Down Ward

Developer: Fisholith
Publisher: Fisholith
Release: 2019
Genre: Platform, Puzzle
Art Style: Pixel
Platforms: Steam, GameJolt

In most Puzzle-Platformers you run and jump… In this game, you fly as well, because you are a bird on a mission!

A solo dev from the United States of America, is behind the name Fisholith. Linus Siska calls the present version of Down Ward on Steam and GameJolt, a stand-alone freeware title, but he wants to expand it to what it will be his first full-length commercial game. For this reason, he runs a crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter from March 30 until May 1 2021. The developer reassures us that he won’t withdraw the free version after the conclusion of the campaign.

In this beautiful retro-styled Puzzle-Platformer, you play as an owl named Gable and you explore levels full of the ruins of a lost civilization. You have to discover all the feathers which are scattered around each level, very often in areas that seem to be inaccessible. You need these to activate the portals, which will allow you to move further in the game.

Gable is able to walk, run, jump, double jump and fly. Flying is definitely the most impressive ability with smooth animation and opens many possibilities. It allows you to overcome gaps and dangerous spikes, reach to sections high above the ground and deal with enemies. When you will master it, it will definitely be the ability of choice in the Hourglass mode.

In the first levels of the game, you won’t meet somebody, but things will become tougher, as the levels will be bigger, more complex and full of enemies as you go. There isn’t an energy bar in Down Ward. A strike by an enemy is all it takes to knock your character out and, respectively, a hit by you is enough to destroy a hostile creature.

The work of Linus Siska on the gameplay mechanics, controls and graphics is remarkable. The developer gives that retro vibe to his game with the design of the character, the backgrounds and a 4-color palette. If you don’t actually like the default one in which green is the protagonist, there are many options for you to choose from. Do you want for example something that will remind you of a Virtual Boy game? You have it!

The quality of the free version of Down Ward is a great indication of what we have to expect from the full-length game. I am looking forward to it actually!