Dust: An Elysian Tail

Just beat the game, super cozy game 8/10 it's great.

I should have played this sooner.

Great gameplay, wonderful art, good story/characters, and all together an awesome experience to play through.

Maybe Dust is meant for kids but it's so simple I could feel my mind frying from lack of any meaningful challenge. If you invest all your gems into strength early on you can easily one shot most enemies and bosses just melt. It's the kind of design where they fill the screen with enemies but all of them are completely useless so combat just ends up feeling button mashey.

The only thing that even comes close to a challenge are some of the environmental hazards that are more a test of patience than anything else. The floaty feel of the physics doesn't do the game any favors either.

As bad as the combat is what's worse is that Dust is meant to be a metroidvania but it takes too long to start finding abilities to open up exploration. The way navigation is designed doesn't help. Level layout isn't represented well by the map making the onscreen map practically useless and diving into the options menu to check the map can be a chore in a game like this.

Good game. Dev is unfortunately far-right. Spend your money elsewhere.

12 years ago, I found out about this game from Totalbiscuit's showcase with the game
bought it and played it on both the 360 and the pc
loved the game so much and went to 100% it on the 360 back then
this game has such a great artstyle, gameplay, and wonderful music, not to mention that you can choose between playing it with keyboard or controller
this game is worth the price and try to get it's amazing soundtrack as well

i played through this a couple of times back on the Xbox 360. and revisiting so many years later. still holds up. good characters, fun combat and exploration. awesome story. runs great. definitely worth it.

A beautiful fairy tale with soul. My rating: 8/10

Short version: A beautiful fairy tale, great platformer, worth checking out. But keep in mind it's a 2012 game and some aspects feel a bit dated. My rating: 8/10

1. Gameplay - the game calls itself a Metroidvania, but it's more of a platformer mixed with a slasher. Levels are full of enemies who die in two hits on normal difficulty. Some people find it boring, but I think it's fun. It's enjoyable to tear through levels like a hurricane, mowing down hordes of enemies. It's nice to take a break from games where every enemy can kill you. Here that won't happen. The whole experience is about having fun, and even bosses aren't much of a challenge. Though there are some really bad design choices. For example, any environmental damage knocks the character back a huge distance. Or teleportation only works at map entrances/exits, so if you need to get to the middle of the map - you have to run there. On the other hand, there are good decisions rare for the genre - an extremely convenient map showing treasure locations from the start. Or the "Whirlwind" mechanic (one of Dust's abilities) allowing you to fly through a whole section with one button press while killing enemies along the way.

2. Design and graphics - graphic design is this project's strong point. I'm not a furry fan, but everything here is depicted beautifully, lively, and emotionally. Every character feels alive. As for the graphics, despite being pretty, they're unfortunately outdated. Backgrounds are rather blurry, playing in 4K is impossible, and some effects like snow have to be turned off because otherwise the game becomes unplayable. The game definitely needed remaster.

3. Lore and characters - the plot is fairly interesting, though it leaves some questions unanswered. This game is part of the Elysian Tail universe, so maybe checking it out would help understand what's going on. But anyway, these are details, the general story is decent. Characters - they're just great. You believe in them. There are no boring or forced characters. Quality humor that always fits, and equally good dramatic moments. Can't skip mentioning the voice acting. Rarely will you find better quality character voices than here.

To sum up. I played the game back in 2012 at release, and even then noticed how fun it was. Now, in 2025, I've only confirmed my initial impressions. This game is for relaxing - there are practically no hard gaming moments, no ambiguous plot, or dumb characters. I'm very disappointed that this project didn't grow into something bigger and we never got Dust 2. Though, maybe it's for the best. At least the memory of this project isn't tarnished by failed sequels.

fine

Looks goofy at first, but is surprisingly good and responsive.

If you like the Ori games, you'll love this, though it is somewhat short, and can be easy at times, I only died once on my first playthrough, and beat the game a second time on hardcore difficulty. It can be somewhat tedious to move around the map sometimes, since Dust doesn't unlock any movement abilities aside from a double jump, but aside from that, my only other major complaint is the ending, which I won't spoil, but it'll leave you with a disappointed feeling. Other than that, this game is really just simple and fun, with a great artstyle and character designs.

Man, I remember playing this back in the day....
One of my first indie videogames (or videogames in general) after a long time... and even it holds up to this day.
Art (especially), gameplay (simple but fun) and story (simple [again] but enjoyable, overdramatic [at time] but it's suited for all ages) are amazing!
Downside? a little *too* simple.... but again, it is meant for everyone.
So, yeah, recommended!

I loved this game when I was younger, its a great game overall.

For some reason on this version, it just doesn't let me throw projectiles with Fidget. The default button does nothing, and no matter what I change it to it still does nothing. I loved this game during my childhood and desperately want to play it on pc. Does anyone have the answer? Am I just being stupid in some way?

🕹️ Dust: An Elysian Tail 🎮

Ah, what can I say about the game that marked my childhood back in the Xbox 360 era... I never actually finished the campaign back then, I as a kid was unable to understand such philosophies.

📖 Synopsis

You wake up in the middle of a forest with no memory, holding a talking sword (yes, really) named Ahrah, accompanied by a small and adorable guardian named Fidget. Your mission? Discover who you really are while facing dangerous creatures and a malevolent army that threatens the land. The story unfolds in an engaging way, full of mysteries, twists, and emotional moments.

📝 Score: 9/10

🎨 Graphics

The game is a true work of art! The entire visual style is hand-drawn, with fluid animations and an aesthetic that feels like it came straight out of a colorful light novel. Each environment is a spectacle of colors and details. Simply stunning!

📝 Score: 10/10

🖥️ System Requirements

Even for a game from 2012, it runs smoothly on almost any PC, even on technological potatoes! 🚜💨 If your PC turns on and doesn’t explode, it can run Dust.

📝 Score: 10/10

🏰 Story & Narrative Quality

The story starts off simple but gets more interesting as you progress. It has that touch of mystery about the protagonist’s past, moral dilemmas, and moments that make you genuinely care about the characters. Although there are some clichés, the narrative is well-executed.

📝 Score: 8.5/10

🎮 Gameplay

The combat is extremely satisfying! Dust has agile combos, a fun parry system, and a whirlwind attack mechanic that turns anyone into a storm of destruction. The game blends hack-and-slash with RPG and Metroidvania elements, so there’s always something new to unlock and explore.

📝 Score: 9.5/10

⚔️ Difficulty

The game itself is quite easy; you won’t have any trouble if you just want to experience the story on Casual or Normal difficulty. If you’re looking for a challenge, play on Tough or even Hard. From what I’ve noticed, enemies don’t get smarter or faster; instead, higher difficulty settings just increase their health, the damage you take, and remove healing from checkpoints. However, you can adjust the difficulty at any time during gameplay, so don’t worry—you can change it whenever you feel the need.

📝 Score: 7.0/10

🔄 Game System Complexity

It has RPG elements like leveling up, stat improvements, and equipment, but nothing excessive. You don’t need to be a build expert to enjoy the game. The crafting system is simple and functional. There are no level restrictions for equipping items—leveling up only serves to distribute stat points to your character.

📝 Score: 7.5/10

⏳ Campaign Length

The main campaign lasts about 10 to 15 hours, depending on your pace and how much you like to explore maps to find secrets. If you aim for 100% completion, it can take over 20 hours. You can also look up guides or videos to save a lot of time.
A tip to save gameplay time... As soon as you start the main campaign, immediately complete the sidequest "The Blacksmith", as this will allow you to craft items directly from your inventory without needing to visit the blacksmith.

📝 Score: 7.8/10

🎵 Soundtrack & Audio

The soundtrack is simply fantastic! Each area has atmospheric music that perfectly matches the scenery and battles. For an indie game from that time, the voice acting is very well done and brings the characters to life.

📝 Score: 10/10

🐛 Bugs & Technical Issues

The game is well-polished and rarely has any bugs. The biggest “problem” might just be losing track of time while playing.

📝 Score: 10/10

🎯 Target Audience

If you enjoy Metroidvanias, action RPGs, and games with fast and stylish combat, Dust is for you! It’s also a great choice for those who love immersive stories and stunning visuals.

📝 Score: 9/10

💰 Is It Worth Buying?

Definitely! The game is over 10 years old, but it remains one of the best indies in its genre. Plus, it frequently goes on sale for a ridiculously low price. If you love action, a good narrative, and visually stunning games, don’t think twice.

📝 Score: 10/10

🔚 Final Score: 9.0/10

Final Verdict: Dust: An Elysian Tail is one of those indie games that has aged like fine wine. Addictive combat, gorgeous visuals, and a captivating story make it an unmissable experience. If you haven’t played it yet, drop everything and play it now!

🔹 Pros:
✅ Stunning graphics 🎨
✅ Fluid and satisfying combat ⚔️
✅ Incredible soundtrack 🎶
✅ Engaging story 📖

🔸 Cons:
❌ Some clichés in the plot
❌ Campaign could be a bit longer

I've played this game through a few times, and occasionally find my thoughts drifting back to it. It's an incredible story, the art is beautiful, and though the combat can sometimes feel a little clunky it's still a lot of fun. 9/10.

I want a Fidget Doll, too!

Have to respect the solo developer's dedication. A little on the short & shallow side, gameplay-wise, as to be expected, but still fun and Good - in spite of its weirdness, which only served to make me smile and laugh at it all. it's a little futzy on a modern computer, though - Probably a better experience on consoles, which it was originally made for.
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It isn't timeless, but it still holds up pretty darn well.

I played this game two years ago, on a recommendation from a friend, and I loved it! A favorite artist of mine recently did some fanart for it, which is what reminded me to check out the game again, and notice that I could leave a review.

If you like metroidvanias, this is a great one! Play it!

great game

Absolute Cinema

A surprisingly good Metroidvania game.

I'll be honest, I really wasn't expecting much from this game when I first played it all those years ago on the Xbox Live Arcade. I saw some good reviews, and thought, "What the hell. I'll give it a shot."

Little did I know how much fun I was going to have. Once you figure out how Fidget synergizes with Dust's spin move.... oh man... the game goes from OK to FUCKING AWESOME.

And the different abilities that Fidget gets just adds more fun. I personally enjoy the fire one the most, but really they all work well.

Then there's the Metroidvania element which is fine. Pretty much what you would expect: go to an area, can't get to certain area yet without ability, leave the area, get new ability, come back, get that item. Basic stuff. It works. Nothing out of the ordinary or truly amazing there, but it didn't need to be. It's fine.

It is of course largely helped by the music. Some Metroidvania developers seem to underestimate the importance of music in their work - a good soundtrack can carry even the crappiest of Metroidvania's, and Dust does deliver some bangers. I wouldn't say the music is something you absolutely have to go out of your way to listen to, but it is good. I like the Cirelian Trials theme and the Blackmoor Mountains theme the most.
Much like the exploration aspect, the music is fine.

Really, what you're coming to Dust for is that awesome combat. Later on in the game when you are just trying to get to Max Level, it's so fun to just go from screen to screen and build your combo up as you just essentially fly over all the enemies and let Fidget lay waste to them. It's awesome. That feeling of "I have conquered this game."

If I were to take points off Dust for anything, it's the lackluster end-game content. There isn't really much to do once you beat the game. Sure, you can go back and finish some side quests, complete the Cirelian Trials, find some easter eggs, yada yada yada, but there isn't an additional mode to unlock or additional costumes or anything. I like the art-style of the game, so it would have been nice to see at least some alternative costumes, but alas, nope.

In terms of difficulty, the game isn't that punishing. Even on Hardcore mode, the most times I died were just from falling into spike pits or other environmental hazards. The combat is more just a matter of keeping a good balance of your spin-to-win move and Fidget's abilities. This game is a fairly easy play.

I recommend Dust whole-heartedly. If you like Metroidvanias, your tastebuds will be satiated. If you like Disney-ish anthropormorphic art-styles, your eyes will be charmed. If you like cheese-y combat systems that make you feel awesome, you will have a lot of fun here. Check it out.

I found this game through an Instagram post about how Stampylongnose's Minecraft skin has been a Minecraft version of the bat character (Fidget) from this game the whole time.

Beautiful game, I loved it from start to finish!

This is one of those games that makes you feel like a kid again, and despite its aspects that have not aged well, it's still a fun time. It's a bit on the easier side, but not every game/metroidvania has to be difficult. The gameplay is very fluid, the cartoony artstyle is extremely unique, and the music is fantastic. The story is simple, but again, feels like a game that you'd love as a kid, and it's still a pretty good time as an adult.

I don't really have much else to say about the game. It's old, flawed, but has its charm and I think for what it is, I liked it a lot and would recommend to anyone.

In a world of metroidvanias, it was great for it's time.

It's only good now. The animations are great, the flow fantastic, but the upgrades your character gets are oddly spaced. The leveling system makes the game feel like a breeze, but then again it was meant for literal children.

If we ignore the furry factor and some overly dramatic moments which don't quite land, you get yourself a cute little story worth playing.

Amazing game! Great story, great quests and overall fun! Loved every minute of it.

I don't like fidget

The game is a cute little RPG platformer, but IMO is a bit expensive at full price.
Wait for it to be on sale, and then you can't go wrong.

Damn it's been almost exactly 2 years since I finished and I haven't reviewed it?
It's a good game, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Felt like I was playing games as a little kid again.
Unfortunately it's been to long since I played to remember much, but fortunately I intend to play through it again, so, maybe I'll update the review once that's done.

I beat this game 10 years ago on PS4 and it was just as good now as I remember. A solid 10/10 game.

A wonderful exploration of identity and choice. Great gameplay, characters, story, and art. A worthwhile world to explore.

Game is fun but aged quite a bit.
Combat is easy to cheese, enemy variety is low... But overall ok. Game is beautiful, voice acting is good and dialogues are funny.

Never in all of my years would i expect to hear deku, sepiroth, mei mei, alastor, abbaccio, chi chi, mahito, ryuko matoi, the mafia boss from a hat in time, dr gero future trunks and bardock from dbz abridged, jolyne, pomni, the great deku tree, and joshua tomar in the same damn video game. 💀

Unsophisticated, bad story, bad graphics

Fidget my beloved. Xbox 360 Classic.

I really liked this game. I found it quite charming and fun to play. The combat felt good. The story was neat. It's not a terribly difficult game but not every metroidvania has to be.

WHY ISN'T THERE A SEQUEL?!!!

Beautiful art style, fun combat, and engaging characters. Great game.

really fun to play, but the character designs sucks

What can I say, it's a metroidvania through and through. But it does come with some top level animation, art style, music and a fairly unique story. The hack and slash game-play is good, along with a pretty good progression system. All and all, making for a solid metroidvania experience.

This is a solid game, so I found it weird that it seemed to fly under the radar compared to other games in the genre. Especially because it came out before a lot of the more popular ones. It's very cheap and on sale often, so if you're looking to sink your teeth into another metroidvania, you can't go wrong.

Charming, simple, furry. 10/10.

I absolutely love this game. Its fun, the characters are amazing, and its creative. The art, gameplay, and voice acting are incredible. 10/10

I had an absolutely fantastic time with this game, and it might just be one of my favorites. From the combat that felt fun to the surprisingly emotional story that had some good humor, it was phenomenal. If you're unsure about buying this game for the full price, I got the game when it went on sale for around $4. This game packs plenty of content in a $15 package for you to enjoy and you better believe I did.

For people curious about this game, I'd actually recommend going in blind for the story. This comes with the benefit (or drawback depending on how you look at it emotionally) of the jokes and emotional bits hitting much harder.

To end things off, my favorite character in this game is easily Fidget.

I absolutely hope this game gets a sequel, it deserves it.

I haven't made it too far into the game, but it's pretty great so far! The controls feel solid and the combat is pretty satisfying, especially when racking up combos! The story so far is great and it makes me wanna know more about these characters!

If you enjoy games like Hollow Knight, give this game a try!

Fidget, do you really need any other reason to play it? XD
Also damn, I'm still waiting for second game!

ended up a bit shorter than i expected, but good game overall
knockback is way too high though, it was a bit irritating
id probaby reccomend the game

from dust to dust, ashes to ashes

What a great game, the story, the art, the music, the voice actors. I enjoy the battles in hard mode and the exploration. A interesting plot twist. The games is not perfect but definitely I enjoyed the game a lot. I definitely recommend it. Thanks to Dean Dodrill for this excellent game.

Probably one of the first ever games added to my Steam library, and in my favorites to this day. The scenery is gorgeous, the combat is fun (if a little repetitive), for being made by a single person the quality is off the charts.

In one sentence:

Somewhat generic, but still entertaining rpg platformer with some metroidvania elements.

Heads:

The voice acting for this game is on-point and really cool to see. I think it’s one of this game’s best aspects. The characters are well written.

The “traditional-animation” / hand drawn graphics for everything is also really cool and unique. The animated background critters are cool to look at, and I really like the weather cycles.

The fact that this was also fully created by one person (Dean Dodrill) is really cool. It doesn’t contribute to the gameplay, but it does make me appreciate the game more.

Tails (heh):

While the voice acting / dialogue is really good, it does also feel really cheesy and over-dramatic at times. Feels like the way they talk in anime. More of a personal-taste thing, but I found it a little hard to listen to at times. While the characters are interesting, I feel like some of them could have seen a return in the late game. As it is, once you finish business with a character, you never really see them again.

I appreciate that there are multiple combos in order to perform special attacks, however I feel that they are usually only useful against singular enemies, which occurs somewhat rarely.

I was also a little bummed that there wasn’t anything to gain by 100%ing everything, even if just a random tidbit of dialogue.