How many games feature an elderly protagonist? More often than not, we find ourselves playing as plucky and attractive youngsters, superpowered teens, or occasionally a gruff dad. But what about an old man with a walking stick?
Well, that’s who you play as in platformer adventure The Eternal Life of Goldman, from developer Weappy Studio and publisher THQ Nordic. And if an old man may seem like a slow, weak character with a lack of ability, you’re forgetting the walking stick. Because the obvious thing to do with a walking stick is bounce on it. Naturally – this is a video game after all.
If that sounds like a callback to NES classic Duck Tales, you’d be right. Indeed, the game as a whole is a callback to the past, but with plenty of modern twists. This isn’t just a walking stick, but a multi-faceted tool with three interchangeable parts: the handle, the point, and the stick itself. By collecting new parts the old man gains new abilities, like the aforementioned bouncing, and a hook to interact with floating platforms – or, as with one boss, to pull on its tail to stun it.
