If there’s one factor I respect in each video games and sentences, it’s brevity. Johan Vinet, the solo developer behind Castaway, should share an analogous appreciation. The founding father of Canari Video games (LUNARK) lately launched his newest work, and it’s a punchy little sendup to The Legend of Zelda: Hyperlink’s Awakening and different moveable entries that delivers on its pint-sized promise.

Anybody who has ever performed a transportable Zelda sport will discover welcome familiarity within the opening scene of Castaway. After we first acquire management of our plucky little hero, he finds himself coming to on a desolate seashore. In contrast to Hyperlink, although, he ended up there after his spaceship plummeted from the sky. Not solely was his ship busted, however some rogue pterodactyls noticed match to nick his key gadgets and — please cowl John Wick’s eyes for this half — his beloved canine.

Whereas our hero’s highway to retribution is way extra G-rated than Wick’s, he nonetheless wants to select up a weapon and hit the puzzle-filled trails to get his gear and his pup again. The highest-down motion that follows serves as an enthralling homage to Nintendo’s action-RPG collection. Castaway is brilliantly colourful — completely mimicking the Sport Boy Colour aesthetic of titles like Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages — and gives a style of journey that’s simply potent sufficient to make its hour-ish runtime satisfying.

All informed, Martin will choose up three key gadgets throughout his journey. Naturally, all of it begins with a sword; good for clobbering creepy crawlers that sprint at you in a number of totally different kinds. There’s the usual four-legged enemy, a barely harder model that splits into tiny child creatures, and one encased in stone. The latter would require your second key merchandise: The pickaxe. A trusty hookshot rounds issues out, and by the point you get that you just’ll be capable to resolve any conundrum this small however mighty island can throw your approach.

Past a modest handful of enemy varieties, there are a number of bosses to take care of earlier than the credit roll. For probably the most half, they act as echoes of foes we’ve all fought prior to now. There’s a nefarious snake that reveals its weak spot after hitting each heads. There’s a sea monster — which can or might not be the identical snake, simply submerged this time — and so forth. The bosses are the proper summation of what’s basically a lightweight sampler platter of concepts that each one beg for some type of enlargement.

Whereas some could balk on the thought of an hour-long sport, Castaway explores simply the correct quantity of ideas earlier than it involves an in depth. It won’t be that simple to miss if different choices weren’t in place, however there’s a bit extra to dig into past the principle sport. Along with toggling varied problem choices — together with an “Unfair” mode that solely permits you to take one hit earlier than dying — there’s a Speedrun mode for individuals who wish to roll via as quick as attainable. 

The actual meat lies in The Tower. That is the opposite aspect of the coin to Castaway‘s quest, giving gamers two hearts and tasking them with making it so far as they’ll up an more and more difficult tower. Those that have mastered related video games shouldn’t have an excessive amount of bother, however it’s a good way to maintain the motion going. You’ll additionally get to spend extra time with your entire gadgets, simply in case you felt just like the hookshot got here in a bit too late to benefit from it.

When every little thing comes collectively, Castaway feels simply substantial sufficient to suggest. Many will nonetheless discover it too quick, however it’s not all unhealthy in case your solely actual criticism is that you really want extra. I like initiatives like this, and it’s one thing I’d be eager to see extra of sooner or later. You may actually inform when a developer is channeling one thing they adore and doing their greatest to place their very own spin on it and present everybody what they’ll do with a particular set of instruments. If this proves profitable, I actually hope Vinet is afforded the chance to revisit the world, or at the least one in the identical vein. For now, although, at the least I can relaxation simple realizing I acquired my canine again earlier than it even had time to overlook me. 

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}