Bamboo EP

About

Bamboo EP is a single player and multiplayer action game. It was developed by Sokpop Collective and was released on December 15, 2016. It received positive reviews from players.

"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

Skip User Reviews

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 45 reviews

replayability3 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

Bamboo Heart offers a unique and engaging combat experience, blending simplicity with depth, making it a standout feature of the collection.
The pixel-art aesthetic and ambient music create a charming and nostalgic atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
Bamboo EP provides excellent value for its price, showcasing Sokpop's experimental spirit and creativity through its eclectic mix of mini-games.

The controls are often confusing and imprecise, leading to frustration, especially for keyboard players who struggle with the lack of clear control schemes.
Bamboo Ball quickly becomes repetitive and lacks depth, making it less engaging for extended play sessions.
Some players may find the overall experience too brief and lacking in narrative direction, leaving them wanting more structure and guidance.

gameplay
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The gameplay in Bamboo EP is characterized by its minimalist design and distinct mechanics across three separate games, each offering unique experiences. While the controls can be incoherent, the gameplay itself is tight and engaging, featuring timing-based swordplay and dynamic dueling that is easy to learn but challenging to master. Overall, it combines frenetic action with quirky elements, making for a rewarding yet chaotic experience.
- “Rather than presenting a single cohesive experience, it offers three distinct games—bamboo ball, bamboo heart, and bamboo moon—each with its own personality and gameplay loop.”
- “The gameplay is remarkably tight for its minimalist design, combining timing-based swordplay with a subtle rhythm that demands both precision and patience.”
- “Quickfire gameplay, easy to learn, hard to master, frenetic, frantic, kinda spooky... and you can unlock abilities by killing a boss every five kills.”
- “Bamboo EP is thin on gameplay, addressable menu settings, and has incoherent and illogical controls.”
- “Rather than presenting a single cohesive experience, it offers three distinct games—Bamboo Ball, Bamboo Heart, and Bamboo Moon—each with its own personality and gameplay loop.”
- “The gameplay only consists of jumping and slicing.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
37%
38%
The graphics are characterized by a vibrant pixel-art aesthetic that combines retro simplicity with modern indie charm, creating a nostalgic and calming atmosphere. The stylized visuals are a standout feature, enhancing the overall experience with their unique and cute design, particularly in the context of gameplay elements like dodgeball and ninja sword fights. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it a worthwhile experience for players.
- “The stylized graphics are a highlight for anyone.”
- “The pixel-art aesthetic is stripped-down yet vibrant, bathing every scene in a warm, nostalgic hue that evokes both retro simplicity and modern indie sensibilities.”
- “The cute art style fits the rather tepid dodgeball-esque 'bamboo ball.' Maybe with friends who want a slower jam might dig it.”
- “Twitchy ninja sword fights, mushrooms, and pixel visuals at their finest.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is characterized by soft, ambient sounds that enhance the soothing atmosphere and reflect the themes of nature and seasons. While players appreciate the quality and depth of the music, some have noted that volume control options would improve the experience, particularly in certain areas where the music can become overpowering. Overall, the soundtrack is well-received and complements the game's visuals and gameplay.
- “At first glance, this offers just nice visuals and sweet music, but 'Bamboo Heart' has a surprising lot of depth and replayability and is 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 also 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 atmosphere is underscored by soft, ambient music that ebbs and flows between each mini-game, creating a soothing rhythm that mirrors the cyclical theme of nature and seasons.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The story is characterized by a minimalist approach that emphasizes emotional resonance through atmosphere and suggestion rather than a detailed narrative. While some may find it insubstantial, it includes intriguing elements and secrets that enhance the experience, drawing comparisons to games like 'Nidhogg' but with a narrative component.
- “It even has a neat little story and some awesome secrets, including one that ties in to the bamboo moon menu area.”
- “While some might view it as slight or insubstantial, it captures the essence of the studio’s minimalist storytelling: creating emotional resonance through atmosphere, tone, and suggestion rather than explicit narrative.”
- “The closest I would compare that with is 'Nidhogg, but with a story'.”
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 varying boss encounters. Players find that the initial appeal of visuals and music is complemented by substantial depth, making it an engaging experience worth revisiting.
- “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!”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of Bamboo Heart has been criticized, with users reporting performance issues that suggest there may be underlying problems affecting gameplay.
- “As for performance, there does seem to be something wrong with Bamboo Heart.”
- “The game struggles with frame rates, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “Optimization issues lead to long loading times and frequent crashes.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by soft, ambient music that enhances the soothing rhythm and reflects the cyclical themes of nature and seasons. While some may find it minimalistic, it effectively conveys emotional depth through tone and suggestion rather than direct narrative.
- “The atmosphere is underscored by soft, ambient music that ebbs and flows between each mini-game, creating a soothing rhythm that mirrors the cyclical theme of nature and seasons.”
- “While some might view it as slight or insubstantial, it captures the essence of the studio’s minimalist storytelling: creating emotional resonance through atmosphere, tone, and suggestion rather than explicit narrative.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its minimalist storytelling approach, which evokes deep feelings through atmosphere, tone, and suggestion rather than relying on explicit narratives. While some may find this approach lacking, it effectively creates a strong emotional resonance with players.
- “While some might view it as slight or insubstantial, it captures the essence of the studio’s minimalist storytelling: creating emotional resonance through atmosphere, tone, and suggestion rather than explicit narrative.”