Blightbound

62%
Game Brain Score Based on 669 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Blightbound Game Cover
Blightbound has a lot of good to offer, but with dodgy matchmaking and a repetitive feel to the gameplay, it won't be for everyone.
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"Blightbound" is a fantasy hack and slash game with spectacular game mechanics and delightful graphics. In this multiplayer dungeon crawler, up to three players cooperatively battle monstrous enemies in handcrafted dungeons, switching between warrior, assassin, and mage roles to conquer colossal bosses and solve puzzles. However, beware the grinding and bugs that may hinder your progress in ridding the world of the corrupting Blight.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

62%
Audience ScoreBased on 669 reviews
gameplay55 positive mentions
stability31 negative mentions
  • The game features a captivating art style and engaging combat mechanics that keep players invested.
  • The cooperative gameplay encourages teamwork and strategy, making it a fun experience when played with friends.
  • The developers are actively working on updates and improvements, showing commitment to enhancing the game.
  • The game suffers from frequent desync issues and bugs that can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustrating experiences.
  • The notoriety system resets when a party member leaves, making it difficult to progress and obtain better loot.
  • There is a lack of content and variety in levels, leading to repetitive gameplay after a few hours.
  • gameplay141 mentions

    The gameplay of Blightbound is characterized by its cooperative mechanics, requiring strategic teamwork among players to navigate challenging dungeons and utilize diverse character classes effectively. While the core gameplay loop is engaging and offers a satisfying blend of action and RPG elements, many players find it repetitive and lacking in content, with issues such as poor AI for solo play and unclear mechanics detracting from the overall experience. Despite its potential and enjoyable combat, the game suffers from balance problems and a need for more varied content to maintain long-term interest.

    • “With its dark and atmospheric setting, challenging gameplay, and strategic teamwork mechanics, Blightbound sets itself apart from other games in the genre.”
    • “The strategic aspect of forming a well-balanced team is crucial, as each class brings unique strengths and weaknesses to the table, encouraging cooperative gameplay and thoughtful decision-making.”
    • “Blightbound offers a captivating co-op dungeon crawling experience with its dark fantasy setting, strategic gameplay, and engaging cooperative mechanics.”
    • “The core gameplay is okay but not great, and that's kind of the big problem, because outside of the core loop, there's not a huge amount of content.”
    • “I bought this game day one and was horrified by how bad the gameplay was.”
    • “Overall, the game is a mess of poorly chosen systems and decisions that could have been great, but are unlikely to ever be so due to balance and gameplay decisions.”
  • story122 mentions

    The game's story is largely criticized for being minimal and underwhelming, with character quests feeling like filler rather than meaningful narratives. While each character has a personal storyline, the lack of engaging content and the grind required to unlock it detracts from the overall experience. Many players find the repetitive missions and generic plot elements disappointing, leading to a sense of frustration rather than immersion.

    • “The story itself is told through the personal quests of each of the heroes you acquire.”
    • “You unlock many different characters over the campaign, each with their own personal story and unique abilities.”
    • “At the same time, completing those personal quests opens up the lore which keeps me interested in what's happening next.”
    • “The story is threadbare, the gameplay loop is far too slow, the random missions make it so only a few missions are viable each loop, progression is wonky.”
    • “The quests are mediocre and feel like filler rather than actual personal stories.”
    • “They tried to put some story in, but it's basically non-existent.”
  • graphics74 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and beautifully crafted art style, which combines dark fantasy elements with atmospheric visuals reminiscent of titles like "Darkest Dungeon." Players appreciate the attention to detail in the environments and character designs, although some note minor glitches and a need for further polish. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's immersive experience, enhancing both the aesthetic appeal and gameplay enjoyment.

    • “Blightbound takes place in a beautifully crafted dark fantasy world, brimming with atmospheric visuals and hauntingly detailed environments.”
    • “The art style and attention to detail in the world design contribute to the game's immersive experience, drawing players into its rich lore.”
    • “The art style is dark, gritty, and whimsical; the combat is fun and engaging; the loot system feels rewarding; and the game has a level of polish that many AAA full release titles don't have.”
    • “The gameplay is a castle crashers/dota/diablo hybrid with almost 'darkest dungeon level' graphical fidelity.”
    • “Unclear visuals.”
    • “The art style is too bland.”
  • stability33 mentions

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of severe bugs, glitches, and crashes, particularly during the tutorial and in various missions. While some players have experienced smooth gameplay, many others have encountered game-breaking issues that hinder progress and enjoyment. Overall, the game is deemed very buggy, especially in its current early access state, leading to frustration among players.

    • “Once we got started, this game was a completely bug-free experience.”
    • “The tutorial is a bit buggy at the start; all three of us had at least one crash to desktop during the tutorial sequence.”
    • “Sadly, many missions still end in fatal glitches, with invulnerable bosses or just impassable areas due to poor companion AI.”
    • “The bad: the game is extremely glitchy and has some of the worst glitches I have ever encountered in a video game.”
  • grinding30 mentions

    The reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is a significant point of contention, with many players finding the progression slow, repetitive, and tedious due to limited levels, low enemy variety, and a lack of engaging loot. While some appreciate the grind as part of the RPG experience, others feel it detracts from overall enjoyment, leading to a sense of boredom and frustration. Overall, the grinding mechanics are seen as overly demanding, with many players expressing a desire for a more rewarding and varied gameplay loop.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Really grindy progression and nothing new in terms of world, gameplay, or anything.”
    • “With only just 9 levels and no variation coming along with increasing difficulty, Blightbound becomes grindy, repetitive, and boring very fast.”
    • “Grinding for the sake of grinding will kill this game.”
  • optimization12 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, including low frame rates, crashes, and glitches, even on high-end hardware. While others report satisfactory performance at medium settings, many agree that the game is still in early access and requires further updates to address these optimization concerns. Players are hopeful for improvements in future patches, but caution against purchasing the game in its current state due to these ongoing issues.

    • “My review is based on the latest patch. You can basically play the game single-player right now and be fine; just go at your own pace, discover things. Graphics are very good, performance isn't an issue, and an in-depth crafting system is there. New dungeons and heroes are added every 2 weeks so far. The game is in early access, obviously, so lots of good stuff to come.”
    • “Currently, I don't think you'd want to purchase this game in its current state. However, if they update and fix any of the bugs or glitches the game might have, possible performance issues and things like that, it might end up being worth it later down the road.”
    • “There are some mechanics that have been implemented that I like, but I know they are equal in performance.”
    • “These issues persist despite using a high-performance PC with an NVIDIA RTX 3080.”
    • “Optimization is non-existent; boss fights sometimes don't progress to the next phase, causing you to lose your progress in that run. Crashes and desyncs are happening more often than they should.”
    • “The game can feel sluggish as the performance crawls to 30 FPS often in combat (I'm running the game on: CPU: i7 7700K, GPU: GTX 1080 Ti).”
  • music10 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and contribution to the overall experience, enhancing the journey through dungeons and complementing the game's aesthetics. Reviewers commend the soundtrack as beautifully made, with a good selection that fits the game's unique art style and atmosphere. Despite some technical issues affecting gameplay, the music remains a standout feature that many players appreciate.

    • “Gameplay is tight and twitchy, graphics are gorgeous, sound design and music are immaculate.”
    • “Aesthetics and graphics are nice, music is good and kudos to the developers for having the courage to do something different in the rogue-like genre.”
    • “The music and sound effects are well done and help you enjoy your journey through the dungeons more.”
    • “Overall: I recommend this game if you are not annoyed easily because the glitches are super annoying but I look past them as all my characters die from blight from people disconnecting as they chant Spanish hymns or French musicals as they unplug their PCs and I lose out on all the hard work I did and say why am I so addicted to this game please help I'm being cursed in another language.”
    • “Glitches such as not being able to progress through the story because the game either doesn't register you have picked something up or you are doing something too quickly, such as picking up a skull in one of the most glitchy missions in the game called 'To Whom the Bell Tolls'. Unlike the Metallica song, the bell in this mission never tolls, I guess because it won't allow you to progress through it.”
  • replayability9 mentions

    The game offers a mix of replayability, with a variety of monsters and characters, as well as missions that provide random loot, appealing to players who enjoy farming. However, some users express disappointment in the limited content and feel that it lacks the depth needed for long-term replayability, suggesting it may not fully satisfy those seeking extensive gameplay variety. Overall, while there are enjoyable elements, the game's replay value is seen as inconsistent.

    • “There are a good amount, albeit still limited, of replayable missions that drop random loot, so if you like farming missions to get progressively better loot, then this is the game for you.”
    • “However, there's a lot of replay value in doing the camp side quests as well as figuring out what to do next in each hero's personal quests.”
    • “Good game, addictive gameplay, a lot of replayability.”
    • “Tldr; this game shows promise, and will entertain you and 2 friends for several hours before some replayability issues arise.”
    • “Really disappointed in the amount of content, replayability, gameplay, progression and how badly programmed this game is as this game looks like a 2012 flash game and costs 20€.”
  • humor7 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as hit-or-miss, with some players finding it unfunny while others enjoy the comedic moments that arise during multiplayer sessions with friends. Many appreciate the absurdity of certain abilities, leading to laughter over their ineffectiveness compared to more powerful options. Overall, the game's humor seems to shine in social play, where shared experiences can lead to hilariously entertaining moments.

    • “You have to try it, get some friends, and have a lot of funny nights together; you can play on the same console or PC.”
    • “This means you can just run pretty easy missions with a decent team and get some hilariously overpowered gear.”
    • “Edit: The developer humorously asked me to give the game another shot, despite me saying I refunded the game.”
    • “Not funny.”
    • “The humor falls flat and feels forced.”
    • “I expected more laughs, but the jokes just didn't land.”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    Blightbound is praised for its immersive dark fantasy atmosphere, featuring beautifully crafted visuals and haunting environments that evoke a sense of nostalgia reminiscent of classic RPGs. The combination of strategic gameplay, atmospheric sound effects, and detailed dungeons enhances the overall experience, setting it apart in its genre.

    • “With its dark and atmospheric setting, challenging gameplay, and strategic teamwork mechanics, Blightbound sets itself apart from other games in the genre.”
    • “Blightbound takes place in a beautifully crafted dark fantasy world, brimming with atmospheric visuals and hauntingly detailed environments.”
    • “Great atmosphere and really reminds you of an old-school RPG.”
    • “The game lacks a cohesive atmosphere, making it feel disjointed and uninspired.”
    • “I expected a rich, immersive environment, but instead, it felt flat and lifeless.”
    • “The atmosphere is underwhelming, failing to draw me into the world or evoke any real emotion.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game currently features no microtransactions, but players express concerns that the game feels like a cash grab due to its repetitive content and numerous bugs. Many reviewers are skeptical about the game's long-term viability, fearing it may remain in early access without significant updates or improvements. Overall, the lack of engaging content and the game's early access status contribute to a negative perception of its monetization strategy.

    • “As of now, there are no microtransactions.”
    • “The game offers a fair monetization model that doesn't pressure players to spend money.”
    • “I appreciate that the game allows players to enjoy the full experience without needing to make additional purchases.”
    • “This feels like a cheap cash grab from the devs. Not recommended, even if it was free.”
    • “Very buggy game, desync... I know it’s still an early access game (that might stay like that, like most of those kinds of games, because most of the time, they're cash grabs) but if this game goes on, they need to add mechanisms like a reset for stats, more leveling experience, new skills, new classes (other than the 3 main classes that change skills), randomly generated stages, more items (yeah, seriously, right now, item choices are garbage), perks maybe, I don’t know, something. Add something to this game... and fix all the damn bugs because playing a co-op game with all those bugs is hell!”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Users note that while the game has potential, it currently feels emotionally rough and may require further refinement to enhance its impact.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

60% average critic score

Buy Blightbound

Play time

16hMedian play time
14hAverage play time
9-23hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 7 analyzed playthroughs

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