One of my favorite RPGs from the previous decade is CrossCode, an intricate pixel action title that thrived on stellarly unique navigation, puzzle-solving, and narrative beats. For years, I wondered what Radical Fish Games, the developer, would bring to the table after establishing this lofty status quo.
And now, we’re finally getting that answer in the form of Alabaster Dawn. This new action-adventure draws on some of the team’s previous efforts to create something altogether different. A free demo was recently released, and after trying it out, I’m outstandingly impressed. Every single gameplay system here clicked magnificently, resulting in one of the best demos I have ever experienced.
Story and Setting
The Alabaster Dawn is divided into two distinct parts: a story-focused section that showcases the title’s start, with saved data from this section being compatible with the upcoming full release. Then, the second part of the demo jumps ahead in the narrative to have a playable portion of a dungeon. Narratively, Alabaster has a capable foundation, focusing on the tale of Juno, who struggles in a world dominated by a malevolent entity known as Nyx. One day, she awakens by herself in a seemingly abandoned world, only to be guided into meeting companions and tasked with gradually restoring it.
There isn’t too much to conclude about the storytelling yet, given the provided scope here, but Juno has already proved herself to be an endearing lead. Her intense outburst of reaction to her unfortunate situation strikes a chord immediately, and her dynamics with the growing supporting characters have their moments. Above all else, the sense of scale and stakes is given notable limelight, instilling the adventure with a memorable ambiance I’m eager to see fleshed out in the full release. Currently, I’m not necessarily absolutely in love with the cast, but there’s enough intrigue in place to at least set the stage effectively.
Exceptional Combat and Gameplay Feel
Regardless, the gameplay is the real draw here, and Alabaster Dawn excels in just about every design choice it pursues right out of the gate. During combat, Juno has access to distant and close-ranged weapons, with combos and learnable abilities via a skill tree system that provide new combos and stat increases. That alone doesn’t sound particularly unique, and, truthfully, the ideas here aren’t groundbreaking in terms of innovation. However, the sheer gameplay feel, enemy design, and pacing of growth are exceptional.
Juno’s swings across her sword and eventually acquired hammer are distinct in their weights, feeling terrifically responsive upon each impact. Striking foes feels absolutely sublime, doubly so when their break gauge is broken, proving ideal opportunities for laying into them.
Making matters even stronger is that some of the learnable abilities, which embrace action-game design by occurring based on timed inputs, can enhance damage output when foes are broken. I also love that you learn these skills at a healthy pace, ensuring you have enough time to familiarize yourself with each new addition. The ranged shots, where some of the clearest CrossCode origins are evident, grant appreciated coverage and are required for certain foes not reachable on foot.
It probably sounds like an exaggeration since the demo is only a couple of hours long, but everything about Alabaster Dawn’s combat has just really struck me. The standard enemies and bosses all have fair telegraphs, parries are abundantly satisfying, and the upgrade system feels meaningful. If you’re a fan of action games, then what’s here is absolutely worth experiencing.
Intuitive CrossCode-Style Puzzles
Still, that isn’t all Alabaster Dawn has going for it. Puzzles are also a prominent focus, and this is where the CrossCode evolution is most noticeable. These brain teasers require using your ranged shots and moving around blocks at the correct angles to open pathways, and they’re all impressively intuitive. The demo’s partial dungeon does a phenomenal job of showcasing the puzzle-solving that prospective players can anticipate.
My central concerns stem from the game’s portrayal of elevation. Knowing which platforms can be climbed and to what extent ranged shots can reach up high is a tad irksome.
Final Thoughts
It’s rare for a demo to sell me on a game entirely, but developer Radical Fish Games has done just that in Alabaster Dawn. Following in the steps of the beloved CrossCode is no small feat, but this stunning action RPG is proving to be worth the wait. Between an exceptional gameplay feel, remarkable combat design, cathartic puzzles, and more systems I didn’t touch on, Alabaster Dawn has the building blocks to be a genuine masterpiece when it is eventually released on Steam.
In a way, Alabaster Dawn seems so much like a “me” game that its existence looks too good to be true, akin to Square Enix’s upcoming The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, which makes me nervous about the execution. Still, I’m hopeful for what Radical Fish Games cooks up.
You can download the Alabaster Dawn demo now on PC via Steam. The game is also in development for consoles.
