This Steam Next Fest action-RPG is a delightful throwback to '90s anime and SNES classics, even if it is also marketing for a much bigger and hornier deckbuilder JRPG

gamesradar.com:

I was interested in Divine Dynamo Flamefrit when I saw that Japanese indie studio Inti Creates was behind it. I was on board the instant I saw the pixel-perfect '90s anime aesthetic and heard the era-appropriate title screen music. And I was in love the moment the giant mech boss battle kicked off. I'm not sure how I feel now that I know that the game is at least partly a marketing bonus for a much bigger and hornier deckbuilder JRPG, but I'm still all on board for Flamefrit.

At its most basic level, Divine Dynamo Flamefrit is an action-RPG steeped in SNES vibes. The Steam Next Fest demo puts you in control of a little dude with a sword, and it superficially resembles games like Zelda: A Link to the Past and Secret of Mana. But, dare I say it, there's a little bit of Dark Souls here. Your attack is big, weighty, and can't be canceled, so the game is largely about learning the rhythm of enemy strikes and positioning yourself to take advantage of them.

My favorite gimmick in combat is that you can set grass ablaze with a mana-powered sword charge, instantly killing any enemies that get caught in the flames. Deciding exactly when to use your mana is a nice little resource management consideration, and timing the flames just right so that they take out as many foes as possible is very satisfying.

Then there's the mecha boss battle, which gives you a first-person cockpit view of the enemy. It plays out like a round of Punch-Out at a massive scale, where you react to enemy attacks by blocking in various directions and countering when the time is right. It's simple, but it's a fun dash of spectacle and a great way to break up the action.

Much as I enjoyed the demo for Divine Dynamo Flamefrit, I have to admit that the game seems a little slight - and there seems to be a reason for that. Developer Inti Creates is also promoting a roguelike deckbuilder called Card-en-Ciel, which is due to launch on October 24, and the idea of that game is that you're doing battle with and