Duskfade PC (Final version)

Zirian, accompanied by his mechanical Cuckoo, must save his sister from a mysterious Clock Tower that has plunged the land into eternal night. Help Zirian save his sister from the claws of Despair by restoring the fabric of time and uncovering the secrets of the Master Clockmakers. Master a seamless blend of dynamic platforming and fast-paced combat. Jump, dash, grapple, and glide your way through thrilling challenges that rekindle the magic of classic action platformer favourites.

Instead of just going with the usual “villain kidnaps someone, so go save them” plot, the story deals with loss, grief and how people cope with it. There are also some interesting character developments, several unexpected twists and plenty of lore that gradually unfolds through optional echoes of the past. The way the different parts of the story tie together is particularly well done. The gameplay is just as solid. The movement feels great, the levels are varied and combine classic platforming with combat, exploration and several additional abilities.

Some sections can be quite challenging without ever feeling unfair. There are also plenty of collectibles, some of which require a little more thought to reach. All of this is wrapped in a beautiful, almost fairytale-like presentation, a distinctive art style and a consistent theme centered around time and clockwork.

The music, sound effects and animations are excellent as well. Duskfade doesn’t reinvent the genre, but it combines its familiar mechanics extremely well. It’s one of the strongest 3D platformers I’ve played so far — and definitely one of the highlights of the year. If you enjoy 3D platformers but also want a genuinely good story, Duskfade is absolutely worth checking out.