The biggest thing holding Warden: Melody of the Undergrowth back is its reliance on old school sensibilities that might push away new players or frustrate people who didn't enjoy the likes of Zelda and Banjo-Kazooie, among many other titles. It does offer a lot of its own charms, though, and they are among some of the best reasons why this developer's first game should be in many peoples' Steam libraries. This is a thoroughly recommendable indie purchase for any and all Golden Era gamers.

More time to polish would have done a lot of good for Warden: Melody of the Undergrowth. More art, maybe another spirit friend, and better combat could have pushed this game much closer to a “must buy” category. As it is, you’re better off waiting for a sale unless you really dig the art and premise.

Though it’s not a game for everyone, I guarantee that most of you – whether you call them Opal Fruits or Starburst – will be able to get something out of it: even if it’s just that little nostalgic glow you get when you hear that old “Sega” sting and can feel that lovely, curved Mega Drive pad nestled in your teeny child hands…

Warden: Melody of the Undergrowth promises a lot with it's homage to the N64 era of action-adventure games, unfortunately it falls short of the prestige associated with that era. What we're left with is a clunky game that glitches quite regularly, there's still potential in the future, but the game needs a lot of issues fixing.