The Swords of Ditto PS4 PlayStation 4 Preview Hands On

The Swords of Ditto is out very soon indeed, but we couldn't resist giving it a quick test run at EGX Rezzed 2018 ahead of its release later this month. For those not in the know, this is a roguelike, 2D adventure game in which generations of heroes take on the evil witch Mormo in order to lift her curse over the land. Randomly generated player characters and levels are the order of the day, and it's delightful.

The presentation is amazingly charming. The music and the visuals give it the air of a Saturday morning cartoon, which makes the whole game refreshingly lighthearted. Once you collect the sword of your fallen forebear, you (and a co-op partner, if you like) have five days to prepare for a face-off against Mormo. You earn experience by defeating monsters, and there are plenty of gizmos and weapons you can use to fend off bad guys, or solve simplistic environmental puzzles.

The Swords of Ditto PS4 PlayStation 4 Preview Hands On

Combat is very straightforward, with simple slash attacks and a dodge roll being your bread and butter. You can also assign other weapons or items to the d-pad for easy access, and it's all very streamlined and easy to understand. It feels like this game has been made with a very wide age range in mind, as while the controls are simple, the level of challenge doesn't seem to be a walk in the park.

One of the most interesting aspects of the game is that your previous run's success or failure will affect the next run, a century later. If, for example, you die before you can save the day, the next hero will live in a world that's a little more dilapidated, and its inhabitants are less cheerful. This dynamic shift of the environment itself is a unique spin on roguelike sensibilities that we're quite taken with. We'll be playing more of The Swords of Ditto as we approach the review, but this small demo has proved the game has some great ideas, and is absolutely worthy of your attention.


This early slice of The Swords of Ditto has left us with a good first impression, and we're curious to explore it more leading up to its release on the 24th April. Are you looking forward to this cutesy roguelike? Hack and slash your way to the comments below.