Designer Dean Dodrill has created an amazing side-scrolling action game.
As the eponymous Dust, you awake from a coma without past memories and two talkative companions to take their place. From combat-heavy wilds to enchanting hub-towns, these two are with you.
One is the blade of Ahrah, a toothy sword, ever-mindful of the cosmic importance of your quests. As your only weapon, the blade of Ahrah works more like a bat than a sword. Enemies drained of life will bounce away from your strikes, putting you in the center of visually spectacular combat.
The other is Fidget, a fox/bat hybrid and provider of some comic relief. Fidget likes to break the fourth wall every now and then ("mash the buttons!"), though more practically, the creature generates humble projectiles made storm-like as you fan them with your blade. At their fullest, these explosions make you feel more like an angry weather god than a swordsman.
Regarding gameplay, Dust's rate of evolution—and the rate at which it becomes more difficult—are perfectly pitched. On the tail end of lengthy quests come new abilities, many of which give you means to navigate the world more freely. This is a lot more rewarding that just leveling up your arithmetic (max health points, damage output, etc), though you'll be doing that, too.
