Windbound reviews series#

You have to climb each one to activate them. Progression through a chapter involves sailing around looking for three towers. The sailing is demanding, requiring you to master raising and lowering your sails to cut through the wind or effectively harness it to move fast.įor my first playthrough, I mostly avoided combat with larger animals, which was an effective strategy, though that limited the kind of gear and items I could make, which felt like it hurt me in the end game. For better or worse, there is no way to change the winds, which can be annoying at times. The sailing feels a lot like Wind Waker, especially when the open water music starts to kick into gear. A mixture of melee and ranged attacks have to be used together to effectively take down bigger prey. Combat isn’t overly complex, though there is a lot of ability to experiment, much like Breath of the Wild. That’s where a lot of the Zelda comparisons shine. While it does get tense and stressful, it’s a surprisingly serene gameplay loop. Your movement through each chapter involves exploring islands looking for resources, staying aware of creatures roaming around, crafting new weapons, gear, or accessories, and then sailing around to look for new islands. It’s similar to the difference between the basic game and Master Mode in Breath of the Wild. Both styles are tough and enjoyable in their own right, doing a great job of satisfying those wanting a sterner challenge while also offering something that is great for those who want something more forgiving. Additionally, the combat is a little easier in the second difficulty. Storyteller only kicks you back to the beginning of your current chapter while letting you keep all of your inventory. Survivalist makes it so once you die, you start all the way at the beginning with just the inventory on your person nothing from bags or boxes. Two difficulty options exist: Survivalist and Storyteller. Of course, there’s a cost in doing so, because Windbound is a spin on the roguelike style. It’s still easy to play it safe, but you can also be risky, attacking fearsome wildlife to get rare drops from them, including meat and horns. More storage can be added thanks to wearable bags and containers on your boat. Almost everything of consequence can be made with just rocks and grass, but you have limited inventory so you can't carry everything. The resource collection is simple in the first of five chapters, though it deepens and widens as you progress. From there, you have to collect resources, climb towers, and build various weapons, accessories, and boats. All you have at the beginning is a knife. She then winds up entering a mysterious portal that takes her to an island in the middle of a relatively empty ocean. To open, a storm causes your heroine, Kara, to capsize in the water. Thankfully, the answer is yes, because Windbound, in its mystique, challenge, and shockingly solid Switch port, is soundly excellent. The risk at the center of Windbound is regarding the question of whether or not this will all coalesce into something great.

Windbound reviews series#

On the other hand, the overall presentation, third-person perspective, and emphasis on sailing drove visions of The Legend of Zelda series into my head, primarily Wind Waker and Breath of the Wild. On one hand, the core survival-based gameplay calls to mind well-worn modern classics like Don’t Starve and The Raft. A precarious balance of inspirations helps to make Windbound something unique and special.