Dust: An Elysian Tail

 PC
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 538 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 440 out of 538
  2. Mixed: 67 out of 538
  3. Negative: 31 out of 538

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  1. JoeRosa
    May 25, 2013
    10
    The developer built the game from the ground up on pc then ported it to xbox. He then added pc settings and such. This is a solid game and has everything you could ever want from a Metroid/Vania type game.

    The combat is fast and fluid. Character stat customization. Amazing art style and graphics. Glorious music. Crafting. Exploration and adventure. You grow attached to the npcs    The developer built the game from the ground up on pc then ported it to xbox. He then added pc settings and such. This is a solid game and has everything you could ever want from a Metroid/Vania type game.

    The combat is fast and fluid.
    Character stat customization.
    Amazing art style and graphics.
    Glorious music.
    Crafting.
    Exploration and adventure.
    You grow attached to the npcs and care about what their issues are and what happens next.    … Expand
  2. BinarySplit
    May 27, 2013
    10
    Beautiful side-scrolling action game. Has fantastic animated dialog, interesting characters and AMAZING gameplay. My only complaint is that the ending is a bit weak and there's no New Game+ to help you get 100%. At $13, this is definitely worth it.
  3. sanchokobe
    Jul 26, 2013
    10
    A fantastic game. Beautiful hand-drawn and hand-animated art, memorable characters, engaging and emotional story, brilliant atmospheric soundtrack, and the gameplay hits that sweet spot of "easy to pick up, difficult to master".

    What is truly amazing about this game, however, is the story of its development. With the exception of the music composed by Hyperduck Soundworks, everything    A fantastic game. Beautiful hand-drawn and hand-animated art, memorable characters, engaging and emotional story, brilliant atmospheric soundtrack, and the gameplay hits that sweet spot of "easy to pick up, difficult to master".

    What is truly amazing about this game, however, is the story of its development. With the exception of the music composed by Hyperduck Soundworks, everything else in this game (design, art, story, programming, EVERYTHING) was done by one person working unassisted. And this one person went into this with zero knowledge of game design and programming. He taught himself everything as he went along. The fact that he was able to start from nothing and produce a game of such impeccable quality...it is a tremendous achievement, and truly inspiring. The game deserves a playthrough based on that fact alone.    … Expand
  4. MyOnlyAlias
    Jun 16, 2013
    10
    This game is fantastic on PC. The port if phenomenal, with almost every port feature accounted for. V sync, individual sound controls, graphics settings, resolution, and even an option to toggle higher quality art assets. The story and gameplay are top notch. This is a must own for everyone.
  5. Sinfullysweet
    Jun 13, 2013
    10
    THIS IS A MUST HAVE! The story line, the play style, everything was awesome about it. When the ending makes you actually tear up, that means that the game did it's job. You care about all the characters. I played it on the casual setting, with my laptop/gaming pc hooked up to my television using the full controller support. Flawless execution. Definitely worth the time and money. So manyTHIS IS A MUST HAVE! The story line, the play style, everything was awesome about it. When the ending makes you actually tear up, that means that the game did it's job. You care about all the characters. I played it on the casual setting, with my laptop/gaming pc hooked up to my television using the full controller support. Flawless execution. Definitely worth the time and money. So many throwbacks to other indie developers that it made me smile. So thank you game developers for a game that not only I can play but my kids can play as well, that really brings you into the story! Thank you for sharing your creativity with the rest of us gamers out here. Keep up the great work. And Can I haz real life Fidget doll please? =3… Expand
  6. chad12420
    May 28, 2013
    10
    This game is phenomenal. Polished from start to finish. Great combat, environments, graphics, sound, and a decent story to boot. NO I didn’t make the game, some people are just too childish to admit not all reviews come from some paid scrub that comes on here to boost ratings. This game is awesome, don’t miss it.
  7. SwitSwat
    Sep 24, 2013
    10
    What initially got me interested was the beautiful art graphics. The controls are tight, and they serve well in the simple, yet addicting battle mechanics. The storyline itself is very intriguing and adds more purpose to actual completing the game. The voice acting is pretty good as well. I am simply put, and indie game whore and fanatic, and this was, simply put AMAZING. A must buy. 10/10
  8. Varaosa
    Dec 14, 2013
    10
    One of the best ever to play the games! High recommented for everybody! Buy game your self now & your friends too, just super game................. C:
  9. Shadirrasda
    May 28, 2013
    10
    I didn't think i would like this game as I'm not a storyline type of person but the controls of this game are so slick with amazing music that i just can't stop playing!
    It's a very compelling world full of vibrant colors that just pulls you in and makes you actually care about the NPCs you're trying to help without it being quests of "kill 10 boars".
    A very very impressive game    I didn't think i would like this game as I'm not a storyline type of person but the controls of this game are so slick with amazing music that i just can't stop playing!
    It's a very compelling world full of vibrant colors that just pulls you in and makes you actually care about the NPCs you're trying to help without it being quests of "kill 10 boars".
    A very very impressive game considering it was made entirely by one person!
    An absolute must-have title.    … Expand
  10. a_consumer
    Jul 18, 2013
    10
    this is a great game. Its one of the very few that kept giving me goose bumps. Every quest as well as the side quest is a pleasure to complete because of the characters and the interesting things they would say. And well Fidget, she is hard to explain but is a really loveable companion. I've never really gotton any connection to any enemy before but the first boss is one of my top favthis is a great game. Its one of the very few that kept giving me goose bumps. Every quest as well as the side quest is a pleasure to complete because of the characters and the interesting things they would say. And well Fidget, she is hard to explain but is a really loveable companion. I've never really gotton any connection to any enemy before but the first boss is one of my top fav character in the game. It does has some majior glitch at times, i havent noticed on pc except half the screen get cut off in the title for a bit, and for the xbox it does crashes to home screen. just save multiple times for different slots like an elder scrolls game and if you see a power up that your supposed to get that is not there. i'm sorry but new game or reload a save file that doesn't have that problem. so far ive had to new game once. This is really a good game. Better then muramasa in my opinion.… Expand
  11. Max_Killington
    Dec 5, 2013
    10
    What a video game should be: non-stop fluid action plus a bit of loot. If Contra and Super Metriod had a child then raised it in Potos village it would be called Dust: and Elysian Tale.

    Great artwork and direction. Great music.
  12. Mykwon
    Dec 4, 2013
    10
    Beautifully crafted action RPG with very fluid controls, great combos and lovely characters. Very addictive and charming, you get immersed in the game and don't stop playing. A true gem.
  13. insanity82007
    Jun 3, 2014
    10
    This is an absolutely beautiful game crafted from love. It features incredible gameplay, outstanding animation, top notch character introductions and development, brilliant, brilliant music and excellent, convincing voice acting. The RPG elements in the game, while simple compared to many other ARPGs, are very well executed and complemented the game perfectly. About the only minor gripe IThis is an absolutely beautiful game crafted from love. It features incredible gameplay, outstanding animation, top notch character introductions and development, brilliant, brilliant music and excellent, convincing voice acting. The RPG elements in the game, while simple compared to many other ARPGs, are very well executed and complemented the game perfectly. About the only minor gripe I really had was that traveling could have been made easier by being able to choose a specific save location in an area from the world map when revisiting it to find secrets/treasures after learning new skills. Then again, the process of having to go from either the beginning of and area or the end of an area to get to these points enabled me to gather a lot of resources and do a lot of leveling that made me prepared for the difficulty at the end of the game. I would seriously suggest picking it up as this is worth every $$$ spent.… Expand
  14. tjgiannhs8es
    May 30, 2013
    10
    The game is EXCELLENT! The story is great and combat is a lot of fun! However, the best thing in the game is the art. The game is beautiful and the work the developer has done with painting the environment, the enemies and the protagonists is OUTSTANDING! This game must be one of the best looking games I have ever played and the npcs are all voiced which is a nice and impressive touchThe game is EXCELLENT! The story is great and combat is a lot of fun! However, the best thing in the game is the art. The game is beautiful and the work the developer has done with painting the environment, the enemies and the protagonists is OUTSTANDING! This game must be one of the best looking games I have ever played and the npcs are all voiced which is a nice and impressive touch (fidget's voice is the best). I rarely write reviews but I think this game is worth it. I don't think anyone would dislike this game since there isn't anything bad in this game. And the price makes it all the more appealing. I recommend this game by all means and hope we see a new project from the developers as soon as possible ^^… Expand
  15. Rum72
    Feb 18, 2014
    10
    for it's genre it is the best you could play .
  16. Tzeenchist
    Jul 25, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. An excellent, sweet, kind, beautiful, game with humor. Makes you wonder about the most important things in life. Visually excellent and made ​​at least sounded great. With its simplicity, can bind to itself on a long time.… Expand
  17. kcanon112
    May 25, 2013
    10
    A great PC port with more options than most AAA titles combined, has great music and game play, and takes place in a beautiful world, it;s very cheap and I believe anyone can enjoy it.
  18. Slizarus
    May 28, 2013
    10
    Honestly, this game is beautiful, the gameplay is extremely fluid combat is very fun and the metroidvania style is really well represented in the level design. The Sidekicks are pretty funny, the Nimbat is hilarious and her often silly behavior is a wonderful choice in contrast to Dust's cool demeanor.

    This game's story is really surprising, you can run through it, jaded, and ignore it    Honestly, this game is beautiful, the gameplay is extremely fluid combat is very fun and the metroidvania style is really well represented in the level design. The Sidekicks are pretty funny, the Nimbat is hilarious and her often silly behavior is a wonderful choice in contrast to Dust's cool demeanor.

    This game's story is really surprising, you can run through it, jaded, and ignore it if you want, the gameplay is fun enough and the personal evolution of your character and his choices by themselves are worth the price of admission, but if you start paying attention you'll uncover a rich plot covering issues like Racism, the Moral Struggle of Absolute Justice vs Acceptance, and little a brother not accepting the guy his older sister likes.

    The story, 30% in, is enough to start some conversations with a friend or gaming significant other :)

    The game will get a full 10 from me because for what it's worth, I can't find a problem with it worth nitpicking, but broken down this would be my score.

    Gameplay 9
    Menus 9
    Replayability 9
    Graphics 10
    Story 10    … Expand
  19. KingVerity
    May 25, 2013
    10
    This game is everything you could want in an action rpg. Dust has an amazing art style with fluid, engaging combat. The music is fantastic and the voice acting is some of the best I've ever heard.

    The story line is really fresh and makes you feel very sympathetic to it's characters. Not often am I impressed by a game this much. I would highly recommend this game. A game this polished,    This game is everything you could want in an action rpg. Dust has an amazing art style with fluid, engaging combat. The music is fantastic and the voice acting is some of the best I've ever heard.

    The story line is really fresh and makes you feel very sympathetic to it's characters. Not often am I impressed by a game this much. I would highly recommend this game. A game this polished, creative and entertaining to not be played would be a crime.    … Expand
  20. Thegunner18
    May 26, 2013
    10
    Please, whatever you do, ignore all the trolls saying this is a bad game without giving any reasoning behind it. I don't know why you'd believe such crap in the first place anyway, but I had to get that out of the way.

    Dust is honestly one of the most enchanting and charming games I've ever played. The fact that all of this (other than the music) was made by one person just makes this    Please, whatever you do, ignore all the trolls saying this is a bad game without giving any reasoning behind it. I don't know why you'd believe such crap in the first place anyway, but I had to get that out of the way.

    Dust is honestly one of the most enchanting and charming games I've ever played. The fact that all of this (other than the music) was made by one person just makes this whole thing even more amazing than it already is. And if you're wondering about the music, then you won't be disappointed. Not by any means whatsoever. All-in-all, this proves to be perhaps *the* most captivating PC experiences I've had. The art, the music, the surprisingly dark story...everything.

    Buy this game!    … Expand
  21. XaoGarrent
    May 31, 2013
    10
    Take a slice of Metroidvania, take a side of Secret of Mana, throw them in a pot with a dash of Devil May Cry style combat (or perhaps an Arcsys fighter, after all dust DOES seem to wield his sword like Sol), and you've got the inspiration behind Dust. This game takes what made the greatest classics of the 16 and 32 bit era what they were and upgrades that formula with modern designTake a slice of Metroidvania, take a side of Secret of Mana, throw them in a pot with a dash of Devil May Cry style combat (or perhaps an Arcsys fighter, after all dust DOES seem to wield his sword like Sol), and you've got the inspiration behind Dust. This game takes what made the greatest classics of the 16 and 32 bit era what they were and upgrades that formula with modern design sensibilities and high definition art. As if the strong features of the actual game itself aren't enough, at a paltry 15 dollars it's an ambitious success that you'd have to be foolish to overlook, even as a budget minded gamer, and make no mistake: This is one very well executed port that feels like it belonged on PC in the first place.

    The story itself reminds us of a time when the fantasy genre in video games wasn't desperately clinging to the coattails of Tolkien or drenched in angst and J Pop style, and the gameplay teaches us the valuable lesson that designs of the past are still relevant and can be improved upon. Bright, whimsical storybook fantasy story and characters that yet manage to be woven seamlessly into a serious and perhaps tragic story are found alongside straightforward and gripping gameplay that does nothing to divert the player from the goals laid out in front of them. In short, Dust makes up a sleek and well assembled package that shows far more polish and planning than you'd expect of a big name let alone indie.

    Like Bastion or perhaps Cave Story, it's a throwback to days long gone, improving upon the strong foundation left behind in such a way that it begs the player to question why such things were ever abandoned to begin with. If this was a game you found yourself watching and waiting for on PC, make no delay in picking it up, it really is a no brainer purchase. It is a game that will suck you in, though, so be warned: You may want to put aside some time for it.    … Expand
  22. Lunate
    Jun 29, 2013
    10
    This game is one of the best 2D RPG's out there,the detail and effort put forth in this game can be clearly seen after barely playing 5 minutes of the game.It's a real joy to play this game and for its price of mere 10 bucks it offers u more than u would expect.The story is really well done,the music is great and the artwork is just stunning,very beautiful worlds and areas make this gameThis game is one of the best 2D RPG's out there,the detail and effort put forth in this game can be clearly seen after barely playing 5 minutes of the game.It's a real joy to play this game and for its price of mere 10 bucks it offers u more than u would expect.The story is really well done,the music is great and the artwork is just stunning,very beautiful worlds and areas make this game even more enjoyable.AND u know what all this was done by 1 guy,yeah no this game was single handedlly developed and prodeced by ONE GUY!!!!........How long did it take him,u ask?......well....around.........."4 YEARS!!!!",thats right 4 fukin years,seems like his life's work, for his efforts i respect him but this guy, has created a masterpiece, which is just too hard to describe.The story is very engrossing and a good one,the ending does seem like a cliffhanger but i doubt there'd be a sequel.The story,developing and the AWESOME art was done by this guy alone while a 3rd party was responsible for the music,and they have done a fantastic job.The combat is satisfying,fun and there are quite a few upgrades to unlock.The game does get a bit repetetive aroud the ends but the story easily compensates for it.BTW the game looks best at 1080p res,cuz the original art itself was done in 1080+ resolutions, no upscaling required ;-)
    This game easily earns a 9 but for the effort this guy took and the new fresh story i give it a full 10.
    This game clocked me 18 hrs but i was enjoying all visuals and playing at the "Tough" difficulty level,since the other 2 are just too easy and make the combat very effortless,so pls play at tough or higher difficulty.

    Thank u for reading my review and i hope i gave u reason enough to buy this game,but seriously buy the game !!!
    Thats it for me, Lunate signing off!

    P.S: If ur guessing why im not telling u his name,thats because i want u buy the damn game and play it and then judge the guy.    … Expand
  23. Jarkfander
    Jun 8, 2013
    10
    A game I really enjoyed playing: catchy story, delightful music, charming characters. Everything a game needs.
    The 2D cartoon style is well performed and fits really well the universe, the fights are really cool too and the combat system is well though.
    I highly recommend this cheap game, it'll make you lough and cry.
  24. Myzt0
    Jun 11, 2013
    10
    Dust: An Elysian Tail (Dust for short) makes a lot of AAA games look like Yes, the game is a 10 because not only was it created by one person, but the story... You feel so bad for "Dust" when you play the game. Yes his real name isn't Dust, but he doesn't remember anything. And no that isn't a spoiler because you get to know that the first fart minute into the game. Back to my point. TheDust: An Elysian Tail (Dust for short) makes a lot of AAA games look like Yes, the game is a 10 because not only was it created by one person, but the story... You feel so bad for "Dust" when you play the game. Yes his real name isn't Dust, but he doesn't remember anything. And no that isn't a spoiler because you get to know that the first fart minute into the game. Back to my point. The story is so immersive, the voice acting is amazing and the sound is impressive. Simply on of the best games, not just action/rpg games, but on of the absolutely best games ever, period.… Expand
  25. BlazeFox
    Jun 22, 2013
    10
    This game is purely amazing, the graphics are just beautiful, the voice acting is top marks, the story is very nice and gripping, and the characters are fun. I got this game not expecting much, but was blown away but the great gameplay and amusing story. I have no gripes about this game whatsoever, it's petty much flawless.
  26. Splender
    Jul 3, 2013
    10
    Its an EPIC game with great story and combat system. Its a game I enjoyed playing it has replaybility and a lot of reference to other game like Super Meat Boy, Mario etc. it is a game that has a heart. From the beginning of the game to the end you can see how much effort was put into it.
  27. Crezcent
    Jul 3, 2013
    10
    A great PC game, created with heart, thought and love. Beautiful environments and music. Combat could have been improved with more developed skills to make character development better. But all in all, this is the first game ever i thought deserved a 10.
  28. Afroman22
    Jul 26, 2013
    10
    This was an Xbox Live Arcade Game? Really? This game is truly amazing. A wonderful piece. You can see the developer took his time and put effort into every detail. Sure it's only 2D Side Strolling but never once did I think "Oh this looks cheesy." Every time I went somewhere new it always started with a "Wow." or "Amazing..." This game is defiantly worth it's money. Another note is... thisThis was an Xbox Live Arcade Game? Really? This game is truly amazing. A wonderful piece. You can see the developer took his time and put effort into every detail. Sure it's only 2D Side Strolling but never once did I think "Oh this looks cheesy." Every time I went somewhere new it always started with a "Wow." or "Amazing..." This game is defiantly worth it's money. Another note is... this game instantly gets 2 bonus points for a PERFECT PORT to PC. This puts a lot of AAA game industries to shame.

    Story is fantastic. It's well told. It's not going to be something phenomenal but just how the pacing is done and how each part is teaching Dust a lesson as he gets his memories back and how it tells us a little bit of his past at the same time just keeps you going and wanting more. Although I don't know what to say about the ending but maybe a sequel for this amazing game?

    Characters here are memorable and I will never forget them. Some people will have problems with the characters being Furry but no one had a problem with StarFox now did they? So get over it. Dust and Fidget are an amazing duo and I couldn't help but laugh almost every time Fidget spoke. Her disregard for the fourth wall and the jokes with it just cracked me up. Dust's core character is really generic but his voice actor brings him to life and makes you feel the emotions he's going through It never once came to my mind that "Ew, Dust, is really generic." and I hope no one else feels the same. The sword Ahrah doesn't have a huge impact but you can defiantly see him as support role as well as main. He's trying to bring back Dust into someone better and reteach him his skills. That's enough to make me remember him.

    So this game is a 2D side stroller so it's visuals and graphics must be sub-par right? Wrong! It never once made me think they were poor or under developed. I thought they were amazing and really high end for a game like this. The enemies were detailed the backgrounds were amazing the character cut scenes were superb! Did I really pay 15 dollars for this game?

    Gameplay and controls are stellar! I mean it just feels, perfect. Everything responds quickly it moves smoothly it's just, fantastic. I can't really go into detail because, I can not really describe it. It's just amazing.

    Difficulty falls short or maybe I'm just skilled? I stuck it on Tough my first run through and found it anything but tough. Most of my deaths come from hazardous terrain. Never did I see any boss or monster challenging. Again though I think I am a great gamer as when my friend and my girlfriend played this on Tough they had difficulty with a lot of enemies. So I can't really say for sure if the game is too easy or too hard. I guess it just depends on how good of a player you are.

    Would I recommend this game? Hell yeah! GO BUY IT NOW DAMMIT! This is an absolute required game for everyone! I still can't believe I payed so little for this game. I would have easily paid 40 dollars for this!    … Expand
  29. AngealHewley
    Jul 19, 2013
    10
    Even though the antagonist's voice sounds a bit premature occasionally it's still a stellar title that is certainly worth your money and requires more fans!
  30. SoulMyst
    Aug 1, 2013
    10
    If you are not smiling and whacking your table saying "WOW!! AMAZING MORE MORE" within five minutes of playing this game and going through fights having the best feeling ever...then nothing will impress you...I feel sorry for you then ^_^

    Music... oh my GOD how wonderful and the graphics...characters...the amount of work and love that went into this game is utterly insane and very    If you are not smiling and whacking your table saying "WOW!! AMAZING MORE MORE" within five minutes of playing this game and going through fights having the best feeling ever...then nothing will impress you...I feel sorry for you then ^_^

    Music... oh my GOD how wonderful and the graphics...characters...the amount of work and love that went into this game is utterly insane and very appreciated...

    11/10 game and praises to the developers fantastic job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

22
#22 Best PC Game of 2013
66
#66 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
79
#79 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 7 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Sep 19, 2013
    100
    Dust is energetic like a tornado. It has its artistic touch to it. This gem is like the best of the video games history, to shine upon the present days. [Issue#232]
  2. PC Gamer
    Jul 8, 2013
    79
    Highly entertaining, substantial and a visual treat but with a slight whiff of Gorgonzola in the story department.
    Read full review
  3. GameStar
    Jun 6, 2013
    79
    Quotation forthcoming.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »