Cross of the Dutchman (2015)

There's not much replayability on offer and it won't last you very long, but Cross of the Dutchman is a cheap title with a handful of thrills. It's mediocre in many respects, but I'd say it at least does the trick for a short adventure.

Cross of the Dutchman is a short game, it does have a bit of padding in there, but the unusual setting and story behind it, with a reasonably entertaining combat system make it worth trying out. Cheap, cheerful and entertaining - it's worth at least having a look at it.

Cross of the Dutchman holds true lore-wise, explaining the tale of Pier Gerlofs Donia, but as a video game, the hero falls flat on his face with crippled combat mechanics, bland gameplay progression, poor animation, and an overall lack of content and excitement. It needed a tremendous amount of extra work and polish. If this game was a sword, it would be a blacksmith's worst nightmare, or a laughingstock of poor craftsmanship. Ultimately, some stories are just better told in books.

I like the idea that I can play as a pissed off farmer who just wants to save his family and his town, I just can't fully commit to the idea when I feel as if I'm flailing my arms around like two giant fish attached to a WeebleWobble.

While Cross of the Dutchman doesn't offer much innovation in terms of gameplay, Triangle Studios still manages to infuse a great deal of originality and heart into their small but feisty game which, while short, is packed with life.