Anodyne 2: Return to Dust Reviews

Anodyne 2: Return to Dust is ranked in the 48th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Unscored
Aug 12, 2019
Anodyne 2: Return to Dust Review video thumbnail
Aug 12, 2019

Anodyne 2: Return to Dust is a game that defies classification, but if I had to make an effort to describe it, I’d call it a combination of The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages, Super Mario 64, and Jade Cocoon. Then again, you never know when it’ll decide to be something else entirely, diving headlong into a different genre and experience that you had no reason to expect based on what came prior, but that’s polished and unexpectedly enjoyable nevertheless.

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6 / 10.0
Aug 11, 2019
Anodyne 2: Return to Dust (ACTUAL Game Review) [PC] video thumbnail
Unscored
Jun 22, 2020

Games can often feel like some kind of sorcery, impossibly complex and created by people with inhuman ability. But they’re just people. Highly talented people, but still. Anodyne 2 is not sorcery, but it is a kind of magic, an ordinary magic that is all the more exceptional because of it.

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Liked
Feb 27, 2021

An emotional journey with a strong and surreal art direction that may not be for everyone.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Feb 20, 2021

I enjoy most of the games that I review, but occasionally one takes me by surprise. This brilliant indie title’s success is down to a combination of factors. A wonderful story that reimagines long-forgotten titles, the detailed approach of the touching audio and the pace and lore of the core tale. I know this won’t be for everyone, but I recommend you take a gamble and buy it here! The world of New Theland has become corrupted and a microscopic plague is taking over. Can Nova save humanity and restore order before its too late?

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Liked-a-lot
Mar 21, 2021

Anodyne 2: Return to Dust mixes its two art styles in such a way that it culminates in a highly enjoyable gaming experience. Where some developers continue the endless arms race of best graphics possible. Here they return to the olden days and create something quite profound and memorable. Exploring the 3D landscapes was soothing for the soul, knowing when I did get bored of it there was fun Zelda like dungeons to enjoy after. Anodyne 2 reminded me of the old days of gaming in all the right ways.

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9 / 10.0
Mar 22, 2021

Anodyne 2: Return to Dust is a surprisingly fascinating game. Merging 3D and 2D gameplay, it offers a vast world for exploration and fascinating microcosms that allow the player to sift through the feelings and obsessions of New Terreland residents. Despite some small problems, it is an adventure game whose universe is thought-provoking and invites the player to dive into its history.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

Feb 22, 2021

An essential must play experience

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8 / 10.0
Mar 26, 2021

Anodyne 2: Return to Dust is a good example of taking chances with blending in several styles in order to tell a story. While the concept itself is nothing new, often it’s taken too far and too many styles are attempted and the whole experience just either comes apart or is a mess to play. Thankfully, that is definitely not the case here and I both look forward to both the developer’s next project and to finally sitting down to the original Anodyne.

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75 / 100
May 12, 2021

Anodyne 2: Return to Dust offers us an interesting platform and adventure title that is very reminiscent of the Zelda saga in many of its aspects. Its playability combining 3D and 2D aspects is very effective and original, with very imaginative designs that makes us feel in a dream world with a very successful feeling. Its retro look directly appeals to the nostalgia of those old PSX titles and offers a very good feeling to the player.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Jul 15, 2021

Anodyne 2 is a narrative-focused action-adventure title with puzzles, combat, and exploration. Rid New Theland of Dust and learn about the residents as you venture inside them to cleanse their souls. Anodyne 2 offers substantial social commentary and will leave the audience thinking about and reconsidering their life choices.

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Mar 10, 2021

Anodyne 2 is a strangely nostalgic action-adventure puzzle game with a story that sticks with you before and after the end.

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65 / 100
Nov 12, 2021

This is a pretty hefty title as well when it comes to content, as there are plenty of worlds to discover, numerous places to go, and lots of cards and dust to collect throughout the journey. There are some bizarre design decisions, and the disappointing map in the 3D world makes traveling much harder than it should be. However, everything does work, the story is engaging, and there is a lot to chew on here, but this is one of those titles that is simply not going to please everyone, especially in every way. I do recommend Anodyne 2: Return to Dust within reason, as I do believe it is a good game overall, but this may be an easier pill to swallow when the price is discounted.

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Essential
Mar 19, 2021

This successor to a quirky Zelda-like is so much more, resulting in a profoundly emotional and enjoyable experience.

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5.8 / 10.0
Feb 18, 2021

Perhaps it's me, and I'm just an impatient gamer, but this is one of those titles that simply takes too long to get off the ground and even when it did the story threads weren't enough to justify too much generic gameplay...

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Mar 19, 2021

Anodyne 2: Return to Dust is a fantastic indie that captures 2 bygone eras beautifully so if you like trippy games, you need to play it.

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Cubed3
Athanasios
Top Critic
7 / 10
Aug 28, 2019

While just a 10 to 15-hour adventure, more crazy things happen in Anodyne 2: Return to Dust than in any other 100-hour RPG. What starts as a simple 3D explorer/platformer and Zelda-esque dungeon crawler, soon turns into a journey through a realm that is otherworldly beyond any doubt, and yet manages to feel so familiar... like a faint memory, or a place you paid a visit in your sleep. It's not a game that was designed to be experienced by everyone, yet everyone is advised to experience it, if only for its beautiful, vintage PS1 visuals.

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7 / 10.0
Mar 1, 2021

Anodyne 2 is a game that the farther away I'm from playing it, the more I'll think about it fondly. In a year I'll only remember the amazing atmosphere and setup that led to the scary chase sequence and forget how difficult to control that section of the game was. Right now, I'm living with all the great things and the frustrations simultaneously.

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5 / 10.0
Mar 31, 2021

This game is not ordinary. Some players will be contented, but others will be bored.

Review in Slovak | Read full review