Rune
Fencer Illyia

Rune Fencer Illyia is a running, jumping and fighting game where you explore an interconnected world and fight monsters. Alongside the unusual rolling and platforming you can equip artefacts which help you in different ways, from stopping time to increasing attack power and roll length. Combining these unique powers with your standard moves lets you pull off clever combos to reach new areas.

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You play Illyia of Moonstone who finds herself in a strange land after her airship crashes and sets out on a mission to find her sister and find a way home. As you explore the world teeming with hordes of enemies and monsters, you learn to fight to survive with the help of the artefacts you find and the people you meet.

Combat is fast-paced, with a heavy emphasis on quick reactions to trigger sword and magic attacks along with expert dodging. Many artefacts, of which you can equip several at a time, directly affect your combat prowess by enhancing certain moves or making you more resilient to attacks. Experimenting with all of these abilities to find what works best for you is essential.

You explore an enormous pixel-rendered world of fifteen interconnected areas. By exploring off the beaten path, you can discover secret areas and items that make progression easier. Sometimes, you use the artefacts you find to create a way forward, for example, by freezing arrows in midair to make a stairway. As you explore, you can rescue merchants and civilians you encounter, who can then aid you on your quest by giving you new items and abilities.

The result is a game that encourages exploration by offering many different paths, and the artefacts you find let you experiment and utilise your abilities in ever more unusual and ambitious ways. It's a hard game, but the fun lies in persevering with the challenge until you finally overcome it.

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Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Rune Fencer Illyia 20 months ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 20 months ago.