The Swords of Ditto

Familiar, lightweight but almost impossible to dislike, this is an effortlessly enjoyable action RPG.

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The Swords of Ditto is a charming, action-packed adventure game. Every playthrough is a unique experience as players explore randomly generated islands and battle bosses. Work together with past heroes to lift Mormo's curse in this enchanting, compact adventure.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

Reviews

65%

Audience ScoreBased on 687 reviews

gameplay74 positive mentions

grinding57 negative mentions

Charming art style and engaging soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
Fun gameplay mechanics that combine elements of roguelikes and classic Zelda games.
Offers a unique experience with procedural generation, making each run feel different.

Frequent bugs and crashes that hinder gameplay, especially on certain platforms.
The time limit mechanic can feel restrictive and stressful, detracting from exploration.
Lack of meaningful progression between runs, as enemies scale with the player's level.

gameplay
257 mentions
29 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its charming art style and engaging mechanics, particularly the roguelike elements and the variety of dungeons. However, many users criticize the gameplay for being slow, repetitive, and bogged down by bugs and unclear mechanics, leading to a frustrating experience. While some find the core gameplay loop enjoyable and rewarding, others feel it lacks depth and can become tedious over time.
- “The gameplay is captivating thanks to the fact that each game is specific to each player.”
- “Good roguelite mechanics and a clever mix of gameplay mechanics make this a very fun experience.”
- “The art style is great, the gameplay is fun and local co-op is awesome.”
- “Gameplay is grindy, some puzzle games in dungeons are unclear and unfun at times.”
- “The art style is amazing but the gameplay sucks a lot; don't buy it, you will be really disappointed.”
- “However, gameplay-wise, it's just too slow, dull, and repetitive; the roguelite system is tacked on and largely demotivating in how it's integrated.”
graphics
209 mentions
56 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "The Swords of Ditto" are widely praised for their charming, cartoonish art style, which many reviewers describe as beautiful and reminiscent of popular animated shows. While the visuals are often highlighted as a standout feature, some players note that the gameplay does not live up to the same standard, leading to mixed feelings about the overall experience. Despite this, the appealing aesthetics and vibrant colors contribute significantly to the game's initial allure.
- “The swords of Ditto boasts a snug aesthetic, offering a plethora of captivating points of interest to explore.”
- “The artwork is amazing; I love the cartoony style.”
- “The graphics are absolutely adorable, the music is really unique and distinct, the combat is simple but fun.”
- “The only thing this game has going for it is its art style; other than that, this game doesn't do anything for me.”
- “Eventually even the charming graphics will wear thin after killing the same things over and over.”
- “I wouldn't recommend this game for the current price; it contains too many bugs and the visuals of the game aren't good either.”
story
159 mentions
25 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally perceived as simplistic and repetitive, often relying on cliché elements and fetch quests that fail to engage players. While some appreciate the cute art style and the potential for deeper themes, many find the narrative lacks depth and motivation, making it feel more like a grind than an immersive experience. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a compelling reason to continue playing.
- “The story itself gives you a good reason to start the game again and again.”
- “With a beautiful art style, world, dimension, cute little characters, colorful stages, and a fun story, The Swords of Ditto leaves me with a feeling of wanting more of the adventure.”
- “I figured it was just a cutesy Zelda clone, but it kept revealing new features until I was totally invested in a deeper-than-expected plot with some heavy themes.”
- “The story isn't exciting after the tutorial; none of the NPCs have anything interesting to say, the quests are extremely boring (gather this, deliver that), the game is very easy (and I'm playing on the hardest difficulty), and the reward for half the tasks you do are meaningless.”
- “What kills the story for me is the writing. They dole out inane fetch quests about gathering tennis balls.”
- “To top it all off, you have to repeat the beginning story process over and over each time you die, which kills the pace of the game.”
music
115 mentions
63 % positive mentions
34 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its catchy, upbeat nature and its ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many players noting its fun and engaging quality. However, some reviewers mention that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time, which may detract from the experience during longer play sessions. Overall, the combination of charming visuals and a delightful soundtrack contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The soundtrack is a blast, fun, catchy and fitting. One of the main toys we get to use is the kazoo, which will help us travel around the island. This instrument plays when we use it and it's also an important part of the soundtrack. It is simply fun to listen to and the tracks will come and go according to the section of the island we visit, leaving a positive and happy attitude.”
- “The music is engaging and well done for each area.”
- “The art style and music alone are worth the price of admission.”
- “Cutesy music and sprites can't come close to redeeming uninspired, oppressively slow gameplay and cringey millennial language stapled onto a very, very basic Zelda rogue-lite.”
- “Same music is played over and over with possibly only 3 songs in the game.”
- “After the second hour, the music becomes repetitive.”
grinding
59 mentions
2 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game suffers from excessive grinding, which many players find tedious and unbalanced. While some appreciate the charm and visuals, the repetitive nature of grinding for levels, resources, and achievements detracts from the overall enjoyment, making the gameplay feel slow and frustrating. Players express a desire for a more streamlined experience with less emphasis on grinding, particularly in a roguelike context where permadeath and resource management can exacerbate the issue.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Basically, for me, it felt like the game was driving me to grind as the way to play the game, and while I'm not averse to a bit of grinding, it did get old fairly quickly.”
- “The first couple of hours are a joy, which quickly devolves into a grindy slog that makes any charm the game has vanish.”
- “Long story short, I'm not grinding hours and hours just to grind more for hours and hours to beat something that the game very clearly sets up as unfair to you.”
stability
31 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game has been widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. Players have experienced issues such as freezing during loading, unsolvable dungeons due to graphical glitches, and game-breaking crashes, particularly on Mac systems. While some users note that certain glitches are being addressed, the overall consensus is that the game remains quite buggy and unbalanced, impacting the enjoyment and progression.
- “This game is boring, slow, buggy, and not fun.”
- “Game crashes instantly on Mac/extremely buggy.”
- “Yes, this game just came out but there have been so many glitches that literally break the game and you won't be able to progress.”
humor
23 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and wit, featuring a mix of absurd and sarcastic dialogue that keeps players entertained throughout their journey. Players appreciate the vibrant world and the comedic interactions with characters, although some note that repetitive NPC dialogue can detract from the experience. Overall, the humor adds a delightful layer to the gameplay, making it a standout aspect of the game.
- “Immerse yourself in a vibrant world, where every decision counts and charming humor adds a special touch to this spellbinding epic.”
- “The humor is so much fun in this game, and even after you've been playing for a while, you'll still find new things that take you by surprise and give you a laugh.”
- “The story works great and the dialogues are humorous, which fits well with ludic and sometimes nonsensical scenarios.”
replayability
21 mentions
33 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The game offers a mix of high replayability due to its unique legendary heroes and randomized elements, appealing to fans of rogue-like mechanics. However, some players note that after the initial completion, the replay value may diminish, suggesting a somewhat limited experience in the long run. Overall, while many enjoy the depth and fun of repeated playthroughs, opinions on its lasting replayability are mixed.
- “Each legendary hero you embody brings a unique touch to the fight against the sinister Mormo, guaranteeing infinite replayability.”
- “Fun game, lots of depth and replay value.”
- “Great gameplay and graphic style, lots to explore and replay value.”
- “After beating the game for the first time, there is not much replayability to be had.”
- “Presents the impression that there's variation and replayability, but there really isn't.”
- “Somewhat limited replayability.”
optimization
7 mentions
43 % positive mentions
14 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues such as stuttering, audio glitches, and visual artifacts during transitions, particularly at higher resolutions. Conversely, others report smooth performance even on older hardware, indicating that optimization may vary widely across different systems. Overall, while the game has potential, its current state is marred by bugs and performance inconsistencies that detract from the experience.
- “+ good performance on my old laptop, thanks for that”
- “- game performance: it runs smooth all the time for me”
- “I haven't progressed very far, because of my obvious performance issues, but I thoroughly enjoyed the gameplay I did see.”
- “Beyond that, I also experienced various issues with audio starting before screen transitions had completed, with occasional stuttering during said screen transitions, and misplaced screen transition effects (playing on 2560x1440). There were even instances where an image of a previous level would be visible during certain screen transition effects in dungeons.”
- “Some good ideas, but between bug issues (crashes, performance drops, quests breaking) and gameplay issues (very limited progression from one life to the next; some features are incredibly RNG dependent; no way to skip through dialog), I can't recommend it.”
- “Wow, it's really a shame to see such an original game get bombed by negative reviews because of bugs and performance issues.”
atmosphere
5 mentions
60 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a diverse range of stages, caves, and dungeons that provide both challenge and variety, complemented by a charming aesthetic and positive soundtrack. While the overall vibe is cute and engaging, some players feel that the narrative elements, such as character attitudes and world state, do not align with the lighthearted atmosphere. In contrast to many games in the genre, the art and music stand out as brilliant, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The variety of stages, caves, and dungeons give the game a sense of diversity when it comes to gameplay and atmosphere; these are, of course, not a walk in the park and might offer quite the challenge.”
- “The toys, the charming atmosphere, the NPCs that help you, and the positive soundtrack create a delightful experience.”
- “The art, music, and atmosphere are absolutely brilliant for a game in this genre, where most games of this nature tend to be relatively grim.”
- “However, this isn't exactly a merit, as the game's atmosphere has yet to update to reflect this: despite the sword now rarely falls, the eras unthreatened for centuries, Mormo remains overconfident and the citizens are pessimistic.”
emotional
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a significant emotional disconnect in the game, with players feeling let down by its unfulfilled potential and lackluster endings that fail to deliver a satisfying payoff. In contrast, the local co-op experience is praised for its heartwarming moments and quality-of-life features that enhance player connection, creating a more enjoyable and emotionally engaging gameplay experience.
- “The wasted potential here is one of the most heartbreaking things in gaming that I can remember.”
- “I wasn't able to finish Majora's Mask because the time limit in that game always made me feel rushed.”
- “When one player goes down, the other can help her up, which splits the surviving players' health between them, while you get to see a very heartwarming animation.”
character development
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
Character development is noted for its lack of memorable main characters, with players finding it challenging to connect beyond superficial traits like their smiles. However, the game features impressive character designs and art that evoke nostalgia, reminiscent of classic titles like "Link to the Past."
- “Character design is crucial; without a memorable main character, it's hard to remember anything but their eternal smile.”
- “The game feels like a modernized version of 'A Link to the Past' with incredibly appealing character designs and art.”
- “Without a memorable main character design, it's hard to remember anything but their eternal smile.”
- “Feels like a modernized Link to the Past with neat character designs and art.”
monetization
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect has been criticized for misleading advertising, particularly regarding the game's genre and multiplayer capabilities, which were not clearly communicated. Users feel that the developers manipulated tags post-release to avoid accountability, leading to frustration over perceived dishonesty in marketing.
- “This is misleading advertising.”
- “No advertising about it being rogue-like and timed, misleading Steam tags about 'multiplayer' (which, on Steam, is synonymous with online) as well as local co-op.”
- “Instead, developers change the tags after the fact and say 'you should have known because we never explicitly said online multiplayer,' despite the fact that their advertising genuinely makes it seem like it has both capabilities.”