Anodyne

While I appreciate that the other reviews make note to reference that Anodyne looks and plays a lot like the 16-bit Zelda titles from a mechanic-perspective, I'm not convinced that they give the game its full-due. The purpose of the game lays rooted in its story, which is nothing like the traditional good versus evil fairy-tale-esque arc of the Zelda series. In short, the game is about a boy called Young who battles through evils which have manifested into form, but whose actual presence lay in his sub-conscious, and as such it's nothing really approaching the Zelda-titles at all. Anodyne is probably best described as a cross between Zelda (mechanics-wise) and something like Yume Nikki (story-wise, though nowhere near as experimental). It's an interesting title which subverts a lot of the traditional aspects of retro adventure titles, while at the same time using them for the appeal they've always held (the fun if you like, - yes the gameplay is enjoyable without being revolution). But yeah, I was impressed with the game, but I'd say that it demands attention from the player. The game will appeal to you if you're somebody who values story and accepts that narrative need not always be external to the gameplay parts (the gameplay is the story, as much as the story is the gameplay).

I personally enjoyed this game. The environments are pretty and well designed despite the pixelated graphics. The game contains a expansive world and has a very heavy focus on exploration. Plus, the soundtrack is fantastic. It's a really good game. So, it's definitely worth checking out.

It's a nice little game, but it could have been a lot better. First, there is no story. The game takes place in the protagonist's subconcious and this serves as an excuse not to have any real plot. I think that's what hurts this game most because you do things for no reason... Thankfully the exploration part is good, and so are the (crazy) dungeons. But here comes the other major issue with this game : moving is far too imprecise. The movements feel kinda floaty, and you will often fall down a hole because you were a couple of pixels off when you jumped. This also affects combats. Lastly, after finishing the final boss you gain the ability to swap tiles everywhere, giving you access to hidden areas. Only problem is, you will VERY often get stuck after a screen transition because you ended up somewhere with no walkable tiles to swap, thus forcing you to either go back to the main hub or restarting the game if your last save wasn't too far. All in all it's still a good game, but do not expect too much of it. Oh and the soundtrack is wonderful. If zelda-like dungeons are your thing, give it a go.

Made a while ago by two then-amateur developers, Anodyne may be a fairly unimpressive game, but it's still a fun romp and a commendable effort. It's clearly very Zelda-like in its gameplay and presentation (even though it's a bit more than a clone), and extremely basic in the way it plays. New elements will fortunately often come shake things up: each new enemy has its quirks and patterns that are fun to learn, and the puzzles mechanics are solidly implemented. Overall, Anodyne does not have much, but it does a lot with it. Sadly, it kind of overestimates the quality of its gameplay, and some platforming sections and hectic boss battle end up suffering of the limited set of moves – which is too bad, since a lot of those sections are otherwise quite well-designed! The music is good. The graphics are a bit uneven but do a fine job of creating a moody atmosphere and the look of a 16-bits game. The environments are sprawling, even maybe a bit too maze-like for their own good, and the game rarely directs you to your next stop: you never really know if you're on your way to advance the plot or just to a bonus location, so your appreciation of Anodyne may vary depending on how much you enjoy exploring a world that does not hold your hand and lets you get lost. There's about 6 hours of playtime, which is just the right length. Despite its qualities, Anodyne still felt sort of uninspired to me. It has some really bizarre and interesting moments but they don't really come together, and it includes almost every trope of early-to-mid-2010s indie games: it has pixel art graphics, it's quirky, it's contemplative, it has a psychological subtext, it's pretty derivative... and it ends up feeling kind of generic and unremarkable because of that. I would thus not really recommend it, but if you're a fan of old-school Zelda games or eccentric indie stuff like Undertale or Fez, and if you are willing to overlook its simplicity and occasional jankiness, then Anodyne may be your jam.

Anodyne wears the trappings of an old, legends of Zelda style Zelda game, but that can be misleading. As other reviews have noted, there is very little character progression and the story is... unclear. However, I have given this game 5/5 stars for two reasons: 1) The gameplay is sound and very fun (mostly moving around to dodge enemies and some simple puzzling/exploring). 2) The atmosphere is FANTASTIC. Seriously, this game has some of the best environments I have ever seen in a videogame. Every biome feels unique and interesting. And while the story might be... I forgot what I was doing... err... Anyway, the world of Anodyne is fascinating. Creepy monochrome worlds, dripping blood womb tombs, thrilling mountain vistas, and surprisingly philosophical cubes all reside somewhere in this game. It is a lovely, surrealist adventure that I cannot recommend strongly enough.