On December 10, 1993, Doom was released and it changed the gaming world. One of the most influential games of all time, Doom was a trailblazer smash mouth in your face experience the likes of which was never quite seen before. Some would even argue never quite seen since. Regardless of where you stand, it’s mind boggling to think Doom just celebrated 30 years this past December. I wrote my SNES Doom review originally back on October 30, 2013 — just over a decade ago. My how the years fly by. There have been many Doom clones since, and one of the very best was Dusk. Originally released exactly 25 years after Doom, on December 10, 2018, Dusk became something of an instant cult classic. It received a Nintendo Switch port (digital and a limited physical print run) in October of 2021. This past January, Dusk was on sale from $20 to $12. I’ve been meaning to play it and the discount made it a no brainer purchase. I’ve been on quite a hiatus especially as far as gaming reviews are concerned, but Dusk resonated with me so much that I knew I had to write home about it. It’s that damn good.
DESCEND INTO DUSK
Dusk is an intense and intimate experience. It conjures memories of Winter of ’93 where my friends and I first experienced the shores of Hell in the form of the game changing Doom. Dusk infused me with the same sweet notes of raw adrenaline and terror as I infiltrated farm houses, creepy corridors and other unsettling scenarios. The enemies and weapons reminded me of the best features of Doom. There’s enough variety to keep your blood pumping as you mow down horror after horror. My personal favorite were the chainsaw wielding brutes with a sack over their faces reminiscent of Friday the 13th.
The random sinister messages sprawled on the walls added a nice touch of uneasiness to the whole dang thing.
As mentioned, the weapons strike a decent enough variety. You got your classic pistol, sawed off shotguns, chain guns, grenade launchers and this bow and arrow which is highly reminiscent of Heretic. But unlike id Software’s underrated outing, here the arrows shoot through enemies and walls. Now that’s friggin’ badass!
You can also wield a sword for crying out loud. When fully healthy, you can even charge the sword of a mega thrust that causes massive damage and can kill most enemies in one brutal swipe. It’s gloriously fun.
Another cool feature is the ability to pick up two pistols, or even two shotguns, in addition to a double shotgun. It helps to even up the odds a bit!
Speaking of the double shotgun, here it is in all its glory. It packs quite a punch, and you’ll find yourself relying on it quite a fair bit. Oh and those ghoulish demons there? I absolutely hate them. Creepy damn bastards they are.
While the double shotgun is a blast (pardon the pun), the two shotgun approach is pretty darn effective too. I love how they flip around whenever you fire off a round. Something very satisfying about that!
The action is frenetic, intense and unrelenting. There are specific portions of a level where the music will change and you have to kill a barrage of baddies before moving on. These action packed sections are among the highlights of Dusk.
There’s no greater feeling than killing the last enemy during said sections and hearing the frenetic music slow down, signaling to the player that you can finally breathe for a moment or two. That is until you encounter the next nasty lurking down the corridor.
The level design is simple yet brilliant. I love all the atmospheric night time levels with cornfields and random houses. It’s the perfect game to play around Halloween time or on those cold dark winter nights. There’s a certain feeling of danger and excitement as you run up and down a dilapidated house gunning down all manner of evil beings. It’s like a horror movie that comes to life.
I love how the colors of the sky might change from level to level. You literally get to experience every level and degree of … Dusk. Sorry, I kinda had to! 
Some parts allow you to spring high into the air for some gnarly kills. It’s a nice tweak to the ol’ Doom gameplay that helps to keep Dusk from feeling like a complete ripoff. It has its own flare, too.
As you advance along, the levels change from farm houses and such to more industrial type settings. It helps to keep things fresh and different.
Like others of its ilk, the most powerful weapons pack a heavy punch and allow you to obliterate the competition in one or two shots. It’s not uncommon to see blood splattering the screen like such.
Some enemies shriek at you as they uncover your presence. The voices are fittingly gruff and creepy. It never gets old hearing “KILL THE INTRUDER.” It adds to the creepiness of the game for sure.
These are my favorite enemies of the game. Sometimes they’re mere decorations to keep those pesky crows away. Other times they spring to life to try to keep YOU away. Classic design and the perfect enemy for a game like Dusk.
CLOSING THOUGHTS
It’s been a while since I’ve been engrossed by a game as much as I have been with Dusk. But the moment I pressed play, I was instantly hooked. The classic horror atmosphere, the wickedly fun enemies to plow through, the spectacular level design, the heavy metal music that fits like a glove, and enough firepower to light up Kingdom Come… all made Dusk a thrilling experience. It controls well, it never feels too cheap, and it has that magical “one more level” feel to it. In short, Dusk is a must play for anyone who ever enjoyed Doom.
Nice to see someone from “the before times” still gaming.
(But don’t forget to read more manga; Delicious in Dungeon, an odd/cozy/philosophical high fantasy suspense/comedy is a recent favorite of mine and many more, with a recent animation making it on Netflix earlier this year.)
-=PakoPako=-
Sup Pako! Yeah, I still play video games, but a lot of it these days is Mario Party for my toddler (he loves it) or Tetris Attack against the wifey. But I started playing other games like Dusk and the random SNES game here and there. I have Delicious in Dungeon up to date! Gotta read that one someday! What are you currently reading?
Steve!!!!!!!!!!!
I have been checking in occasionally, and I am thrilled you find time to sneak in an update. As fascinating and enlightening as your book entries are, I am stoked to see you get back to some game entries with this and the 1994 SNES entry that absolutely crushed! 1994 was a huge year for the SNES that I recall vividly with all the games you broke down!
I had little recollection of Dusk originally. I do not like the term ‘Boomer Shooter’ and if it were to be more accurate, the term should be ‘GenX Shooter.’ I love these old-school early-to-mid-90s FPS games, and you got me curious about the dual-weapons and sword combat here! This review was a big learning experience, and I have just wishlisted it on the eShop!
Thank you again for updating when you can! I will keep checking in!