Anodyne, a new downloadable title, is the closest you’ll to come to playing an SNES-era sequel to A Link To The Past. The game was developed by a team of just two developers, and (not to spoil the full review) is pretty damn good. At its core, the title stands as a magnificent tribute to Nintendo’s flagship adventure series. If you’ve got any latent nostalgia you’re looking to blow off, Anodyne was made for you.
If you’ve got a PC, Mac, or Linux set-up (read: any computer), you can download this beautiful, stylistic work for a mere $10 USD. Even if you’re not desperate for retro level design and mechanics, the art and sound direction should be enough to persuade you. The game’s pixel art stands testament to the inherent beauty of the medium. I promise that’s not an overstatement. The general aesthetic is modest, and not overly naturalistic, but provides a perfect setting considering the nature of the story.
The sound design (which features a full chip-tune soundtrack) is absolutely, brain-meltingly unique. The title’s narrative follows the journey of an introspective protagonist, and abjures Hyrule for an imaginative landscape built out of the hero’s mind. The musical backing fits this setting very well. You’ll be hard-pressed to find an indie game with such an extensive, ethereal, and relevant soundscape.
Anodyne’s soundtrack is available for purchase, download, and casual listening at the composer’s bandcamp page. You can get there through this link. It’ll run you $5.
Alternatively, you can click over here to buy the game itself, or a deluxe package including the title and the soundtrack. It’s $10 USD for the game itself, which clocks in at around 6-8 hours playtime. You can also get the title AND the soundtrack for the sweet n’ low price of twelve bucks.
If you’re on Steam, the developers have set up a Greenlight page. They’re looking for all the support they can get.
For more news and an upcoming review, keep it glued to Gear Diary.
