In 2013, a 16-bit title developed by a two-person team arrived on PC and mobile platforms, drawing enough attention that it was ported to Nintendo Switch six years later. The sequel,Anodyne 2: Return to Dust,originally available exclusively on PC, is now getting a release on other platforms on June 26, 2025.
According to the developers, theAnodynegames follow in the footsteps of theFinal Fantasyseries,in that players do not need to have played the previous title to understand the latest one.Anodyne 2takes gamers on a journey with Nova the Nano Cleaner on the island of New Theland, where a substance called Nano Dust infects people, distorting emotions and desires. Nova travels around the island, seeking out the sick and shrinking to a tiny size in order to enter their bodies and suction up the dangerous Nano Dust.
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Most gamers who played the first game immediately recognized theinfluence ofThe Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, a game from which developers Sean Han Tani and Marina Kittaka drew inspiration. WithAnodyne 2,the surreal,Zelda-like dungeons that take place inside people’s bodies are played in 2D, like its predecessor. During the external exploration sections of the game, the graphics jump to the succeeding console generation, resembling those of the Nintendo 64.
Anodyne 2will be available for digital purchase for $19.99, and will have language support for Spanish, French, German, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, and Simplified and Traditional Chinese. The game will also feature trophies and achievements.
The PC version ofAnodyne 2received overall positive reviews, with gamers citing its music and surreal setting as high points. The game was nominated for the Seumas McNally Grand Prize at the2020 Independent Games Festival.
Anodyne 2: Return to Dustis available on PC and will release on PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on June 12, 2025.
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