Popular Post toythatkills Posted August 10, 2012 Popular Post Share Posted August 10, 2012 Release Date: August 15th 2012 Format: Xbox LIVE Arcade Price: 1,200 MS Points How many games with “Dust” in the title are there now? 72 Is this the best one? Yes Is it coming to Steam? “Dust: AET is exclusive to XBLA. There have been no discussions regarding any other platforms, so please don’t ask.” Is there a Facebook? Yep, here! And if it gets 10,000,000 likes by Wednesday, nothing in particular will happen. So, like, what the hell is Dust, anyway? Glad you asked… Think of a genre you like. That’s what Dust is! Okay, to be honest there isn’t much golf in Dust and I don’t think there are any dancing sections, but it’s basically a bunch of genres mashed together to make something entirely awesome. It’s a Metroidvania. There’s a world map and the game is split up into regions, but in each of them you’ll find areas you can’t access that you’ll need to come back to later with new skills or items. A map means you’ll always know where something hasn’t been discovered. It’s a 2D platformer. Pretty self-explanatory. One of the moves at your disposal is pressing down and jump to drop through a platform. This is my favourite thing in 2D platformers. You have a ton more moves at your disposal too and your repertoire grows as the game goes on. It’s a hack-and-slash type affair. X is your basic attack, and you can add Y for various combos. You can juggle enemies like this. B uses Fidget’s skill, and if you hold Y (Dust Storm) in conjunction with that they combine to form something quite special. It’s simple on the surface but add in blocking/parrying and it becomes incredibly deep. One of the achievements is for maintaining a 1,000 hit combo, and that should tell you all you need to know about the potential for awesome that the battle system has. It also has Popcap style rising music as your combo grows, which will make every part of your brain feel nice. It has item crafting. You’ll find blueprints all over, as well as tons of craftable materials. Want some better equipment? Make it yourself. There are also RPG elements, like levelling up and random battles. Okay, there are no random battles, but there is levelling up, and you get to increase your skills how you see fit. Want to do massive damage? Go for it! Want 5,000HP while you chip away at enemies a few points at a time? You can do that too. Want to be melee focussed or rely on ranged attacks? The choice is yours. This might not make sense, but I’m going with it anyway: you might have played games like Dust before, but you’ve never played a game like Dust. Take control of Dust, a warrior searching for his true purpose, as he joins forces with the mystical Blade of Ahrah and its guardian, Fidget, to save the world of Falana from an army unlike any before it! Explore an incredible hand-painted world! Match wits and weapons against challenging monsters! Take on side-quests from a cast of colorful, fully-voiced characters! Craft dozens of items and discover Falana's rarest treasures! Compete against your friends' high scores in ranked Challenge Arenas! Immerse yourself in a gorgeous hand-painted world on a search for your true identity. As the mysterious warrior, Dust, your action-packed journey will take you from peaceful glades to snowy mountaintops and beyond. At your disposal is the mythical Blade of Ahrah, capable of turning its wielder it into an unstoppable force of nature, and the blade's diminutive guardian, Fidget.Battle dozens of enemies at once with an easy-to-learn, difficult-to-master combat system, take on a variety of quests from friendly villagers, discover ancient secrets and powerful upgrades hidden throughout the massive, open world, and uncover the story of an ancient civilization on the brink of extinction as you fight to uncover your own past. These screens are precisely as ace as the game looks when you play it. Only instead, imagine the glorious animation at 60fps. It’s kind of beautiful. Those things are terrifying. Friend of Falana 10 Complete 5 Sidequests Hero of Falana 10 Complete 10 Sidequests Savior of Falana 10 Complete 20 Sidequests A Decent Start... 10 Successfully complete a 200+ hit combo That's More Like It 10 Successfully complete a 1000+ hit combo Bringer of Death 10 Kill 500 Enemies Push and Turn 10 Unlock a Treasure Chest Wait, aren't you...? 10 Unlock a Cage and Rescue a Friend Baker's Dozen 10 Hang out with Twelve Friends in the Sanctuary Distant Thunder 10 Use the DUST STORM on Fidget's Projectiles Well on your Way 10 Pick Up an Ability Orb With Great Power... 10 Level Up by Assigning Skill Gems An Impressive Display 10 Earn a Four-Star Rating in any Challenge Arena The Stuff of Legends 40 Earn a Four-Star Rating in EVERY Challenge Arena Blue Bomber 10 Simultaneously Kill 6 Enemies with a Single Bomb Cutting It Close 10 Successfully Parry with less than 10% health remaining Tinkerer 10 Craft an item from a blueprint Opposite of Fail 10 Complete all Fale Quests Above and Beyond the Call 10 Complete the Game on Tough or Hardcore setting Sad Way to Go 10 Kill an enemy with the slide attack One Last Wish 10 Fulfill Bopo’s wish for snow The Blacksmith of Archer's Pass 10 Meet Haley Secret Achievement 20 Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement. Secret Achievement 50 Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement. Secret Achievement 20 Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement. Secret Achievement 20 Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement. Secret Achievement 10 Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement. Secret Achievement 10 Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement. Secret Achievement 10 Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement. Secret Achievement 10 Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement. Dust: AET comes with a bunch of avatar awards to win! Bagsy the Ahrah shirt. I’m only going to post the “safe” reviews here. I’d urge everyone to avoid reading them willy-nilly because you will have things spoiled for you that it’s really, really better to leave unspoiled. I’ll let you know which ones are okay. SAFE REVIEWS The Controller Online 9.0 Beautiful to look at, and fun to play, Dust is the “must have” title in this year’s Summer of Arcade. In fact, it’s just a “must have.” IGN 8.5 An Elysian Tail is a rare example of artisanal game craft. Conventional wisdom says that can't happen anymore, but Dust proves otherwise. TIME 5/5 So here’s your chance to visit gaming’s future that might have been with one of the best-looking side-scrollers ever made for 1,200 Microsoft Points (about $15). It’s a triumph of animation and platforming that’s right up there with Michael Ancel’s Rayman Origins, and thrice as impressive given its comparably-nothing design team. God is a Geek 9.0 Since Konami took Castlevania in a different direction, there hasn’t been a decent, original RPG-tinged platformer of this ilk since the Order of Ecclesia game for Nintendo DS. Dust more than makes up for lost time and is supremely enjoyable, old-school experience that also happens to be one of the best looking games available of Microsoft’s downloadable service. Console-Arcade 5/5 We can’t find a bad word to say about Dust: An Elysian Tail. Usually, even with the best games, there’ll be things you can look at and say “that could have been done differently.” Rarely, and in the case of Dust, you look at it and wouldn’t change a single thing. Game Craic 4/5 Dust is not only beautiful to look at, and an astonishing achievement for Dean Dodrill, but an absolute joy to play. VentureBeat 6.5 Happy Hearts. Gamestyle 10/10 In a year that has Trials Evolution, Spelunky, Minecraft and Fez, this is the standalone best game on XBLA. If you only buy one game this year buy Dust: An Elysian Tail, there simply isn't enough superlatives to describe just how good it is. REVIEWS WITH SPOILERS The Indie Game Magazine 90% Destructoid 8.5 Gamerlimit 9.5 Official Xbox Magazine 9.5 As in – please be careful! Don’t think about whether you consider something a spoiler, think about whether someone else might consider it a spoiler, and use the SPOILER tags accordingly. It’s better to spoiler tag something that doesn’t need it, than plain-text something that you should have tagged. It’s about a thousand times more fun to discover things in Dust for yourself, and it’s unfair to deprive someone else of that joy, so respect your fellow poster! Most of all, enjoy Dust: An Elysian Tail. 15 Link to post Share on other sites
Darhkwing Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 I think this game looks great, I'm definatly going to give it a go. Probably get a load of furry bashers against it though. Link to post Share on other sites
smac Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 ...furry bashers... Is that a euphemism? As in 'Look at the furry basher on that!' 1 Link to post Share on other sites
toythatkills Posted August 10, 2012 Author Share Posted August 10, 2012 Probably get a load of furry bashers against it though. Remember when anthropomorphic game characters were just totally standard and didn't raise any eyebrows at all? Whatever happened to the good ol' days? 3 Link to post Share on other sites
acidbearboy Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 Really hope this plays as well as it looks. And I hope the RPG and item crafting stuff doesn't get in the way of the action too much. I just want a beautiful looking side scrolling action game. Link to post Share on other sites
Jimmy Shedders Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 Didn't realize it was a Metroidvania style game. Day one. Link to post Share on other sites
Moz Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 Remember when anthropomorphic game characters were just totally standard and didn't raise any eyebrows at all? Whatever happened to the good ol' days? Furries happened. Link to post Share on other sites
Wiper Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 Indeed. (More importantly: the anthropomorphised animal characters of old were largely played for cuteness, in the 'let's appeal to kids' way. It's when they start being designed to look sleek, and cool, and sexy that they start to leave a sour taste in my mouth. Compare and contrast the design of the early Sonics to the later travesties for an example of this. And as this appears to be doing exactly the same thing, I fear I'll be giving the game a miss, despite it sounding interesting - I just don't think I'll be able to look past the aesthetic) 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Kayin Amoh Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 I'm glad I've never seen any of that, means I can actually enjoy what's looking to be a pretty incredible game without having nightmarish flashbacks every time I look at the character design. Assuming it is, of course. Still waiting on impressions. Link to post Share on other sites
petrolgirls Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 Was this not an XBLA Indie game at one point? It looks a lot like Muramasa. Link to post Share on other sites
toythatkills Posted August 10, 2012 Author Share Posted August 10, 2012 Was this not an XBLA Indie game at one point? It looks a lot like Muramasa. Yeah it was, then it won Dream.Build.Play years ago and won an XBLA publishing contract with it. Link to post Share on other sites
bradigor Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 Really, REALLY looking forward to this. Deservedly the headline act of the Summer Of Arcade. Link to post Share on other sites
moosegrinder Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 that looks fucking stunning. Link to post Share on other sites
mrpranny Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 I actually think the art style in those stills looks a little weird and dare i say amateurish, especially the backgrounds and the slightly garish lack of colour schemes, But seeing that gif I dont think that will matter too much as it appears to be pretty slick to play.Definitely grabbing the demo. Link to post Share on other sites
toythatkills Posted August 10, 2012 Author Share Posted August 10, 2012 Added the launch trailer to the OP, but here it is again anyway: 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Vemsie Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 Looks superb. Link to post Share on other sites
mr_woo Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 The first Summer Of Arcade game I'll actually buy this year. None of the others have interested me at full price but this has always looked ace. Link to post Share on other sites
bradigor Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 I think it has been a fairly strong, if unspectacular SoA, but Dust, is a deserving headline act. It is one of the most beautiful games I have seen. This and Darksiders II in a few days of each other. What a wonderful time we live in. Link to post Share on other sites
mr_woo Posted August 10, 2012 Share Posted August 10, 2012 I think it has been a fairly strong, if unspectacular SoA, but Dust, is a deserving headline act. It is one of the most beautiful games I have seen. This and Darksiders II in a few days of each other. What a wonderful time we live in. Also Sleeping Dogs and then Counter Strike GO the week after too. It's a good 2 weeks Link to post Share on other sites
robdood Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Oh man. Looks ace. I will be completely avoiding spoilers of any kind while playing it, since the devs even mention it in the blurb in the OP. I love finding out about a game, that looks good, only to hear its out in less than a week! Amazeballs. Link to post Share on other sites
Darhkwing Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 wasnt this all made by one person as well? crazy. Link to post Share on other sites
MDY Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Yep, he did everything except the music and the voice acting basically.. Looks astonishingly pretty, the combat system seems fairly complex and it's 12-15 hours long (depending on if side-quests are done) according to those on GAF who got preview copies.. Link to post Share on other sites
bradigor Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Shame it isn't Monday yet, as we can't tell you what this game is actually like. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
toythatkills Posted August 13, 2012 Author Share Posted August 13, 2012 Posted this on GAF and I'll do the same here, on the subject of spoilers: A lot of reviews are going to contain Dust: AET spoilers. These aren't things like plot, but instead are things that you REALLY don't want to be spoiled. Things that you'll love a thousand times more if you haven't had them ruined for you. Things that genuinely lessen the experience if you have them spoiled beforehand. When posting, please use spoiler tags accordingly. It's obviously not going remain unspoiled forever, but the longer we can keep this thread spoiler-free, the more people will get to go into the game fresh. I'm going to post reviews here as I find them, I will only link to reviews that are safe to read, and will just post the scores of the ones that aren't. If you want to ensure that your Dust: AET experience is as good as it can possibly be on Wednesday, then just read the reviews I link to - if you're not bothered by spoilers, just bear in mind that some people are, and so be careful with what you post! A good rule of thumb would be that if you read something that makes you go "I didn't know that," then spoiler tag it! ------ And with that, hot off the presses comes The Indie Game Magazine, who give Dust: AET an embargo-breaking 90%! This review is NOT safe, it contains spoilers. Link to post Share on other sites
Jimmy Shedders Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 8.5 from IGN http://uk.ign.com/articles/2012/08/13/dust-an-elysian-tail-review Link to post Share on other sites
toythatkills Posted August 13, 2012 Author Share Posted August 13, 2012 SAFE REVIEWS The Controller Online 9.0 IGN 8.5 TIME 5/5 God is a Geek 9.0 Console-Arcade 5/5 (my review) Game Craic 4/5 VentureBeat 6.5 REVIEWS WITH SPOILERS The Indie Game Magazine 90% Destructoid 8.5 Gamerlimit 9.5 Official Xbox Magazine 9.5 2 Link to post Share on other sites
RadgyAdgy Posted August 13, 2012 Share Posted August 13, 2012 At least this years SoA will be ending on a high, the rest of its been very disappointing. Link to post Share on other sites
Ferine Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 A word of warning for anyone starting the game on Tough or above: be sure to upgrade your health early! I didn't and the first boss' attacks would kill me instantly, making all the health items I had saved pretty redundant. Other than that it's been fairly plain sailing, though. Whilst I'm not really into the character design and tonally I'm finding the game a little disjointed, the fact I've sat here for over 3 hours playing it — putting off lunch in the process — speaks for itself. It definitely feels like one person's love letter to videogames, although it isn't lacking for polish or production. Link to post Share on other sites
Jolly Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 At least this years SoA will be ending on a high, the rest of its been very disappointing. Agreed. Really looking forward to this, but so far the House Party games have been far better than the Summer of Arcade ones. Link to post Share on other sites
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