Indie game Death’s Door is enjoying a fine start to life. Developer Acid Nerve has revealed on Twitter that more than 100,000 players have played the eldritch Zelda-like in its first week.
We got a good look at the popular indie game during E3 earlier this year, with a release date reveal during Devolver’s panel and a more in-depth look during a Day of the Devs stream. There, producer David Fenn explained that while the narrative makes the game unusual, the structure and scope of the gameplay is more recognisable, matching one of the developer’s “oldest inspirations”, The Legend of Zelda.
“Our background is in tight, 2D pixel-art action, and we’ve been careful to maintain the responsiveness of this,” Fenn says. “The world is fully explorable and is entirely handcrafted. All of the characters and enemies you meet have memorable, twisted designs as well. Death’s Door has plenty of high-octane action, but it’s equally about discovering the secrets of its unique setting and unravelling this mysterious story.”
Death’s Door sees you take up the mundane role of a somewhat immortal reaper in a world where the gig is menial nine-to-five labour. Things get exciting, though, when someone swipes the soul you were looking for, dragging you into a world where you’ll age unless you can get the soul beyond Death’s Door.
The map is all there for you to explore, but you’ll be able to forge shortcuts as you go, which makes it handy if you’re tootling back to a boss fight from a checkpoint. Combat is easy to pick up, too, as you dash away from attacks and land blows with your weapon of choice.
Over 100,000 players have stepped through Death’s Door in the first week!
Thank you so much for the support and love for our little crow. pic.twitter.com/6Pi6Py5ZUN
— ACIDNERVE / DEATH'S DOOR (@acidnerve) July 26, 2021
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