Dark Flame Demo

Castlevania was one of the most successful RPG/platformer combinations ever released, thanks to its hardcore gameplay mechanics and dark atmosphere. Many other games tried to copy its success over the years, some of which came pretty close. While it is not so difficult to recreate a 2D classic, it’s all about getting the mechanics right, otherwise players get frustrated or bored.

Play as a knight trying to cleanse the evil from his land

Dark Flame is a modern attempt at a classic concept, which means that it carries the “retro” label with it. The game features a combination of RPG, platformer and action mechanics, as well as spells, customizable weapons and interesting level design. It’s still very early to tell, on the other hand, and it must be mentioned that there are many bugs and annoyances to sap your enthusiasm at the moment.

The story revolves around a knight by the name of Taharial, who is also a crusader. As it happens, his land is invaded by evil, namely disgusting monsters and undead creatures that attack everyone without remorse. It is your job to kill these evil creatures and get to the root of all evil, while getting stronger in the process and learning a variety of new skills and abilities.

The gameplay is a bit shaky at the moment, especially when it comes to movement and attacking. Enemies have very strange attack patterns, and it can be frustrating to avoid them. You need to get close in order to use the sword, but since enemies can dash toward you and do the same amount of damage by just touching you, it’s just too stressful to deal with sometimes. Sure, Castlevania and similar games were also designed for hardcore gamers, but they were at least fair with the players.

The controls are unreliable and disorienting as well, at least in some regards. Your knight has the ability to cast a few spells too, although you need to find them first by exploring the levels. These spells can deal a lot of damage, but it can be tricky to cast them right due to the inaccurate controls. Obviously, such problems can be easily fixed in time, but they still need to be taken care of sooner rather than later.

In the end, Dark Flame has enough potential to become a fan favorite in the end, as long as the developer keeps improving it and resolving issues. Still, it’s kind of a bother than you need to struggle with the controls at any point in time, since they are vital for a pleasant gameplay experience.