THE SWORDS OF DITTO

Developer Onebitbeyond Publisher Devolver Digital Format PC, PS4 Release 2018

Devolver has a predilection for games with a quirky sting in the tail, and roguelike RPG The Swords Of

Ditto fits the bill. Should your hero die on their quest to defeat sorceress Mormo, they’ll become legend; time whirrs forward 100 years, the overworld morphs into a different form and your next randomly generated character takes up the mantle as the new Sword Of Ditto. Mementos of the previous incumbent are everywhere: you can pick up their loot, find their monuments and hear NPCs praise or trash-talk them. It’s a creative, charming take on Roguelike permadeath, bolstered by imaginative combat and Zelda- like dungeons – we use outsize conkers and vinyl-record frisbees to hammer enemies as well as solve puzzles. Playing with a friend feels great, too: you can resurrect them with a hug that sacrifices half your health bar. Wrapped up in a candy-coloured cartoon art style,

Swords is altogether wonderfully disarming.