Bond Blues

About

Bond Blues is a single player action game. It was developed by CasualTF2, Liblung, ALIAS, et al. and was released on February 19, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Christopher has started his new job as an assistant, others would say, an enforcer, for a bail bondsman in Burlington, Vermont. Does he take a gentler, or more forceful touch? When he begins to notice things beyond his pay grade, how does it play out? Learn what a bail bondsman is Small town intrigue Fully voiced Hand-drawn art 12 emails 29 music tracks A visual novel made for the Ca…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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72%

Audience ScoreBased on 18 reviews

story3 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Bond Blues offers a unique premise and an engaging narrative that immerses players in the world of a bail bondsman, showcasing the complexities of the profession.
The hand-drawn visuals and fully voiced characters add depth and charm to the experience, enhancing the storytelling with vibrant art and nuanced performances.
Despite its flaws, the game demonstrates passion and dedication from its developers, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of visual novels and those looking for something different.

The writing and dialogue are often criticized as poorly executed, lacking the quality expected from a published work, which detracts from the overall experience.
Voice acting and music quality are inconsistent, with some performances being distracting and the music not fitting well with the game's atmosphere.
The story feels underdeveloped and lacks a strong hook, with one-dimensional characters and dialogue options that fail to engage players fully.

story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game's story is praised for its compelling narrative and humor, enhanced by hand-drawn artistry and unique character voices. While it offers a heartfelt experience with moments of brilliance, some players feel that the story lacks completeness and polish. Overall, it presents a unique premise that captivates despite its imperfections.
- “One of the best short experiences I have ever played, with some actual laugh-out-loud moments and a compelling story.”
- “Like a bear navigating through a thicket, players may find themselves drawn in by its unique premise and heartfelt storytelling, despite its imperfections.”
- “The story just isn't fully there.”
- “The hand-drawn artistry and commitment to storytelling shine through, offering glimpses of brilliance amidst the rough edges.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The music in the game receives mixed feedback; while some players appreciate its charm and specific tracks like the grass airship theme, others find the discordant notes and uneven voice acting to be detracting elements that impact the overall experience.
- “It's a very charming little game; I love the humor, love the music, and the grass airship music.”
- “However, the discordant notes of the music and occasional rough patches in voice acting detract from the overall experience, leaving a bittersweet aftertaste.”
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The gameplay is primarily centered around clicking through dialogue, which many users find poorly written and lacking in substance. However, the fully voiced narrative enhances the experience, as skilled voice actors effectively bring the characters to life, adding depth to the otherwise minimal interactive elements.
- “The fully voiced narrative adds an extra layer of depth to the gameplay, with talented voice actors bringing each character to life with their nuanced performances.”
- “As a visual/interactive novel, this doesn't feature any notable gameplay; it's just a lot of clicking through badly written dialogue that would never have been accepted or published in print, which poses the question, 'how did something this badly written end up on Steam?'”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by its dry wit and clever dialogue options, which range from playful insults to exaggerated praise, providing a consistently entertaining experience for players.
- “I like the idea and the dry humor it has.”
- “Every dialogue option was funny; haha, cruel bastard, disrespectful idiot, and absolute praise.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users find the grinding aspect of visual novels and e-books tedious, likening the experience to a frustratingly slow reading process where each sentence requires a click to advance, detracting from the enjoyment of the narrative.
- “Visual novels and e-books can be tedious at best. Imagine the best novel you've ever read, whether it's 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy', '2001: A Space Odyssey', or even 'Twilight' (if you have terrible taste in literature). Now, translate that into a format where the words dribble out, and you have to click your mouse every time you want to read the next sentence, instead of just turning the pages.”
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged. It often feels like I'm just going through the motions without any real sense of progress.”
- “I find the grinding mechanics to be a major drawback. It turns what could be an exciting adventure into a monotonous chore that drains the fun out of the experience.”
graphics
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics of "bond blues" are characterized by charming hand-drawn visuals that complement its intriguing narrative, enhancing the overall aesthetic experience of the game.
- “Sip 'n' Savor: 'Bond Blues' serves up a cup of intrigue with its short and sweet narrative, hand-drawn visuals, and unique premise.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players are captivated by the game's unique premise and heartfelt storytelling, which evoke strong emotional responses, even if the game has some flaws.
- “Like a bear navigating through a thicket, players may find themselves drawn in by its unique premise and heartfelt storytelling, despite its imperfections.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players are immersed in a richly atmospheric world filled with mystery, featuring a diverse range of settings from shadowy alleyways to cozy cafes.
- “From shadowy alleyways to cozy cafes, players will find themselves immersed in a world rich with atmosphere and mystery.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is enhanced by a fully voiced narrative, where skilled voice actors deliver nuanced performances that enrich the overall gameplay experience.