The Swords of Ditto Review - From Zero to Hero

Published: April 24, 2018 10:00 AM /

Reviewed By:


swords of ditto review

The Swords of Ditto teaches you two things: 1) you learn from your mistakes, and 2) junk food actually enhances your overall well-being. Who’da thunk? In this inventive action RPG, you not only call the shots of one hero, but multiple. In other words, when the randomly generated protagonist falls to their demise (which they will), another awakens a hundred years later in attempt to be victorious once again. Enveloped by a world of delightful (yet odd) characters, greasy foods, and quirky quests, The Swords of Ditto illustrates a witty adventure guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Onebitbeyond introduces their imaginative and animated world of Ditto with a young girl washed up on shore. Guided by the spirit of a dung beetle, Puku, the girl possesses a mystical sword that automatically grants its master the title of “legend.” Her story, however, comes to a sudden halt when the wicked sorceress, Mormo, obliterates her with a flick of her magic wand. What a jerk. With the world lacking a hero, Mormo grasps control and summons monsters that wander the lands outside of town. That’s where you and possibly even a friend (hello, co-op mode) take the reins in hopes to abolish Mormo and her sinister ways once and for all.

swords of ditto puku
Spoiler Alert: You die at the first challenge.

A notable component of The Swords of Ditto derives from its responsive controls. The combat feels optimized for an elementary hack’n’slash style, but for the most part remains enjoyable for more experienced players. At times, the combat feels repetitive and loses its flair after a while. The ability to adjust the difficulty settings, though, provides a more personalized escapade. Relaxed Mode, for example, accommodates players who prefer a laid-back experience. Sometimes it’s nice to take a moment to stop and smell the roses. If you grow tired of ruthless enemies on Hero Mode, changing the difficulty can be done at any time. Nonetheless, defeating Mormo isn’t a cakewalk regardless of your ideal difficulty.

Your very first hero receives a crash course on the basic controls and significant features implemented in order to overthrow the evil Mormo. Before embarking on your journey as a wannabe hero, you’re required to visit the grave of the previous legend to retrieve the magical sword. Morbid much? From there, communicating with town folk and getting the lay of the land develops as more of a test run than an actual preparation for the final battle. Not to mention, the hero is only allowed seven days before they’re forced to confront the malevolent sorceress in her castle. That’s right—your inexpert low-level hero typically doesn’t have the opportunity to enjoy their youth for long. That’s okay, though. Another legend rises a hundred years later anyway.

In order to pull the plug on her relentless power, a plan is constructed to destroy Mormo’s anchor. Buried deep within a chamber guarded by her minions, only a Toy of Legend can unlock the passage. The Toys of Legend, however, are also concealed inside of puzzle-ridden dungeons scattered across Ditto. The eccentric toys vary from an enchanted golf club to a massive foot from the heavens. The vinyl record Frisbee, on the other hand, demonstrates a splendid example of fine weaponry when engaging a cluster of enemies. The murderous Frisbee coasts back to the hero as a boomerang would, making long distance attacks a breeze. Naturally, the Toys of Legend are a pain in the butt to attain. Their power is worth the hassle, though.

swords of ditto combat
Hack'n'slashing enemies is all fun and games until it gets to be repetitive.

Leveling up the hero assists in the annihilation of Mormo as well. Accumulating experience may take some time, but at least Mormo’s minions aren’t hard to come by. All enemies display a health bar above their heads along with their current level. This way you can easily maneuver around them if they appear too powerful. Unfortunately, you have no say in your hero’s attributes, for The Swords of Ditto automatically assigns them with predetermined qualities. However, in the case that Mormo makes a fool out of you once again, your level transfers over to the following legend along with their hard-earned loot. You just have to, you know, hunt down their deceased bodies at their grave.

Coins, stickers, and food items all play an important role in The Swords of Ditto. Destroying random destructible objects and eliminating enemies typically exposes an array of coins and snacks. A fatty burger, for example, replenishes a good chunk of the hero’s health bar. Every parcel of junk food varies on nutritional value. Hoarding as many donuts and milk cartons as possible lessens the blow when Mormo utilizes her vicious witchcraft.

Stickers, on the other hand, basically operate as equippable armor embodied with radical attributes. An Eagle Claw, for instance, increases sword attack power. For increased elemental resistance, Oven Mits or a Grimoire do just the trick. Stickers exist as a rarer feat in Swords of Ditto and harbor within treasure chests or sold at the Sticker Shack in town. The higher the level the hero is, the more Stickers they can equip. Fashioning an assembly of Stickers to gear up your hero could save you a lot of heartache. You just gotta dig a little to find the good stuff.

swords of ditto food
Is it just me, or did this description make you drool a little bit?

The purchase of food items and upgradable toys proves to be beneficial as well. The nerf gun, for example, acts as an assist when bypassing puzzles in dungeons. Firing this nifty toy gun can activate triggers that reveal areas of a dungeon, for the nerf bullets can extend past parts of a stage that the hero cannot reach. An acquirable upgrade at the toy shop furnishes the once harmless gun with a fiery upgrade. Therefore, the gun fires flammable bullets at foes that actually inflict damage. A legendary sword is cool and all, but it’s nice to switch it up every now and then.

If you’ve grown emotionally attached to one of your heroes, a celestial token may temporarily hinder some sorrow. Puku generously gifts the hero a token from the very beginning, but obtaining them throughout the hero’s journey whenever possible helps postpone a confrontation you may not be ready for. Seven days pass considerably fast in The Swords of Ditto, so activating a special shrine with the celestial token may be your best move. Not to mention, making so much progress and being so close to destroying Mormo’s anchor is a total nuisance when the timer demands you challenge the malicious sorceress. Pressing the rewind button can help a significant amount—take advantage of the opportunity when you can.

The Swords of Ditto presents an innovative light-hearted experience for players of all ages. You live and you learn, jumping from hero to hero to become stronger and redeem yourself from previous slip-ups. Though you have no way of customizing your hero whatsoever, it still feels pretty awesome to exert the power to lead the world of Ditto to happiness once again … hopefully. Through trial-and-error, the consumption of junk food, and the guidance of a dung beetle, conquering Mormo and her evil minions is an enjoyable experience nevertheless.

Our The Swords of Ditto review was conducted on PC via Steam with a code provided by the developers. It is also available on GOG and PlayStation 4.

Review Summary

7.0

The Swords of Ditto proves to be an innovative and enjoyable action RPG with its eccentric weapons, health items, and characters. However, the combat grows mundane after a while. Upping the difficulty settings assists in the challenging aspect of gameplay, but only temporarily. Nevertheless, The Swords of Ditto is quirky and fun for anyone of any age.

(Review Policy)

Pros

  • Fun Visuals And Animations
  • Innovative Story
  • Quirky Characters

Cons

  • Humdrum Combat
  • Can't Personalize Hero Or Their Attributes

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More Info About This Game
Learn more about The Swords of Ditto
Developer
Onebitbeyond
Publisher
Devolver Digital
Release Date
April 24, 2018 (Calendar)
Genre
RPG, Action
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