Some things take a while. The originalRenaineKickstarter launched in 2017 with a projected release window of June 2018, and while everyone knows that Kickstarter dates are optimistic at best, it’s six years later andRenaineis still coming soon. This might be considered a problem except every single time I get to play the latest updated demo it’s better than the last, with more humor and weirder characters helping Aine the Phoenix Knight on her quest to defeat the ancient dragon.
The Phoenix Knight Rises Again
Renaineis cute pixel-art combat-platformer with a not-quite-8-bit style, bursting with personality to match its colorful lo-fi art. Aine and a dragon have it in for each other, and seeing as Aine is the Phoenix Knight it seems likely she’s the good guy here. Probably. Then again, the bizarre cast found in towns and combat areas is so filled with likeable weirdos that it’s possible the dragon is just another one of them and the two simply don’t get along. When the first character you meet in a game is a guy with his head on upside down looking for a potion to turn it right-side up, there’s no promise the narrative logic isn’t going to spiral out of control.
Outside of town and the handful of quests found, there’s a jump-and-slash adventure through semi-randomized levels created from hand-designed sections. Aine has a little momentum to her movement that can take getting used to, but her sword abilities are strong with a few combo options available to beat down enemies into a small shower of coins. Many creatures can also be hopped on, which works nicely with the rolling dash to help with speed runs. The dash is also designed to be used mid-air, segueing from jump to roll for a little extra horizontal distance. It’s basic action-platformer stuff, but feels good to use and provides a decent flow to the action. For getting more complicated, though, that’s where the badges come in.
PAX East 2018: Renaine Makes Successful Return to Kickstarter
Characters all over the world have jobs for Aine, and the reward is generally a badge that she can equip to provide a new ability or change an existing one. She can only equip three at a time, so there’s going to be a choice between creating a fire tornado on a strong hit, earning extra cash, forgoing any money from defeating enemies in exchange for turning coins into bees that auto-attack with you, or even upgrading Chompy’s damage. One of the best features inRenaineis Chompy, a little white dog-like (but very much not a dog) critter who you can get from a Chompy enthusiast in town, who will fight with you and can even take out a few things that you can’t damage.
CurrentlyRenainehas a (slightly buggy) demo left over from a Steam Next Fest, but the latest version was available on the PAX East floor showing off new areas and a boss encounter. It was also stripped down for speed of access, which makes sense for a version meant to be played standing up rather than comfy at home, going through the basics before introducing the desert area and Bullwhip Bones. Bones is a companion character who fights alongside Aine with powerful whip and shoulder-rush attack, and while he’s not available for long in the truncated area of this particular build, he’s got a lot of fun dialogue. After a few screens of enemies and a cutscene Aine is whisked to an underwater wrestling ring where she faces off against a giant squid boss, complete with an announcer and enthusiastic crowd of squid-fans, not to mention a ref counting down when the boss is knocked onto the mat.
Renaine may be taking a while, but it’s been charming from the start, not letting up in the slightest in its years of development. The action feels good and the dialogue is a lot of fun, and it’s been great to see the game lean into its top-notch weirdness and never let up. you may play theSteam demonow, and while it doesn’t have the PAX East boss encounter, the added depth and secrets means there’s a nice amount of gaming to be had in there.
