Death's Door

I played Death's Door when it released, it was my GOTY 2021 and is still one of my favourite games of all time. I recently replayed it, completing the umbrella run to get the remaining few achievements. I can gladly say the game holds up on my second playthrough years later. It's a game I find hard to fault. Combat can be quite challenging at times but once you get the hang of the timing and make use of your abilities it never really feels unforgiving, especially after upgrading your stats as you progress too. It feels like a classic Zelda-esque adventure in a way but with its own charming style. With some Ghibli style characters here and there that each have their own personality and often add humour to the death filled journey.

A surprisingly good isometric action adventure, though it is sorely missing a map. PROS: -Good action combat -Surprisingly good story -Good number of hidden items/areas -Graphics are just right for what it is -Decent hidden postgame sequence NEUTRAL: -Upgrade costs are a little high. I completed the entire game but still needed several thousand orbs to max out upgrades. -I couldn't tell any real difference from the upgrades. CONS: -No map. The game desperately needs a map. You will spend a lot of time just running around trying to orient yourself or quitting back to the menu just to get to a teleport door.

This is among the best musical compositions I have experienced in a game. The soundtrack evoked a strong sense of nostalgia, with hints of familiar sounding rhythms reminiscent of The Legend of Zelda and RuneScape in certain areas. The design is beautiful and vibrant, further enhanced by the music, which perfectly matched the theme of each level and area. The attention to detail is phenomenal and deserves greater appreciation, particularly how naturally enemies fall after being defeated in combat. The developer and team have done an excellent job of taking us on a journey that explores the concept of death in a world where immortality has disrupted the fabric of the world's natural order. The story is rich and engaging. The gameplay is enjoyable, though it leans towards the easier side. In this regad, a drawback is that the gameplay was too predictable at times. While some have criticised the lack of a map, I found this to be a strength. It encourages usto think critically, remember locations and rely on our own sense of direction. Given the relatively easy gameplay, this design choice adds a welcomed layer of challenge. I enjoyed the sense of humour incorporated into the character dialogue, which you do not find so easily in this particular genre. Completing the game would take approximately 15-18 hours if, like me, you are inclined to explore thoroughly, collect every item and check each area carefully without relying on guides or walkthroughs. (My Steam playtime is not an accurate reflection of this, as I left the game running without actively playing for extended periods (oops). Overall, the experience is very enjoyable - a classic hack-and-slash style game. This game ended at the perfect time without overstaying its welcome. I particularly appreciated the true ending, which introduced more puzzle-solving elements. This game pairs well with Tunic, and I would recommend playing them in this order (Death's Door then Tunic). It serves as a great introduction to pattern recognition and puzzle-solving, which becomes more prominent in Tunic. Thank you to the developer and team — I would absolutely play a sequel if one were released in the future,