Dust: An Elysian Tail
Dust: An Elysian Tail is an action role-playing video game developed by American independent designer Dean Dodrill, published by Microsoft Studios. It was released for Xbox 360 through Xbox Live Arcade in August 2012, and subsequently for Microsoft Windows in May 2013, for Linux and OS X in December 2013, and for PlayStation 4 in October 2014. A version for the Nintendo Switch was announced at E3 2018 and was released in September 2018.
| Dust: An Elysian Tail | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Humble Hearts |
| Publisher(s) | Microsoft Studios Limited Run Games (Switch) Humble Hearts (GOG.com, PlayStation 4) |
| Designer(s) | Dean Dodrill |
| Writer(s) | Dean Dodrill Alex Kain |
| Composer(s) | Hyperduck Soundworks Alexander Brandon |
| Engine | XNA |
| Platform(s) | Xbox 360 Microsoft Windows Linux OS X PlayStation 4 iOS Nintendo Switch |
| Release | XBLA
|
| Genre(s) | Action role-playing, hack and slash, Metroidvania |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Dust takes place in a world populated by anthropomorphic animals, where the main character, Dust, comes upon a sentient sword, the Blade of Ahrah, and its guardian Fidget. Without memories of his past, Dust follows Fidget's advice and aids the population of the world against forces led by General Gaius. The game is an action-adventure game with Metroidvania-style exploration, requiring the player to gain power-ups to allow Dust to reach new areas. Combat is based on brawler-like mechanics, where Dust can use a combination of swordplay and magic from Fidget to defeat enemies. Dodrill compiled nearly all of the game's programming and assets himself, relying only on external help for voice acting, narrative, and the game's soundtrack.
Dust received generally positive reviews praising the game particularly for its art style. The game has sold more than a million copies as of March 2014.