There were no materials for a fire, so I had to eat the meat raw, which in turn did something to my stamina. On my first playthrough, my first island was pretty much barren save for a wild boar that I had to chase and stab to death (which, as a side note, was kind of unpleasant, seeing as the boar seemed to be smiling). You have to keep her fed to keep her energy up to allow her to hunt, gather, craft, and all the other elements you?d expect from a game like this.įirst, Windbound is procedurally-generated, which means that you?re surviving at the whim of a game that didn?t seem entirely balanced, at least in my experience. The whole game is built around keeping the main character, Kara, alive as she navigates across the seas from island to island. Instead, as I said, it?s all about survival. Sure, I knew that the game was about a lost explorer/warrior trying to find her way home, but I?d based my expectations for the game on the reveal trailer, which gave off a Wind Waker/Breath of the Wild vibe - and needless to say, Windbound is definitely not either of those games. ![]() The story is all still a bit of a mystery, but based on just an hour or so with the game I’m already intrigued to learn more and see where the waves take me next.I?m putting that right up front in this review, because I wasn?t fully aware of that fact going in. Windbound It’s a familiar formula in a foreign package that effortlessly blends together elements of survival/crafting games along with roguelikes and procedurally generated sandbox adventures. It’s just silly enough to be endearing but not wonky. Character animations are surprisingly fluid, especially while climbing and swimming, with a really slick physics system behind it all that reminded me a little bit of Breath of the Wild when Kara inevitably falls or gets hurt. Another unexpected standout is just how good it felt to explore and roam around the islands. It’s fast-paced and just a tad bit floaty, something I liked since it made things feel unique. You’ve even got the ability to dodge roll and be stealthy by crouching and sneaking. There’s an enemy lock-on function, plus a variety of weapons from your indestructible knife to spears, slings, and bows. “Speaking of combat, since Windbound is a third-person action-adventure style game from a gameplay mechanics perspective, the flow of battle is better than most in the survival genre. On Storyteller you keep your entire inventory, don’t lose Chapter progress, and combat is a bit easier. However, the main difference is that you get to keep any items in the ‘Held’ section of the inventory, but lose anything in bags. On Survivalist, when you die, you’re booted all the way back to the start of Chapter 1 when you first awake. There are two difficulty options: Survivalist and Storyteller. ![]() Battling the ebb and flow of the water, while maintained balance, gets tough. Not only is wind direction a thing, but the waves can be downright perilous at times during big storms. After building a ship by combining various parts like multiple hulls and types of sails together, you can set off on your own. Each island is procedurally generated, ensuring you won’t have the same adventure twice, so once you hunt all the creatures, gather all the resources, and exhaust what’s available you’ve got to move on and continue crossing the Forbidden Islands. So instead of farming the same areas for identical resources forever, Windbound requires you to stay mobile. From the very first island creatures are immediately outlandish and the game’s general focus on becoming a traveling nomad immediately fosters a sense of constant discovery, which is a welcomed change of pace for a genre that’s usually about doing the same things over and over again. There are hints of a really intriguing story here, or at least a well-realized setting that has room for lore expansion. Within the first few minutes I had found an ancient, stone altar that imbued my necklace with powerful, glowing blue energy. ![]() Rather than simply scrounging for materials, there is a heavy ambiance of mystery and discovery at the core of Windbound. That’s not very original, but the execution is where it truly soars. The goal is to explore and adapt to the landscape around you and embark on perilous adventures. You’re hungry and ill-equipped to survive. You awaken in a deserted region of the idyllic Forbidden Islands as Kara, an abandoned warrior, surrounded by stormy seas. Windbound begins much like many games of this type, but doesn’t take long to feel fresh and unique.
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