We recently had a chance to play the demo for upcoming action adventure game Duskfade, and came away impressed and keen to see more. While we were in the spirit, we had the opportunity to put some questions to the team at Weird Beluga, and Art Director Diego Redondo Gonzalez was kind enough to answer!
Xbox Tavern: When playing the demo, I got very strong Disney (and Kingdom Hearts) vibes in the music, art, and general atmosphere. Did you take much inspiration from them, and are there any other big inspirations that you’ve looked to when crafting Duskfade?
Diego Redondo Gonzalez: We always wanted Duskfade to feel like a heartfelt adventure with moments of joy, but also dramatic and emotional twists, very much in the spirit of classic Disney films. Those movies were a huge source of inspiration for us.
With Kingdom Hearts, the magic comes from exploring worlds based on beloved Disney films. We wanted to capture that same sense of wonder and fantasy, but by creating entirely original worlds of our own. Films like Treasure Planet and the Olympus setting from Hercules were especially influential when designing some of the game’s environments.
XT: How integral to the gameplay will the clock-theming be? Can we expect to be rewinding time, or visiting alternate timelines, things like that?
DRG: In Duskfade, time is more of a thematic and narrative element than a core gameplay mechanic. You won’t be rewinding your actions or traveling through alternate timelines.
That said, every gadget and ability is inspired by the concept of time in one way or another. The story also makes use of flashbacks, allowing players to revisit important moments from the past and gradually piece together the full narrative.
XT: The main character Zirian is joined by the charmingly pedantic Cuckoo early on. Will this pairing remain throughout the game, and will we be in control of both at individual points?
DRG: You’ll only play as Zirian, but Cuckoo will accompany him throughout the entire adventure and plays a crucial role in the story. I don’t want to reveal too much because it’s something I’d rather players discover for themselves, but Cuckoo’s role becomes increasingly important as the story unfolds.
XT: Do the levels offer scope for exploration, or will they be more linear in nature?
DRG: Duskfade is a linear adventure, but it does include backtracking as you unlock new abilities and revisit previous areas to uncover secrets and optional content.
Tick Town serves as the game’s central hub, and you’ll return there regularly throughout the adventure. While the overall progression is linear, each level offers plenty of freedom to explore every corner and discover hidden rewards.
XT: One thing that did stand out to me was the soundtrack. Can you tell us who the composer is, and perhaps a little of what we can expect for each area of the game in terms of audio soundscape?
DRG: Our composer is the incredibly talented Rafa del Olmo, who is also a member of the development team. He was responsible not only for composing the soundtrack, but also for creating the sound effects and implementing all the audio into the game. He’s done an outstanding job, and I’ve genuinely been amazed by the quality of his work. In my opinion, the soundtrack is one of Duskfade’s greatest strengths.
The score is rich and varied, ranging from epic moments to heartfelt and emotional pieces. Every playable area features both an exploration theme and a combat theme, each boss has its own unique music, and every cinematic has its own dedicated score. We also created individual leitmotifs for the main characters, helping to build a distinct musical language throughout the adventure.
XT: Do you have an idea of how long a playthrough is expected to be for Duskfade, and if there will be optional challenges and such to discover?
DRG: I’d say most players can expect their first playthrough to take somewhere between 16 and 20 hours.
Duskfade is packed with collectibles, secrets, and optional challenges. The main adventure is designed to be approachable, but players who want to achieve 100% completion will find a much more demanding experience waiting for them.
XT: Duskfade is launching on PC, PS5, Switch 2, and Xbox Series. Will the latter support the Xbox Play Anywhere program?
Yes! Duskfade fully supports Xbox Play Anywhere, so players who purchase the game digitally can seamlessly enjoy it across both Xbox consoles and PC with shared progress and achievements.
Our thanks go to Diego for his time, and we’re looking forward to playing more of Duskfade when it launches on August 13th!
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