Review: Castaway

If there is one thing I appreciate in games and sentences, it is brevity. Johan Vinet, the lone creator behind Castawaymust share similar appreciation. Founder of Canari Games (LUNARK) has recently released his latest work, which is a miniature, witty parody The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening and other portable devices that deliver on the promise of their miniature size.

Anyone who has ever played on a portable console Zelda the game will find a welcome acquaintance in the opening scene Castaway. When we first take control of our plucky little hero, he finds himself regaining consciousness on a deserted beach. Unlike Link, he ended up there after his spaceship fell out of the sky. Not only was his ship destroyed, but some rogue pterodactyls saw fit to steal his key items and — please cover your eyes, John Wick, for this part — his beloved dog.

While our hero’s path to revenge is much more G-rated than Wick’s, he still must pick up a weapon and navigate puzzle-filled trails to reclaim his gear and his pup. The top-down action that follows is a charming homage to Nintendo’s action-RPG series. Castaway It’s incredibly colorful, perfectly emulating the Game Boy Color aesthetic in titles like Oracle of the Seasons AND Oracle of the Ages — and offers a taste of adventure robust enough to satisfy the viewer for an hour-long film.

To recap, Martin will pick up three key items on his journey. Naturally, it all starts with a sword; perfect for pummeling the creepy crawlies that come at you in a few different forms. There’s your standard four-legged foe, a slightly tougher version that splits into small creatures, and one encased in stone. The latter will require your other key item: a pickaxe. A trusty grappling hook completes the package, and once you’ve got it, you’ll be able to solve any puzzle this miniature but mighty island can throw your way.

Aside from the meager handful of enemy types, there are a few bosses to contend with before the credits roll. In most cases, they’re echoes of enemies we’ve all fought in the past. There’s a villainous snake that reveals its feeble point when you hit both heads. There’s a sea monster — which may be the same snake, but submerged this time — and so on. The bosses are the perfect wrap-up for what’s essentially a lightweight collection of ideas that all beg for some form of expansion.

While some may be reluctant to the idea of ​​an hour-long game, Castaway explores just the right amount of concept before it comes to an end. It might be effortless to miss if not for the other options, but there’s a bit more to explore outside of the main game. In addition to toggling through different difficulty options — including an “Unfair” mode that lets you take just one hit before dying — there’s a Speedrun mode for those who want to roll through as quickly as possible.

The real meat lies in The Tower. This is the other side of the coin Castawayquest, giving players two hearts and tasking them with reaching as high as they can on an increasingly challenging tower. Those who have mastered similar games shouldn’t have too many problems, but it’s a great way to keep the action going. You’ll also get to spend more time with all of your items, in case you feel like the hook came a little too overdue to make full apply of it.

When it all comes together, Castaway seems substantial enough to recommend. Many will still find it too tiny, but it’s not bad if your only real complaint is that you want more. I love projects like this and would love to see more of them in the future. You can really see when a developer takes something they love and does what they can to put their own spin on it and show everyone what they can do with a specific set of tools. If this works out, I hope Vinet gets to revisit the world, or at least in the same style. But for now, I can rest effortless knowing I got my dog ​​back before he could miss me.