Dust: An Elysian Tail Critic Reviews

There is no element of Dust: An Elysian Tail that has a negative, from the jaw dropping visuals, to the excellent writing, through to the seamless combat and action. This is a stand out title in more ways than one. In a year that has Trials Evolution, Spelunky, Minecraft and Fez, this is the standalone best game on XBLA. If you only buy one game this year buy Dust: An Elysian Tail, there simply isn't enough superlatives to describe just how good it is.

Cramming this many elements into a single downloadable game seems like an audacious move, but Dust pulls it off with confidence, style, and heart, resulting in a game that deserves to be played by a lot of people.

It's a great, 2D experience that harkens back to the popular Metroidvania sub-genre of adventures games, but manages to blaze its own path and stand out as a wholly unique experience. There's certainly little like it on XBLA, and I highly suggest picking it up.

Crafted with painstaking attention to inventive detail and charm, Dust is never less than an outright joy to experience.

Although it can get repetitive at times, Dust is easily the most charming game in the entire Summer of Arcade. In fact, it's one of the most enjoyable Metroidvania/action RPG games I've ever played.

This is a game you cannot miss. The whole game offers more than many retail titles, for only 1,200 Microsoft Points. The visuals are stunning, the battle system is entertaining and there's many maps for us to explore. We can conclude by saying that it's one of the best games on Xbox Live Arcade.

With its supremely satisfying swordplay, enthralling exploration, and a story you'll want to see through to the end, Dust feels like the Xbox homage to Vanillaware's cult classics Odin Sphere and Muramasa. Though its aesthetic may turn some biased gamers away, they'll be missing out on some of the best single-player action that $15 can buy.

If you have a passion for action games, the Metroidvania style or just gorgeous animation in general, you need to play this game. It is definitely packed and more than worth the price of admission, and it is quite possibly my favorite XBLA game to come out this year. This is what Summer of Arcade was designed for.

A refreshing experience, one that reminds us of why people make games-and why we, in turn, play them. Combining quaint, charming elements with highly executed gameplay, Dust would be an impressive adventure even without the fascinating story behind its development.

The music is sensational, and though it was done by an in-house team hired by Dodrill, they definitely keep the adventurous tone flowing throughout, even with the slower town exploration themes. The voicework is great too.

A brilliant game with great art, level design and depth, let alone the very high longevity for a XBLA title. A real surprise, advised to every side-scrolling hack'n'slash lover.

The title, created almost solely by Dean Dodrill, wisely mixes the main features of action side-scrolling games, platforms and RPGs, offering a unique experience that is worthy of consideration. The music and the quality of the drawings that follow each screen are just the icing on the cake, a final touch of class in a work that takes its place in the Olympus of the best games of digital delivery.

Overall, Dust is a great game that should not be overlooked. This year's 'Summer of Arcade' has been a bit disappointing, and out of all the games released Dust:An Elsyian Tail has got to be the ruling champion. There are some big budget boxed games coming out towards the end of August, but they should not eclipse this great game that should be on everyone's 'to buy' list.

Craftsmanship and entertainment of the finest kind, and an action adventure that no-one should miss.

Dust: An Elysian Tail is made of straightforward elements built to extraordinarily high standards, and rarely loses sight of its commitment to beauty, craft, and straight-up fun.

One of the best Live Arcade of 2012. A gorgeous, lengthy Metroidvania like adventure, with a lot of contents, incredible graphics, an addictive combat system and brilliant level design.

Stunningly beautiful, ridiculously run, and incredibly well-designed. This has been a strong year for XBLA, but Dust is still a standout.

Elements of the combat, progression, and art style may have roots in other games, but they weave together in thrilling and unfamiliar ways.

Dust is not only an excellent 2D-adventure for Fans of classic action-adventures like Metroid or Castlevania, but also an incredibly charming declaration of love to the whole genre. It plays great, looks damn fine and motivates you from start to finish.

Dust: An Elysian Tail is probably one of the best XBLA titles this year. Stunning hand-drawn graphics combined with razor-sharp gameplay ensure, that this title is definitely worth a look.