It’s no secret that 3D Dot Game Heroes openly apes The Legend of Zelda. I’m not going to try and refute that because it’d be just as pointless as claiming the sky is plaid. So yes, Atlus’ latest does indeed “borrow” a metric ton of ideas and systems from one of Nintendo’s greatest. They’ve copied just about everything, changed a little and in some cases missed a bit, but for all intents and purposes this game is a satirical 3D followup to one of Link’s (older) random adventures. But does that make it a fantastic celebration of all things Old-School, or just a lame knock-off with an adorable face? Well, it’s actually somewhere in the middle.

First let’s talk about the graphics: They’re amazing in their simplicity. Everything in all of Dotnia is made up of these little blocks. The environments are colorful and vibrant, feature some clever characterizations and specific areas even make use of some pretty impressive lighting. Blurring of foreground and background objects help to add to that 3D feel, and there are some surprisingly complex particle effects that come into play in different areas or when you dispatch an enemy. I would almost go as far as to call 3D Dot Game Heroes “gorgeous.” If not for the drab, visually boring and virtually identical dungeons it would probably be one of my favorite games ever in a graphical sense. Sadly all that vibrant color gets muted as soon as you step into one of Dotnia’s six dungeons. And they all look the same.

Another big aspect of 3D Dot Game Heroes‘ look would have to be the character editor. Within the dimensional limitations and small color palette lies an unlimited number of possibilities. Looking around online at various message boards or even Atlus’ own Hall of Heroes is evidence enough of just how well the gaming community has taken to creating their own 3D 8-bit characters. I spent about two hours refining my own version of Dead Space‘s Isaac Clarke before even starting my game, and I have to admit I’m rather proud of him. It’s even possible that 3D Dot Game Heroes will end up being remembered more for its editor than for its gameplay.

Rob's 3D Isaac Clarke – Awww! Ain't he cute?!

And speaking of gameplay, it’s decidedly Old-School. Movement is basic (up, down, left, right and diagonally in-between), the controls are simple to grasp and you have a small arsenal of secondary items to use along with your sword. For the most part it all works well. It’s not a step above its obvious inspiration but it’s a faithful recreation. However there are times when the game’s environment and quirky control sensitivities will be your undoing. I was ferried back to the beginning of every dungeon more times than I care to remember because of my sword failing to swing after hitting a pillar. Or failing to thrust because I was too close to a wall and for some reason that stopped my sword even though I was standing next to it. Or getting hit by an enemy and suddenly facing the wrong direction leading to getting hit a few more times as I attempt to backpedal and turn the right way simultaneously. Or my personal favorite, entering a room and having an enemy poof into existence literally right on top of me.

As for the story, you’re better off not worrying about it. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just the same story we’ve all heard a hundred times now: Save the world from an ancient evil, you’re the descendant of a legendary hero, yadda-yadda-yadda. This is not to say that you should skip the dialogue though. Far from it, in fact. You see, 3D Dot Game Heroes knows you’ve heard this story a thousand times, and it will intentionally make fun of itself for it. It even goes so far as to change things up a bit if you start a New Game+, with the king saying something along the lines of “I know you’ve heard this all before so I’ll just skip to the good stuff.” Throw in a massive amount of “cameos” and references to lots of other games and the story goes from “Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt,” to “Haha! I remember that!” or “LOL, that was in this other game!”

Accompanying all of this is a fantastic score that both fits the mood of each situation and hearkens back to that other game without using any specific sound bites. I’m not too fond of the Item Acquisition Tune, but the music for the different dungeons, towns and various zones of the overworld all stand out and aren’t easily forgotten. I’ve been humming the main theme to myself for days. So, taken on its own merits 3D Dot Game Heroes actually has a brilliant soundtrack, and one I hope to get my hands on someday.

Being the kind of gamer I am (crazy for weirdness), I adore 3D Dot Game Heroes because of its look and humor. That said, without those qualities I’d probably have a tough time recommending it to people as it’s exactly like its core inspiration and has more than a few nagging issues. I suppose it’ll do for me to say if you know what you’re getting into and think it sounds like fun, you’d do well to give 3D Dot Game Heroes a try. Everyone else should probably stay clear.

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Things We Liked: Fantastic sense of humor. Wonderful soundtrack. Gorgeous “Modern Old-School” graphics (as long as you stay outdoors).

Things We Disliked: Annoying sword-swinging mechanics. Questionable environmental puzzles. Cookie-cutter dungeons.

Target Audience: Old-School 8-Bit enthusiasts. Quirky Japanese game fans.

(3D Dot Game Heroes – Developer: Silicon Studio. Publisher: Atlus. Available on PlayStation 3. A copy of the game was provided by the publisher for review purposes. New to CFD!’s reviews? Read our explanation here.)