There is something immediately familiar about Duskfade, and that is both its greatest strength and its biggest hurdle. Weird Beluga clearly grew up with the same 3D platformers that shaped an entire generation, and its adventure wears those influences proudly, from the colorful worlds and cheeky companion to the combination of platforming, exploration and combat. Anyone with fond memories of Jak and Daxter, Ratchet & Clank or Kingdom Hearts will probably feel at home within minutes. The problem is that familiarity can occasionally become predictability, particularly during the opening half of the adventure, when Duskfade sometimes feels more like an exceptionally polished tribute than a game determined to establish its own identity. Fortunately, there is considerably more substance here than simple nostalgia, and the further we progress, the more convincing that distinction becomes.
The story initially appears to follow a well-worn formula. Zirian sets out to rescue his sister Allira after a mysterious Clock Tower plunges the world into an eternal night, accompanied by Cuckoo, a mechanical bird with plenty of personality. Yet the narrative gradually develops into something considerably more affecting than its straightforward premise suggests. The relationship between Zirian, Allira and their late grandfather gives the adventure an emotional foundation, while themes of grief, guilt, memory and accepting the passage of time are handled with surprising maturity. Flashbacks and gradually revealed pieces of lore give the mystery enough momentum to keep us interested, although some of the writing and supporting characterisation remain fairly conventional. What ultimately makes the story work is that Duskfade does not allow its heavier themes to smother the adventure; it remains a colorful, accessible platformer first, with its emotional weight emerging naturally as we spend more time with its characters.
It is movement, however, that provides Duskfade with its most convincing argument for existing. Zirian’s expanding repertoire of jumps, dashes, grappling, gliding and rail-based traversal makes moving through the world enjoyable in its own right, and there is real satisfaction in chaining these abilities together to reach previously inaccessible places. New gadgets also encourage us to revisit earlier areas, giving the otherwise fairly linear adventure a welcome pseudo-Metroidvania structure. Exploration is consequently one of the game’s strongest aspects, with secrets and collectibles providing meaningful reasons to investigate side paths rather than simply padding out the playtime. There is one notable frustration: Duskfade does not provide a map, and once the backtracking becomes more substantial, remembering where previously inaccessible areas were located can become unnecessarily cumbersome. Still, with roughly 15 hours needed for a normal playthrough and considerably more for completionists, there is plenty of value in mastering its worlds rather than simply rushing from objective to objective.
Combat is more of a mixed proposition. Zirian’s clock-hand sword is easy to understand, responsive enough in most situations and gradually gains additional abilities that give us more options than the straightforward three-hit combinations available at the beginning. Dodging, aerial attacks, temporary invulnerability, ranged abilities and other tricks can make encounters enjoyable when we actively use the available tools instead of simply hammering the attack button. The trouble is that ordinary enemies do not always give us sufficient reason to do so. Their limited variety and relatively simple behaviour can make standard encounters feel repetitive, while the lock-on occasionally loses track of its intended target, particularly when several enemies are on screen. Bosses are a much stronger showcase for the combat system, often combining attacks, environmental interaction, platforming and specific weaknesses into encounters that demand observation rather than button-mashing. The difficulty curve is less consistent, though, beginning rather gently before becoming considerably more demanding later on, especially around the bosses.
The same contrast can be found in the level design. Duskfade’s four principal biomes offer plenty of visual variety, and the later, stranger areas demonstrate that Weird Beluga is capable of being much more inventive once it moves beyond the familiar platforming template. Earlier sections can nevertheless settle into a predictable rhythm of platforming, combat arena and onward progression, making some stretches feel more functional than inspired. That is not necessarily a serious problem for players looking for a relaxed action-platformer, particularly since several difficulty settings allow us to tailor the experience, but experienced genre veterans may want to select a higher setting from the outset. The abundance of collectibles helps compensate for the straightforward structure, especially because many of them unlock upgrades, cosmetic options, weapon customisation and additional extras rather than merely existing as numbers on a checklist.
Visually, Duskfade is considerably harder to fault. Its pastel-heavy, cartoon-like presentation gives the clockpunk world a distinct fairy-tale character, while each region introduces enough new colors, architecture and atmosphere to prevent the adventure from becoming visually monotonous. Tick Town makes for a suitably charming central hub, while forests, underwater environments, deserts, mountains and cloud-filled areas give the journey a pleasing sense of progression. The presentation is particularly effective because the artistic direction supports the game’s mechanical themes rather than simply decorating them. The audio follows the same nostalgic philosophy: environmental effects and mechanical details contribute nicely to the clockwork atmosphere, while the soundtrack suits the adventure well, even if some of its melodies lack the staying power of the game’s strongest visual moments.
Duskfade succeeds because it understands that nostalgia alone is not enough. It borrows liberally from the golden age of 3D platformers, and there are moments when that dependence makes the game feel safer and more repetitive than it needs to be, particularly in its simpler combat encounters and more conventional early level design. Yet beneath those familiar foundations sits a genuinely enjoyable adventure with excellent movement, rewarding exploration, creative boss encounters, attractive worlds and a surprisingly heartfelt story. We would have liked the platforming to feel a little more consistently precise, the camera and lock-on to behave more reliably, and the world to offer better navigation once backtracking becomes part of the experience. Even so, Duskfade is far more than a nostalgia exercise. It may not reach the heights of the classics it admires, but on PS5 it delivers a charming, generous and often genuinely engaging reminder of why this particular type of adventure became so beloved in the first place.
Score: 8.1/10