Duskfade PS5 Review. Inspired by action platforming stalwarts from the PS2 era such as Kingdom Hearts and Jak & Daxter, Duskfade is a fresh and modern take on the classics, this time with a gloomier bent helmed by developer Weird Beluga Studio with the publisher backing of Fireshine Games. Does Duskfade herald a resurgence of the classic platformer with something new in a genre of pretenders, or has its clock run out of time?
Duskfade Review (PS5) – Clockwork Competence
Duskfade involves a land plunged into eternal night by clockmakers, so it’s up to a boy named Zirian and his sidekick Cuckoo to correct this fiendish case of nightwashing, whilst Zirian himself ventures out on a mission to save his sister trapped inside a clocktower by a malevolent force named Despair.
The premise is definitely solid and straightforward enough to beckon you onward, adding a personal incentive into the mix to keep players invested as they discover and explore the night-smothered realms of Tearfeld. Themes of time and memory embolden Duskfade’s appeal in a unique way within the action platforming genre. Zirian is a kid whose moderate personality doesn’t captivate, nor does Cuckoo the bird. They’re proceeding on a mission and neither of them have the time to indulge in wit and hubris, but they could stand to be more memorable at least.
The pairing is workable, as Cuckoo speaks with Zirian and can enhance his powers, but this flappy chappie doesn’t echo the same level of charm or persistent annoyance as Kazooie or Laylee from their respective platforming games. Also, what sort of name is Zirian for a relatable platforming game hero? Sounds more like a Game of Thrones character, and those three syllables are arguably a tad excessive for a PEGI 7 age rating. Despite the nitpicking however, Zirian and Cuckoo do work well, even if Cuckoo could’ve been more present within the moment-to-moment action, though upgrades can allow Cuckoo to be more useful than merely a chirping irritant.
A Tick-Tocking Ode To The Classics
So the question on your mind must be is Duskfade a good homage to early 00s action platformers? The answer is a little bit from column yay and a little bit from column nay. Duskfade indeed plays like a vintage PS2 run and jumper, as Zirrian can speedily run and jump between platforms, hack and slash purply nasties both puny and portly, and he is able to learn new skills as you proceed through the adventure.
Tick Town and the various lands overcome by the Clockmaker’s shroud are strangely alluring to explore. The haunting skies and foreboding abysses give off a dangerous vibe which is refreshingly different, though not too dissimilar to the Kingdom Hearts games for which it draws significant inspiration from. Duskfade’s realms certainly aren’t inviting and cheery, but they do evoke a land in need of saving so the skies can light up a vibrant blue once again.
These darkened lands as trepidatious as they are, aren’t devoid of niceties. A populous of puffy folk known as The Cloudy are a friendly race who Zirian can interact and engage in small conversations with. They don’t say much, usually blurting out miscellaneous information about the world and spouting insights regarding personal activities, but these dialogues are easy to skip over and don’t do as much as they should to immerse you.
Kingdom Of Clockwork Hearts
Considering Duskfade idolizes the hallowed ground Kingdom Hearts walks on, it never quite manages to feel engrossing enough to propel you forward. Cutscenes are sparse and you don’t meet jolly folk nor feel like you’re a true part of the world. Zirian has a desperate quest to fulfill sure, but what makes Kingdom Hearts games so special are the characters and memorable interactions with them along the way, and Duskfade simply does not give us a pervasive sense of connection to the world we inhabit on Zirian’s journey.
The running, jumping, rolling, dodging and sword-swiping are all adequately implemented into the framework of the Duskfade gameplay experience. Zirian’s glorious double jumps are paired with an additional roll dive which gives him extra oomph to reach far-out platforms. Sometimes it can be difficult to tell whether Zirian will latch on and up onto firm ground, but these issues aren’t controller-breakers at all.
As for the gang of gloomy galoots you’ll be facing up against, they can be miniscule and barely noticeable, cheeky and tough to register, or they’re lumbering but slow. There’s a type you’ll encounter that carries an incendiary, and the blast can still catch you out after the hoodlum has been vanquished-so you better exercise Zirian’s evasive finesse to avoid taking damage. They aren’t a characterful bunch, but these nasties fit neatly into the clockpunk mold. They could do with more punch and personality, but you’ll still get a kick out of slashing them until they explode into shiny things.
Crystalized Empowerment
As you traverse each lugubrious location in Duskfade, you’ll come across plenty of glistening blue crystals you can use to purchase skills from a vendor to enhance Zirian’s prowess. In addition, you’ll find special cogs further bolstering Zirian’s deftness in battle, such as adding sword swipes post roll-dodge, upping his air arsenal with glide routing for smoother platforming navigation, and augmentations that make Zirian’s offence and defense more impactful and advantageous. For example, Zirian can slow down time after a successful dodge, adding coherently to the game’s temporal clockpunk aesthetic.
Some skills are unlocked as markers of progression, such as when you’re gifted a grappling hook, boosting aerial exploration in a pleasing and flowing way, further doffing the cap to the platforming classics of yore like Jak & Daxter, Ratchet & Clank, and the Sly games.
Unlocking new abilities is done very well, where Zirian becomes more progressively powerful and new gadgets open up the platforming in dynamic ways. The way Zirian’s upgrades are woven into the facets of time are commendable and they give you enough for the little guy to feel like a force of time to be reckoned with.
The biomes of Tearfeld are diverse and expressive despite their gloominess. The treacherous forests, glowing underwater pastures, snow-slathered mountain tundra and a tropical setting. Yes, it does feel like Duskfade has added variety for variety’s sake, but the visual palette is pleasant due to the distinctive graphical bloom the game posses which makes it come alive like starry nightshade. The good news is you can navigate between them by accessing a clock mechanism on the ground, so you can peruse and enter whichever hueing biome you desire.
Is The Time Right For Duskfade?
Whether you consider Duskfade a successful aping of the retro early noughties platforming formula, hinges on what you expected of it. If you wanted a thorough reminder of those grand and iconic PS2 platformers, you may find that Duskfade is lacking in the personality department, and its enemies and non-player characters lack the charm of its forbears.
Yet if you plainly want to indulge in a soft reworking of this formula, Duskfade will satisfy your cravings. There’s a decent adventure in here with pleasant platforming and competent combat, and the bevy of upgrades are good at empowering Zirian.
However, Duskfade stands as nothing more than a competent pretender. There’s nothing particularly remarkable here despite a few thought-provoking and alluring biomes, a decent premise, clockpunk USP, and some nice offensive enhancements for Zirian. You will enjoy Duskfade, though its ambitions are mostly encased in nostalgia and it can’t tick along with the greats of the genre.
Duskfade is out now on 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC.
Review code was generously provided by the publisher.