PS5 Drops Free Taster For 5/5 New Hit That Feels Like An Ode To The PS2

The noughties were simpler times, and casting your minds back to 2001, it was the year that gave us Shrek, Friends was all over our TVs, and Apple introduced the first iPod. It was also a big year for video games, with Grand Theft Auto III lauding it over the PlayStation 2, Super Smash Bros. Melee giving GameCube owners one of the best brawlers of all time, and Halo: Combat Evolved launching alongside the Xbox.

PlayStation's legacy with the PS2 remains unmatched, and even though the Nintendo Switch's impressive 156 million units sold is catching up, Sony's juggernaut sits pretty with 160 million. By this point, 3D platformers had boomed from the highs of Super Mario 64, with the likes of Banjo-Kazooie, Spyro the Dragon, and Crash Bandicoot all becoming franchises. 2001 was the year that Jak and Daxter arrived on the scene from a pre-The Last of Us Naughty Dog.

While there have been swirling reports of a Jak and Daxter reboot, the series has sadly been left to gather dust. Thankfully, PlayStation fans can rejoice that a distinctly Jak and Daxter-inspired game is making waves on the PS5.

From Dusk(fade) Til Dawn

Over on the PlayStation Store, there's a listing for Duskfade from Weird Beluga. Boasting a full 5/5 from 86% of its 157 ratings, it's a clear hit for the indie studio that previously released Clid the Snail and earned the PlayStation Talents awards for best game of the year and best art in 2019. It's not hard to see where Duskfade gets its influences from as you "jump, swing, and slash through a fantastic world in this love letter to classic 3D action platformers."

Taking the lead is the floppy-haired Zirian, who is accompanied by his robotic companion, Cuckoo.

Together with Cuckoo, Zirian must restore the fabric of time and save his sister from a menacing clock tower. It's all pretty standard stuff, and it looks just as glossy as any modern platformer, but it's its nods to the past that could see Duskfade soar.

Opening Our Hearts To A New Kingdom

You might have noticed that Zirian looks like a certain Sora from Kingdom Hearts, which is no coincidence when you remember the team made an April 2025 post saying it was directly inspired by Square Enix's action-RPG, as well as Jak and Daxter and Ratchet & Clank.

Considering there's no sign of Kingdom Hearts 4, and Jak and Daxter has been silent since 2012's Jak and Daxter Collection, Duskfade has a chance to scratch that itch.

It's similarly likely that an upcoming Nintendo Direct won't reveal the next 3D Mario game, so in the meantime, Duskfade looks like a nostalgic way to pass the time.

Although there's no firm release date, Duskfade is looking to hit PS5, Xbox Series, and PC later in 2026.

READ MORE: Why PS2 Open-World Games Are a Lost Art Form