Turn Your World Upside Down

Once upon a time, an adventure game had a love child with a platformer and a new genre was born. Known as Metroidvania, these titles play like a cross between acclaimed classics Metroid and Castlevania.

Dandara, from small Brazilian team Long Hat House and publisher Raw Fury, is one of the best examples yet of this subgenre—and of what’s possible when the status quo is thrown to the wind. This stylish retro platforming adventure has intuitive controls that turn the norm upside down—in some cases literally.

As you maneuver the mythical warrior Dandara, you discover right away that this adventure doesn’t play like any other.

With your left hand on the trackpad, you stretch back, aim, and then fling the fearsome character from platform to platform. She zips from floor to ceiling and anything in between so long as there’s a proper landing spot. With your right hand on the trackpad, you sling powerful projectiles perfect for taking out the legions of warriors and creatures that cling to and crawl all over the floors, ceilings, and walls.

From the moment you first send her speeding through the air while firing at enemies, it just feels right. A smart camera system seamlessly follows her as she zips around the sprawling world. When she soars through a doorway to a new area that’s upside down, the viewpoint shifts with it.

Rest assured, there’s a robust game underneath these innovative mechanics: an original narrative around repression, an upgrade system so the character can grow and gain access to previously locked areas of the map, plus fun combat (and big battles). Getting turned around has never been more fun.

Dandara

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