Dinoblade

Dinoblade has never managed to move beyond its status as a meme from four years ago; the narrative and gameplay hardly build on this whimsical idea at all. Instead, the game becomes repetitive, loses its appeal over time due to its boring level design, and is more frustrating because of its technical shortcomings than because of any clever game design.

Dinoblade is a short and sweet experience that, while far from an innovative take on the Soulslike genre, does just enough right with its gameplay and over-the-top animations.

Dinoblade takes a wonderfully absurd premise - a prehistoric dinosaur wielding an oversized greatsword - and turns it into a genuinely captivating 15-hour action-soulslike adventure. Its greatest strength lies in its mesmerizing animation work and combat choreography. Watching a massive beast fluidly weave heavy slashes, dodges, and skill combos feels extraordinarily stylish and visually pleasing. The game expands this foundation with well-integrated progression systems, including stat customization, a rich skill tree, and thrilling boss fights that demand precise parries and timing. However, Dinoblade falls just short of action greatness due to a noticeably weak hit feedback. The lack of tactile impact makes even the most devastating slashes feel somewhat floaty, disconnecting the visual spectacle from the controller. Coupled with occasional camera issues and a limited enemy variety toward the final stretch, it slightly dampens the experience. Nevertheless, Dinoblade remains a fresh, wildly entertaining title well worth experiencing for action fans.

Dinoblade is equal parts fun and rough around the edges. There's clearly more work to be done before it can earn its place in the soulslike food chain. But its solid gameplay foundations, borrowed from its contemporaries, prove that this game can stand on its own. With an over-the-top premise centered around dinosaurs wielding greatswords, it's a game that thrives on its meme status, provided you can overlook its technical hiccups and barebones storytelling. For $20, you'll get a surprisingly serviceable soulslike that has plenty of bite and enough personality to avoid extinction in an increasingly crowded genre.

Great combat, awesome boss designs, and a soundtrack that knows exactly when to go from mournful to metal make Dinoblade some of the most fun I've had with a game in a while.