Zefyr: A Thief's Melody

Zefyr is an effusive love letter to classic adventure games like the Wind Waker, but it's also a solid game in its own right. The platforming and movement in particular are extremely well done, surpassing many AAA games in fluidity and responsiveness. It is still an indie game, so there are little quirks and flaws. Writing throughout the game is *filled* with grammatical mistakes, even in very prominent places (you are a member of the Thief Guild... membership of one, apparently). And a few levels expect you to know about mechanics that the game hasn't introduced before (look for a switch to move this pipe - what do you mean you didn't know pipes could move?) And there are extended segments that inexplicably don't have any music. But at $20 it's a great value for a game that revels (but doesn't get mired) in nostalgia.

I'm not picky when it comes to games. I'm a content creator myself who works for many years solo on own projects. I know how hard it is especially if it's a passion project. BUT especially since I also write, frame out characters, plot, lore story and put it into something visible, I see only flaws here. Keep in mind it's my own opinion and not a general rule.Means you can add a "To me" before all of my critique. Issues: -Bad graphic. And with bad I mean bad. I love psx games, I even grew up with NES games, the simplest. I played free games online that have a very bad graphic. But here it's just "bad". The colors, dull, not vibrant. The textures and shadings, bad or not existent. The 2d sprites don't look like they were made with any love (and I say it as artist so I know what I talk of), parts are missing (the ears have no holes and there are not even streaks leading to them?) they look like taken 3d Assets from programs like CSP and drawn over in a bad way -Same with the models, the eyes look like mirrored copy pasted eyes (fish eyes) , dead and not inviting or "alive". -It more feels like a boy's fever dream of all cool things they like : We have Eiko that does not even fit to the rest. Name is different, outfit looks like son goku copy, then we have lia sitting there with the others in a modern setting with modern clothes but living in a house looking like medieval??? in general it's like mixing medieval with modern having a computer, but no proper roof etc... -no explanations. You are thrown in with barely any dialogue whatsoever do missions here, do missions there, before you have to endure way too long camera sequences of a 3d setting that isn't even worth it (gladly you can skip it) with repetitive music -you get random notes play (i mean it says melody) but from the hour that I played I didn't see ANYthing suiting that topic but more mix of ninja, son goku etc. I played it because I got it free in a bundle with another game and thought I like adventure jumping games so why not. But even I could not endure it. There is no passion I see, no heart put into. But all that boys would hype in a teenage body. I read from others it even gets worse or more there is no good deep plot, copy of Zelda, its repetitive , repetitive ai-enemies and repetitive music etc. but I cannot judge it because I won't play that long (I think ) To say, it would not even be great for early access. I know other solo developed games that are way better espeicially in the indie branche. This game tries to be something else that it's not. and that's the biggest flaw. It doesn't try to be unique, emotional or "pretty". It tries to copy all cool things you liked back then about other games and it's just an issue.

This is an incredibly charming game, clearly a real passion project. I love the open world, I really like the environment design, and the story isn't bad either. It's just really fun to play, simple but captivating. Big recomendation for any fans of Zelda or Sly Cooper.

As soon as the game started the art and environments were beautiful and made me want to explore. Reminds me of Jak and Daxter the Precursor Legacy. Having art direction and style is something this game has that most big budget games don't.

一人十二载的守望，不错的类塞佳作。 （16.8h 100%收集 ＋ 全成就） ①地图及人物美术 第一眼相当粗糙和简约，人物的建模更是难绷，但作为小作坊并不要求太多。地图区分度挺高的，完全不怕迷路，垂直分层很清晰，地图辅助也做的一般，每层分的很清晰。后期买了[spoiler] 花卉、动物、宝藏[/spoiler] 检测器之后补全收集也还算方便。 ②引导及教学 地图引导烂到姥姥家了，一旦涉及找东西的解密，必然是零引导让你硬找。其次就是地图和检测器难绷的结合，有些时候你以为在第二层，实际上是第一层的外围往上走一点的地方。 还有就是虽然地图会分层，但每一层的高度是不确定的，有些时候很高一大段墙都只能看平面图，找[spoiler] 蜥蜴那种小动物眼睛都要废掉了[/spoiler] 。 ③角色机制设计 前中期跑路非常局限，大图有[spoiler] 海龟高速[/spoiler] 挺爽的很有自由感，但是陆地上连个加速都没有[spoiler] （橙色加速跳跃会中断也不实用）[/spoiler] ，相当难受。后期有[spoiler] 抓钩之后就像变了一个游戏了，机动性大增，和失败的man一样到处飞[/spoiler] 。 战斗设计几乎没有，要么硬莽aaa，要么放冷箭一刀秒，这个游戏潜行收益不咋地。解谜基本都是开头找个通行证进去之后分路线开开关，非常经典的类塞套路，但做得不算死板。 boss也没什么存在感，解谜大于战斗。 ④收集品设计 逆天完了。如果你要打100%收集，那就尽量前期就把[spoiler] 画作、花卉、宝藏、动物检测买了（共1500，最好中期买到，有道场任务就马上去，钱不够就拿现有的花拿去卖钱）[/spoiler] ，不然后期你看到你要[spoiler] 地图花卉全收集（661）、动物全收集（130）[/spoiler] 还得到处会去找，又加上这个游戏不支持随处传送的话，你会感觉相当疲惫。 ⑤杂项 1.部分地图关卡存在严重漏洞！ 点名批评[spoiler] 沙堡，全游戏对于后面补收集最不友好的地方，纯傻逼的设计。当你第一次通过沙堡并击败boss，你会发现之前可以进入工厂的地方都被沙子堵了，也就是说之前的常规入口直接不让进了，近乎死档，根本补不了收集。等到后期我灵光乍现用抓钩从底下大洞进去了，才好不容易补了全收集。[/spoiler] 第二个就是[spoiler] 抓钩道场，纯恶意垃圾设计，也是零引导，你必须知道可以用弓箭、炸弹触发踏板，否则你根本不可能出得去，和死档没区别。其次就算你知道了，由于弓箭、供应有限而且踏板很远你需要不断试错，弓箭没了照样死档没商量（纯傻逼设计）。我算运气好的初见弓箭比较多过了，第二次补全收集弓箭也带够了。所以一定要带够弓箭和炸弹再来！[/spoiler] 2.还是引导，烂中烂，没见过这么烂的，要有良好的游玩体验一定要看攻略。 一些游玩建议： ①地图上能看到[spoiler] 轻羽岛和凝神岛[/spoiler] 的时候赶紧去，会送两个强力道具方便收集。 ②每个[spoiler] 道场[/spoiler] 多看墙壁，尽量一次收集全，不然补收集特别特别坐牢。 ③地图收集简单，但是[spoiler] 沙堡的地图藏得很傻逼，在你打完boss的地方西北方向的洞里开宝箱获得。[/spoiler] ④[spoiler] 大地守护者攻击方式是用炸弹炸它的胸口使它张开翅膀，然后用卡拉果丢它的核心（以上重复三次）[/spoiler] 。 总评：8.2/10，中等偏上的类塞佳作，游玩体验和关卡设计都相当不错，剧情白开水，也有不少设计上的痛点。不过一个人能坚持12年，让我相当佩服。

OMG! While my system is not skimpy, this game runs worse than anything else I've played on it. I actually had to turn sensitivity to 0%. Before you all ask, Yes, Key/Mouse here. I can't stand controllers. It is so jerky that chasing Boris was an exercise in stopping movement 3 seconds before I needed to stop. (SLIGHT exaggeration). I kept vaulting over those dang boxes instead of actually stopping ON them. The controls seriously need to be reworked. I just can't play it well enough to even begin understanding how to set up the keys. I just know that LEFT ALT is ridiculously awkward to use for climbing. Lord knows what other hell is waiting in the controls of the game. I'm not sure if I'll be trying again to play it anytime soon.