From a young apprentice and his mechanical bird to the emotional forces that stand in his way — meet the full cast of Duskfade's clockpunk world.
Role: Protagonist (Playable)
Identity: Young workshop apprentice
Weapon: Minutero (grandfather's clock-hand sword)
Companion: Cuckoo (mechanical bird)
Personality: Brave but inexperienced. Not a chosen hero — just a brother who refuses to give up on his sister. His rat-tail hairstyle is a nod to Disney's Treasure Planet (2002), one of the game's tonal inspirations.
Motivation: Rescue his sister Allira from the Clock Tower and restore the fabric of time that has plunged the world into eternal night.
Zirian starts with basic sword skills and unlocks abilities, gadgets, and Minutero transformations as he journeys through four corrupted regions.
Role: Damsel / Emotional Anchor
Identity: Zirian's younger sister
Status: Imprisoned in the Clock Tower by Despair
Personality: Kind, curious, and deeply bonded with Zirian. Their shared memories of their grandfather (a clockmaker) are woven into the world's puzzles and lore.
Role in Story: Allira is not just a rescue objective — she represents the personal stakes of Zirian's grief. The Clock Tower feeds on memories of loss, and Allira's presence there connects to the siblings' past.
The story is shaped by Narrative Designer Ricardo Chorques Mesa's real experience of losing his grandfather, making Allira's capture a metaphor for holding onto those we've lost.
Role: Companion (Mechanical Bird)
Identity: Mechanical cuckoo bird, origin tied to Master Clockmakers
Function: Travel companion, puzzle solver, and combat support
Personality: Sassy, loyal, and surprisingly expressive for a machine. Think Daxter meets Navi — but actually helpful.
Gameplay: Cuckoo has its own skill tree separate from Zirian's. Upgrading Cuckoo unlocks:
Cuckoo is the emotional heart of the game — a mechanical creature that develops something resembling genuine attachment to Zirian.
The Master Clockmakers are the mysterious ancient beings who built the world of Duskfade. They created the Clock Tower, the Minutero, and the clockpunk technology that permeates every region. By the time Zirian's journey begins, they have long since vanished — leaving behind their creations, their secrets, and the broken fabric of time.
Throughout the game, Zirian uncovers fragments of the Clockmakers' history:
The Clockmakers' story parallels themes of legacy, creation, and the responsibility of those who build powerful things. Their absence is what allowed Despair to take root.
Each boss in Duskfade represents an emotional hurdle that Zirian must overcome. They are not just enemies — they are manifestations of grief, fear, and personal struggle.
| Boss | Emotion | Region | What It Represents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wrath | Anger | Tick Town / Mines | The fury of loss — lashing out at the unfairness of death |
| Sorrow | Grief | Ethereal Forest | The weight of sadness — the desire to stop moving forward |
| Fear | Terror | Underwater Realm | The paralyzing fear of an uncertain future without loved ones |
| Jealousy | Envy | Sunlit Dunes | Resentment toward those who still have what you've lost |
| Despair | Hopelessness | Clock Tower (Final) | The ultimate temptation to give up — the force holding Allira captive |
The developers at Weird Beluga have stated: "Overcoming the absence of a loved one is not about forgetting; it's about learning to walk accompanied by their memory." Each boss fight is designed to teach Zirian (and the player) a different lesson about processing loss.
For detailed boss strategies, see our Boss Guide.
Role: Village Tailor / Quest Giver
Location: Tick Town
A friendly tailor who gives Zirian side quests. Most notably, Tailord has lost several kittens and asks Zirian to find them — a collectible quest spanning the entire game.
Finding all of Tailord's kittens unlocks a special achievement and a cosmetic reward.
Role: Hidden NPC / Collectible
Location: Various (hiding spots across all regions)
A shy character who hides in hard-to-reach spots throughout the world. Finding Wally in every region is tied to an achievement.
Look behind waterfalls, under bridges, and atop high platforms.
Role: Friendly NPC
Location: Canyon area
A generous grandmother who gives Zirian a small amount of money and lore about the Master Clockmakers. Talk to her every time you visit — she has new dialogue after each boss.
Role: Background NPCs
Location: Tick Town
Various residents who provide lore hints, side quest breadcrumbs, and flavor dialogue. Talk to everyone — some hint at hidden collectibles in their region.
| Character | Combat | Exploration | Story Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zirian | Primary fighter — sword combos, dodge, gadgets | Platforming, grapple, glide | Protagonist — grows from apprentice to hero |
| Cuckoo | Support — distraction, targeted strikes | Puzzle solver, scent tracking | Emotional companion — the heart of the journey |
| Allira | N/A (imprisoned) | N/A | Motivation — the reason Zirian fights |
| Minutero (Weapon) | Transformable sword — 4 forms | Chest key, wall breaker | Legacy — grandfather's tool, repurposed |
For the full ability and skill tree breakdown, see our Abilities Guide.
Duskfade's narrative was shaped by Ricardo Chorques Mesa, Narrative Designer at Weird Beluga. The game's themes of grief, memory, and growth are drawn from his real experience of losing his grandfather — a clockmaker in real life.
This personal connection is why every boss fight feels emotionally weighted rather than just mechanically challenging. The clockpunk aesthetic isn't just a visual choice — it's a metaphor for the time we have with loved ones and the memories we carry forward.
Weird Beluga Studio is a Spanish indie team based in Montreal/Spain. Their debut, Clid the Snail (2021), won awards through Sony's PlayStation Talents program. Duskfade is their second game, published by Fireshine Games.
For our full verdict on the game, see the Review.