During my ongoing search to find yet another Steam game to add to my backlog, I have just stumbled upon what I can only describe as an instantly charming modernization of a distinct childhood memory—a game that takes me back to the golden era of 3D platformers while managing to feel like an experience I would and arguably should be having today. That game is Duskfade, a Kingdom Hearts-like, Jak and Daxter-esque 3D action platformer by Weird Beluga that, I’ll admit, I had my doubts about going in. However, within just five minutes of playing its surprisingly lengthy demo on Steam, it had its whimsical little Disney-shaped claws dug into me, and I’m here to recommend you keep an eye on it until it launches on August 13, 2026.
The thing is, you just never know with these games. While doom-scrolling on social media, you come across a post about a game claiming to be the best blend of two or three of your favorite franchises, and sometimes it ends up being worth the download, and other times, it doesn’t. Of course, I still couldn’t help myself when I saw the creator of Duskfade claiming on X that its upcoming platformer was, in fact, directly inspired by Kingdom Hearts 2 and Jak and Daxter, and I just had to see for myself. As it turns out, Weird Beluga wasn’t lying—this game is every bit Kingdom Hearts 2, every bit Jak and Daxter, and yet, at the same time, every bit its own thing. Needless to say, I’m in love.
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Duskfade Understands Why Classic 3D Platformers Were So Great
Duskfade follows the journey of Zirian, whose story begins in a way fans of classic 3D platformers would expect. His sister has been taken by a mysterious Clock Tower, the world has been trapped in eternal night, and the only thing standing between him and that climb is a sword, a colorful world, and Cuckoo, a mechanical companion clearly modeled after the buddy-platformer energy that made Jak and Daxter one of the best of its kind.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Guess the games from the emojis.
Easy (120s)Medium (90s)Hard (60s)
Duskfade’s Key Features
- Double jumps, wall jumps, dashes, and rail-grinding
- Sword combat with dodges and perfect-dodge time slow
- Upgradeable sword with unlockable gadgets
- Exploration-driven levels with hidden collectibles
- Backtracking through ability-gated areas
- Vibrant biomes with unique music and atmosphere
Let me just start off by saying that I am blown away by how unbelievably gorgeous this game looks. The world is incredibly vibrant and detailed, with the kind of deeply saturated color tones you’d expect from a playfully animated fantasy game. More than the satisfying classic platforming itself, more than its simplistic but fun combat, it’s just an all-around visual feast for the eyes that I don’t want to look away from, and every element works in tandem to give it the kind of presentation that leaves a lasting imprint on your memory.
Backing up those visuals is Duskfade‘s whimsical soundtrack, which I simply can’t get enough of. The best way I can describe it is if the fantasy vibes of Fable were laid on top of the darker, more mysterious side of Harry Potter, along with the rollicking personality of classic games like Banjo-Kazooie. Its quality is surprising, to say the least, and grants a degree of immersion to the whole experience that really takes it all to the next level. In the end, it makes the world come alive in a way that complements the visual presentation and results in something akin to a playable Disney Pixar film.
Duskfade’s Exploration and Combat Reinforce Its Gorgeous Art Style
Of course, presentation can only get a game so far, and eventually, its gameplay needs to sell the experience. Fortunately, Duskfade‘s combat and exploration have enough going for them to make the whole thing feel like more than a pretty nostalgia play, even if I can already see where some players might want the full game to tighten things up a bit.
Exploration is the easier win here, though. Duskfade clearly understands that a great 3D platformer needs to make you want to examine every corner, ledge, side path, and suspiciously placed rail. During my time exploring the world, I was constantly tempted to wander away from the obvious route, and more often than not, doing so led me to something worth finding, whether that was an Upgrade Gear, a Clock Heart Piece, or one of the many collectibles I inevitably missed along the way.
Fortunately, Duskfade‘s combat and exploration have enough going for them to make the whole thing feel like more than a pretty nostalgia play…
I also love that the fast menu shows what you’ve missed, because that’s exactly the kind of small modern touch a throwback platformer needs. Classic 3D platformers were built around backtracking, but the best modern versions of that idea understand that players still need some sense of direction. Duskfade clearly understands that, because it encourages you to return to previous zones once you’ve unlocked new abilities without making the whole thing feel like a guessing game from 2002.
Combat is where I think Duskfade has the most room to grow, and based on what other players have said about the demo, I don’t think I’m alone there. I actually like the simplicity of it so far, because Zirian’s basic sword attacks, dodges, and perfect-dodge time slow fit the breezy pace of the platforming. At the same time, I can understand the concern that the lock-on, enemy feedback, and overall depth may need more polish before launch.
The good news is that I don’t think the combat is broken. If anything, it feels like a solid foundation waiting for the rest of the game to start building on top of it. Dodging feels good, the perfect dodge has a great clock-ticking flourish, and once I unlocked Chronoblast, Duskfade immediately gave me a reason to believe its combat could become much more exciting over time.
In fact, Chronoblast was easily the moment where Duskfade‘s combat really started paying off. Zirian’s sword, Minutero, can be upgraded as the adventure goes on, and this gadget lets him fire a heavy energy blast that basically turns his sword into a shotgun with recoil. It’s ridiculous, it hits hard, and it gave me exactly the kind of goofy action-platformer toy I wanted from a game like this.
Duskfade clearly understands that a great 3D platformer needs to make you want to examine every corner, ledge, side path, and suspiciously placed rail.
So yes, Duskfade‘s combat may need refinement, especially if the full game wants its action to stand next to its platforming. But the exploration already feels rewarding, the movement feels playful, and the upgrade system hints at a much fuller version of Zirian’s tool kit. For a demo, that’s more than enough to make me want to see how far Weird Beluga can take it. If nothing else, Duskfade is a world I want to stay in a little longer, and I’m looking forward to seeing where the full release ends up once it launches on August 13, 2026.
