Intro
Annie here!
When I write for Prairie Interactive's newsletter, my goal is always to find games that deserve more attention. Whether they're tiny, experimental projects or developer's magnum opus, I want to share games with you that are better than they get credit for.
Alabaster Dawn fits that mold almost perfectly.
Review
Alabaster Dawn is a true-to-form fantasy adventure with satisfying combat and a compelling story. But in my opinion, there's just a few things that send this game into underrated gem territory.
Pacing
This game presents you with about 15 seconds of story (paired with gorgeous cutscene artwork) before immediately letting the player take control. The tutorial is one of the best I've seen for a fast-paced combat game. The game says "Press X to attack" and suddenly you're busting baddies like there's no tomorrow. They introduce each combat move like this, one by one so it takes about 2 milliseconds to process what you're supposed to do before you're learning by actually doing it.
For you "get to the game already" shouters, you'll love this game. Each section of dialogue is only as long as necessary to get the point across, and they're interspersed with sizeable chunks of satisfying combat and exploration. I really enjoyed the ancient fantasy story, but what I liked more was how snappy the presentation was.
Animation
Alabaster Dawn uses pixel art in a way that very few games have. They're doing some sort of 3D/2D blending that looks fantastic and feels tactile. To be honest, I actually don't know what their technique was, and I didn't analyze it too much because I was too busy enjoying the game.
But what was very clear was that the combat and movement animations are PERFECT. I truly have never seen walking and running animations that felt that good.
Satisfying Gameplay
This one is broad, but it's true. Alabaster Dawn is fluid, responsive, and oh so juicy. I frequently bounce off of hack & slash or combat-focused games, but it feels so good here. Just try it, you'll know
Visuals
Okay last thing. I completely love the art style and character design in this game. I had my steam library page open to the key art on my second monitor and I kept glancing at it the whole time. The characters designs are distinct and interesting but also perfectly fit the classic magic-fantasy vibe.
In later sections, the environment art becomes quite breathtaking as well, as more colours start to emerge as you free the world from Nyx's grasp.
Final Thoughts
Forgive me for prattling on for ages. All you need to know is this game is great fun and the demo is SHOCKINGLY generous. I played for over and hour and a half and still had plenty more to do. So there's no risk to try it out and see what you think.
Alabaster Dawn released in early access on May 7th of this year. The full game is $29.99 CAD and the reviews are overwhelmingly positive.
|
