Duskfade - PS5 Review

Jump, swing, and slash your way through a throwback 3D platformer in Duskfade! Coming to us from developer Weird Beluga, Duskfade harkens back to classic action platformers from the sixth-generation of consoles.

Available now on Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, is Duskfade a fun evolution of games gone by? Or is it just another title stuck in the past?

Duskfade: A Stunning Homage to PS2 Classics

Main character Zirian, using a pendulum weapon to attack a floating enemy. — Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings.

Duskfade opens with a seemingly light-hearted narrative. Protagonist Zirian and his sister Allira live in Tick Town, where everything seems like a Disney-esque fairytale. That is, until Allira locks herself away to work on a secret project. This then leads to something going awry: their home exploding. and reality being ripped apart. Now, where their home once was now stands a mysterious tower.

With Allira seemingly trapped inside, it’s up to Zirian to rescue her! To do this, he’ll need to wander the world and break giant, magical chains that are keeping the door to the tower locked. He won’t be alone, though, as he soon meets the quirky, sarcastic mechanical bird Cuckoo. The two have a great relationship that grows throughout their journey, with the overall narrative being surprisingly emotional. It’s definitely overwhelming, with lots thrown at you in the opening hour, though. Things are explained more as you progress, and by the end Duskfade left a very positive impression on me, just for how engaging the story was.

Gameplay

Zirian runs towards a group of enemies with his sword at the ready. — It’s time… to die!

Now, Duskfade may look like a fairly standard 3D platformer with light combat mechanics. And, well… that’s because that’s exactly what it is. Focusing on the traversal elements first, there are plenty of ways to get around here. From basic double jumping, to gliding, and even a grappling hook tool, Duskfade takes inspiration from several games from the PS2 era. There isn’t anything ground-breaking or entirely unique, but Zirian feels great to control. Jumping is floaty, but not imprecise. Being able to roll mid-air adds an extra bit of reach to jumps. Unlocking new tools that then allow you to revisit areas to reach previously inaccessible areas. It all sounds familiar, and yet Duskfade never felt like a cheap copy of those that came before it.

Levels aren’t fully open, nor are they completely linear. There are plenty of hidden areas to discover and collectibles to find. From Gears to improve Zirian’s abilities to Clock Heart Pieces to permanently increase his health. It can be a bit of a slog hunting everything down, but at least it feels fun to control whilst doing so.

In combat, you’ll mainly be using your Keyblade-esque clock-hand sword to attack. Duskfade limits you to basic mechanics, especially at first when you can only use a single combo. Eventually you’ll earn a Pendulum weapon for heavy attacks and several ranged magical abilities, but it never gets too in-depth. Aside from a dodge button, there’s little in the way of defensive capabilities. Combat never quite clicked with me and doesn’t feel nearly as tight as the platforming. Enemies can be relentless, too, making that lack of defence all the more of an issue.

Graphics & Audio

Zirian uses his shield to grind on a rail. — You’ve seen this countless times before, but it’s still fun!

Honestly, Duskfade blew me away with just how gorgeous it can look. The environments in particular are awash with vibrant colours, and I found myself constantly soaking in my surroundings. Everything has a lovely fantasy vibe, made to look that much better thanks to the impressive lighting. Similarly, character and designs are unique and have a certain charm about them. That said, the enemy designs didn’t wow me as much as the rest of the game.

The soundtrack is also quite striking. There are plenty of tracks heard throughout your adventure, each one fitting each area or story event. Voice acting is sparse, but when characters do talk, it’s not exactly emotionally gripping.

I definitely felt some similarities to Kingdom Heart‘s from an aesthetic standpoint. But, let’s be honest, Kingdom Heart‘s titles are utterly charming, so that’s not really a bad thing, is it?

Longevity

Zirian speaks to a large purple guard. — Hello sir, have you got the time?

Duskfade took me around 15 hours to finish. This would have been quite a bit longer if I’d fully completed it, though! Unfortunately, getting that 100% is a bit of a chore, thanks to the absence of a map. With such a good amount of secrets and collectibles to find, being unable to track where you’ve already visited can be a pain. Backtracking does get tedious, but thankfully it isn’t too much of an issue to negatively impact the adventure in any major way.

Final Thoughts

Zirian faces off against a large, ape-like enemy. — As much as it may look like Kingdom Hearts, Duskfade does have its own identity.

It’s worth mentioning that Weird Beluga is a small development team. The amount of passion and effort that has gone into Duskfade is clear from the offset. It’s a callback to the (in my opinion) greatest gaming generation in the best possible way. Importantly, though, it still feels like a modern title. Despite the combat being a bit on the simple side and the opening hour’s worth of story being a bit all over the place, Duskfade is a game well worth playing. Especially if you’re a fan of the PS2 era!

Therefore, Duskfade receives a timely ThumbCulture Gold Award!