My favorite games are those who use a top down perspective because I feel like they take that design choice from The Legend of Zelda (Zelda) games, my favorite being a Link to the Past. In any case the following game feels like a Zelda game, but with some interesting design choices that makes it stand proud on its uniqueness. With Anodyne I wasn’t sure what to expect since the game kept throwing curve balls that made me raise my eyebrow more than once and it’s no wonder, due to the mature rating it has.
Anodyne’s setting is a unique and interesting one, since the game takes place inside of the protagonist’s young subconscious. There isn’t a clear reason why or how you got there, but nonetheless, after talking with some rocks that explain the basics of the game, you move a couple of screens and you find a character in a robe, after a chat you are to become ‘the savior’. Then you take the first portal and your adventure begins. Anodyne is not your typical game, for example your main weapon is the master… broom, you can attack enemies with it, but also you can use it to pick dirt and place it anywhere. This mechanic is really helpful since the dirt can block incoming beams or change the pattern of movement for some enemies. However, I feel that the was a missed opportunity combat-wise, since you just need to poke enemies with the broom and that’s it. Even during boss battles you can poke away and easily win, you just need to dodge a little and that’s it. You can get some upgrades later for the broom, but they don’t do much to keep the weapon interesting. I mean I know that it was portrayed as satire, that the legendary weapon is a broom, but at least make it fun to use.
Anodyne doesn’t pull any punches and its landscapes gives the player a good shock with how the overworld is made. For example, when you play in the first trial, you find yourself on a highway of sorts with a blockade, but when you move to the next screen you are in a completely different landscape, set of ruins. This kind of approach keeps things fresh for the player since you don’t know what you are going to see next. There is a varied cast of characters like one that was, “Peddling his Wares,” and when you talk with him again he says, “I’m not selling anything Wares is the name of my bike”. However, not everything is done for kicks and laughs; there are some really dark and perturbing moments. For instance a character that hangs himself, this, among other encounters, is what gave the game a mature rating.
The game looks good giving that it has a 16-bit aesthetic of the SNES era. For those who like to collect everything, there are cards that you can and need to collect. These cards have the portraits of the many characters you meet; some have really funny and bizarre descriptions. However, these cards act as a means to unlock new areas, so you in order to progress through the game you need to locate all of them in each area. It would be fine, IF there was a way to keep track of it, however, there isn’t. The only indication that you opened all treasure chests in an area is that a light that turns on, on every door to access each area. This sets the player up for a, sometimes, tiresome backtrack in order to look for those cards. In order to get some of them you have to pass through areas full of enemies so it’s an ordeal in itself.
Bottom Line: Anodyne gave me an interesting experience. I liked some parts of it, like the puzzles that were really challenging and fresh. However, the backtracking and frequent dead ends, and the mature themes in the game can only be enjoyed with an open mind. I can only recommend this to gamers who want to try something different. For the rest, you are better off without it.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided