Dandara

 PC
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 38 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 38
  3. Negative: 6 out of 38

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  1. S3XU4LH34L1NG
    Apr 2, 2021
    8
    I was ready to give this game an 9 out of ten. But the last area (the golden one) is so out of place in this otherwise consistently difficult game it kinda sours the experience for me. The last area feels like a huge enemy spam fiesta without smart puzzles. And the last boss is rng bull **** go in with enough energy reserves and use the shield and missiles. Beware i played with aI was ready to give this game an 9 out of ten. But the last area (the golden one) is so out of place in this otherwise consistently difficult game it kinda sours the experience for me. The last area feels like a huge enemy spam fiesta without smart puzzles. And the last boss is rng bull **** go in with enough energy reserves and use the shield and missiles. Beware i played with a controller on PC and it requires some very fine movement - i think its impossible with m&k.… Expand
  2. HSuke
    Jun 17, 2021
    10
    This is a very unique and solid Metroidvania. After playing dozens upon of dozens of MVs, it's nice to experience a refreshing new mechanism of moving around. This is now one of my favorite MVs after Vision Soft Reset and ESA. The difficulty is pretty fair until you get to the brutal final true boss.
  3. ArcanaThe4th
    Aug 24, 2019
    9
    Dandara is a beautiful and unique game, which respects and values the culture it was created in in a form I have seen done very few times. While it's gameplay will take time to learn and get used to, being surprisingly difficult to properly use sometimes, it's still very interesting regardless.
  4. Iceflare
    Feb 1, 2021
    10
    If you like pixel-art Metroidvania games, grab this ASAP. As of this post it's free on Epic Games Store.

    Dandara is an amazing Metroidvania game that leads more to the Metroid side, rather than Castlevania which has more RPG elements. Unlike your typical Metroidvania however you do not walk from left to right, but instead you move around by jumping from wall to wall to ground to    If you like pixel-art Metroidvania games, grab this ASAP. As of this post it's free on Epic Games Store.

    Dandara is an amazing Metroidvania game that leads more to the Metroid side, rather than Castlevania which has more RPG elements.
    Unlike your typical Metroidvania however you do not walk from left to right, but instead you move around by jumping from wall to wall to ground to ceiling on white tiles that are almost everywhere. It sounds and feels kinda off at first, but once you got used to it (which you'll do extremely fast), you'll get an unique gameplay experience that can be extremely fast paced, if you want it to be.

    I can also imagine that Dandara is just as great, if not even greater than Super Metroid to speedrun, based on how the gameplay works.

    The powerups are fun, the riddles are really nice, the dungeon crawling feels just as good as Metroid and I'm just 3 hours in. The art style is also very good, only the story writing sounds a bit absurd (with the driving force in the world not being aether, mana, energy or whatever, but instead "salt"), and the character dialogues are also kinda confusing, but it's still really good and gives off some Undertale vibes in the dialogues.

    Definitely check it out, if you like Metroidvania games. I've played a lot of them before (Carrion, Iconoclasts, Owlboy, Dead Cells, Hollow Knight, Axiom Verge, all Castlevania & Metroid games, etc.), and I'd say Dandara is among the best.    … Expand
  5. wokenoodle
    Feb 5, 2022
    9
    One of the strongest assets of the indie scene is the bravery to reinvent what we consider fundamental, and Dandara is a perfect example. No, 2D platformers do not have to include a jump button, they don’t even have to clearly define what direction is “up”. The game’s weird, original, and nearly impeccably polished gravity system, fitted well into the world, level, and enemy design, is aOne of the strongest assets of the indie scene is the bravery to reinvent what we consider fundamental, and Dandara is a perfect example. No, 2D platformers do not have to include a jump button, they don’t even have to clearly define what direction is “up”. The game’s weird, original, and nearly impeccably polished gravity system, fitted well into the world, level, and enemy design, is a testament to that. Its moody synth soundtrack, simple but engaging story, consistent visual design, and awesome difficulty pacing help to elevate Dandara to one of the most notable Metroidvania titles.… Expand
  6. TaintedGlass
    Feb 14, 2021
    9
    Amazing metroidvania. Really unique movement and gameplay that makes it stand out from the crowd. The upgrade system was simple but worked well, and making you go back to where you died to recover lost currency made for stressful moments. Each different area had a distinguishable look to it that fit well into the plot and portrayed different messages, which I was a big fan of. My favoriteAmazing metroidvania. Really unique movement and gameplay that makes it stand out from the crowd. The upgrade system was simple but worked well, and making you go back to where you died to recover lost currency made for stressful moments. Each different area had a distinguishable look to it that fit well into the plot and portrayed different messages, which I was a big fan of. My favorite part of the game by far was the bosses. Even thought they were quite scarce, their shocking encounters and unique designs sure made up for it, and the fights felt quite intense as well. I always felt like I was making progress through the game, and the difficulty was just right most of the time, except for a few specific moments. The soundtrack is also spectacular if you're into that. Overall, a must-play for metroidvania fans.… Expand
  7. TheMaverickMc
    Jul 30, 2021
    10
    Soy fan del género Metroidvania, y debo decir que este título indie es por lejos mi favorito de dicho género
    Tiene buenas mecánicas y controles únicos (lo cual es su principal atractivo), además de unos gráficos retro pero visualmente atractivos y una muy buena banda sonora
    Veo que muchos lo critican por tener controles "imposibles de dominar" y dicen que no sienten progreso de    Soy fan del género Metroidvania, y debo decir que este título indie es por lejos mi favorito de dicho género
    Tiene buenas mecánicas y controles únicos (lo cual es su principal atractivo), además de unos gráficos retro pero visualmente atractivos y una muy buena banda sonora
    Veo que muchos lo critican por tener controles "imposibles de dominar" y dicen que no sienten progreso de habilidad para manejar a Dandara, pero eso en realidad refleja la poca habilidad que tienen como gamers, pues con un poco de práctica uno se puede mover con total soltura por los niveles
    Sí, el juego puede ser difícil (sobre todo el final real), pero yo veo eso como un punto a favor: para jugar juegos fáciles hay muchos del montón, pero a veces uno quiere verdaderos retos    … Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. GameCrate
    Feb 23, 2018
    75
    Dandara proves that there's still originality in a decades-old genre. It changes the way you control the player character, breaking from Metroidvania traditions, and creates new types of puzzles and methods of progression along the way.
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  2. Shacknews
    Feb 12, 2018
    60
    On one hand, Dandara is a perfectly serviceable romp through a series of well-designed and attractive environments; on the other, it's a deliberate yet confusing sidestep of well-established gameplay conventions.
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  3. Meristation
    Feb 12, 2018
    70
    Although excellent for a debut title, Dandara fails to reach its potential, instead lingering ever close. A fairly good game.
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