GoKawiilDinoblade
Developer: Team Spino
Publishers: Team Spino, Boltray Games
Platform: Steam (Windows; playable on Steam Deck)
Price: Usually $20, with a 10 percent discount until July 30
A pair of comments on a Reddit thread for this trailer sums up just why video games are the best. "This looks stupid as all f***," one user said. In a reply, another wrote "Dude I know right, it's awesome." Love that.
Dinoblade began life as a meme. It has its roots in a short animation that Jean Nguyen, a senior animator for Sucker Punch, created of a Spinosaurus delivering a devastating combo with a sword that's not unlike the one Cloud uses in Final Fantasy VII. Nguyen shared the clip on Twitter/X in 2022. It blew up, and Nguyen decided to make a full game.
Spinosaurus full combo attack animation pic.twitter.com/i1KmyAmtIZ — Jean Nguyen (@JeanAnimate) August 11, 2022
Dinoblade is an action RPG that casts you in the role of said Spinosaurus with a sword in its gob. It sets out to prevent the extinction of its species (I wonder how that'll ultimately pan out?). Enemy dinosaurs wield weapons, and you can summon the souls of vanquished bosses to help you out in combat.
The general consensus seems to be that Dinoblade is both janky and fun, and that it has slick combat. At a time when the market is flooded with Soulslikes, it's refreshing to see one with such a bizarre concept, especially given that it seems to sort of work. My only complaint, without actually having played the game yet, is that I cannot really fathom why it isn't called Dinosword.
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