How it ends (spoiler)
As you get better in the game your actual house gets dirtier.

Dustforce takes platformers tested by time, such as Megaman and refines the genre to it's maximal potential. Everything is spot on, you are in full control, precise and absolutely magnificent. It takes a while to get used to the gravity, controls and all these essential elements in the game, but even after you got the hang of the basics, there are many more things to master. From combat to advanced techniques, there is always room for improvement.
Dustforce was made for speedrunning, you can clearly see it with the leaderboard and replays of playthroughs of every player's best runs. You can see the best players what exactly they did at every level and learn the routes and have the wonderful experience of speedrunning, where you play the same level for half an hour to get that 0.07 second advantage.

tl;dr -> In Dustforce DX you play as a master warrior-janitor on a never-ending quest to rid the world of all dirt and dirt-spreading creatures while listening to a fantastic electronic soundtrack.

I got this game in a bundle, and was really excited to try it because of all the technical gameplay mechanics - like the complex executions you have to use in order to make your run look as seamless as possible. I had watched a few speedruns on YouTube and was pleasantly surprised with the quality of experience provided by Dustforce DX.

If you like cleaning, artsy and smooth platforming gameplay, a stellar electronic soundtrack, chaining combos, score attacks, and challenging mechanics, then you will really enjoy this game.

The aesthetics are great - the detail in the different levels is very high and well-done. The music and sound effects are awesome, and I will provide a link to the OST here because it is that good; I think the only other game OST I ever linked in my review was NEOTOKYO's.

Dustforce DX OST.

The controls are a bit tricky to learn, but the tutorials are very helpful and will ensure you get a firm grasp on the game's mechanics before you start your janitorial runs. You can try using a controller, but the keyboard bindings work just as well. The learning curve is minimal to moderate - one of the most difficult elements of the game is combining the different actions in order to achieve a smooth run. Combos are also essential for reaching many areas in each level and progressing deeper into the game. For example, you may have to wall run upward, double/wall jump several times, and hit a dustball/enemy at the top in order to reach a higher level (and if you do everything except hitting the object at the top, you will not be able to make the climb). Practising and repeating levels will really hone your skills.

Overall, the gameplay is very quick and technical - chaining the proper actions is critical. Once you can achieve a seamless run, the visual aesthetics are so satisfying and rewarding. The main hub will allow you to access the options and all the levels, however, you must unlock new levels by completing preceding ones. There are a good number of levels available for you to test your skills, and the game offers a lot of time value if you are really into speedruns and 100% completion. During your playthrough, you must complete each level in a set amount of time, while maintaining a smooth (finesse) run. If you can finish the stage within the time limit and maintain a good combo bar, then you will achieve a double S rank (best possible score).

For the achievement junkies, there is only one to collect, and this requires you to complete every level by performing the most perfect possible run. I really, really love this type of achievement system in a game, and not the stupid, meaningless artificial-game-lengthener types found in games like Lucius (which I will be reviewing soon) - where you need 20 and 40 game hours when the game takes ~10 hours to complete. No, in Dustforce DX there's just one, challenging achievement that involves you spending quite a bit of time refining your skills and experience so you can obtain those perfect runs.

The game can get a bit repetitive once you've invested a large amount of time, however, the variety in level layout and different enemy types adds lots of playability. There are also different characters with slightly different attributes, allowing for a unique playstyle depending on who you select (ex: one character has quicker drops and longer jump range).

If you like challenging platformers with an emphasis on finesse and score attacks, then you must give this game a try.

Definitely recommend!

Cheers,
DJSF @DJSF's Rogue Reviews

I can recommend this game only if you are into platformers fetish, like another run for 0.10s better score, otherwise it is better when you will spent some time making yourself a perfect breakfast which will affect your whole day better than an hour torturing yourself when you arent into this kind of gaming. Dustforce is a very good title as a platformer but, well, not for me.

This has to be my favorite platformer on steam at the moment. I've put in 35+ hours as of writing this review, and I'll put in plenty more trying to SS every level. The difficulty ramps up quite a bit as you make your way through each level, and the seemingly simple controls open up to some fantastic speed tech once you learn a few tricks. With a replay system that allows you to watch anyone's play through of a level, you'll want to go back and improve your time trying new techniques you see other players use. It can get quite competitive between you and people on your friends list as you try to one up each other. The music is absolutely glorious. The OST itself is a great buy, definitely have that on rotation in my playlist. The art style is simple and clean, the animations are smooth and the game looks and feels better and better the faster you go. If you enjoy difficult precision platformers, or love games with mechanics that allow you to go fast, this is a purchase you won't regret.

A criminally underrated platformer with slick visuals, tight controls, and a terrific soundtrack. Despite (or perhaps because of) the crushing difficulty, getting a perfect score on a tough level is extremely satisfying. If you like tough platformers, definitely check this out.

As an acrobatic janitor, sweep away grime from dust drenched dwellings and soot soaked forests in the accommodation of an equally as sweeping soundtrack - perhaps the most tranquil one you've ever heard. Dustforce's unique, minimalist visuals perfectly convey the beauty of the game's uniquely arrayed horizons, from which you will enjoy purging filth. Hope your fingers are dexterous enough to tame dust bunnies in record time.

It's a rare case where you will actually have FUN climbing the scoreboards.

Good game!

You clean bears.

Fantastic soundtrack, very soothing and relaxing, however the game is slightly difficult which makes it even more fun. Controls take a while to get used to but can be rebound to a controller. 69/10 would recommend

In this unique and challenging platformer you play as an acrobatic janitor, it is very HARD as some levels requires perfection to complete but I never thought that cleaning up leaves could be that funny. The soundtrack is great and the well polished animations makes the game always entertaining.
The only downside is that you need to configure your controller (xbox360) manually.

This is quite the unique platformer. Instead of simply jumping from any ordinary platform to the next, it takes some sort of pseudo-Sonic approach of fast paced, all-surfaces high-octane super-platforming.

Let me be frank: this game is hard. Sure, it does a good job of easing you into it, but this isn't just some casual romp. Be prepared to put all your effort into getting constant SS ranks if you want to explore all the game's content.

The visuals are pleasing and colorful, just a nice view for the eyes. The music is likewise calm and soothing techno, which is just as well to ease you from the rage that will transpire.

The game controls butter smooth, and has a lot of depth from a rather simple means of traversing the maps. I did have one complaint about the controls, namely the lack of complete controller support. Most basic buttons are there, except the menu button. I can't even count how many times I've had to restart, and I have to do it all from going to the keyboard to press escape. Is an extra respec option too much to ask for?

Another complaint I have, though not with the game, is the lack of community attention. When exploring the nexus, it is entirely up to me to find the one bronze door that I still have a key for, and it still eludes me because no one has a nexus map uploaded.

All said, it's crazily addictive to the right people, namely: twitch-reflex, practice-based skill games that never stop the action.

Dustforce is perhaps the best platformer of its kind that I've ever played. It's slick, beautiful, and most importantly the movement feels perfect.

The gameplay is what you expect it to be - you progress from level to level, attempting to complete it as fast as possible (with global leaderboards on time). Additional depth is added by the inclusion of your broom, used to sweep 'dust' as you run and hit 'enemies' with, building up a combo which you are rated on along with the time. Although initially the game may seem laggy or unresponsive, within a few hours you become accustomed to how the momentum and motion works in the game and begin to understand that the opposite actually holds. The game gives you perfect control, and punishes the tiniest of your mistakes.

That's really where the beauty lies. The skill ceiling is incredibly high, obvious to see if you watch a speedrun of this game. The game encourages you towards this perfection, and indeed the only achievement in this game is one of completing it - a feat few people (myself not included) have achieved. There's no RNG in the game, it's just you and how you play. This is certainly not for everyone, but for those few who don't like grinding and obtaining perfect muscle memory, the game hits all the right buttons

It is also worth mentioning the soundtrack. Some games have terrible music. Some games have good music for the game. Some have soundtracks that are amazing standalone, and this is one of them. It's (largely) calm, electronic stuff that's perfect for relaxing or concentrating too. Look it up on youtube - Fastfall by Lifeformed is the album.

For me, it's one of my favourite games ever, and I haven't even put that much time into it.

Excellent art, fantastic soundtrack, and high-difficulty platforming define Dustforce DX. This game is not easy, but it is very fun to explore and discover as you try to master its expertly crafted challenges.

This game is absolutely worth the money. The amazing music, the atmosphere, the satisfying and challenging gameplay... Everything about Dustforce makes it a masterpiece. I purchased it on a Humble Bundle a while back, but then bought it full price on my PS Vita to show my support (and so I could play it when I'm out!). Even if you missed the two or three Humble Bundles this game has been in, I assure you it will be worth the money.

I would give Dustforce a 10/10, for being an excellent, addictive, and challenging but rewarding platformer.

Dustforce is a platforming game where your goal is to navigate rooms in different levels of a mansion in order to clean them, for you are the worlds most awesome custodian. Don't be turned off by that description, for each of the 4 characters you can choose from has special abilities that make them able to clean in no way seen before. You are more like a ninja than a cleaner, and you can dart through levels creating combos as you clean dust and fight off enemies to clear the level. You earn points for how well you do, which eventually unlocks keys to more rooms, etc.

In order to unlock every level though, you must eventually complete each level by cleaning every speck of dust without breaking your combo. The combo window is long enough to allow you to use differing forms of strategy, but just short enough to induce high levels of muscle tension when you are trying to keep it going over long distances. This can easily be the biggest turn off of the game, and the level of perfection required to fully beat the game is astounding when you reach the veteran levels. Some may find that frustrating and too much of a roadblock, which is understandable. On the other hand (I have never beaten all the levels, and never will) Dustforce has enough content to provide a fun playthrough to suit the difficulty level you wish to attain. More of a casual player? You have plenty of levels that are loads of fun to play. Looking for a challenge after getting the basics? Dustforce provides a good set of intermediate levels, all the way up to insanely hard.

The controls feel great, the characters move fluidly, and no 2 levels are the same. Each character can provide a different strategy, and some are much more usefel than others on specific levels. The game provides the opportunity to watch the playthroughs of any player who has completed a level, meaning that you can learn some good strategies from some very good players.

Especially for only a few bucks, Dustforce is a great game that shouldn't be missed if you like platformers.

It's a charming blend between soothing and infuriating.

Great game! Hours of nonstop fun! If you enjoyed playing Electronic Super Joy, I recommend you play this game. Money worth it!

Dang

10/10 IGN