Death's Door Review (Q09066930)
Seasons don't fear the reaper
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain...
TL;DR
...and yet the people mostly do. As one of the only living creatures with a self-preservation instinct that can comprehend the inevitability of death, we have come far enough in terms of escapism and cultural beliefs to counter existential fear. Social anthropologists explain the phenomenon through a terror management theory, underlining that most human actions and beliefs are the emotional and intellectual response to the basic survival mechanism. Death's Door investigates these themes, the meaning of mortality and the grim reaper symbolism associated with fear of death, in a glorious combination of noir, weird comedy, and a mapless Zelda-like exploration. It is a kind of slow burner that shines most brightly when you get its bizarre tone and imaginative implications later in the game (upon meeting Jefferson).
Full Review
I have bought Death's Door without too much contemplation. There were two reasons for that: 1) I am a bird enthusiast, and the crow looked badass; 2) Devolver Digital maintains a certain level of quality and entertainment that I appreciate. That is a typical impulse purchase; no investigation whatsoever, just a compulsion to buy something that scratches an itch on the back of the subconscious. The first impression was not a good one, though. I quickly realized that the cool crow with the glowing sword does not fly or glide, the game world is gloomy and absurd, and a map, which is something of a common courtesy these days, is absent. What the heck? I imagined the game to be entirely different! That is when I started contemplating. Usually, I abandon games that I do not immediately love. Not this time. Despite the first impression, Death's Door managed to intrigue. Why do we play as a bird that cannot flap its wings? How can you throw such silly jokes in what feels like a noir? What is it about those flowery creatures following us in a Letkajenkka dance? Questions, too many questions. When the mind adjusted to the absurdist composition, questions transformed into shticks that lightened up the heavy subject matter. Only a good artist can balance it out, and the duo behind Death's Door achieved it magnificently!
As for the gameplay, it is a Zelda-like action-adventure that might be hard to master. Be ready to explore a lot, fight a lot, and solve puzzles a lot. Some of them riddles are really tricky! You will have to traverse the same areas with lots of mobs again and again without a map or guidance (that part I did not like). Boss fights are tight because of the crow's low health. And sometimes, the game will throw vile surprises at you when you do not expect any significant struggle. Yep, it is not an easy ride. Fighting requires patience. Additional weapons can alter the fighting style, but it is necessary to locate them first. All in all, confronting enemies feels both balanced and complicated, as the correct distance and speed could be tricky to identify. I would recommend upgrading the Haste ability first because the crow protagonist will be too slow to avoid attacks without it.
The fictional universe of Death's Door is beautiful and captivating, with a catchy art style and great care for detail. Some might say it reminds of the works of Studio Ghibli, and I agree to an extent: forest spirits do resemble the Kodama from Princess Mononoke, but that is only a hint of possible inspirations. Creatures that populate the in-game world are strange, enchanting, and sometimes outright disturbing, despite their cartoonish appearance. I am not sure what makes it so memorable, but there is a certain aftertaste to every place you visit. Besides, I always pay attention to sound design and music. David Fenn, both a sound designer and a music composer at Acid Nerve, did a fantastic job – I especially like The Foretold Crow and The Old Watchtowers combo near the game finale. You know it should be something special when that particularly haunting note gives you shivers each time you hear it.
This game is a strange experience. I enjoyed my time with it more than I anticipated after the initial playing session. That does not happen often.
Follow my curations:
A Crow's Nest & Metal Shrike