Darxanadon
- February 1, 2022
- scumhead
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io StoreDarxanadon is a single-player Role Playing game with a massive interconnected world, featuring tons of bosses, enemies, and items that change the player's appearance. With multiple paths to beat the game and playstyles such as Fighter, Archer, and Magician, the game offers a great challenge to adventurers. Its awesome soundtrack adds to the overall gaming experience. The game's synopsis introduces a hero facing off against demons who turn humans into their greatest fears.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic titles like Zelda 2 and Faxanadu, providing a charming retro aesthetic.
- Despite its short length of around 2-3 hours, many players found the gameplay enjoyable and appreciated the simple metroidvania mechanics.
- The music and art direction received praise, with many players noting the appealing graphics and engaging soundtracks that enhance the overall experience.
- The game suffers from clunky controls and frustrating mechanics, particularly with ladders and hitboxes, which detract from the overall enjoyment.
- Many players reported bugs and glitches, including issues with saving progress and controller mapping, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience.
- The lack of a built-in map and unclear objectives made navigation difficult, causing confusion and hindering the exploration aspect of the game.
- gameplay26 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
Gameplay is generally described as fun with snappy and tight controls, reminiscent of classic metroidvania titles. However, several issues detract from the experience, including unfinished ladder mechanics, janky crouching and climbing, and unclear boss patterns, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience. While the aesthetic and atmosphere are praised, the overall execution suffers from bugs and stiff mechanics typical of lower-tier retro games.
“Gameplay-wise, the movement and controls felt snappy and tight - as good as expected for this sort of game.”
“Art style, story, gameplay, map... everything is well made, nothing to complain about; the whole proposal and work is actually good.”
“The gameplay and fighting have a nice authentic feel to them; it's the exact type of 2D retro metroidvania game I enjoy.”
“The ladder mechanics are clearly unfinished.”
“It has no map, crouching and climbing ladders are incredibly janky and feel terrible, enemy boss patterns and mechanics feel weird (half the bosses just stand there and take it while you wail at them with attacks that have almost no chance of hitting you), and the overall game path feels difficult to truly understand what was intended.”
“It is buggy and the gameplay is quite stiff in the way second or third tier classic NES games could be.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a retro aesthetic reminiscent of classic titles like Faxanadu and Zelda II, which many players appreciate for its nostalgic charm. While some users note clunky elements and occasional graphical issues, the overall art style, varied environments, and sprite designs contribute positively to the game's atmosphere and gameplay experience. The responsive controls and substantial graphical changes with character equipment further enhance the enjoyment of this simple metroidvania.
“Graphical change on your character as you equip new items is substantial.”
“I really dig the melancholy atmosphere of this game, I like the varied aesthetic styles of the various sections in the map, I love the enemy and sprite designs, I enjoy the boxy aesthetic of the sprites and the fighting mechanics are quite good.”
“Yes, the game is clunky, the ladders suck, it's a bit barebones, sometimes the artwork could be more serviceable, and sometimes the game doesn't even scroll properly so you stand on thin air.”
“A retro 2D game that feels and plays like a game designed and made in the era of the original NES/Master System, rather than a modern retro-styled game that pays homage and takes its aesthetic style from the classic 2D game era.”
“Incredibly simple metroidvania in the art style of Faxanadu.”
- music22 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received positive feedback for its retro style and effective use of silence, contributing to a great atmosphere and solid game feel. While the soundtrack is praised for its quality, some players wish for longer tracks and note that the limited audio options may be a drawback. Overall, the music, alongside the charming pixel art, enhances the game's appeal, though it is suggested that it alone cannot sustain the game's experience.
“I did enjoy the music a ton and the sprites were really nice to the eyes.”
“The atmosphere is great, outstanding music, awesome character designs, and lovely pixel art in an endearingly retro setting.”
“But besides that, the game feel is solid, and the music and art direction are excellent.”
“There are basically no options to speak of (3 tier adjustment for music and other sounds), controller works out of the gate but if you want remapping then you might need to use some joytokey or whatever, dunno.”
“Music is decent.”
“It also once again features music by lukamusics, who previously collaborated with scumhead on lycanthorn and moon law.”
- stability10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, leading to a perception of instability. While some players find charm in its roughness and stiff controls, likening it to retro titles, the overall consensus is that the game's stability issues detract from the experience.
“The reason for the very low price says it all - this game is a buggy piece of garbage.”
“The game has many bugs and glitches.”
“It is buggy and the gameplay is quite stiff in the way second or third tier classic NES games could be.”
- story8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The story has received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating its brevity and overall quality, while others find it bland and lacking depth. Despite the varied opinions, many agree that the gameplay and art style complement the narrative well. Overall, the story is seen as a minor aspect of the game, with some players wishing for more substance.
“I liked the story, and I think it was short and sweet!”
“Art style, story, gameplay, map... everything is well made; nothing to complain about. The whole proposal and work is actually good.”
“Very bland story but the gameplay and bosses are simple and straightforward.”
“Cons - little to no story.”
- atmosphere8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its outstanding music, charming pixel art, and well-designed bosses, creating a nostalgic and endearing retro setting. Reviewers appreciate the varied aesthetic styles across different map sections and the melancholy tone, which enhances the overall experience. Despite some rawness, the indie game's unique charm and NES-like vibe resonate well with players.
“The atmosphere is great, outstanding music, awesome character designs, and lovely pixel art in an endearingly retro setting.”
“I really dig the melancholy atmosphere of this game. I like the varied aesthetic styles of the various sections in the map, I love the enemy and sprite designs, and I enjoy the boxy aesthetic of the sprites. The fighting mechanics are quite good.”
“It's a little raw, but it's a cool little indie game. I love the NES-like atmosphere!”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game has limited replayability, with players suggesting that the only significant variation comes from attempting specific challenges, such as a knife-only run. Improving the jump physics could enhance overall playability, but it does not fundamentally address the lack of replay value.
“The game offers a variety of challenges that enhance its replayability, especially if you attempt unique playstyles like a knife-only run.”
“The game doesn't have much replayability, unless you try a knife-only run or something.”
“The game lacks replayability, offering little incentive to return after the first playthrough.”
“There are limited options for replayability, making it feel repetitive after the initial experience.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the reviews highlight the game's impressive atmosphere, music, character designs, and pixel art, they do not provide specific insights into character development. Overall, the focus seems to be more on aesthetic elements rather than the depth or growth of the characters themselves.
