Wait, I forgot to review this?! Welp, this is gonna be a little hazy. I played it a couple years ago. I recall liking it quite a bit but it doesn't quite reach the heights I think it was capable of. I love games that blend aspects of Zelda with aspects of Souls. It's a match made in heaven. Similar to Tunic in some ways, but I actually preferred DD to that game.
My memory is not the best, but I'll try.
I like the ability to increase your stats in the order you choose. Focusing on speed and strength is always my go to. I think the game is very smooth to play and is great at providing a sense of weight with your weapon. Love me a big hammer. Fighting is great. Being able to mix in some spells is also satisfying. I do wish it was a bit more difficult. This leads to one of the issues I recall having. The backtracking was a bit much at times. Once you've cleared an area, it's not as fun to go back through a refight enemies that are annoyingly in your way. They can be avoided, yes, but the game also makes me want to fight since it has such tight controls. Part of this might be my own fault, but there was certainly a feeling of tedium creeping in at points.
You know what else I love? Hookshots. That is all. Moving on.
The bosses were cool, but it would have been nice to have a couple more important fights sprinkled throughout.
I love the aesthetic. It's a simple looking, yet beautiful game. The focus on greyish tones makes the colourful bits really pop. The UI is clean and easy to navigate as well.
This game makes me want more games that are as polished as this from teams of similar size. It reminds me of the best of the best like Hades, Ori, Rogue Legacy, Zelda, etc.
I think they're almost there. Perhaps next time will be a real triumph. I believe.
My memory is not the best, but I'll try.
I like the ability to increase your stats in the order you choose. Focusing on speed and strength is always my go to. I think the game is very smooth to play and is great at providing a sense of weight with your weapon. Love me a big hammer. Fighting is great. Being able to mix in some spells is also satisfying. I do wish it was a bit more difficult. This leads to one of the issues I recall having. The backtracking was a bit much at times. Once you've cleared an area, it's not as fun to go back through a refight enemies that are annoyingly in your way. They can be avoided, yes, but the game also makes me want to fight since it has such tight controls. Part of this might be my own fault, but there was certainly a feeling of tedium creeping in at points.
You know what else I love? Hookshots. That is all. Moving on.
The bosses were cool, but it would have been nice to have a couple more important fights sprinkled throughout.
I love the aesthetic. It's a simple looking, yet beautiful game. The focus on greyish tones makes the colourful bits really pop. The UI is clean and easy to navigate as well.
This game makes me want more games that are as polished as this from teams of similar size. It reminds me of the best of the best like Hades, Ori, Rogue Legacy, Zelda, etc.
I think they're almost there. Perhaps next time will be a real triumph. I believe.
I've never finished a classic Zelda game, but this game has a cute lil crow with a sward, so I'm preeety sure this is the better game.
I jest, but this really is a delightful little experience. It's smooth, it's pretty, it's well paced. It doesn't really take any risks as far as the game design is concerned—I can't think of anything particularly unique, in fact. But it chooses a good blend of concepts from its predecessors and executes on them with polish.
The main draw, in my eyes, is the world and aesthetic. I just love being a little salaryman crow who's job is to reap souls for a dilapidated bureau. Your little bird walk is adorable, the sward is delectably bright against the washed out world, the characters you meet are quirky and fun, and the eulogies given for every boss are actually quite touching.
Death's Door manages a surprisingly good balance of lighthearted and somber elements and that will probably be what keeps it in my mind as a warm memory for a good time to come.
I jest, but this really is a delightful little experience. It's smooth, it's pretty, it's well paced. It doesn't really take any risks as far as the game design is concerned—I can't think of anything particularly unique, in fact. But it chooses a good blend of concepts from its predecessors and executes on them with polish.
The main draw, in my eyes, is the world and aesthetic. I just love being a little salaryman crow who's job is to reap souls for a dilapidated bureau. Your little bird walk is adorable, the sward is delectably bright against the washed out world, the characters you meet are quirky and fun, and the eulogies given for every boss are actually quite touching.
Death's Door manages a surprisingly good balance of lighthearted and somber elements and that will probably be what keeps it in my mind as a warm memory for a good time to come.
Sights & Sounds
- The art direction of the game is excellent; the characters and environments (mostly) look great
- The music is outstanding, especially the first boss's theme
- The animations in and out of cutscenes are all buttery smooth
- Enemy variety frankly could have been a little better
Story & Vibes
- The story is pretty thin, but it feels like most of the emphasis was put on the gameplay anyway
- You're more or less just trying to kill the villain, who wants to be immortal. Pretty standard plot fare
- From what I understand, more of the story is revealed post-game. I may come back and update this review once I circle back to play this one again
- The game doesn't take itself seriously. Despite the themes of death and decay, the game is actually quite lighthearted and sometimes very funny ("She died as she lived. With a pot on her head").
Playability & Replayability
- The controls are nice and tight. Dodging and movement feel fantastic, particularly during combat
- Combat itself is a game of positioning, mostly because there's no stun when you hit enemies (other than wizards). Many of them will keep moving through your attacks to hit you
- Because of the above points, it feels like attacks have no "weight". It kinda brings combat down as a whole. You feel like you're just tickling enemies to death
- The puzzles don't ever get very difficult, but some of them are pretty creative
- The boss fights are unfortunately very tedious. Giving them a bunch of HP instead of a larger variety of attacks is a cheap replacement for actual difficulty that comes at the expense of the player's enjoyment. Boss designs are excellent, but fighting them is a bore. Even the last phase of the final boss is just a bunch of recycled attacks from his previous phases
Overall Impressions & Performance
- The game ran at a consistently high framerate, and I experienced no stuttering or sound issues. I don't think I witnessed any bugs, either
- Despite the art, music, and controls all being superb, this game isn't as enjoyable as it could be
- I can handle the narrative shortcomings and the often slow pace of combat, but the boss battles really tarnish the experience. The game is still fun to play, but it's like a Ferrari with a giant dent on the hood: wonderfully made, but all you can focus on is the glaring flaw
Final Verdict
- 7/10. This game was 1 or 2 good boss fights from being one of my favorites. As it stands, it's still a good isometric action-adventure game. I would recommend picking it up on sale. It's a nice 10-15 hour experience, but it'll make you a little mad thinking about how good this game could have been
- The art direction of the game is excellent; the characters and environments (mostly) look great
- The music is outstanding, especially the first boss's theme
- The animations in and out of cutscenes are all buttery smooth
- Enemy variety frankly could have been a little better
Story & Vibes
- The story is pretty thin, but it feels like most of the emphasis was put on the gameplay anyway
- You're more or less just trying to kill the villain, who wants to be immortal. Pretty standard plot fare
- From what I understand, more of the story is revealed post-game. I may come back and update this review once I circle back to play this one again
- The game doesn't take itself seriously. Despite the themes of death and decay, the game is actually quite lighthearted and sometimes very funny ("She died as she lived. With a pot on her head").
Playability & Replayability
- The controls are nice and tight. Dodging and movement feel fantastic, particularly during combat
- Combat itself is a game of positioning, mostly because there's no stun when you hit enemies (other than wizards). Many of them will keep moving through your attacks to hit you
- Because of the above points, it feels like attacks have no "weight". It kinda brings combat down as a whole. You feel like you're just tickling enemies to death
- The puzzles don't ever get very difficult, but some of them are pretty creative
- The boss fights are unfortunately very tedious. Giving them a bunch of HP instead of a larger variety of attacks is a cheap replacement for actual difficulty that comes at the expense of the player's enjoyment. Boss designs are excellent, but fighting them is a bore. Even the last phase of the final boss is just a bunch of recycled attacks from his previous phases
Overall Impressions & Performance
- The game ran at a consistently high framerate, and I experienced no stuttering or sound issues. I don't think I witnessed any bugs, either
- Despite the art, music, and controls all being superb, this game isn't as enjoyable as it could be
- I can handle the narrative shortcomings and the often slow pace of combat, but the boss battles really tarnish the experience. The game is still fun to play, but it's like a Ferrari with a giant dent on the hood: wonderfully made, but all you can focus on is the glaring flaw
Final Verdict
- 7/10. This game was 1 or 2 good boss fights from being one of my favorites. As it stands, it's still a good isometric action-adventure game. I would recommend picking it up on sale. It's a nice 10-15 hour experience, but it'll make you a little mad thinking about how good this game could have been
deaths door really hit me at the right time. i really like the music and atmosphere in this game. its really moody and the exact feel i like in a game. combat is fun, not incredible but it stays interesting for the whole game. the zelda influence is pretty clear and i really like the different areas you adventure too. the game also has a lot of postgame content for those interested. its a really great zelda like and a must play for fans of the genre
Death's Door é um jogo que enquanto jogava sempre me deixava com um gosto de potencial desperdiçado. O jogo em si não é ruim, é divertido, mas a todo momento eu sentia que ele podia ser mais.
Alguns jogos não precisam desse a mais, Death's Door não é esse caso, uma polida ou um pouco mais de complexidade em seu combate daria um brilho maior ao jogo.
E novamente o jogo não é ruim, a movimentação é boa, a arte é boa, a jogabilidade é boa. Mas falta algo nele, caso tenha um Death's Door 2 acho que seria um jogo mais interessante.
Alguns jogos não precisam desse a mais, Death's Door não é esse caso, uma polida ou um pouco mais de complexidade em seu combate daria um brilho maior ao jogo.
E novamente o jogo não é ruim, a movimentação é boa, a arte é boa, a jogabilidade é boa. Mas falta algo nele, caso tenha um Death's Door 2 acho que seria um jogo mais interessante.
This review contains spoilers
With Zelda inspiring both, this game has some striking similarities to Tunic, though they end up focusing on different elements of the Zelda formula. While Tunic focuses on an integrated world, Death's Door focuses on better combat and cheeky storytelling.
The combat of Death's Door is not the most varied, but it felt good enough. It improves upon its predecessor, Titan Souls, while having some fights clearly coming from Titan Souls. The addition of a health bar is nice. The boss fights are all interesting, with the enemy gauntlets to find new powers being fun challenges. Though dying has minimal consequences, that ended up being okay by me. The lack of death consequences is both fitting for the story of the game and allows you to focus on the other game elements, which are superb.
For example, the world of the game is labrynthian enough to make immerse you in it while being straightforward enough that you never feel too lost. While the world is no Tunic world, the art style with the decent combat and interwoven paths made the world feel like a somewhat overshadowed playground.
The story ended up having some surprising depth about the need to let go, move on, and allow new life to unfold. The game presents the problem of immortality in a finite world multiple times, with an ominous but still playful tone. I've seen deeper meditations on the subject, but this was fitting for the game.
One highlight of the game was the soundtrack. It help set the mood well for much of the game, with some tracks I noticed. When I reach the Old Watchtower (level name and track name), I was blown away. I still listen to that track independent of the game. Because of that track, I ended up listening to the while soundtrack on Spotify, and my opinion just kept improving.
The combat of Death's Door is not the most varied, but it felt good enough. It improves upon its predecessor, Titan Souls, while having some fights clearly coming from Titan Souls. The addition of a health bar is nice. The boss fights are all interesting, with the enemy gauntlets to find new powers being fun challenges. Though dying has minimal consequences, that ended up being okay by me. The lack of death consequences is both fitting for the story of the game and allows you to focus on the other game elements, which are superb.
For example, the world of the game is labrynthian enough to make immerse you in it while being straightforward enough that you never feel too lost. While the world is no Tunic world, the art style with the decent combat and interwoven paths made the world feel like a somewhat overshadowed playground.
The story ended up having some surprising depth about the need to let go, move on, and allow new life to unfold. The game presents the problem of immortality in a finite world multiple times, with an ominous but still playful tone. I've seen deeper meditations on the subject, but this was fitting for the game.
One highlight of the game was the soundtrack. It help set the mood well for much of the game, with some tracks I noticed. When I reach the Old Watchtower (level name and track name), I was blown away. I still listen to that track independent of the game. Because of that track, I ended up listening to the while soundtrack on Spotify, and my opinion just kept improving.
The initial premise for Death's Door is fantastic. We play as a crow who works as a grim reaper but when one of the souls they intend to reap is nicked they follow the culprit and discover the titular Death's Door, a sealed portal that can only be opened by collecting the souls of 3 ancient creatures. Thus begins our adventure, which takes us across as beautifully bleak fantasy land. You spend a lot of time in solitude in this game, and it builds a wonderful sense of atmosphere.
Gameplay is a kind of Zelda-Soulslike fusion. Presented with an isometric view, you wander around and hack away at enemies, but the high difficulty and need to constantly retry bosses due to quick deaths can be offputting for some. There's a lot of joy to be found in simply exploring the world, but some of the collectibles amount to busywork. It's certainly still a charming game and one I find myself thinking about a lot.
Gameplay is a kind of Zelda-Soulslike fusion. Presented with an isometric view, you wander around and hack away at enemies, but the high difficulty and need to constantly retry bosses due to quick deaths can be offputting for some. There's a lot of joy to be found in simply exploring the world, but some of the collectibles amount to busywork. It's certainly still a charming game and one I find myself thinking about a lot.
Iniciando pelos gráficos, a direção de arte deste jogo é verdadeiramente impressionante. À medida que você avança na aventura, fica evidente o cuidado e a expertise dos profissionais responsáveis por cada detalhe.
Quanto à jogabilidade, poderia ser descrita como uma versão isométrica de Dark Souls. As hitboxes são precisas, não deixando margem para falhas na mecânica do jogo (se você falhou, a culpa é sua).
A curva de aprendizado é constante e desafiadora. A cada hora investida, novos conhecimentos são adquiridos, tornando-se essencial aprimorar suas habilidades mecânicas para progredir.
Os chefes são um verdadeiro destaque, com uma programação excepcional e batalhas criativas que se destacam não apenas pela jogabilidade, mas também pela direção de arte incrível. Por exemplo, na luta contra o Rei Sapo, ele literalmente manipula o cenário para te surpreender. Um dos momentos mais marcantes foi a batalha contra o Senhor das Portas, que exigiu um controle preciso das minhas ações e me ensinou a controlar minha avidez para maximizar os golpes.
Quanto à narrativa, o jogo adota uma abordagem semelhante à de Dark Souls, com uma história que é contada de forma não intrusiva. Se desejar, você pode se aprofundar em um mundo de histórias envolventes, mas não precisa se preocupar com diálogos longos e maçantes, pois o jogo acerta em não sobrecarregar o jogador.
Recomendo este jogo sem dúvida alguma. É um projeto indie completo, sem pontas soltas, que certamente proporcionará uma experiência gratificante e desafiadora.
Quanto à jogabilidade, poderia ser descrita como uma versão isométrica de Dark Souls. As hitboxes são precisas, não deixando margem para falhas na mecânica do jogo (se você falhou, a culpa é sua).
A curva de aprendizado é constante e desafiadora. A cada hora investida, novos conhecimentos são adquiridos, tornando-se essencial aprimorar suas habilidades mecânicas para progredir.
Os chefes são um verdadeiro destaque, com uma programação excepcional e batalhas criativas que se destacam não apenas pela jogabilidade, mas também pela direção de arte incrível. Por exemplo, na luta contra o Rei Sapo, ele literalmente manipula o cenário para te surpreender. Um dos momentos mais marcantes foi a batalha contra o Senhor das Portas, que exigiu um controle preciso das minhas ações e me ensinou a controlar minha avidez para maximizar os golpes.
Quanto à narrativa, o jogo adota uma abordagem semelhante à de Dark Souls, com uma história que é contada de forma não intrusiva. Se desejar, você pode se aprofundar em um mundo de histórias envolventes, mas não precisa se preocupar com diálogos longos e maçantes, pois o jogo acerta em não sobrecarregar o jogador.
Recomendo este jogo sem dúvida alguma. É um projeto indie completo, sem pontas soltas, que certamente proporcionará uma experiência gratificante e desafiadora.
Packed full of charm and wit, Death's Door is a fantastic souls-like that plays to it's strengths and doesn't waste a moment of your time. It may be difficult at times, but the game provides enough variety and surprises to make sure you always want to push onwards.
Corvinho muito simpático
Death's Door is here to remind us that an indie game, largely developed by two people, can rise higher in people's hearts than most modern AAA games.
Death's Door is a carefully crafted action-adventure game with light souls elements. The art is simple, yet gorgeous; the combat is crisp and rewarding; the soundtrack tugs at your heartstrings; the characters are memorable; the story elements are genuine and thought-provoking; and finally its secrets are plenty and gratifying.
I can't say enough good things about this game. I'm moving it top my top5 games of all time. I absolutely adored it.
Death's Door is a carefully crafted action-adventure game with light souls elements. The art is simple, yet gorgeous; the combat is crisp and rewarding; the soundtrack tugs at your heartstrings; the characters are memorable; the story elements are genuine and thought-provoking; and finally its secrets are plenty and gratifying.
I can't say enough good things about this game. I'm moving it top my top5 games of all time. I absolutely adored it.
Não sou o maior fã de gameplay isométrica mas essa é uma das que conseguiram me pegar, é super divertida e vai introduzindo novas mecânicas tanto de combate quanto de exploração ao longo da jornada.
A arte é simples mas bem feita e impressiona várias vezes por isso, os npcs são carismáticos pra caramba também, super recomendo.
A arte é simples mas bem feita e impressiona várias vezes por isso, os npcs são carismáticos pra caramba também, super recomendo.
This game is pretty amazing, the best part of it is how full of personality and charisma the game is, what is often rare in the sea of mostly soulless cash-grabs.
the only part that really annoyed me is how obsessed this game is with enemy horde fighting, it gets pretty repetive, every dungeon, you have to fight at least 5 of those hordes, what gets pretty stupid.
the only part that really annoyed me is how obsessed this game is with enemy horde fighting, it gets pretty repetive, every dungeon, you have to fight at least 5 of those hordes, what gets pretty stupid.
Zelda-like with amazing presentation, characters, humor, and interesting secrets but with shallow combat mechanics.
This one kicks ass. Want to play a more combat focused tunic that doesn't involve solving a language?
The recipe for Death’s Door appears simple at first glance. In a large mixing bowl, stir together three cups Zelda, two cups Dark Souls, and a pinch of Limbo. Preheat the oven to 450F (230C), pour the mix into a pan, bake for 36 minutes, and presto! You have Death’s Door.
Or do you? While Death’s Door is hardly original in the gameplay department – combat plays like isometric Souls, and access to new areas is granted by gear found in chests, just as in Zelda – it does offer a unique flavor that you won’t find in either of those series. There’s a sense of deliberative melancholy here, a mood that’s fleeting rare in video games. It’s the melancholy of accepting that life is what it is and it’s not likely to change. It reminds me of The End of Time in Chrono Trigger, where Gaspar waits patiently, stuck forever in a transitory state between hopeful and hopeless.
It’s probably no coincidence, then, that the hub area in Death’s Door looks a lot like The End of Time. You play as a Reaper – a Crow with a sword who hunts down the dead and sends their souls to the afterlife. But when your assigned soul is stolen before you can reap it, you end up on an unexpected adventure to harvest three giant souls and open Death’s Door itself to put things right. If you’ve played a Zelda game before, the gameplay will feel familiar. Enter a dungeon, explore, find a key item, delve deeper, defeat the boss, rinse and repeat. Yet there is plenty of Dark Souls’ DNA here, too. Combat features a heavy dose of dodge rolling and health is always in short supply – four hits and you’re a goner. You also use currency, known as – you guessed it – Souls, to purchase upgrades. One key difference from FromSoftware’s games, though, is that Death’s Door lets you hang onto your Souls when you die. No corpse runs here.
There’s no shortage of combat, and it always feels responsive and smooth. While there are a handful of weapons to collect and equip, they all feel fairly similar – a little faster or slower, a little shorter or longer. I experimented with all the options but ultimately found that the default sword offered a better balance of speed and damage output than the alternatives, with perhaps one late-game exception.
When you’re not engaged in combat, you’ll be exploring the world – a rewarding activity in its own right. In addition to the cemetery, which is as close as Death’s Door comes to an overworld, there are three main areas, and each of these main areas is subdivided into two or three distinct subareas. Take, for instance, the first area, the estate of the Urn Witch. You approach through the garden and then creep through the decrepit manor’s interior, before making a final assault through the secret furnace in the basement. One feature that’s notably absent is an in-game map, a design choice that boosts immersion at the expense of navigability. Although I’m not entirely convinced this is a good trade, it’s one I came to terms with.
The second and third main areas follow similar patterns, albeit with less cohesion. Whereas the Urn Witch feels like a fully fleshed out character, the second boss, the Frog King, is a typical jester-esque bad dude, and the third boss barely has any story beats associated with it at all. Whether this was intentional or the result of the inevitable time crunch that occurs at the end of game development, I can’t say. The third area, in particular, feels divorced from the boss at the end, focusing instead on the history of the Doors and the Crows. And once you collect all three giant souls, you’re treated to a brief info dump about how the world became stuck in its timeless state. To be fair, it feels like an info dump well-earned – I enjoyed it – but it is an info dump nonetheless.
I doubt anyone will deny that Death’s Door is derivative. But it takes familiar pieces and with them bakes a delightful new treat. My lasting memory of the game will be strolling through the melancholic land and spreading the seeds of hope. Only by keeping Death’s Door open can we fully appreciate the gift of life.
Or do you? While Death’s Door is hardly original in the gameplay department – combat plays like isometric Souls, and access to new areas is granted by gear found in chests, just as in Zelda – it does offer a unique flavor that you won’t find in either of those series. There’s a sense of deliberative melancholy here, a mood that’s fleeting rare in video games. It’s the melancholy of accepting that life is what it is and it’s not likely to change. It reminds me of The End of Time in Chrono Trigger, where Gaspar waits patiently, stuck forever in a transitory state between hopeful and hopeless.
It’s probably no coincidence, then, that the hub area in Death’s Door looks a lot like The End of Time. You play as a Reaper – a Crow with a sword who hunts down the dead and sends their souls to the afterlife. But when your assigned soul is stolen before you can reap it, you end up on an unexpected adventure to harvest three giant souls and open Death’s Door itself to put things right. If you’ve played a Zelda game before, the gameplay will feel familiar. Enter a dungeon, explore, find a key item, delve deeper, defeat the boss, rinse and repeat. Yet there is plenty of Dark Souls’ DNA here, too. Combat features a heavy dose of dodge rolling and health is always in short supply – four hits and you’re a goner. You also use currency, known as – you guessed it – Souls, to purchase upgrades. One key difference from FromSoftware’s games, though, is that Death’s Door lets you hang onto your Souls when you die. No corpse runs here.
There’s no shortage of combat, and it always feels responsive and smooth. While there are a handful of weapons to collect and equip, they all feel fairly similar – a little faster or slower, a little shorter or longer. I experimented with all the options but ultimately found that the default sword offered a better balance of speed and damage output than the alternatives, with perhaps one late-game exception.
When you’re not engaged in combat, you’ll be exploring the world – a rewarding activity in its own right. In addition to the cemetery, which is as close as Death’s Door comes to an overworld, there are three main areas, and each of these main areas is subdivided into two or three distinct subareas. Take, for instance, the first area, the estate of the Urn Witch. You approach through the garden and then creep through the decrepit manor’s interior, before making a final assault through the secret furnace in the basement. One feature that’s notably absent is an in-game map, a design choice that boosts immersion at the expense of navigability. Although I’m not entirely convinced this is a good trade, it’s one I came to terms with.
The second and third main areas follow similar patterns, albeit with less cohesion. Whereas the Urn Witch feels like a fully fleshed out character, the second boss, the Frog King, is a typical jester-esque bad dude, and the third boss barely has any story beats associated with it at all. Whether this was intentional or the result of the inevitable time crunch that occurs at the end of game development, I can’t say. The third area, in particular, feels divorced from the boss at the end, focusing instead on the history of the Doors and the Crows. And once you collect all three giant souls, you’re treated to a brief info dump about how the world became stuck in its timeless state. To be fair, it feels like an info dump well-earned – I enjoyed it – but it is an info dump nonetheless.
I doubt anyone will deny that Death’s Door is derivative. But it takes familiar pieces and with them bakes a delightful new treat. My lasting memory of the game will be strolling through the melancholic land and spreading the seeds of hope. Only by keeping Death’s Door open can we fully appreciate the gift of life.
solid level design, decent enough combat, awesome character designs, kinda forgot it existed as soon as I finished it.
I had no idea what to play after the last game I beat and it just so happened to be on the day the monthly PSN games were revealed. I saw this and thought why not give it a try?
I’m so glad I did! I wasn’t expecting myself to enjoy this game as much as I did, but the art, story, and music are sooo good. Specifically the music, I could listen to some of these tracks alllllll day.
I enjoy all the secrets and exploring, the combat is fun enough (especially since it offers different weapon types) and the characters are great.
I’m so glad I picked this game up!
I’m so glad I did! I wasn’t expecting myself to enjoy this game as much as I did, but the art, story, and music are sooo good. Specifically the music, I could listen to some of these tracks alllllll day.
I enjoy all the secrets and exploring, the combat is fun enough (especially since it offers different weapon types) and the characters are great.
I’m so glad I picked this game up!
neglected to log until i got the 100%/true ending to see if it would change my (already positive) perspective in any major way, and the answer is, kinda??? coming to this in a world where the superficially similar Tunic already exists and is one of my favorite things ever, the easiest description i had for this was that it was like if tunic was more focus on being a pure action game, designed around deliberate one-way progressions thru specific combat encounters. im a lil mixed on how this affects the postgame...in a way, these spaces dont feel made to be run thru back and forth over and over in search of secrets. but if its not as mindblowing as tunic, theres still tons of DELIGHTFUL revelations and large scale puzzles...many of the games most memorable moments are in the postgame. but even just judging the main campaign, its a lovingly symmetrical and well-manicured set of challenges with an essentially perfect combat system...took a bit to get used to the lack of targeting, but honestly it gives u way more precise control over ur positioning. character designs and charms are also uniformly incredible, and the ghibli-esque comforting melancholy is a wonderful emotional vibe. zelda dna is an easy way to put any game in my comfort zone, and this was an especially wonderful version to come back from work and relax into. i just like little guys with swords in big worlds
This was a really special meal no doubt. Just needed a bit more salt......and some sauce........and French Fries on the side would've been nice too !
Um bom jogo mas a falta de mapa torna a exploração bem entediante, ter que voltar por onde voce ja passou, mas não saber exatamente onde, pra ver se a sua habilidade nova abre algum caminho é uma das coisas mais chatas dos jogos.
I'm not saying this game is bad. It's fun, it's a fine game. But that's all it really is to me, fine. I'm about 50 % in of total game completion atm, and let's go down the list.
The bosses? Really nothing special.
The difficulty? Apparently some people really struggle, but to me it's super easy. I have 24 seeds that I haven't planted because I don't really need the health going through the levels. Just don't attack when it's obviously a bad idea, stick and move a little, and use a lot of magic arrows. Being easy isn't a problem, of course though, but it's a very simple action game.
You have a simple few-hit combo, a charge, and a hard to use dodge-roll attack, plus the magic. And all the upgrades this game gives you either stat-wise or through new magic and weapons won't radically change anything. I wish it had couple of different combos ala DMC 1 with diff timings. Or charging your weapon with diff timings does something else. Or the weapons actually changed your attack more.
You don't have any bullet-hell kind of action so your spatial awareness or positioning doesn't actually have to be that good. The game doesn't really pressure you with too many enemies. And the bosses aren't gonna be aggressive or fast like Dark Souls or Hollow-Knight (and there's only been 2 bosses so far, and the frog guy kinda just sits there and throws bombs at you.). The biggest curve-ball is that some enemies have some delayed attacks, or poor tells between their 1 and 2 hit combos.
The music is fine, but isn't the best you've heard, and the style of the game is nice, but not ground-breaking. The writing doesn't have a lot to it. Just like in terms of design, Urn Witch has a much better story than the Frog King.
And lastly, the dungeon: Most of the puzzles in this game involves finding your way to a vertical spot in a room from which you can light a torch from afar, and things like that. They aren't exactly high-tier puzzles, but I like them, keeps the flow going. The layouts are fine though, and the enemies are good.
I really wish this game at least had better movement. You spend so much of this game just dodge-rolling just like you would in 3D Zelda. Your new abilities just boil down to new barriers you can unlock now, sometimes through back-tracking. And you can't go out of order in the game either because harder areas are blocked by things you can't open yet, like not being able to bomb a cracked wall.
I was really really looking forward to the game, but it's just kind of alright. I'd recommend some cooler action games instead of Death's Door, and I'm just kind of confused why there's such a big love for this game now that I've had gotten around to it.
(Review copy-pasted from my steam, lol)
The bosses? Really nothing special.
The difficulty? Apparently some people really struggle, but to me it's super easy. I have 24 seeds that I haven't planted because I don't really need the health going through the levels. Just don't attack when it's obviously a bad idea, stick and move a little, and use a lot of magic arrows. Being easy isn't a problem, of course though, but it's a very simple action game.
You have a simple few-hit combo, a charge, and a hard to use dodge-roll attack, plus the magic. And all the upgrades this game gives you either stat-wise or through new magic and weapons won't radically change anything. I wish it had couple of different combos ala DMC 1 with diff timings. Or charging your weapon with diff timings does something else. Or the weapons actually changed your attack more.
You don't have any bullet-hell kind of action so your spatial awareness or positioning doesn't actually have to be that good. The game doesn't really pressure you with too many enemies. And the bosses aren't gonna be aggressive or fast like Dark Souls or Hollow-Knight (and there's only been 2 bosses so far, and the frog guy kinda just sits there and throws bombs at you.). The biggest curve-ball is that some enemies have some delayed attacks, or poor tells between their 1 and 2 hit combos.
The music is fine, but isn't the best you've heard, and the style of the game is nice, but not ground-breaking. The writing doesn't have a lot to it. Just like in terms of design, Urn Witch has a much better story than the Frog King.
And lastly, the dungeon: Most of the puzzles in this game involves finding your way to a vertical spot in a room from which you can light a torch from afar, and things like that. They aren't exactly high-tier puzzles, but I like them, keeps the flow going. The layouts are fine though, and the enemies are good.
I really wish this game at least had better movement. You spend so much of this game just dodge-rolling just like you would in 3D Zelda. Your new abilities just boil down to new barriers you can unlock now, sometimes through back-tracking. And you can't go out of order in the game either because harder areas are blocked by things you can't open yet, like not being able to bomb a cracked wall.
I was really really looking forward to the game, but it's just kind of alright. I'd recommend some cooler action games instead of Death's Door, and I'm just kind of confused why there's such a big love for this game now that I've had gotten around to it.
(Review copy-pasted from my steam, lol)
Mature themes with a cute art style and tongue in cheek humor - My kind of game. Was very surprised that there was a ton of blood splatter in it. I'm not complaining, just didn't see it coming given the overall cartoony-ness of it all.
The combat is barebones but not simplistic, found myself really enjoying it the more I experimented. Bosses are varied, areas are memorable, difficulty is balanced. An all round pleasant experience, would recommend.
Mushroom Dungeon theme is a masterpiece.
The combat is barebones but not simplistic, found myself really enjoying it the more I experimented. Bosses are varied, areas are memorable, difficulty is balanced. An all round pleasant experience, would recommend.
Mushroom Dungeon theme is a masterpiece.
A really over-the-plate game. If you like Zelda-y worlds and collectibles and Souls-ish combat challenge then there's certainly a lot to find enjoyable about Death's Door, but it's hardly bringing anything new to the conversation. A pleasant time if you're looking for something to play, but not a must play in a world where new unique experiences are coming out every week or two.
A neat little game with a cool premise and a surprisingly good story.
I really liked the art direction and the bosses design. I really liked the Dark Souls references.
The soundtrack was was very serene, somewhat reminiscent to Child of Light and Hollow Knight. I'm also a sucker for adaptive soundtrack, so it was a nice touch.
The encounters were fun and engaging and the hidden secrets were so much fun to find.
Some enemies had a couple of poorly telegraphed attacks, but other than that, it was a very enjoyable experience.
The last couple of fights were awesome.
I really liked the art direction and the bosses design. I really liked the Dark Souls references.
The soundtrack was was very serene, somewhat reminiscent to Child of Light and Hollow Knight. I'm also a sucker for adaptive soundtrack, so it was a nice touch.
The encounters were fun and engaging and the hidden secrets were so much fun to find.
Some enemies had a couple of poorly telegraphed attacks, but other than that, it was a very enjoyable experience.
The last couple of fights were awesome.
This game is so amazing. The boss fights are great and somewhat difficult, the combat is simple but great, the exploration is rewarding and the story is great. Almost every aspect of this game is atleast great except the side content. Wish there were more optional bosses and quest. The game is still amazing tho.
A fantastic tale about the journey of a single crow and the will to complete his job. Without giving too much away, the story, characters, design, combat and environments all make for such an enjoyable top down RPG. I could not recommend it more as it pays homage to the great RPG titles before it. Rating: 9/10
This review contains spoilers
Acid Nerve's Death's Door is a game that I found myself immediately taken with the moment of its reveal but unfortunately it was a timed Xbox exclusive and as such, it had a staggered release schedule and arrived to PlayStation platforms in November 2021.
After purchasing the game some time after its eventual release due to work, the sheer breadth of anticipated releases and the time it took to make my way through them, I finally got around to playing Death's Door…
…And then Tunic released and Death's Door was once again put on the backburner. However, after recently completing Final Fantasy 16, I felt that I needed a palette cleanser and something that wouldn't occupy 100+hrs of my time and so I erased my previous save of Death Stranding and started anew.
And I'm glad that I did.
Though the game seems like senseless fun, it presents the player with some powerful existential questions, ones that I wouldn't expect to find in a game with its cute and simplistic aesthetic.
Death's Door sees a little crow working in the employ of the Lord of Doors, as an overworked retriever of souls that need to be culled. In his journey, he encounters all manner of characters and creatures, many of which he befriends and assists during his quest to retrieve 3 large souls to open the titular Death's Door.
He is mentored by the Grey Crow, a beleaguered crow who has been trapped within The Lost Cemetery, in search of a soul that lies behind Death's Door and due to his old age, asks our protag to help him open the door by retrieving the souls of three beings - The Urn Witch, The Frog King, and Betty the Yeti.
These beings have lived well beyond their natural lifespan and have grown corrupt in the absence of death.
Retrieving the three souls will take players across a vast array of biomes ranging from cemeteries, snow-capped mountaintops, flooded ruins, dense forests, a labyrinthine mansion, and more. Players will also come to know the history of the game's world, the Lord of Doors, and the disappearance of Death.
The game has simple mechanics that both seasoned and casual players will have little growing comfortable with. Attacks are basic, with a standard three hit combo, a plunging attack while falling, a more powerful charged attack, and a rolling overhead strike.
In addition with the basic sword attacks, there are a number of other sub attacks like casting fireballs, conjuring a bow that shoots magic arrows, a magic bomb that can also destroy environmental obstacles, and a tether that can be used to quickly traverse areas or snag enemies. The tether can also be used in conjunction with the sword to deliver a devasting lunge.
The game also makes use of invincibility frames when rolling, so anyone who has played a Soulsbourne game will feel right at home. Enemy attack are well telegraphed. If you take a moment to understand enemy patterns and behavior and avoid simply rushing into a confrontation, you'll never be overwhelmed. Difficulty never feels unfair and death is generally the fault of the player.
Aside from these things, the game is very much structured like a Metroidvania in the sense that progress and optional are gated, and you must acquire a skill or tool to access those aforementioned places or fully explore them.
Level design is very reminiscent of Dark Souls. I really enjoy how the levels fed into one another in sensible ways that help you intuit your location in the world and central landmarks would help if you couldn't orient yourself.
While initially an annoyance, the absence of a map helps players gradually memorize the world and understand what path leads to where. This helps the game retain its sense of discovery and considering that narratively, our protag has never explored the locations they've now found themselves in, it makes sense that there's no map.
As mentioned previously, the game has simple yet attractive visuals. The visuals shine due to how distinctive the artstyle is. Environments are readable; it's clear what can be explored or interacted with. Colors are muted but pop due to the contrasting nature of how they're paired, so if something catches your eye it's likely intentional. The game never feels busy visually so there's no worry of visual effects occluding you from seeing what happening on-screen.
Likewise, the sound design in the game is phenomenal as well. The music is pleasant and complements the environments and battles well. As great as that sounds, I think the highest complement that I can pay the sound design is that attacks can be avoided purely based on audible cues. Many games struggle with conveying danger to the player visually, for Death's Door to achieve that both visually and sonically is a true feat.
Death's Door is full of secrets, whether it be shrines that increase the player's health and magic capacity, hidden weapons, documents that clue you into more of the game's backstory, combat arenas that empower your magics, or an entirely hidden true ending. There's a lot to do in this game but it never outstays its welcome.
Beyond the cute aesthetic lies a story that's relatable to most everyone. Death's Door takes aim at the hustle culture that we find ourselves caught in; how we spend most of our lives doing work that we don't necessarily like and to what cost?
If you were told the exact moment of when your death, would you live your life differently? Would you try to lengthen the time you'd been given somehow or would you enjoy the remaining time you had left to its fullest? What if you spent most of your life in pursuit of something, only to learn that you'd never be able to achieve the goal of that pursuit, how would you respond to that truth?
These are some of the questions that characters within the game grapple with and are realities many of us find ourselves living - doing a job we actively hate or that brings unnecessary stress and pressure to our lives solely for money versus pursuing what really matters to us and that brings happiness and a sense of fulfillment.
Death's Door tells us that we'll all die someday and there's nothing to fear of death, it's a natural conclusion to life but maybe the one's who do not go gentle into that good night are those who were regretfully too afraid to live life on their own terms.
Congrats to Acid Nerve's Mark Foster and David Fenn (and anyone else who had a hand in building this game). Death's Door is one my favorite releases in recent memory. I can't wait to see what the team imagines next.
9/10
After purchasing the game some time after its eventual release due to work, the sheer breadth of anticipated releases and the time it took to make my way through them, I finally got around to playing Death's Door…
…And then Tunic released and Death's Door was once again put on the backburner. However, after recently completing Final Fantasy 16, I felt that I needed a palette cleanser and something that wouldn't occupy 100+hrs of my time and so I erased my previous save of Death Stranding and started anew.
And I'm glad that I did.
Though the game seems like senseless fun, it presents the player with some powerful existential questions, ones that I wouldn't expect to find in a game with its cute and simplistic aesthetic.
Death's Door sees a little crow working in the employ of the Lord of Doors, as an overworked retriever of souls that need to be culled. In his journey, he encounters all manner of characters and creatures, many of which he befriends and assists during his quest to retrieve 3 large souls to open the titular Death's Door.
He is mentored by the Grey Crow, a beleaguered crow who has been trapped within The Lost Cemetery, in search of a soul that lies behind Death's Door and due to his old age, asks our protag to help him open the door by retrieving the souls of three beings - The Urn Witch, The Frog King, and Betty the Yeti.
These beings have lived well beyond their natural lifespan and have grown corrupt in the absence of death.
Retrieving the three souls will take players across a vast array of biomes ranging from cemeteries, snow-capped mountaintops, flooded ruins, dense forests, a labyrinthine mansion, and more. Players will also come to know the history of the game's world, the Lord of Doors, and the disappearance of Death.
The game has simple mechanics that both seasoned and casual players will have little growing comfortable with. Attacks are basic, with a standard three hit combo, a plunging attack while falling, a more powerful charged attack, and a rolling overhead strike.
In addition with the basic sword attacks, there are a number of other sub attacks like casting fireballs, conjuring a bow that shoots magic arrows, a magic bomb that can also destroy environmental obstacles, and a tether that can be used to quickly traverse areas or snag enemies. The tether can also be used in conjunction with the sword to deliver a devasting lunge.
The game also makes use of invincibility frames when rolling, so anyone who has played a Soulsbourne game will feel right at home. Enemy attack are well telegraphed. If you take a moment to understand enemy patterns and behavior and avoid simply rushing into a confrontation, you'll never be overwhelmed. Difficulty never feels unfair and death is generally the fault of the player.
Aside from these things, the game is very much structured like a Metroidvania in the sense that progress and optional are gated, and you must acquire a skill or tool to access those aforementioned places or fully explore them.
Level design is very reminiscent of Dark Souls. I really enjoy how the levels fed into one another in sensible ways that help you intuit your location in the world and central landmarks would help if you couldn't orient yourself.
While initially an annoyance, the absence of a map helps players gradually memorize the world and understand what path leads to where. This helps the game retain its sense of discovery and considering that narratively, our protag has never explored the locations they've now found themselves in, it makes sense that there's no map.
As mentioned previously, the game has simple yet attractive visuals. The visuals shine due to how distinctive the artstyle is. Environments are readable; it's clear what can be explored or interacted with. Colors are muted but pop due to the contrasting nature of how they're paired, so if something catches your eye it's likely intentional. The game never feels busy visually so there's no worry of visual effects occluding you from seeing what happening on-screen.
Likewise, the sound design in the game is phenomenal as well. The music is pleasant and complements the environments and battles well. As great as that sounds, I think the highest complement that I can pay the sound design is that attacks can be avoided purely based on audible cues. Many games struggle with conveying danger to the player visually, for Death's Door to achieve that both visually and sonically is a true feat.
Death's Door is full of secrets, whether it be shrines that increase the player's health and magic capacity, hidden weapons, documents that clue you into more of the game's backstory, combat arenas that empower your magics, or an entirely hidden true ending. There's a lot to do in this game but it never outstays its welcome.
Beyond the cute aesthetic lies a story that's relatable to most everyone. Death's Door takes aim at the hustle culture that we find ourselves caught in; how we spend most of our lives doing work that we don't necessarily like and to what cost?
If you were told the exact moment of when your death, would you live your life differently? Would you try to lengthen the time you'd been given somehow or would you enjoy the remaining time you had left to its fullest? What if you spent most of your life in pursuit of something, only to learn that you'd never be able to achieve the goal of that pursuit, how would you respond to that truth?
These are some of the questions that characters within the game grapple with and are realities many of us find ourselves living - doing a job we actively hate or that brings unnecessary stress and pressure to our lives solely for money versus pursuing what really matters to us and that brings happiness and a sense of fulfillment.
Death's Door tells us that we'll all die someday and there's nothing to fear of death, it's a natural conclusion to life but maybe the one's who do not go gentle into that good night are those who were regretfully too afraid to live life on their own terms.
Congrats to Acid Nerve's Mark Foster and David Fenn (and anyone else who had a hand in building this game). Death's Door is one my favorite releases in recent memory. I can't wait to see what the team imagines next.
9/10
Deaths door is a perfect 3d platformer, with fantastic combat, boss fights, puzzles, level design and world design. Deaths door souls-like combat is tough but fair, with well designed upgrades that feel rewarding and useful. Bosses feel tough but easy to master, leaving a rewarding feeling close to the from-software standard. Deaths door's level design is amazing with each area feeling unique and interesting, with the puzzles feeling not to difficult but satisfying. Deaths door after credit content is also well done, with neat secrets and a fun boss fight. I love this game and recommend it to anyone who plays video games in general.
This game is SO GOOD.
It was advertised to me as a Zelda-like first and a souls-like second. The mechanics that remind me of both are actually on the lighter side, but I think if you like these two types of games, you will love this.
It has dungeons, but the puzzles are less mentally intensive than the average Zelda-like experience, generally being "Use the new spell you learned on the in-game asset that it relates to."
It also has challenging, dodge-roll based swordplay combat, but it's far less complex and unforgiving as a souls game. (PS, that's what I love about it.)
The story is so interesting and the themes it conveys are deep and meaningful. The bosses are unique and challenging, but definitely surmountable. All the characters are multidimensional and it's a treat each time you meet a new one. And the soundtrack is beautiful. Strong rec on all fronts.
It was advertised to me as a Zelda-like first and a souls-like second. The mechanics that remind me of both are actually on the lighter side, but I think if you like these two types of games, you will love this.
It has dungeons, but the puzzles are less mentally intensive than the average Zelda-like experience, generally being "Use the new spell you learned on the in-game asset that it relates to."
It also has challenging, dodge-roll based swordplay combat, but it's far less complex and unforgiving as a souls game. (PS, that's what I love about it.)
The story is so interesting and the themes it conveys are deep and meaningful. The bosses are unique and challenging, but definitely surmountable. All the characters are multidimensional and it's a treat each time you meet a new one. And the soundtrack is beautiful. Strong rec on all fronts.