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0 The Tarnishing of Juxtia is an incredible game and you should absolutely play it. There. Now if you only read the first sentence of this review, you know that you’ve learned everything you need to. However, if you want to hear more about Actual Nerds’ fantastic tribute to 2D dark fantasy and souls-like games, then I invite you to listen to my ravings.
Think You Can Stop The Tarnishing of Juxtia? Then Good Luck Hero!
As you can clearly tell, I love this game. So, if my ecstatic rambling drives you to play it too, then I would love to hear about your experiences as well. In fact, I want to hear about your toughest fight so far. Is there an enemy that ripped you to pieces? Tell me all about it!
Gameplay
One of the most incredible aspects of The Tarnishing of Juxtia is the story that is woven around you as you play. In the game you take on the role of the final creation of the goddess Juxtia, a warrior brought into the world to cleanse it of evil.
Following the guidance of the goddess, you must fight your way through the tarnished denizens of the world and that is where the best elements of the game come in. The fighting. When it comes to a good souls-like game, there are very few things that are as important as the combat. From a fantastic dodging system to the range of weapons, the combat in The Tarnishing of Juxtia is absolutely fantastic. It’s a good thing too because you’re going to need some solid combat to beat the bosses in this game.
That is something that I learned when I ran into my first boss in the game. Tralium absolutely kicked my ass. He killed me over and over again, which is another fantastic element from the souls-like genre that is absolutely nailed in this game. So, after dying again…
Finally, I managed to take out Tralium and continue on my way to ever harder fights. I collected power, upgraded my stats and grew stronger. In time, I found weapons that worked for me – knuckle weapons for the win – and became a far better fighter for every defeat.
All in all, the tight control scheme and spectacular storytelling of The Tarnishing of Juxtia made for a completely wonderful gaming experience. One that I would heartily recommend.
Graphics & Audio
Right off the bat, Actual Nerds’ do a spectacular job of creating an intricately spectacular dark fantasy setting in The Tarnishing of Juxtia. Heck, even the main menu is thematically fantastic.
Although I wouldn’t say the game is complicated graphically, that doesn’t mean it isn’t beautiful. On the contrary, The Tarnishing of Juxtia is one of the most visually stunning games I’ve played in a long time. Every artistic decision – from the careful use of colour to the crafting of intricate backgrounds – works to evoke a sense of melancholy. As though you are truly trekking through the aftermath of a world brought to its knees.
What’s more, the music and sound design work alongside one another splendidly in order to elevate that experience. Haunting music surrounds you as you fight your way through The Siege Tunnels below The Valley of Juxtia. Energetic music abounds as you slice and dice your way through enemies. A dramatic chorus swells all around you as you battle your way through monstrous bosses.
Taken individually, the graphical and audio design at play in this epic are absolutely brilliant. However, when they are combined, they weave an experience that I am sorely tempted to call perfect.
Longevity
Every now and again, there comes a game that I just know I will play over and over again. These games are rare and precious to me. I know that they will bring me hours of entertainment; that I will turn to them time and time again for a great experience. I am confident that The Tarnishing of Juxtia is one of those games.
That being said, this is a single-player game. If you’re more of a multiplayer gamer, then you probably won’t get as much time out of the game as I will. However, even if you’re only interested in playing through the game once, The Tarnishing of Juxtia is well worth the time.
Final Thoughts
As I’m sure you can already tell, I adore this game. From gameplay to atmosphere The Tarnishing of Juxtia is an experience that I will love playing for years to come. There are very few games that I would call perfect, but The Tarnishing of Juxtia is one of them.
All said and done, I am happy to give The Tarnishing of Juxtia the Thumb Culture Platinum Award.
If you enjoyed my ravings about The Tarnishing of Juxtia and want to read about more dark fantasy fun, then why not check out my Gloomhaven Review.
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
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