Bamboo EP

About

"Bamboo EP" is a collection of three games: "Bamboo Ball," a digital dodge-ball game for 1-2 players with four seasons to play in and dabbing snowmen; "Bamboo Heart," a fast-paced sword-fighting game with boss battles, unlockable skills, and 6 unlockable characters; and "Bamboo Moon," an interactive titlescreen with secrets. The games are best played with a gamepad.

Genres & Tags

Indie

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 39 reviews

replayability3 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Bamboo Heart offers fast-paced, dynamic combat with a surprising amount of depth and replayability, reminiscent of games like Nidhogg and Samurai Gunn.
The game features charming aesthetics and a unique art style, making it visually appealing and enjoyable to play.
Bamboo EP includes multiple games, with Bamboo Heart being the standout title, providing a fun single-player experience and a multiplayer mode for up to 4 players.

The controls can be confusing and clunky, especially for keyboard players, with no option to customize keybindings or support for gamepads.
Bamboo Ball, while fun, lacks depth and quickly becomes repetitive, making it less engaging in the long run.
Some players have experienced technical issues, such as the game not starting or displaying a black/white screen, indicating potential stability problems.

graphics
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The graphics of the game are praised for their unique and calming aesthetics, featuring a stylized art style that enhances the overall experience. Users appreciate the nostalgic and cute visuals, which complement the gameplay, while the pixel art and vibrant colors contribute to a charming atmosphere. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, adding depth and replayability to the game.
- “Totally worthwhile and very unique aesthetics.”
- “It has such a calming aesthetic and is very nostalgic for me.”
- “The stylized graphics are a highlight for anyone.”
- “The graphics are underwhelming and lack detail, making the game feel outdated.”
- “The art style feels inconsistent and doesn't match the overall theme of the game.”
- “The visuals are too simplistic, which detracts from the overall experience.”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The gameplay is fast-paced and frantic, focusing on jumping and slicing mechanics reminiscent of Nidhogg, but with a darker twist. Players engage in dynamic combat, utilizing unique mechanics like hunting for food and unlocking abilities through boss battles, making it easy to learn yet challenging to master. The art style complements the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.
- “It's kinda like Nidhogg, but more frantic, less sword-throwing, and really sinister, with cool mechanics like striking down the flying birds to get meat, or plucking mushrooms, then cooking them so you can eat them safely to regain health when your hunger is full (takes four cooked mushrooms or like two cooked meats, I think).”
- “Bamboo Heart is a katana dueling side-scrolling action game that is challenging but rewarding if you learn the mechanics and tricks.”
- “The gameplay only consists of jumping and slicing.”
- “Quickfire gameplay, easy to learn, hard to master, frenetic, frantic, kinda spooky... and you can unlock abilities by killing a boss every five kills.”
- “The mechanics are simple but every fight is very dynamic.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game boasts high replayability due to its polished mechanics, quick controls, and deep combat system, alongside multiple character unlocks and varied enemy spawns. Players find that beneath its appealing visuals and music lies a surprising depth that encourages repeated playthroughs.
- “With quick, snappy controls, surprisingly deep combat, multiple character unlocks, and 'boss' enemies spawning in different orders, the game feels incredibly replayable.”
- “At first glance, this offers just nice visuals and sweet music, but 'Bamboo Heart' has a surprising amount of depth and replayability, and is actually just a cool game.”
- “Really polished and high replayability!”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and suitability, enhancing the overall experience with sweet melodies. However, some players have noted that the volume can be excessively loud during exploration, suggesting a need for adjustable volume settings. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the game's depth and replayability.
- “I love the game's music, but in Bamboo Heart, it can get a little too loud when you're just walking around.”
- “At first glance, this offers nice visuals and sweet music, but 'Bamboo Heart' has a surprising amount of depth and replayability. It's actually just a cool game.”
- “So far in my early playtime, I haven't found a tactic or approach to even the basic enemies that guarantees an easy kill, and the music is perfect.”
- “An option to change volume settings would be nice. I love the game's music, but in Bamboo Heart, it can get a little too loud when you're just walking around.”
- “The music is repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to enjoy during long play sessions.”
- “While the soundtrack has some good tracks, many of them feel out of place and don't match the game's atmosphere.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
The story is likened to that of 'Nidhogg', featuring a neat narrative with engaging secrets, including a connection to the bamboo moon menu area, which adds depth to the gameplay experience.
- “It even has a neat little story and some awesome secrets, including one that ties into the bamboo moon menu area.”
- “The closest comparison I would make is 'Nidhogg, but with a story'.”
- “The story feels disjointed and lacks a coherent narrative flow.”
- “Character development is shallow, making it hard to connect with anyone.”
- “The plot twists are predictable and fail to engage the player.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users have reported performance issues with "Bamboo Heart," indicating that the game's optimization may not be functioning as intended.
- “As for performance, there does seem to be something wrong with Bamboo Heart.”
- “The game frequently lags and stutters, making it frustrating to play.”
- “I encountered numerous bugs that hindered my progress and ruined the experience.”