Dust: An Elysian Tail

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 165 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 128 out of 165
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 165
  3. Negative: 21 out of 165

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  1. Dokiir
    Aug 26, 2012
    10
    I think guillermops review has its integrity ruined by his prejudice against an art style. Which is sad, since the game has stunning art, touching story that appeals to the younger generation as well as leaving light hearted jokes that can charm many ages of gamers. Since it failed to touch on anything else but focus on the "furry" issue they cannot get their head around, I can't reallyI think guillermops review has its integrity ruined by his prejudice against an art style. Which is sad, since the game has stunning art, touching story that appeals to the younger generation as well as leaving light hearted jokes that can charm many ages of gamers. Since it failed to touch on anything else but focus on the "furry" issue they cannot get their head around, I can't really deem that a useful review. Surprised that one other person did, somewhat.

    The story really expands when you begin to do all the quests, without them, you simply will be missing out on particular chapters of the game that just make it a fuller experience. The voice acting is staggeringly good for a game made by a single man, considering his low budget and tiny team, I'm thoroughly impressed by what he has achieved here. A must buy.    … Expand
  2. EpicNinjaMan
    Jan 10, 2015
    8
    An incredible story, immersive narrative, fun and flashy combat, and being hands down my favorite indie game, combat put Dust up there for one of my favorite games.
  3. DaniloCN
    Aug 30, 2012
    10
    It is one of those games that captivates you from the moment you see it. Dust: An Elysian Tail to my opinion, is the best game to come out on Xbox Live Arcade to date. RPG, platform, action, a combat system that is not boring, otherworldly visuals. In short, by 1200MSP can play a game that easily surpasses many physical games that have flooded the market these days.
  4. dpsdust
    Aug 19, 2012
    10
    Game of The Year 2012!!!! I must say a few days ago I had not heard of this game but after a good review on destructoid I gave it a shot and exceeded all my expectations. My favourite video game ever was castlevania dawn of sorrow but Dust just took the cake. On top of being made by just one guy the combat is incredibly refined yet challenging for a side scrolling action RPG. The only conGame of The Year 2012!!!! I must say a few days ago I had not heard of this game but after a good review on destructoid I gave it a shot and exceeded all my expectations. My favourite video game ever was castlevania dawn of sorrow but Dust just took the cake. On top of being made by just one guy the combat is incredibly refined yet challenging for a side scrolling action RPG. The only con to this game is the furries but after a few hours the stories Eastern charm grips you and easily rivals a Hayao Miyazaki anime.

    Also All the critics who hated on the music are idiots because with true surround sound it sounds amazing!

    This is the sleeper hit of video games this year and possibly ever!    … Expand
  5. Agarwel
    Aug 22, 2012
    9
    This game is awesome. Don't be fooled by the trailers and videos, where the game looks like simple button mashing game like old Golden Axe. There is so much more, the videos wont show you. Especially elements from the RPG games. And now I don't mean only leveling and skills. Or looting and crafting better equipment. But mainly the deep world with lots of friendly chatty NPCs and sideThis game is awesome. Don't be fooled by the trailers and videos, where the game looks like simple button mashing game like old Golden Axe. There is so much more, the videos wont show you. Especially elements from the RPG games. And now I don't mean only leveling and skills. Or looting and crafting better equipment. But mainly the deep world with lots of friendly chatty NPCs and side quests, that just draw you into the game. The dialogues are very well written, sometimes providing choices of multiple answer choices or humor. And the voicing is very well done. The figthing itself is fun and there are always some new types of enemies, that wont let you use same button combination again and again. And the graphics are simply amazing. It is almost unbelievable this game was made by one person (except details like voicing). This guy is genius, because he made game with more production values than some bigger professional studios.
    Even if it is sold just like a Arcade for few bucks. This game can be compared to the full price games like Rayman. I can definitely recommend this game to anybody.    … Expand
  6. YipManSays
    Aug 20, 2012
    8
    Dust: An Elysian Tail is a very fascinating and extremely entertaining game. It reminds me a lot of Castlevania or Metroid in way. Combat is very creative and imaginative with several different action packed ways to dispatch your enemies. It is also worh mentioning that while the game is side scrolling it feels very expansive. Every area has different paths to take where hidden items orDust: An Elysian Tail is a very fascinating and extremely entertaining game. It reminds me a lot of Castlevania or Metroid in way. Combat is very creative and imaginative with several different action packed ways to dispatch your enemies. It is also worh mentioning that while the game is side scrolling it feels very expansive. Every area has different paths to take where hidden items or treasure could be hidden. The characters and art style is also very stunning as well. Dust: An Elysian Tail is a visually distinct game and when you factor in that it is hand drawn, it is even more impressive. Overall this game is well worth the 1200 Microsoft points (14.99 in real people money).… Expand
  7. DemonGoliath
    Aug 19, 2012
    10
    I had been anticipating Dust: An Elysian Tail since I found out it won Microsoft's Dream.Build.Play back in '09. After a long wait, it finally received a release date of August 15, 2012, during Xbox Live's Summer of Arcade. Every year, there has been a memorable SOA release that really stands out--Braid, Shadow Complex, Limbo, and Bastion, just to name a few. So is Dust: An Elysian TailI had been anticipating Dust: An Elysian Tail since I found out it won Microsoft's Dream.Build.Play back in '09. After a long wait, it finally received a release date of August 15, 2012, during Xbox Live's Summer of Arcade. Every year, there has been a memorable SOA release that really stands out--Braid, Shadow Complex, Limbo, and Bastion, just to name a few. So is Dust: An Elysian Tail this year's inductee into the Summer of Arcade Hall of Fame?

    The short answer is a resounding Yes.

    Before I even state everything that makes Dust an amazing game, I am well aware of some people disregarding it, on the fact that the game contains anthropomorphic characters, or "furries", as some may call them, which may not be everyone's fancy for reasons that may or may not have some bias behind them. It's those people I feel sorry for, because they will be missing out on one extraordinary game.

    Dust: Any Eysian Tail is the work of creator--and by creator, I mean ONE creator. Yes, this game was made by pretty much one guy--Dean Dodrill, as his love letter to old-school Metroidvania-style games. And if one guy could make this game, imagine what could come to light if he had a team.

    First and foremost, Dust is a beautiful game. The hand-crafted scenery is beyond incredible; it really looks like something that came from a team of professional illistrators, not one guy. And the movements of the characters themselves looks nicely down.

    Speaking of the characters, they are lovable. The close-ups we get of them during cutscenes and the emotions they protray during certain dialogue is all nicely portrayed. The voice-acting is top notch as well, even though the lip-syncing can be off at times. There may be moments where characters can become cringe-worthy, but these moments are few and far between. Being put off just because these characters are anthropomorphic shouldn't even come across for anything. And the music of Dust is really good as well. Almost like you're always listening to a live orchestra. The story follows the character of Dust, an amnesiac who wakes with no knowledge of his past. He is met up with a sentient sword known as Ahrah, and its flying fox guardian, Fidget. It is Dust's journey to re-discover his past and save the future. Yeah, I know it's very vague, but for a Metacritic review, you have to believe me when I say the story delves into such an addictive narrative, that at the end I was extremely satisfied. Fidget also happens to be my favorite character, and her funny dialogue throughout the whole experience kept a smile on my face.

    When it comes to combat, this is more than your typical hack-and-slash game. Dust has variety of moves, but the one that really stands out is his Dust Storm ability. It can cause some serious damage on its own, but combining it with Fidget's "weak" powerball attack, it will spread her attack into a multitude of damaging attacks that will hit everything on the screen and boost a heavy combo chain.

    Throughout my entire playthrough of the game, if there was one thing I had touch upon that could have been better, it would have to be the boss battles. At times, the bosses can appear to be easy pushovers, almost to the point where some enemies themselves where harder to defeat. That may appear to make the game too easy, and honestly, at times, it is. Thankfully there are a multitude of difficulties to choose from, so none of this was a real bother for me. But I can see why it may bother others.

    You can get through the main story of Dust in about 6-10 hours, depending on playstyle. However, there are side quests, arena challenges, and so much exploration to be done, that playtime can easily be doubled. Only once or twice did things appear to get a little repetitive, but since there are always new areas, enemies, and even cameos to discover, this hardly seemed like a tidbit to bring up.

    In summary, Dust: An Elysian Tail is an amazing game. This game is, not only the best Summer of Arcade release this year, not only one of the best Summer of Arcade releases ever, this game is one of the best Xbox Live Arcade games . . . of all time. I would like to thank Dean Dodrill for making such an amazing piece of art with his own blood, sweat, and tears. Because this game just earned him a lot of respect in the video game industry.    … Expand
  8. MegWhiteley
    Aug 20, 2012
    10
    Amazing game, the graphics, the story, the development of the story, the gameplay is perfect on the new Microsoft Game Studios, Dust: An Elysian Tail. Amazing game.
  9. blognorg
    Aug 18, 2012
    8
    I
  10. Perg
    Jan 6, 2013
    6
    The game looks pretty. It looks dang good. But it plays like a crazy combo, flying all over the place beat em up. The level designs are great. I really don't have anything bad to say about this game. But, why do I have to be a blue ninja bunny rabbit with a talking squirrel fox thing? Voice acting is below average until that flying rat talks. Whoever did her voice acting needs to realizeThe game looks pretty. It looks dang good. But it plays like a crazy combo, flying all over the place beat em up. The level designs are great. I really don't have anything bad to say about this game. But, why do I have to be a blue ninja bunny rabbit with a talking squirrel fox thing? Voice acting is below average until that flying rat talks. Whoever did her voice acting needs to realize her voice alone is what ruins the game! It's horrid. My skin crawls just thinking about it. I'm glad i just downloaded the trial. And yep I took points off because of that stupid voice. Why do I have to fly and dash all over the screen? It's a side scrolling action game. This isn't street fighter! I could give this a 1 out of 10 but I'm trying to be fair. Sometimes the smallest of things can add up and ruin a great game.… Expand
  11. celeost
    May 24, 2013
    4
    i think this game was cute and fun period bad voice acting and the lack of more interesting and varied combat, sending it to the average corner. its what we can call a weekend pick although it last much longer.
  12. Karma_police
    Oct 16, 2012
    10
    This game is beautiful i wouldn't mind to see another game by Humble Hearts, Dust AET has everything, a nice control, gorgeous graphics, nice characters and a good plot. if you are willing to download a Xbox live arcade game just give a shot to Dust you wont be disappointed.
  13. JBo796
    Sep 8, 2012
    10
    First and foremost, this is the most beautiful game I have seen on any console. As the game starts, I felt like I was inside a Disney cartoon. The game play is great. It has a good mixture of challenging (not throw the controller at the wall challenging) platforming and combat. Dust is a genre all to its own, bringing RPG elements to a side scrolling fighter in a whole new way. There areFirst and foremost, this is the most beautiful game I have seen on any console. As the game starts, I felt like I was inside a Disney cartoon. The game play is great. It has a good mixture of challenging (not throw the controller at the wall challenging) platforming and combat. Dust is a genre all to its own, bringing RPG elements to a side scrolling fighter in a whole new way. There are side quests, different cities to explore (which have very decent sized maps), loot to gather and new abilities to unlock. The story is decent, actually great for what you may expect to see on XBL. All of this is even more impressive, since it is the work of one person (minus the music and voice acting). In closing, you must buy this game.… Expand
  14. DwideSchrude
    Jan 22, 2013
    9
    This site has been a part of my daily life for years, but I never felt compelled to join until I finished this masterpiece. One reviewer mentioned earlier that you can tell this game was made with love, and it cannot be said any better than that. Every aspect of the game pulses with energy, joy, and intensity, and most of all, total refinement. The core gameplay tools (combos, dashes,This site has been a part of my daily life for years, but I never felt compelled to join until I finished this masterpiece. One reviewer mentioned earlier that you can tell this game was made with love, and it cannot be said any better than that. Every aspect of the game pulses with energy, joy, and intensity, and most of all, total refinement. The core gameplay tools (combos, dashes, and such) are introduced pretty early on, and are not expanded upon in any real way after the first few hours. At face value, this appears to be an area where the game lacks. But the more I played and became comfortable with the controls, I realized there are more than enough ways to dispatch your enemies in an incredibly satisfying and complex way. It's a system that rewards creativity, practice, and skill. For instance, if you kill an enemy by simply using the standard sword combo (mashing the x button), you will not be rewarded with anything extra. Here is just one example of an alternate route to combat. Slide attack an enemy to get him into the air, hit the dash button and backflip past him to where you started, and slash the airborn enemy once, and then launch him further into the air with a stylish upward slash. Upon meeting him in the air, enter an dangerous torpedo mode, slashing past the enemy, back and forth, several times before unleashing a couple more airborn sword attacks. Cap it off by grabbing the (most likely dead) enemy and pile drive him into the ground, and watch the force of it send surrounding enemies flying through the air. You will be rewarded with a hefty experience bonus. Very rarely does a game come along where you feel this powerful, this capable of single-handedly wiping out hordes of enemies. That's not to say that enemies aren't formidable. Sure, you can go through the game mashing the x button the whole time, but on any level beyond the default difficulty, this is not possible. I highly recommend playing one level beyond the default difficulty. It is difficult, but always fair. You will always feel that you deserved to die because of your own mistakes, and you will understand almost immediately what you did wrong. This is not an easy balance for games to find, and it significantly increases the game's already hefty longevity.

    Moving along, this is perhaps the prettiest game I've ever seen. That doesn't mean the graphics are great. There's a very big difference between good graphics and thoughtful artwork. The amount of organic detail in the environments is completely staggering. There was not one moment where I thought the visuals lacked in any way. The bulk of the time, I was in awe.

    Other aspects of the presentation are spot on. I've played probably a hundred rpgs in my life, and this is one of the best soundtracks ever. There was a moment during one of the dungeons where a couple specific cord changes, coupled with the epic combat going on, was emotionally overwhelming to me. That is not something that happens in videogames. That is reserved for only the best television and film productions. I'll add that I am normally a pretty detached person, but this moment I just mentioned was the apex of the potential of videogames.

    The story's writing is emotional and heavy. Most importantly, it generally respects its audience. The voice of the talking cat, fidget, is probably the worst thing to happen since the holocaust. Thanks for reading.    … Expand
  15. xgrzesiox
    May 3, 2014
    10
    One of the best arcade games on Xbox Live. Beuatiful 2D graphics and fantastic combo chain system makes the gameplay lovely. Also the story is addictive.
  16. axleblaze
    Jan 12, 2013
    7
    Dust is a fun game but it kind of shows you all it's gonna show you pretty early one. It's a game that, despite it's short length, just kind of drags towards the end, with the last area especially not being too much fun at ll.

    The combat, while simple, is alot of fun. Very early on you'll pretty much have all the combat movies you'll get but fortunately for the game blasting people with    Dust is a fun game but it kind of shows you all it's gonna show you pretty early one. It's a game that, despite it's short length, just kind of drags towards the end, with the last area especially not being too much fun at ll.

    The combat, while simple, is alot of fun. Very early on you'll pretty much have all the combat movies you'll get but fortunately for the game blasting people with magic and then endlessly juggling them never gets old. While you have very few option in combat, all those option are pretty fun. Outside of the combat the gameplay is okay. It gives you a big world to explore but exploring it isn't always fun.

    The game looks gorgeous and it's impressive it was done by one guy though it is odd that the character look way worse in portrait than they do int game. The music is fine but unremarkable. The voice acting fairs a little worse but it's still passable. The story is absolutely atrocious. It starts in cliche and gets much worse from there. The ending is stunningly bad. Still, it's a pretty fun time overall. It didn't fully hold my interest the entire time but I don't regret playing it. Try the demo, know that you don't really get many more moves than you have there, and if you still want to buy it, do so.    … Expand
  17. Promotheus
    Feb 13, 2013
    7
    Dust: An Elysian Tail is about some fox samurai/ninja dude who is resurrected and goes on some quest or other that involves killing a lot of monsters. The positive: I really liked the game. The controls are good and the (in-game) graphics are outstanding, to think that one person did all of this is mind boggling. One of my favorite Wii games is Muramasa: The Demon Blade, and this gameDust: An Elysian Tail is about some fox samurai/ninja dude who is resurrected and goes on some quest or other that involves killing a lot of monsters. The positive: I really liked the game. The controls are good and the (in-game) graphics are outstanding, to think that one person did all of this is mind boggling. One of my favorite Wii games is Muramasa: The Demon Blade, and this game reminds a lot about that one. With the main difference being that this is a metroidvania-style game whereas Muramasa is more about swordplay and combat moves with a tiny bit of RPG thrown in for good measure. The less good things: The story is beyond horrific and thank heavens you can just skip 99 percent of it which was what I did. The character models look awful in the dialogue scenes, and the voice acting leaves very much to be desired. In my opinion, if the characters were humans instead of grown-up gumbi bears, I would've liked the game even more. Worst of all is your companion Fidget which is more annoying than words can describe and voiced as a stereotypical gamer grrrrrrl.… Expand
  18. sumguitardude
    Sep 9, 2012
    10
    You just can`t miss out on this game, it has a great story with a surprising twist that will blow your mind.
    And the combat animations are amazing. You will ogle at the art style and graphical and you will immersive yourself fully after the first 5 min of the game. A side note the demo is not the same as the full game.
    I recommend buying this only if you like what the demo showed. By    You just can`t miss out on this game, it has a great story with a surprising twist that will blow your mind.
    And the combat animations are amazing. You will ogle at the art style and graphical and you will immersive yourself fully after the first 5 min of the game. A side note the demo is not the same as the full game.
    I recommend buying this only if you like what the demo showed. By far one of the best Arcade games on XBOX right now. Get it!    … Expand
  19. TheSquirrel
    May 16, 2014
    7
    Dust is a very well constucted, beautifully painted game that paces it's challenges and upgrades very well. The story is excellent and the inventory system works fairly well, though there are aspects that are a little clunky. Some of the side quests involve collection missions which are boring, and the arenas detract from the rather serious tone the story is trying to set.
    The audio is    Dust is a very well constucted, beautifully painted game that paces it's challenges and upgrades very well. The story is excellent and the inventory system works fairly well, though there are aspects that are a little clunky. Some of the side quests involve collection missions which are boring, and the arenas detract from the rather serious tone the story is trying to set.
    The audio is terrific and is usually a sore point that I have with 2d sidescrollers, but this one was pleasant without being intrusive.
    The only other issue I have with the game is the repetitive combat when you re-enter areas you have passed through before. I realize that this is the way these types of games are done, but this is a great way to dilute the combat and make it less enjoyable.
    All negatives aside, the story and artwork are worth a play alone, and the upgrades and items keep it interesting.

    A single play-through game that you will enjoy while your there, but ultimately not a segment breaker.    … Expand
  20. TheDesertFox
    Sep 7, 2012
    9
    Dust: An Elysian Tail è una di quelle gemme indipendenti che attendono solo di essere scoperte e di essere portate alla ribalta del grande pubblico perchè abbiano la possibilità di ottenere la visibilità ed il successo che meritano.
    Per il titolo in questione la storia è stata proprio questa: doveva infatti essere rilasciato nella sezione di Xbox Live    Dust: An Elysian Tail è una di quelle gemme indipendenti che attendono solo di essere scoperte e di essere portate alla ribalta del grande pubblico perchè abbiano la possibilità di ottenere la visibilità ed il successo che meritano.
    Per il titolo in questione la storia è stata proprio questa: doveva infatti essere rilasciato nella sezione di Xbox Live dedicata ai giochi indipendenti, ma è stato intelligentemente     … Expand
  21. XboxGamerGuy
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Old school fun and gaming! Must buy for anyone with a Xbox! The animations and art style are some of the best in this generation of the 2D genre. Buy it now!
  22. Adamdust
    Nov 4, 2012
    10
    Truly an amazing game. What sets this apart from so many other games? Love. You can see it, you can feel it when you play. Why is that. It was made by one guy. Not some corporate tool bag. One fella with drive, creativity and love.

    Of course, one guy can't do everything. The voice talent is top-notch, and the writing for that matter is fantastic. You can see the influence of historic    Truly an amazing game. What sets this apart from so many other games? Love. You can see it, you can feel it when you play. Why is that. It was made by one guy. Not some corporate tool bag. One fella with drive, creativity and love.

    Of course, one guy can't do everything. The voice talent is top-notch, and the writing for that matter is fantastic. You can see the influence of historic games like Castlevania's energy-restoring fully cooked meat in a breakable wall, the Metroid-Blaster Masteresque notion of gaining power-ups to proceed to previously unreachable parts. I'd go so far to suggest that Out of This World was an influence, if you've beaten that game and you get to the end of Dust, you'll know what I mean.

    The animations are amazing, the slash-combat is endlessly satisfying. The dash ability if very useful in the absence of complicated fighting mechanics (that other games seem bent on doing).

    The music is exactly what this game calls for. It is well done and harnesses the nuances the world of the game seems to desire.

    It's simple: do like memorable games? Get this. You won't be disappointed. You'll be elated.    … Expand
  23. celebi734
    Oct 22, 2014
    10
    Dust: An Elysian Tail is an underrated masterpiece of a game! This game has of the best graphics I have seen in a 2-d hack and slash. As well as a storyline that moves at a near perfect pace. It's a metroidvania style game with it's multiple routes, secrets and treasure this is on game you can't ignore.
  24. VoxelMob
    May 26, 2013
    10
    You rarely see games as good and as thought out as this, this is one of the most story driven games i have ever played and don't forget it is drop dead gorgeous the art style is amazing, the combat makes you feel like a bad ass even when you are doing the simplest moves sure it may put you off considering that all the characters are furries but that adds to the character that the game isYou rarely see games as good and as thought out as this, this is one of the most story driven games i have ever played and don't forget it is drop dead gorgeous the art style is amazing, the combat makes you feel like a bad ass even when you are doing the simplest moves sure it may put you off considering that all the characters are furries but that adds to the character that the game is trying and succeeding to show all around this is one of the best arcade games you can pick up in EVER… Expand
  25. tbergeron
    May 25, 2013
    10
    Beautiful graphics, a wonderful mix of a RPG and an action platformer. The combat is UNBELIEVABLE! Once you gained the basic combat moves, you become a machine of death. And the characters are lovely, dialogues are mostly pretty funny. And exploration leads to a few nice surprises. I definitively recommend this game!
  26. PWNatorPWNED
    May 29, 2013
    10
    One of the best Arcade games I have played. I can't believe that one person made all of this. Voice acting is good (though Fidget's voice could get annoying at times), storyline is interesting, artwork is awesome (in my opinion). The gameplay is solid as well. Controls are easy and the character is very responsive and fluid.
  27. cygnarite
    Jun 1, 2013
    9
    Solid, fun game through and through. If you're a fan of SoTN and metroid-vania style games, you'll love it. Combat is fun and varied (though at times, it can get a bit hectic). Story is solid (especially for a 15 dollar game in this genre). Solid voice acting, -especially- solid at 15 bucks. RPG elements are standard, but well implemented. The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is becauseSolid, fun game through and through. If you're a fan of SoTN and metroid-vania style games, you'll love it. Combat is fun and varied (though at times, it can get a bit hectic). Story is solid (especially for a 15 dollar game in this genre). Solid voice acting, -especially- solid at 15 bucks. RPG elements are standard, but well implemented. The only reason I didn't give it a 10 is because personally, I reserve that for games that are revolutionary while not revolutionary, this game is a great personification of the metroid-vania style of gaming.

    Even if the "box art" turns you off (all the characters are animal people), don't let that dissuade you it doesn't detract anything from the game.    … Expand
  28. Alexzombie145
    May 1, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm Not Really A Fan Of Indie Games Most Games Like Braid Seem "Ok Nothing Too Special" This Game Is An Exception "Dust An Elysian Tale" Is A Fine Piece Of Art You Should Not Skip I'll Try To Explain The Story

    You Play As A Character Named Dust Who Comes Across A Sword Named The Sword Of Ahrah Who Is Watched By A Creature Named Fidget She And The Sword Of Ahrah Help Dust Remember Who He Is That's All I Can Explain Really I Only Started Playing Yesterday It's Confusing To Be Honest Now Let's Get To Gameplay

    The Game Play's Like A 2D Castlevania Game You're Weapons/Attacks Is The Blade Of Ahrah And Fidget It Plays Very Well And It's Controls Are Well Responsive You Can Also Perform Combo's/New Attacks Like Combining Fidget's Attack With Dust Storm And You Can Also Find Treasure And Merchant Booths

    It's Graphics And Voice Acting Is Beautiful Everything Is Very Detailed The Characters And There Design's Fit Perfectly The Only Design That's Mixed With Me Is "Fuse" He Looks Like If Psycho Mantis Was A Creature But Overall It's Pretty Good

    So Far The Only Problem I Have Is The Backtracking And Every Time You Die You Restart At A Save/Teleport Area But That's It Really

    +Graphics And Voice Acting
    +Character's And Designs
    + Gameplay And Attacks +Boss Fights
    +References
    -Backtracking And Checkpoints

    Final Verdict Is A 100/100 With A Rating Of Masterpiece    … Expand
  29. TheHumbleGamer
    Apr 17, 2017
    10
    This game really is an unappreciated masterpiece in game design.
    Designed by a single man (Dean Dodrill), this game has stunning visuals, amazing RPG gameplay, great characters and an unbelievably good soundtrack to boot. The areas in the game are all unique and everything blends together perfectly to give you one of the most fun combat designs in gaming.
    I love the protagonist of this    This game really is an unappreciated masterpiece in game design.
    Designed by a single man (Dean Dodrill), this game has stunning visuals, amazing RPG gameplay, great characters and an unbelievably good soundtrack to boot. The areas in the game are all unique and everything blends together perfectly to give you one of the most fun combat designs in gaming.
    I love the protagonist of this game and his cute little sidekick, they are a great duo that I won't soon forget. Pick up a controller and get into it and I guarantee you'll find it very hard to stop.    … Expand
  30. Nystr0
    May 8, 2019
    10
    DO NOT let the 'furry' characters turn you away! To this day I am decidedly not a fan of 'furry' anthropomorphic animal visual works, but (and I do not say this lightly) Dust: An Elysian Tail represents the only exception. History should remember this game as a masterwork of art AND interactive media. Dust's single developer (though this game would be as excellent if produced by a team)DO NOT let the 'furry' characters turn you away! To this day I am decidedly not a fan of 'furry' anthropomorphic animal visual works, but (and I do not say this lightly) Dust: An Elysian Tail represents the only exception. History should remember this game as a masterwork of art AND interactive media. Dust's single developer (though this game would be as excellent if produced by a team) accomplished a trifecta with its handpainted visuals, moving sound, and engaging gameplay all tied together by a well-written story with unforgettable characters. One cannot truly understand the experience of Dust's 2D combat through either words or video; neither can represent the complex yet approachable gameplay.

    Few games deserve a 95+/100 and even fewer perfect scores; Dust overwhelmingly deserves it. The Metacritic User and Critic scores inappropriately underrate this game, an 8.3 and 8.0 are remarkably unfair. Fortunately, the Steam community's 11.2k reviews do Dust justice with a 96% (overall) and 100% (recent).

    I am so glad I gave Dust a chance. Thank you Xbox for featuring Dust on Games with Gold, it is highly unlikely I would have ever given it a shot otherwise.    … Expand
  31. MegamanZeroX19
    May 30, 2020
    8
    Un juego bastante bueno,pero una vez completada la historia no tienes mucho que hacer,pero lo disfrutas bastante.
  32. Mihail_Romashka
    Jul 24, 2020
    10
    An excellent fantasy game with a nicely drawn fairytale world. Fidget, the "Flying Squirrel", the protagonist's fighting friend, is one of the most charming characters I've seen in games. By the way, Dust, Fidget and other main characters were voiced by professional actors. And you can feel it even if you don't understand English fluently and watch subtitles. The actors perfectly conveyAn excellent fantasy game with a nicely drawn fairytale world. Fidget, the "Flying Squirrel", the protagonist's fighting friend, is one of the most charming characters I've seen in games. By the way, Dust, Fidget and other main characters were voiced by professional actors. And you can feel it even if you don't understand English fluently and watch subtitles. The actors perfectly convey the feelings and mood of the characters. The fantasy plot has a Japanese theme, although it is not fully typical Japanese.

    The gameplay is pleasant, the levels want to explore. I will note only a few small disadvantages:

    1. There are a lot of monsters in this game, which are quite easy to kill, but time is wasted on it. Moreover, when you leave a game sector, and then enter it again, all the monsters appear anew. So you can accumulate experience and some bonuses, but it's not very interesting. Fortunately, it is not necessary to kill all monsters. Instead, you may jump and fly over them. There are more interesting monsters in the game, but they are in the minority.

    2. There is no complete level map. There is only a primitive scheme with squares. The map would not be superfluous, since you have to run there decently. But there is also a plus - train your memory!

    3. I would also make an alternative secret ending in this game. The one that I saw, nevertheless, does not quite correspond to the hero whom I recognized during the game. However, everything is not fully disclosed there, and perhaps we will see some sequel (the main author of the game, Dean Dodrill, promised to return to Dust's story, but by that time he had not yet decided when and how it would be).

    Despite its minor flaws, the game was one of the most enjoyable for me in recent years, and deserves the highest rating.

    P.S. In the beginning, take a couple of minutes and customize the controls for yourself (or at least figure out if you like the default). I adjusted mine and did not regret it. I played purely with the keyboard, arrows + buttons on the left closer to the top + space. Separately M - map, since Tab was busy.    … Expand
  33. RE4LiFeZoMbiE89
    Aug 29, 2020
    10
    Dust: An Elysian Tail is perfection incarnate. I haven't submitted a game review in years but Dust was so magnificent I just can't help it. Not only is it one of the most visually stunning games ever made, but it has some of the most fluid combat of any video game I've played in my 30 years of life. Instead of a ridiculously huge laundry list of combos that other hack n' slash gamesDust: An Elysian Tail is perfection incarnate. I haven't submitted a game review in years but Dust was so magnificent I just can't help it. Not only is it one of the most visually stunning games ever made, but it has some of the most fluid combat of any video game I've played in my 30 years of life. Instead of a ridiculously huge laundry list of combos that other hack n' slash games possess (God of War, Ninja Gaiden, Castlevania ect.), it's just a few different button combinations in conjunction with spamming magic projectiles with the help of your furry flying friend Fidget. The entire feel of the combat is deeply satisfying and addicting, and I found myself always experimenting and changing things up from time to time as opposed to just mashing the X button to get by because I forgot all the combos like in those aforementioned games. On top of all that, Dust: An Elysian Tail had one of the most compelling, and downright heartbreaking stories in gaming history. I'm a 30 year old man, and the ending made me cry like a baby, it's also hilarious at times so it's a great mix. Not only is the storyline emotional, it's incredibly well-written and full of lore to flesh out the world and its inhabitants. With TONS of deep and insightful dialogue, unforgettable characters, and plenty of awesome side quests, Dust draws you into its world every bit as much as any AAA BioWare-esque RPG. With loads of loot and treasures and secrets to find, there's simply no reason not to own this masterpiece! Also, Fidget is my new favorite NPC of all time.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

36
#36 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2012
67
#67 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 59 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 49 out of 59
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 59
  3. Negative: 0 out of 59
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Oct 29, 2012
    80
    Surprising hit you better try first in demo – you'll either love it or hate it. Those who try it may find Dust as a combination of Metroid and Castlevania games. [Oct 2012]
  2. Gamer.no
    Oct 27, 2012
    80
    Boasting gorgeous visuals and flawless animation, Dust: An Elysian Tail offers up an interesting take on a hero's journey to discover his true identity. With solid hack'n'slash mechanics to boot this is a great addition to your games library.
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  3. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 14, 2012
    88
    Dust: An Elysian Tail is probably one of the best XBLA titles this year. Stunning hand-drawn graphics combined with razor-sharp gameplay ensure, that this title is definitely worth a look. [Sept 2012]
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