Is this timey-wimey platformer worth your time?

Shatter the shackles of time as you jump, swing, and slash through a fantastic world in this love letter to classic 3D action platformers. Zirian, accompanied by his mechanical Cuckoo, must save his sister from a mysterious Clock Tower that has plunged the land into eternal night. Explore stunning realms shaped by the Master Clockmakers, each filled with mystery, magic, breathtaking vistas, and endearing characters. Navigate ethereal forests, underwater realms, sunlit dunes and cloudy heights – the world of Duskfade is alive and teems with secrets for you to uncover. Master a seamless blend of dynamic platforming and fast-paced combat. Jump, dash, grapple, and glide your way through thrilling challenges that rekindle the magic of classic action platformer favourites.

Duskfade takes its cues from classic 3D platformers while taking the visual style from the likes of Kingdom Hearts with its Sora-esque main character and combat that feels very satisfying. The platforming is precise and handles like a dream, I honestly didn’t know what to expect from this game, but it’s worked its way into my heart as only an old-fashioned platformer could.

It feels like a PS2 platformer at heart with its design and overall feel. This is no bad thing in a world where platformers are few and far between these days with the exception of Mario and a handful of other platformers like Yooka-Laylee and revivals like Spyro and Crash Bandicoot. It’s even been a good number of years since the last Ratchet and Clank title, but Insomniac are quite busy these days with their Marvel games…

The story is engaging and while the voice-acting is a bit of a mixed bag, the animation is really well done. The music is brilliant as well with some truly great tracks throughout the game. Visually, the game has that Disney/Kingdom Hearts look that does well with this style of game. The framerate is solid throughout and I didn’t encounter any glitches during my playthrough.

The Verdict

I was incredibly impressed with Duskfade. It’s a nice throwback to PS2 platformers and one that handles well and looks beautiful. Add in a great soundtrack and a decent story, then you’ve got a platformer well worth your time.

Score: 8.5