But this doesn’t come through in Windbound’s gameplay whatsoever. A story about learning to live alongside animals and plants, using them sparingly and co-existing. The pre-release marketing spiels for Windbound espoused the idea it was this great moral tale of humanity versus nature. In the end, we’re left with a game that could have been great and is instead, only ok. Windbound is certainly crammed with character and potential but it sadly never capitalises on either.
What begins as interesting becomes tedious. While the initial joy of hunting, gathering, sailing and crafting makes the opening hour or so of Windbound feel like a breath of salty fresh air, the longer you play, the less it shines. Developed by Aussies 5 Lives Studios, “ Windbound is a 3rd-person roguelike, set on a fully procedural archipelago.” Players control Kara, a shipwrecked warrior, seeking her clan. The exploration is one of the better aspects and the world looks stunning, with the excellent sailing mechanics offering a nice change of pace for hardcore survival fans.I had high hopes for Windbound but sadly they’ve been dashed on the rocks like so many grass canoes.
Windbound is a hard game to recommend purchasing right now due to how simplistic and lacking in complexity its survival and combat is. For all the pretty sights it offers, Windbound as a whole doesn’t quite come together as an experience. I also experienced a fair few bugs including my UI disappearing and objects flying randomly. The piano melodies and chimes that play when unlocking a path ahead really build the sense of mystery and wonder in the world and I could easily see myself listening to the soundtrack once I go back to University in two weeks and have to revise.Īs a whole, however, Windbound is a package that is fine and works but it doesn’t exactly stand out from the mountains of other survival outings out there, with the game’s narrative aspects not being strong enough or focused upon to a great enough degree that I was left underwhelmed with the final offering. One thing that is worth mentioning though is that the sound and music in Windbound is great. Combat never quite feels right and the impact and weight are underwhelming. Repeat this over and over until you slay the beast for some materials to craft new upgrades for your boat or food to eat.Īnd, on top of that simplicity, the way combat handles and the responsiveness of it is quite lacklustre and whenever I have to take on enemies I was disheartened that I couldn’t just explore the world. While there is a nice variety of weapons, from spears to bows and slings, the actual feel of combat encounters is very two dimensional and simplistic.įor the most part, it boils down to dodging an animal’s attack and then getting one or two hits in as it recovers. Sailing is undoubtedly Windbound’s best asset, which is good because you will be doing a lot of it.Ĭombat here leaves a lot more to be desired. Learning the right angle to catch your sales in the wind and slowly drift forward was one of the most rewarding parts of Windbound’s survival gameplay. After you make it past the initial paddleboat, sailing becomes reliant on using the wind to propel your boat to the next destination, which is incredibly satisfying, albeit challenging as well. When it comes to sailing, Windbound’s mechanics are excellent. I found I had a comfortable amount of storage, health, and stamina, but hunger came about far too fast which limited the amount of stamina I had and made running across the game’s many islands frustrating and a pain. As with most survival games, you are given limited storage space, stamina, health, hunger, and will constantly need to watch where you sail your boat to ensure you aren’t hitting any rocks or obstacles in the ocean.
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