The action game “Duskfade” came into my hands very unexpectedly. At first glance, this game did not leave much impression on me. However, the longer I played and became more familiar with the game, the more my initial impressions changed. But first things first.
In the first minutes of the game we get to know the main character Zirian, his house, the voices behind the door and the magical events that take us into the magical world. The events in the opening cinematic on the game engine are quite confusing and leave several questions that we’ll only get answered as the plot progresses.
After initial training and familiarity with the game’s features, my impression is that Duskfade is a children’s game, with simple platforming and a simple combat system. For the first hour, the game doesn’t present you with any serious challenges at all, only holding your attention through the story and graphical style.
Two noteworthy problems with the game arise here – the complete absence of Russian and partial English dubbing. The first problem can be solved by installing a third-party localization program, but the unexpected disappearance of voice acting even in the main story scenes raises questions that currently have no answers.
The developers managed to avoid the classic problem of poor optimization in many versions. The game ran comfortably at 144 frames per second on a Ryzen 7 7800X3D, RTX 3070 Ti, and 32 GB of RAM, with the graphics card loaded at 70% and the processor at 20%. Of course, the main characters here are simple and realistic graphics in the spirit of old games or cartoons.
At the same time, the game showcases locations that are quite large for a simple platformer in places. Turn off the main path and you’ll find several nooks and crannies with monsters guarding chests, ore reserves, or collectibles. In some cases, you won’t immediately understand how to return to the beginning of a position.
Additionally, the author adds reasons to return to previously completed locations. At some point, Zillian is given the chance to destroy the barriers that were previously invulnerable to him and find out what lies behind them. However, I myself don’t think this makes much sense, although for some it might be a good reason to stay in the game.
The combat system in the game is very simple and doesn’t get too complicated as you progress. The hero has regular and powerful attacks, four abilities that are unlocked as the game progresses, and dice rolls. Generally speaking, this is enough for the ordinary monsters we encounter, because in principle they pose no threat.
Difficulties only appear on bosses, in contrast to harmless monsters. Characters need to perform a fair amount of attacks on them and perform platforming mechanics. Victory against the boss triggers a flashback that reveals the backstory of the starting movie, which initially seems confusing and difficult to follow.
But the platforming in the game gradually becomes more and more difficult. It all starts with the classic jump between small obstacles like cliffs or land masses floating in the air. Over time, however, obstacles will line up one after another, and now we need to jump to a ledge in the wall, run along it while fighting the water pouring down on us, jump onto a fountain that periodically rises from flooded heights, push off it, and spin almost 90 degrees to jump to the next ledge.
At the same time, developers are gradually adding new mechanisms that need to be actively used. But you need to understand that these items and features won’t let you “break” the game because their use is strictly limited to specifically designated places. For example, grappling hooks can only be used to hook onto specific structures, not walls, ceilings, or other objects.
Most importantly, the character is intuitive and responsive. I rarely encountered a time when the main character did something different than what I expected. Plus, the game forgives your small flaws in navigating obstacles.
Overall, the developers of Weird Beluga prove to be a decent game, but with some controversial issues. Some aspects may remain untapped due to the team’s limited budget or inexperience. But I often get the feeling that it could be better or more interesting. However, if you’re a fan of third-person action games, or just looking for a platformer that’s a bit challenging, I highly recommend giving Duskfade a try.
Yes, there may be moments that are difficult for children to complete. But without difficulty, there would be no joy of victory.
