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Windscapeis a first - person undivided - thespian adventure game that is barefacedly nostalgic , boasting a reversion style to the like of titles likeThe Legend of Zelda , Golden Axe WarriorandSecret of Mana(Dennis Witte , who developedWindscape , lists these as his childhood favourite game ) . In this sidereal day and age of gambling , this is not precisely a sheer move for a developer to make , as the indie market is heavily saturated with titles look to draw in gamers who are long for the past times . Luckily , Windscapeis both fun and well - made , though its reliance on nostalgia stops it from ever chip at out its own unique path .
InWindscape , players mistreat into the role of Ida and start the game on her farm where she lives with her parent . After a few tutorial pursuit that help rest outWindscape ’s movement and crafting systems ( which boils down to finding the ripe ingredients and combining them at the appropriate station ) , the open humankind will become usable ( along with other seeking ) . It all take on out like other adventure RPG statute title , but the plot ’s laid back approach , which apparently further players to focus more on explore than worrying about any sort of grand quest line , isWindscape ’s material strength . It ’s also the first veridical obtrusive influence that Witte ’s childhood pet have on the game .
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The combat inWindscapeis more blood-related to anElder Scrollstitle than something likeThe Legend of Zelda , with player hacking and lash in a standardized manner with swords and shields , shooting enemies from afar with bow and arrows or using magical spells . It ’s not exactly an in - depth or complex arrangement and standard enemy are never all that complicated to take out with proper timing , but it do work with whatWindscapeis get going for in both terms of complexity and aesthetic . Still , on the surface , it ’s a rather curious choice to mirror the game ’s combat afterElder Scrolls , though there ’s no denying the franchise ’s shock on sandbox - like statute title .
pursuance inWindscapeare fairly standard escapade RPG intimacy : delivery and bring quest , crafting items for other NPCs and fighting brigand in some distant cave . Every once in a while you ’ll come up across a particularly tricky puzzle room or gaffer ( this is where the game really embraces itsThe Legend of Zeldaroots ) that will really offer up a challenge if you ’re not well equipped , but all - in - all , it ’s nothing that ca n’t be subdue by learning the integral patterns thatWindscapeholds its mobs to . There is a main quest line to follow , like most titles in the genre , but again , it ’s designed in such a way that histrion will never feel rushed to complete it .
While the character modelling are n’t exactly pleasing to the oculus , the world itself is beautifully crafted and structure . Building and townspeople placement is lucid enough to where role player will never find like they ’re wandering aimlessly too long before getting to the next colony . There are times when it ’s a little tough to actuallywalkaround and move itself probably could have used a little more fine tuning to work better on steeper side ( especially during combat ) but it ’s never really biz - breaking .
Windscapehas a lot going for it but throughout its rather brusque 10 to 15 60 minutes run time ( look on frolic style ) there ’s a sensation that it lack its own identity . There ’s a littleThe Legend of Zeldahere , sr. Scrollsthere and even a slightMinecraftfeel with its visuals , but there ’s little in the game that feel wholly original . Worse , the car-mechanic it does lift from other titles are not enhanced in any way , even though they ’re obviously fondly apply . And unlike a lot of its inspirations , Windscapedoesn’t really pack a lot of rematch value , as most quests are n’t enjoyable enough to be play more than once and it lacks difficulty levels .
Despite its nonstarter to create an identity for itself , Windscapeis still a charming and fun little throwback game that ’s at least deserving a trek through its colored and risk - sate existence . Witte ’s love for retro adventure RPGs fuel the rubric and his love for those game is ostensible throughout . It ’s just a shame thatWindscapeleaned so hard into nostalgia or else of taking some risk of exposure and expanding on its intriguing sandpit scope .
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Windscapeis available now on Xbox One , Nintendo Switch and PC for $ 19.99 . Screen Rant was provided an Xbox One written matter for the purposes of this critical review .
