen in positions of power in Dissolv’ara’s dream kingdom. The Awakened, a cult wearing blue who believe the waking world is real and the dream world is fake, also exist in the Pisces dream and oppose the Slumberus. The Awakened want to use awakening gas to force everyone out of the dream world back to waking reality, mirroring the Slumberus sleep gas attack in Libra.
In a dreamlike temple, Pemba encounters Tendzin’s ghost who speaks in koans and asks why Pemba seeks kingship. This encounter forces genuine reflection on Pemba’s motivations before the final confrontation. Pemba also encounters the ghost of Dr. Daniel Rougeau here. Ghost Rougeau reveals he was killed by Chron’oros before completing his quest. He explains that the Pisces Suntide can send dreams through time and that Pemba must use the Dreamstone to send the prophetic dream backwards through time to himself the night before the invasion, closing the time loop that enabled the entire quest to begin. Without this action, the quest could never have happened. Ghost Rougeau explains that when Pemba activates all twelve Suntides and transforms humanity, the reincarnation wheel will turn again and Rougeau will be reborn in Pemba’s kingdom as a magistrate, fulfilling both their karmas. Chron’oros also appears in a dream sequence here showing visions of Pemba’s possible futures and warning about the burden of eternity.
When Pemba defeats Dissolv’ara, he receives the Pisces Suntide, the Dreamstone that lets him do things in the dreamworld and send dreams through time. He uses it immediately to send the prophetic dream to his past self, closing the loop.
The Apotheosis - Ending
With all twelve Suntides collected, Pemba learns what they truly do. When activated, they transform Earth’s reincarnation cycle so every human soul is reborn as a zodiacal god with powers based on their natal chart. Mars in Aries grants superhuman strength. Cancer Moon provides psychic empathy and healing. Gemini stelliums enable telepathy. Scorpio placements give death and rebirth magic. Capricorn Sun allows time manipulation. Humanity will become cosmic beings capable of interstellar travel and reality manipulation.
Activation requires a conduit to channel all twelve zodiacal energies through a single soul first. Pemba becomes the conduit. The cosmic forces compress into his single human form. His body cannot contain it and he begins dissolving into pure energy. He explains that maybe sacrifice is what makes it worth it. He won’t be king but humanity will be free. He chose this not because the stars commanded it but because he wanted to. Pemba dissolves completely, dispersing across the planet and becoming part of every awakening soul.
Twenty years later, Earth is governed by twelve astrological councils. Aries provides military protection. Taurus ensures resources. Gemini manages communication. Cancer oversees healthcare. Leo leads through inspiration. Virgo maintains infrastructure. Libra administers justice. Scorpio handles transformation. Sagittarius guides philosophy. Capricorn structures government. Aquarius drives innovation. Pisces nurtures spirituality.
Omn’arch visits the rebuilt village annually where a statue depicts Pemba not as a king on a throne but as a young monk with hands outstretched offering light. He explains to a young god that Pemba taught them consciousness is a choice and not a tool, and that sacrificing yourself for people who will never know your name because it is right is something humanity became on its own. The elders say Pemba was reborn among the new gods. Omn’arch notes that he was promised a kingdom and got one, just not the way he expected. Among the new zodiacal gods is a magistrate named Daniel, born under a perfect alignment. This is Dr. Rougeau reborn. Somewhere a child is born radiating unprecedented power. As the infant opens their eyes there is a flicker of recognition, of memory, of Pemba.