Duskfade landed today, and if you have not touched a proper 3D action platformer since the PS2 days, the jump back in can be a bit disorienting. A few things worth knowing before you start. Fair warning: full reviews were not out at launch, so this is grounded in the demo rather than a finished-game verdict.
1. Play the free demo first
There is a free Steam demo, and it is the smart move. It is the same opening slice most previews ran on, it sat around 91 percent positive, and it will tell you in twenty minutes whether the movement clicks for you. If it does, the game is an easy yes. If it does not, you saved 30 quid.
2. It's a movement game before it's a combat game
Jump, dash, grapple, glide. Duskfade is built around stringing traversal together, and the combat is there to punctuate it, not the other way round. Spend your first hour getting comfortable chaining moves rather than treating every enemy like a boss fight. The fun lives in the flow.
3. Set your expectations to throwback, not epic
This is a 30 dollar game from a small studio, openly modelled on Jak and Daxter. That is a compliment and a scope note at the same time. Go in wanting a tight, characterful platformer and you will likely have a good time. Go in expecting a 40-hour open world and you will not.
4. If you want a verdict, give it a few days
Metacritic still read tbd at launch, which is normal for a smaller release. If you are the type who wants scores before spending, wait for the impressions to land later this week. If you just want to mess about in a PS2-flavoured platformer tonight, the demo is your green light.
5. Check performance for your platform
Duskfade is on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and Switch 2. Multiplatform launches from small teams can run unevenly, and the Switch 2 build in particular is worth a quick look at launch-day footage before you decide where to buy. A minute of due diligence beats a refund request.
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