The Tarnishing of Juxtia review

Ready for another fantasy-themed, 2D title with Soulslike combat? The Tarnishing of Juxtia is fun but overly formulaic.

There are a multitude of modern games that force players to commit to every attack. The philosophy can be seen in the oft-sluggish strikes of Capcom’s Monster Hunter series, where a weapon swing is weighty, accompanied by animations that can last for several seconds. The exceeding small opportunity for canceling across FromSoftware’s Dark Souls series ensures that every offensive maneuver isn’t arbitrary. Success only comes from seizing an opening and letting loose with an attack that leaves you quite vulnerable.

Building on the ever-growing catalog of 2D Soulslikes, The Tarnishing of Juxtia offers yet another interpretation of the formula used by titles like Hollow Knight, Dead Cells, Ender Lilies, and Souldiers. While map exploration and item management all feel familiar, distinction is rooted in the game’s combat system. Here, developer Actual Nerds doubles down on the need for commitment, making almost every encounter intense.

The Clever Combatant Occasionally Avoids a Fight

The game’s storytelling is expressed through succinct text-based narration. You play as the youngest offspring of the Goddess Juxtia. As the game’s title implies, the deity’s once vibrant domain has been defiled and you’re the one destined to fix the whole mess. This trek will take you through 15 different biomes and pit you against 14 different bosses, so there’s probably 15-20 hours of exploration and fighting. But there’s also a troubling amount of frustration, even in a genre known for causing infuriation.

The Tarnishing’s protagonist is equipped with a fairly standard skillset. While your jumps aren’t especially powerful, they’re supplemented by the ability to pull yourself up ledges. Additionally, you have an indispensable dodge-roll. When it’s applied at the end of a leap, you’ll be able to clear wide gaps.

But mostly, you’ll be using the technique to evade enemies who foreshadow their attacks by divulging build-up animations. Like any respectable Soulslike, the shrewd warrior will often elude fights that can wear away at your health. But occasionally, Juxtia will box you into a room, forcing you to demonstrate your dodging dexterity. The game’s combat is mostly restrained to horizontal planes. But that means if there’s a group of foes on the same platform, it can be difficult to see their attack animations when opponent sprites overlap.

Infinitesimal Improvements to Gear

Across your journey, you’ll pick up different armor pieces and weapons. The former can be equipped across three different areas of your body. But beyond some minor risk/reward decisions, you’ll probably outfit yourself with the most recently found defensive garb. When it comes to offensive gear, there’s more variety, with traditional fantasy gear like polearms, swords, and daggers. Each weapon presents its balance of speed, power, and combo length, allowing players to use a device that complements their playstyle. If you appreciate the extra power that charged weapons offer, there are even a few arms that will let you wield some substantial power at the cost of an even longer wind-up. Additionally, Juxtia provides ranged magic attacks that are effective at softening up opponents but closely regulated by a mana meter.

Tarnishing differentiates itself from peers by rewarding players brave enough to perform multi-hit combos. Land several hits in short succession and you’ll be rewarded with an Energy Rush. When this happens, gauges glow fiery red and the mode provides a significant boost to the recharging capabilities of your stamina and mana pools. Getting an Energy Rush often requires putting yourself at risk, but perhaps you’ll find the results are worth taking a gamble. Expectedly, it’s an essential maneuver during the game’s boss battles. However, these encounters tend to grow a bit tedious, with too much reliance on your limited defensive abilities.

Over time, you’ll gain new abilities by defeating bosses as well as equippable brandings, which attempt to offset the monotony. The biggest benefit is these new aptitudes help to produce different protagonist builds. But they don’t solve one of the game’s fundamental flaws- exploration isn’t all that gratifying. Beyond finding fountains that let you heal and restore your healing capabilities, Juxtia feels more like a linear action game than a Metroidvania with a labyrinthine map. Sure, there are the occasional rewards strewn just off the beaten course, but the enjoyment of discovery is muted. The persistent need to sprint back to the nearest restorative fountain isn’t enjoyable since there are no experience points to be gained.

Conclusion

The Tarnishing of Juxtia is a serviceable but rather unremarkable 2D soulslike. While the game’s fundamentals are competent, the experience is undermined by a reliance on formula. The biggest divergence from the genre is an emphasis on approaching battles with a heightened level of prudence. And when a window of opportunity opens, dishing out as much damage as feasibly possible. Had Juxtia arrived a few years ago, it might be an easy recommendation. But with an abundance of quality 2D Soulslike action and not enough individuality, The Tarnishing has limited appeal.

The Tarnishing of Juxtia was played on PC
with review code provided by the publisher.