Indie Beauty

As the Steam Sale rolled around last week, I took to my wishlist to start crossing some games off of it. My first two purchases were a couple of smaller indie games that had been on my list for quite awhile.  I decided to start off with Dust:  An Elysian Tale and so far I'm really enjoying it.

Dust and Fidget

The first thing I noticed about this game was the beautiful environments.  Cartoony bunnies and deer run alongside you as you explore early levels.  The characters are all animal-like and also have a cartoony/anime-like feel but it actually works well (the game is rated E10 and would be appropriate for kids).  The story follows a character known as Dust.  Dust has lost his memory and wakes up in the forest finding that he is accompanied by a talking sword and a small, flying creature.  The sword is some sort of magical relic and offers guidance to help Dust regain his memory.  The flying creature is known as Fidget and is a sort of companion with some minor combat skills.

It might sound a little cheesy, but it's a fun game.  The combat works on a combo system and Dust can perform a number of different moves.  Many of these moves see Dust becoming airborne and spinning wildly before crashing down to earth.  One fun feature involves using Fidget's ranged attack combined with a spinning attack performed by Dust.  The result is a firestorm that damages all the enemies on the screen.

The game itself is a side-scroller/platformer but features some RPG elements.  As you slay monsters you get loot in the form of coins, monster parts (which can be used for crafting other gear), food items to restore health, or even equippable items like armor or rings.  Levelling up involves allocating skill gems into categories like defense or attack.

This game would play really great on a controller.  I have been playing it with mouse and keyboard and it's not too bad, but some of the key combinations can be a little wonky.

If you're looking for a smaller game or a game that is good for the whole family, check out Dust:  An Elysian Tale.

Here is a link to the trailer:  Dust: An Elysian Tail Trailer