Bastard Bonds

About

"Bastard Bonds" is a tactical RPG set on the criminal-infested island of Lukatt. As an outcast, you must gather a band of misfits, make tough decisions, and navigate over 200 locations with high-end pixel art. The game offers in-depth character customization, including sprite mod support, and more than 1000 character sprites, providing over 40 hours of gameplay. Justice may have failed, but in this game, you have the chance to take control of your own destiny.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,350 reviews

gameplay136 positive mentions

grinding42 negative mentions

Impossibly beautiful game with gorgeous pixel art and a unique character creator.
Engaging and addictive gameplay with a risk/reward combat system that keeps battles interesting.
Rich lore and character backstories that enhance the overall experience and encourage exploration.

Combat can become repetitive and lacks depth, leading to a predictable strategy.
The tutorial and explanations of mechanics are poorly communicated, making it difficult for new players to grasp the game.
Pathfinding issues can cause party members to get stuck, and the lack of autosave can lead to frustrating loss of progress.

gameplay
434 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
60%
9%
The gameplay of "Bastard Bonds" is characterized by a mix of simple yet engaging mechanics, particularly the innovative "risk" system that adds depth to combat. However, many players find the mechanics poorly explained, leading to a steep learning curve and initial confusion. While the gameplay can become repetitive and lacks complexity over time, it remains addictive and enjoyable once players grasp the core systems, making it a unique experience despite its flaws.
- “On one hand, the gameplay is simple fun to the point of it being addicting; I like the design of the world and the creatures, the characters, and what writing there is.”
- “An easily addictive gameplay loop, with a lot of flexibility in party loadouts and combat approaches.”
- “The gameplay is deep and satisfying, as is the relatively extensive character customization, all wrapped up with an intricate story where your decisions do, in fact, matter.”
- “Gameplay is repetitive and shallow, not to mention poorly balanced, plus the AI is pretty uncreative.”
- “The actual gameplay leaves a lot to be desired.”
- “Sadly, I find the gameplay too primitive for my tastes.”
story
424 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
62%
3%
The game's story is a blend of humor, seriousness, and engaging character interactions, set on a prison island where players can customize their protagonist and explore various narratives. While the overarching plot is straightforward, it is enriched by environmental storytelling and character backstories, though some players may find it sparse and reliant on guides to fully experience all content. Overall, the narrative offers a unique and immersive experience, with a strong emphasis on player choices and relationships, despite some critiques regarding pacing and depth.
- “Just got both endings, almost all character quests and interactions and damn... this was an amazing ride.”
- “What I got instead was a beautifully crafted story full of wit, interesting yet deceptively simple gameplay, and basically infinite replayability.”
- “The story is complex and fascinating, forcing you to dig for what lore you can find.”
- “The story: has a lot of potential, but it's not realized.”
- “The lack of a more character-driven story (which I thought was one of the main features, or at least I felt like it was promoted as one).”
- “Unfortunately, the story doesn't change at all.”
graphics
184 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
57%
7%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming pixel art style that many players appreciate for its nostalgic appeal and attention to detail, despite some criticisms regarding simplicity and lack of animation. While the visuals are generally well-received, with unique aesthetics and engaging environments, some players find them occasionally overwhelming or lacking in clarity. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's atmosphere and immersive experience, though they may not satisfy those seeking high-end visuals.
- “The pixel art style is amazing, great detail on everything and the layering capabilities when you make your own characters such as the main or randoms you want to recruit let you go absolutely nuts with customization.”
- “The artwork is richly-colored pixel art (think 16-bit era), with hand-drawn backdrops for story flavor and character cutscenes when members of your band trust you enough to form a bond with you.”
- “The art style is extremely distinct and enjoyable, both in the cutscene views and in the normal pixel views.”
- “Fun game, annoyingly bad graphics make it hard to see things.”
- “Graphics in the game are on the simple side; they are nicely drawn but lack true animation (animation in this game is static sprites given a wobble effect).”
- “Very basic concept and disgusting graphics.”
music
108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
38%
3%
The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many players praising its emotional depth and fitting atmosphere that evokes nostalgia for classic RPGs. While some noted that the soundtrack can be repetitive and lacks variety, it is generally described as enjoyable and well-composed, enhancing the overall gaming experience. Overall, the music is considered one of the standout features, contributing significantly to the game's charm and immersion.
- “The music is amazing and sets the right mood for the situations.”
- “The soundtrack fits the game, and is just... so good.”
- “The music is well done, the combat is fun and fast-paced for a turn-based RPG, and gears/skills feel impactful.”
- “It's got 1 battle theme and maybe a handful of songs for what feels like a pretty long game honestly.”
- “The music is a solid B, with some tracks being a little simplistic or grating after long hours of play.”
- “The music is not very varied.”
grinding
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is often described as tedious and time-consuming, with players feeling that it detracts from exploration and enjoyment. While some appreciate the balanced build-up and the challenge it presents, many find the repetitive combat and slow leveling process to be a chore, especially when managing multiple squads or trying to recruit enemies. Overall, the grind can feel excessive and lacks a compelling purpose, leading to frustration for players seeking a more engaging experience.
- “After looking online for the full world map, I got discouraged from continuing; 208 locations and most is just slow, tedious combat. I will not do that.”
- “Finding out all those people I passed up on the way to the port needed to be recruited... tedious beyond words.”
- “You get a lot of experience for first clearing a location, but repeat visits seem to give a lot less experience, so grinding in this game is very slow.”
replayability
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
55%
8%
Overall, the game boasts high replayability due to its diverse character recruitment system, alternate endings, and engaging story elements that encourage multiple playthroughs. While some players noted repetitive gameplay mechanics, many found the depth of lore and character interactions to significantly enhance the replay value. The combination of customization options and varied alliances ensures that players can enjoy different experiences with each run.
- “What I got instead was a beautifully crafted story full of wit, interesting yet deceptively simple gameplay, and basically infinite replayability.”
- “Also a perk for this game is it's super replayable; I'm on my second run already!”
- “The writing's good, the character recruitment system is great, and there are enough hidden interactions to make it replayable on top of that.”
- “The game is already repetitive enough (especially if you abuse the tank tactic, where enemies only attack the closest character to them), and there's virtually no real replay value to the game at all, but this really just puts the icing on the cake.”
- “A rather simple game with a lot of replay value as well as character creation/customization.”
- “The characters in the second half of the game are conversely the more interesting ones; if the dev tweaks that to make it a bit easier, I'd be grateful, and it'd certainly help replayability.”
character development
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
41%
9%
Character development in the game is noted for its rich and detailed designs, particularly appealing to those who appreciate its homoerotic themes. While players enjoy the customization options and the potential for interesting narratives, many feel that the overall character development is somewhat limited, with a desire for deeper exploration of the characters' stories. The game successfully combines engaging visuals with a fun combat system, but some reviewers express disappointment at the missed opportunities for more substantial character growth throughout the gameplay.
- “Bastard Bonds hits all of the things I like in a game: there is an abundance of exploration, a few hidden (but not obtuse) secrets, relatively quick maps/zones, strategic combat that doesn't require me to think ahead 25 turns, flexibility in character development, simple mechanics with the old-school attitude that you have to figure things out for yourself rather than be given an explanation.”
- “Excellent character development that is just deep enough, a fun combat system, emphasis on rare but valuable equipment, and a pretty cool town building element combine to make a great tactical RPG.”
- “And your character development as well is interesting, being able to customize a lot and create different stories that will define your personality.”
- “The explanation of how combat, strongholds, character development, and so on needs some more work.”
- “One per character was really disappointing, and considering you get the bond scenes quite quickly, there's not a lot of character development over the long length of the game.”
- “Also, the character designs give off a feeling like they're realizing the developer's fetish - lots of extremely burly, strangely proportioned, nearly nude flirtatious bear-men made up my party and populated my stronghold.”
humor
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, blending raunchy jokes with sympathetic character interactions and engaging dialogue that balances serious storytelling with lighthearted moments. While the adult themes and pixel art nudity may not appeal to everyone, many players appreciate the clever writing and the mix of humor with darker elements, making for a memorable experience. Overall, the game successfully combines humor with tactical gameplay, creating a unique atmosphere that resonates with players.
- “The dialogue is funny and the characters are sympathetic and touching, more than you'd expect for an ostensibly lewd game like this.”
- “Add on to that the orc nazar sweet romance, spicy hookups, and overall funny dialogue, and the game really shines.”
- “The raunchy humor and casual pixel art nudity may not be for everyone, but I found myself enjoying Bastard Bonds immensely.”
atmosphere
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
71%
18%
11%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive soundtrack, captivating art style, and engaging writing, which collectively enhance the experience of various locations. Players appreciate the ability to build and organize their camp, adding a personal touch to the atmosphere. Overall, the game is noted for its dark, atmospheric tones, appealing to fans of tactical RPGs with mature themes and rich lore.
- “This game is beautiful not for tactical battles, but for atmosphere, interesting lore, and locations.”
- “Atmospheric, finely-crafted, always sets the tone well, and very fitting aesthetically.”
- “I feel the soundtrack really delivered on the atmosphere of the island as well as its various locations.”
- “The atmosphere and art style rock.”
- “It really added to the atmosphere of the various locations.”
emotional
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features surprisingly emotional and sympathetic characters, with humorous dialogue that adds depth to its lewd premise. Players appreciate the heartfelt plot and the wholesome interactions among a diverse cast, though some express a desire for more romantic subplot options. Overall, it combines lightheartedness with emotional resonance, enhanced by fitting music and charming pixel graphics.
- “The dialogue is funny and the characters are sympathetic and touching, more than you'd expect for an ostensibly lewd game like this.”
- “Solid RPG with a Diablo-esque feel, great characters, and a sweet, heartfelt plot.”
- “If anything is of note that I wish there was more of, I wish there were more options for romantic subplot, as the only one in the game, although heartwarming, did feel really small in the grand scheme of things.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game is inconsistent, with some players experiencing significant pathfinding issues and game-breaking glitches that can disrupt gameplay, while others report a smooth experience without any bugs. Overall, the presence of glitches seems to be a notable concern for many users, impacting the enjoyment of the game.
- “Pathfinding is really buggy and glitchy for allies and enemies alike.”
- “The gameplay and combat loop are pretty fun, but you'll occasionally run into game-breaking glitches. You'll eventually realize the hardest enemy in the game is not the wild dogs, or the bandits, or the tentacles, but the glitches themselves.”
- “Then it glitches for stupid reasons; for instance, one of my party members died and I couldn't select an action.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization is highlighted by the effectiveness of a party size limited to four, where players can create highly efficient and powerful characters. This leads to a lack of incentive to expand beyond the optimal party size, as the existing team becomes overwhelmingly capable.
- “There is a kingdom-building component as well, but with a party size limit of 4, once you're rocking four unstoppably optimized killing machines, it's hard to see the incentive in expanding your numbers.”

Buy Bastard Bonds

Bastard Bonds
$10.99
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15h Median play time

22h Average play time

2-50h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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