Instead of bumping into clumsy quotes or a ton of blatant callbacks, you might notice an achievement entitled "Blue bomber" as a nod to Mega Man, or that Dust's walking animation reminds you of Alucard's from Symphony of the Night. Other references pop up all over the campaign, mostly as subtle nuances or Easter eggs. What's more is that every one of these folks you rescue grants you a passive health bonus, so aiding them is not purely for collection purposes or bragging rights. You might even stumble upon a few cages that require multiple keys to open, holding characters from bygone indie titles, including Meat Boy, Spelunky and Tim from Braid. Some chests contain nothing but cash, while others belch out blueprints for powerful pieces of equipment. Although constant backtracking sounds irksome, the loot you obtain makes the trouble worthwhile. You seldom fully complete a stage during your initial visit. Thankfully, restorative items are common and inexpensive to buy from one of the dozens of shops you come upon regularly.Īs with any Metroidvania title, you'll come across locations barred by your inability. I charged through this campaign quite frequently with less than half of my hit points because I got too cocky or careless. You receive a fair amount of time to either sidestep a major blow or throw off the opposition with a parry.īut make no mistake: if you slack off too much, these creatures will eat you alive.
It's not difficult to build up a strong combo, plus your opponents use plenty of tells to let you know they're about to strike. Although you face stiff odds, the protagonist Dust is powerful enough to take out the trash quickly and effectively. A couple of levels pit you against literal armies, one of the undead and another of the soldiers of the main antagonist, Gaius. You never feel overwhelmed, even when the deck is clearly stacked against you. Rather than mashing the attack, you might pair up a whirlwind ability with Fidget's ranged offense to create devastating nukes and crowd-clearing slams. You don't typically find yourself relying on over-complicated maneuvers to win fights, though you can certainly utilize them as you see fit. Animation is smooth as can be, lending itself wonderfully to the game's swift combat and numerous platforming scenes.īattle proves thoroughly satisfying, terrifically balanced and intuitive. Darker forest depths make up the background, while lush greens, fireflies and bluish moonlight dominate the scene. Even the very first area you glimpse is breathtaking. It presents you with gorgeous, 2D visuals that resemble production stills from an animated film.
Yet, despite its familiarity, the game manages to send shivers down your spine. The former of these serves as your standard, long range magic, while the latter is your main weapon. On top of that, the protagonist is an amnesiac swordsman teamed up with a couple of unlikely comrades: a flying creature named Fidget and a talking sword called Ahrah. You explore several areas, each composed of various chambers, corridors and clearings, while farming items to build new pieces of equipment. It's a semi-Metroidvania title, decked out with a straightforward, combo-based combat system and a basic crafting feature. Dust: An Elysian Tail doesn't offer you anything new or groundbreaking.