Bard Harder!
- February 28, 2021
- Shark and Pelican Games
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Bard Harder!" is a tabletop-inspired visual novel game where you use romance as your weapon to save your friends from the Big Bad Evil Guy. With multiple endings, original music, and charming characters, the game offers a complete narrative experience in a self-contained 30-minute story. Flirt with your TTRPG buds Alden, Nia, and Presley, and enjoy the original soundtrack featuring Power Ballad, Lullaby, and Polka Bard Songs. Embrace hot chips and being gay, if you so choose.
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Reviews
- The game is incredibly cute and charming, with delightful characters and a fun premise of flirting to save the day.
- The writing is humorous and engaging, providing a light-hearted experience that resonates well with fans of tabletop RPGs.
- The art and music are top-notch, enhancing the overall enjoyment and making it a visually appealing and entertaining game.
- The game is quite short, lasting less than an hour, which may leave players wanting more content and depth.
- Some players felt that the character interactions and world-building could have been more fleshed out, leading to a less memorable experience.
- While the humor is appreciated, some aspects of the LGBTQ+ representation felt forced or awkwardly integrated into the narrative.
- story50 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as charming, engaging, and filled with humor, featuring a variety of endings and a captivating narrative that draws players in. While many enjoyed the cute art and music, some felt that the pacing hindered deeper character connections and that certain elements, like LGBTQ+ representation, could have been integrated more naturally. Overall, players expressed a desire for a longer version to further develop the characters and plot.
“The story is captivating and really makes you feel for both the characters and their players.”
“This game has a lot of fun storytelling and a great narrative to play through!”
“I would love to see a longer version of this game where the characters and plot have more time to be fleshed out and to follow the adventures of our most charming, sexiest, and dashing bard in all the lands!”
“☐ no story”
“I would love to see a longer version of this game where the characters and plot have more time to be fleshed out and to follow the adventures of our most charming, sexiest, and dashing-est bard in all the lands!”
“It doesn't take itself too seriously, but the story has enough internal coherency that you do have to be a little careful about reading and making sure to choose the correct answers to succeed.”
- music44 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many players highlighting its catchy tunes and emotional resonance. Reviewers noted that the soundtrack complements the charming visuals and engaging story, making it a standout feature of the game. Some even expressed a desire for a soundtrack album, indicating the music's significant impact on their enjoyment.
“The game is a heartwarming gem, a love song to cherished memories, and I enjoyed every single minute of gameplay.”
“The music is great, as you'd expect from a game in which you play a bard.”
“The art is beautiful, the music is funky, and the writing is great.”
“The music is too upbeat.”
“The art was cute as was the music and story.”
“Visuals and music were solid, especially for something so cheap.”
- humor44 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in this visual novel is widely praised for its charm and wit, with many players finding the dialogue both hilarious and engaging. The game's lighthearted premise, combined with funny interactions and clever writing, creates a delightful experience that resonates particularly well with fans of tabletop RPGs. Despite its short length, players appreciate the humor's consistency and the joy of exploring different endings.
“It was so fun and so funny reading Robin trying to flirt her way out of her and her party’s deaths within the game (as well as the reactions to her trying this), while also trying to figure out a way to ask her IRL crush Subin out.”
“Bard Harder is a short, funny, and utterly charming little visual novel.”
“This is a game that rewards paying attention, and it's satisfying pursuing the different ends and figuring out the 'true' end; but besides that, the dialogue is hilarious, and I loved pursuing all the different options just to read it all!”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is straightforward and primarily involves reading and engaging with character interactions, making it accessible for fans of visual novels. Players appreciate the charming narrative and character dynamics, particularly those who enjoy D&D elements and dating sim mechanics. While the gameplay is simple, it is described as enjoyable and heartwarming, appealing to those looking for a lighthearted experience.
“The game is a heartwarming gem, a love song to cherished memories, and I enjoyed every single minute of gameplay.”
“Wholeheartedly recommended to anyone who likes D&D, fun character interactions, shameless flirting, and/or dating sim mechanics.”
“It's a visual novel, so the gameplay is very simple: reading about the characters and learning everything you can.”
“Don't take the bard's harder gameplay too seriously, but don't pass it up if it seems intriguing!”
“It's just gameplay.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics are widely praised for their cute and playful art style, featuring charming illustrations and a vibrant color scheme that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the creativity in character designs, such as a skeleton villain with hearts in his eyes, and commend the artwork for its quality, especially given the game's low price point. Overall, the visuals are described as top-notch and fitting for a Dungeons & Dragons theme.
“The illustrations are cute (the big bad is a skelly who gets hearts in his eyes when he falls in love; how can you not like that?) and the color scheme keeps the visuals playful.”
“Artwork and design are very nice and very D&D; overall top notch.”
“The illustrations are cute (the big bad is a skelly who gets hearts in his eyes when he falls in love how can you not like that?) and the color scheme keeps the visuals playful.”
“Visuals and music were solid, especially for something so cheap.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game offers a fun story and good writing, contributing to its replayability; however, its short length limits the overall replay value unless players choose to explore different interactions with the three other characters in separate playthroughs.
“Tldr: fun story, good writing, replayable.”
“It is very replayable.”
“Admittedly, the game is short and thus there's not too much replayability, unless you decide to talk to all three of the other players and see how that plays out later in three separate runs.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its heartwarming narrative and nostalgic themes, evoking strong emotional connections and enjoyment throughout gameplay. However, players also experience moral dilemmas, particularly when faced with cruel choices towards the villain, which adds complexity to the emotional experience.
“The game is a heartwarming gem, a love song to cherished memories, and I enjoyed every single minute of gameplay.”
“In one of the endings, you're cruel to the villain, which made me feel a little bad, especially considering the alternative outcomes.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Users find the monetization strategy effective, as the catchy advertisement song successfully encourages them to spend money on the game.
“The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”
“I feel like I'm constantly bombarded with ads and prompts to buy in-game currency, which ruins the experience.”
“It's frustrating that the game locks so much content behind paywalls, making it feel less like a game and more like a cash grab.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players consistently express that the grinding required in the game is excessively time-consuming, suggesting that it feels like a task that demands an unrealistic amount of effort, akin to needing a "second life" to manage it.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the character development for its engaging writing style and unique music, highlighting the gorgeous character designs that enhance the overall experience.
“I really hope you can develop more visual novels like this. Your writing style and music are unique and engaging, and your character designs are gorgeous.”
