Dandara is a fairly short, but beautiful little Metroidvania with an unconventional control scheme, great music and a wonderful story about resilience, growth, and beauty. The Trial of Fear-Edition adds another slightly more difficult map with several sub-worlds, as well as some absolutely gruesome challenges. Sadly, this is where the game falls a bit apart, because towards the end, you don't feel equipped quite well enough the deal with the game's most difficult problems and brutal encounters. This is mostly due to a overzealous auto-aiming when jumping, which makes your choice of a landing spot more often than not a mere suggestion instead of a precise decision. Nevertheless, there is a lot to love here: the upgraded story boasts with some amazingly designed characters to make you wonder and gaze in awe. The writing is sparse, but well written, and the overall message is beautiful. Dandara's progression as a hero is tangible and interesting. There is a constant drip of progress. The environments are varied and interesting. The movment always feels fresh and not gimmicky, and it's possibilities are explored sufficiently without the game overstaying its welcome. If you like Metroidvanias, you will undoubtly like Dandara. It is a polished, pleasant experience with only small blemishes and worth the asking price.
