Duskfade Review
Release Date: 13/08/2026
Platforms: PS5, NS2 XBOX & PC
Platform Played On: PS5 Pro
Hours Played: 50
Score: 7.5/10
Duskfade is a love letter to the classic PS2-era 3D platformers, wearing its inspirations from some of the genre greats proudly on its sleeve.
You take control of Zirian who, accompanied by his mechanical bird Cuckoo, sets out to find his sister and save Tick Town from the mysterious Clock Tower.
Sometimes it is just nice to sit back, relax and play something simpler and more classic in style, and Duskfade hits that mark perfectly. No overcomplicated RPG mechanics, no unfairly hard bosses, no punishing combat or platforming. Just a "simple" classic PS2-era 3D platformer, in the best possible way.
The game is divided into 20+ semi-linear levels spread across 4 distinct paths, one for each exit of Tick Town, the game's hub area. Each of the 4 paths has somewhere between 4 and 7 levels, and every one of them feels genuinely unique. The first takes you down into a volcano, the second leads you through sunny sandy shores all the way to an underwater library, the third literally sends you up to the heavens, and the fourth winds through deserts and canyons.
And while these areas are wildly different to look at (and this game does look fantastic, its art style really makes some of these places a joy to explore), the moment-to-moment gameplay does not change all that much from one path to the next. You do earn abilities that see more use in the areas where you find them, and you can then take those abilities back to earlier areas to reach hidden spots and collectibles, but the core gameplay is never all that specific to any one region. I would not call it repetitive or bad, and thanks to the strong level design every level is still a lot of fun to work through and explore.
One small thing worth mentioning: because you unlock these abilities during specific story beats, you cannot tackle the 4 paths in whatever order you like. You will always need the ability from the previous area to leave the hub through the exit to the next one. It is not the end of the world, but the freedom to choose your own order would have been a nice bonus.
As mentioned, Duskfade strips things back to the good old days of 3D platformers, and while it keeps things simple (in a good way), it still gives you plenty of collectibles to spend on some cool and genuinely useful extras. Find a cat, for example, and you can talk to the Tailord in Tick Town to unlock a new skin for your character, then use Flasks of Dye (another collectible) to unlock new colours and variants for that outfit. Find an Upgrade Gear and you can buy useful combat skills from the shop. So while the game is simple, you still get a fair share of customization, even if a lot of it is purely visual.
Speaking of those combat upgrades, most of them sadly end up going to waste on the game's normal enemies, which feel a touch too simple. There are a few small mob variants and a handful of larger ones, but none of them feel all that distinct in the middle of a fight. They mostly just become a bit of a burden, and you will find yourself running past any enemy you are not actually required to fight. The bosses, on the other hand, are a pleasant surprise. They are genuinely unique and well designed, and on the harder difficulties they can be a real, fun challenge. It took me a fair few attempts to beat the final boss on the hardest difficulty, and learning that fight was a blast.
As for the world itself, the HUB is full of NPCs who, while most are only really there to hand out bits of lore and flavour, do a great job of making the place feel alive. Out on the main paths you will still bump into the odd NPC here and there, but these are meant to be linear levels built around platforming challenges and the occasional enemy, and honestly they strike a great balance. The levels are not short, but they are never so long that you get bored before moving on to the next one.
The story is well written and even tries to touch on a few sensitive subjects, though it stays very simple, which fits this style of game perfectly. It also feels aimed at a slightly younger audience, but again, that is exactly what you would expect from the genre, so it is no knock against it. I do not think many people will be playing Duskfade for its story anyway.
As I said, the graphics are easily one of the game's strongest points. The art style is beautiful, the colours really pop, and the lighting effects in areas like the heavens make them look downright epic. Worth noting too that on the PS5 Pro I ran into zero performance issues, no FPS drops and no crashes. Just the very occasional minor bug that never actually affected the gameplay.
If I had to point to one real negative, it would be the combat, and specifically those normal enemies. They get repetitive and dull fast, to the point where you just want to run past them, and it leaves your upgrades feeling like a bit of a waste.
Aside from that, this is a great game that will take you right back to the good old 3D platformer days, pairing that simple, fun gameplay with prettier, more modern visuals.
