Dewdrop Dynasty PC (Build 24362375)

It’s a fast-paced, lighthearted Metroidvania. Looking for a lighthearted Metroidvania that’s isn’t gloomy? We’ve got you covered. Dewdrop Dynasty is a fast-paced, gun-jumping Metroidvania with a unique, retro-inspired pixel art style. Shoot, jump, and explore your way through the world of Dewdrop—a interconnected land filled with hidden secrets, diverse biomes, strange monsters, and even stranger inhabitants. With so much to discover, bosses to face, and puzzles to solve, Dewdrop Dynasty bursts with charm, challenge, and fast-paced fun. The world of Dewdrop won’t explore itself—so what are you waiting for? It’s obvious the game takes a lot of inspiration from Undertale and Hollow Knight; however, it plays very differently from both.

Dewdrop Dynasty features a really nice soundtrack, a cool art style, memorable characters, unique and distinct areas, and interesting, fun gameplay mechanics. However, it involves a lot of backtracking. At times, players may spend 30 minutes running around unsure of where to go next, making the experience feel a bit disjointed. Dewdrop Dynasty also lacks some necessary quality-of-life features. More fast travel locations would be welcome, especially given the long, winding paths between cities and other destinations. Custom controls also are not mapped correctly, forcing movement with WASD while requiring the arrow keys to navigate the map.

There is also a limit on the number of map pins that can be placed, but Dewdrop Dynasty never communicates this. These all seem like issues that could be fixed relatively easily. Regardless, after about seven hours of playtime and many unique and enjoyable boss fights, reaching the final boss was disappointing because the encounter was over in about a minute. It felt underwhelming considering the effort required to get there. A more challenging final battle would have been appreciated, rather than difficulty being tied primarily to the one-life mode. Overall, this is a very fun game that introduces unique ideas while drawing inspiration from Hollow Knight and Undertale.

The art is beautiful, and the characters are quirky and interesting. However, some aspects of Dewdrop Dynasty can be confusing. For example, certain doors require specific items to open, but the game doesn’t explain what those items are. While some boss fights are enjoyable, most are difficult to read. Even after many attempts to learn their attack patterns, getting hit still feels common because the bosses often fail to clearly telegraph their actions. Some hitboxes also feel inaccurate, with attacks connecting when they don’t appear as though they should. Certain moments end up feeling more frustrating than challenging. More clarity regarding boss health and other combat information would also improve the overall experience.