Bard to the Future
- February 27, 2015
- Battlebard Games
Get on Steam"Bard to the Future" is a side-scrolling 2D platformer where a battlebard travels through time to race against a cyborg pirate to find a lost treasure. The game features 7 time periods, 26 levels, and unique enemies in each era, as well as challenging boss fights and Steam Cloud Save. It also includes an original soundtrack and voice work in Story Mode and Time Trial modes.
Reviews
- The game has a fun storyline and interesting characters.
- The art style is charming and engaging.
- It's an affordable game, especially if purchased on sale.
- The controls are unresponsive and poorly designed, leading to frustrating gameplay.
- Hitboxes for enemies are inconsistent, making combat and platforming difficult.
- Checkpoints are poorly placed and not clearly indicated, increasing frustration after deaths.
- gameplay5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The gameplay is criticized for its ineffective controls and poorly designed platforming mechanics, which detract significantly from the overall experience. Many players feel that the repetitive nature of the gameplay, combined with unreliable character abilities and hitboxes, makes it difficult to enjoy the game, even if the narrative has potential. Overall, the mechanics are seen as a major flaw that overshadows any redeeming qualities.
“This one seemed promising, but the controls and platforming mechanics are awful!”
“TL;DR: Ineffectual controls and poorly designed mechanics kill this title.”
“Many flash games would outperform this game's mechanics.”
- story4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a unique and enjoyable storyline that blends medieval themes with modern elements, such as a battle bard being teleported through a portable toilet. Players appreciate the fun characters and engaging plot, making the experience worthwhile.
“The game does have a fun storyline and characters, which wouldn't make your purchase a total waste.”
“Otherwise, the story seems to be about some kind of battle bard from real medieval times being somehow teleported to modern times by the use of a modern portable toilet they use at construction sites.”
“Great storyline and I'm finding it really enjoyable so far!”
“The story seems to revolve around a battle bard from real medieval times who is somehow teleported to modern times through the use of a portable toilet found at construction sites.”
“The narrative feels disjointed and lacks coherence, making it difficult to engage with the characters or their motivations.”
“The plot twists are predictable and fail to deliver any real emotional impact, leaving the overall experience flat and uninspired.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as underwhelming and not strong enough to compensate for its mechanical flaws and frustrating gameplay. While the cutesy 2D graphics add some charm, they do not elevate the overall experience or make the humor worth enduring the game's shortcomings.
“The humor is not spectacular enough to justify going through the aggravation, and the cutesy 2D graphics are charming enough not to condemn this game on looks but certainly won't be pretty enough to encourage anyone to overlook other areas where the game is deficient.”
“Funny.”
- graphics3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's cutesy 2D graphics are charming but not impressive enough to elevate the overall experience, with some users noting that while the art style is appreciated, it does not compensate for deficiencies in other areas, such as voice acting.
“I appreciate the art style.”
“The humor is not spectacular enough to justify going through the aggravation, and the cutesy 2D graphics are charming enough not to condemn this game on looks, but certainly won't be pretty enough to encourage anyone to overlook other areas where the game is deficient.”
“Terrible voice acting and graphics.”
- music2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed feedback, with some players finding it annoying due to repetitive loops, while others appreciate its engaging quality.
“The music is incredibly engaging, drawing you into the game's atmosphere.”
“I love how the soundtrack enhances the overall experience, making every moment feel more immersive.”
“The variety of music tracks keeps the gameplay fresh and exciting, perfectly matching the game's tone.”
“The music is annoying; it's always the same loop over and over again.”
“The soundtrack lacks variety and quickly becomes repetitive.”
“I found the music to be grating and uninspired, making it hard to enjoy the game.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users report that the game frequently freezes, particularly when attempting to skip dialogue, indicating significant stability issues that can disrupt gameplay.
“The game often freezes when skipping dialogue.”
“I frequently experience crashes during gameplay.”
“The stability issues make it nearly unplayable at times.”
