We’ve been excited for the release of Windswept, a new pixel art platforming adventure from developer WeatherFell and publisher Top Hat Studios, and have now had a chance to play through it. The retro-inspired title is out now on Steam, reviewed here, as well as Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 & 5, and Xbox One & Series X|S. The bottom line is that Windswept is a quality platforming romp that takes all the best ideas from the genre and builds on them while wrapping it all up with some exquisite pixel art and beautifully retro sounds.
It’s also brutally hard in all the best ways, which will satisfy those veterans wanting a true challenge. But don’t be put off, if you’re new to retro platforming or a casual admirer, as you can simply jump and leap through most stages without having to tackle grabbing all the collectibles. There is, however, a lot more under the hood, and Windswept is staking a claim to be one of the retro games of the year, if not one of the indie games of the year. Let’s leap into the details.
There isn’t much of a story to Windswept beyond the dynamic duo of Marbles the duck and Checkers the tortoise trying to get home. That said, what more do you need from a 90s-inspired platformer? The story isn’t important; the journey and fun are what count. And fun is what this one is all about, albeit with a huge side order of challenge. This has all the hallmarks of a classic platformer with its engaging platforming, light puzzles, and varied combat. There is also a lot to collect in each level, which ranges from simple coin collecting to full-on platforming mastery and expert puzzle solving. The large range of challenges means there is also a lot of replay value.
The great thing about Windswept is just how versatile the two characters are. Not only do they have unique moves, strengths, and weaknesses, but they also combine in several ways that create different ways to conquer levels, find secrets, and take down enemies. The controls are also intuitive enough that none of the extra moves feel like gimmicks, but rather like on-the-fly maneuvers that test your platforming skills to the limit. Of course, you can simply play this like a traditional platformer and speed run through each level, but that would mean you miss large sections of the challenges that lie in aiming to collect everything in each level, as well as complete all the mini-game levels hidden within.
A brilliant aspect is the variety in the level structure that keeps the journey fresh. From complex platforming sections to delicate waterways that require you to squeeze past enemies. There are also interesting mechanics, such as honey that slows you down as well as lets you grip to walls, and brilliant parts that require some thought before executing your move. This inevitably leads to lots of retrying certain trickier sections, but thankfully, well-placed checkpoints crop up so you won’t need to replay large sections all that often. Windswept is also finely balanced between tough and challenging, and engaging and fun; the developers have thought hard on how to please most gamers with this one.
It’s not all rosy on the gameplay front, though. During our playthrough, there were challenges that depended on having both characters. This isn’t a bad aspect until we needed to travel through lots of hard enemies, then track back to the area where the challenge was. It seemed to just cause a lot of unnecessary retrying, as we’d occasionally lose our second character trying to get back to the challenge and would have to purposefully die to reset things. That said, this makes Windswept feel like a true homage to the era of gaming it so beautifully portrays. To put a positive spin on it, you could also just look at this as adding even more longevity to the game.
Another important aspect of any good platformer is boss battles. Windswept keeps this trope alive and well, with each locale having a big bad to take down. Each boss fight is unique, with many requiring you to use some of the more advanced techniques as well as learn the attack pattern. The bosses also have charm and personality about them, much like the rest of the game. A few other interesting gameplay parts are the helpful creatures you can ride on, each with a unique ability. Just like in Donkey Kong Country, they break up the game and provide a bit of extra fun. There are also super-hard secret levels to unlock by spending collectables at the shop waypoints.
Overall, Windswept is a delight from the start with great controls, colorful pixel art, chirpy chiptunes, and a variety of mechanics. It isn’t easy; many of the levels will require plenty of retries, but that is all part of the retro feel and also ensures it has the longevity needed to keep fans coming back. It also has some options that can take the difficulty down a notch for those struggling or make it even harder for those wanting the ultimate platforming challenge. This is a fine example of the genre and has clearly had a lot of love poured into it by developers who understand what makes these kinds of games a classic. Thoroughly recommended for retro platform fans.
