The Swords of Ditto

The fact this is sitting at Mixed reviews utterly flabbergasts me. I can only assume it's from people expecting this to be a clone of Zelda - it isn't, not by a longshot. If that's what you're hoping for, you'll not enjoy this.
Swords of Ditto does have a few elements shared with older Zelda titles - unlocking new gadgets can unlock options for areas previously explored, and each area is a distinct tile that you travel between. You also have a limited loadout of things to use that you can change at any time.
That's where the similarities end however. Swords of Ditto has much more of an RPG focus than Zelda, rather than an adventure focus. Equipment and stats are upgradable in many ways. The way you setup your equipment will have a large effect on how you play (I myself use poison and range predominantly), and figuring out how you want to set yourself is fun, because you can experiment without issue. Despite the tag, I don't know that I'd call this a Roguelike either. Runs don't end because you die, and things aren't super random. Enemies might be randomized, but maps and the like are hand-placed.
Sound, visuals and just general presentation manage to be both cute, yet tell a surprisingly adult story. I obviously am nowhere near the end of the game, but the collectable messages and the like tell a pretty interesting story where the "good guy" is an ephemeral concept. As usual, Devolver Digital publishes a game with a cute artstyle that manages to be way deeper than that would suggest. Lastly, the value. Even at full pop, this is under $20 Canadian, and routinely goes on sale for half that or even less. This is worth that by a country mile, and I feel a little guilty for having gotten this at 75% off on sale.

Solid Rogue-lite.
The "Mixed" rating for this game is a travesty, it does not deserve a rating that low.
Most of the negative reviews appear to be people that didn't realize this was a Rogue-like/lite game:
-Yes, you start over when you die (but can spend currency you earned during that playthru to send items to your next character.
- No, you don't go thru the whole "tutorial" again -- its your traditional Rogue-like/lite gameplay loop.

The Swords of Ditto is a roguelite action RPG that hides a serious challenge beneath its colorful, childlike appearance. With its charming, sweets-like aesthetic and a classic atmosphere that evokes warmth and familiarity, the game features attractive graphics and crisp, clear sound effects, offering a delightful experience. I also played it on my mobile and highly recommend it to casual players and anyone with a youthful spirit who’s looking for a lightweight, inspiring game with a mood-boosting adventure.
Here’s a quick summary I put together of the game:
The Core Concept:
You are a hero chosen every 100 years to fight the evil witch Mormo. If you win, the world lives in peace; if you lose, the world falls into darkness until the next hero rises.
Gameplay:
The game focuses on exploring the map, entering dungeons, and solving puzzles using quirky weapons called "Toys."
The Time Element:
The game places you under a strict time limit (a few in-game days) to prepare for the final battle, forcing you to plan your moves carefully.
Death and Generations:
When your hero dies, you start as a new character a century later. The map changes (procedurally generated), but some progress and relics from the previous hero remain to help you.
Upgrades:
Progression relies mainly on collecting "Stickers" that grant your hero unique abilities and perks.
Conclusion:
In The Swords of Ditto, you play as one of the heroes who must save the world of Ditto from an evil threat known as Mormo. The story centers around an evil creature trying to take control of the world, and the hero is tasked with wielding the magical Sword of Ditto to combat this evil. The game features a unique time-loop concept: each time you die, the game restarts with a new character. This adds an extra layer to the gameplay experience, as the world changes slightly with each attempt, and every action you take affects the future of the world.

Alright, listen. I skimmed some of the other reviews to try and find out why this game still holds a "Mixed" rating on Steam, but there doesn't seem to be a consistent consensus on why, so I'm just gonna talk about it like those reviews don't exist, because this is a very enjoyable little game!

Following in the vein of Adventure Time: Secret of The Nameless Kingdom, The Swords of Ditto seeks to combine classic top-down-Zelda-like gameplay with a cute, hand-drawn cartoon feel (in this case, it loosely reminds me of We Bare Bears). But although it's got a charming "kids' toys and imagination" theme to it, the game is much more challenging than it appears on the surface, so don't write it off as something only your baby nieces and nephews will want to play. It's not DIFFICULT, per se, but certainly challenging, which is something that I always appreciate in a game!

It's also not quite appropriate to call this game a "roguelike", though it does share some elements with that description, so maybe "roguelite" is more apt. The game DOES feature permadeath, but only during the "final boss tower climb" sequence. The world is randomly re-generated every time you perma-die, but always features the same specific recurring landmarks to help you take down the final boss. And the story that unfolds requires you to recurse through this process about 5 times to see it to the end. I can see that being a turn-off for some folks, but I enjoyed the gameplay loop enough that I had no problem sticking to it and eventually completing it after about 30 hours of total play. Your mileage may vary, but hey, it's also something you can just replay indefinitely if you really wanna.

If there's anything to actually complain about, it's that a lot of the repeated stock dialogue (scripted, no voice-over) that plays at key points during each loop is a little lackluster, but it's also a breeze to skip through it, so even that's kinda moot. Some of the per-loop modifiers - the "Mormo's Curse" subtitle in action - are a bit mean (CURSE YOU NEMESIS!), but there are items in-game to help mitigate that, so don't be afraid to look up a guide or ask for tips if you find yourself getting frustrated.

All in all, I legitimately don't know why the game's name is so tarnished on Steam. It wasn't a maximum-thrill life-changing experience or anything, but it sure was fun and worth the price. I loved the presentation and the engaging gameplay. Highly recommended for fans of Zelda Randomizers!

the animation is unique, tho the game gets a bit hard each time u defeat mormos, so always remember to offer ur icon each time after u defeat mormo so it dont get to waste, also for those concerning does if u die u lost ur item? well no.. if u play on regular or easy u will just respawn in ur bed, and since its a rogue like game u would expect repetitive dungeon like gameplay so dont push ur self with this game, give it a rest if u feel like u doing too much

Super cute and fun game! Highly recommend for anyone that likes games with style and zelda style dungeons!

The only Roguelite, where I don't mind to die in a playthrough. The artstyle and music are great, it is way more lighthearted than most roguelite I have seen. It is funny and silly at times, which is perfect when playing it with someone else! Also great with Steam Remote Play btw