Bonelab
- September 28, 2022
- Stress Level Zero
- 6h median play time
A game that pushes VR’s boundaries. Strange, playful and committed to creativity, but intense if you're new to VR.
Get on Steam"Bonelab" is a VR game where you play as an outcast evading death and exploring a secret underground research facility filled with challenging experiments and discoveries. The game boasts improved physics systems from "Boneworks" and allows for custom avatar imports. With a variety of weapons and game locations, including user-generated levels, you'll uncover a layered narrative as you collect clues and progress through the story.
PC
Virtual Reality
Windows
Oculus Rift
Reviews
- story3,356 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The story in "Bonelab" has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over its brevity and lack of depth compared to its predecessor, "Boneworks." While some appreciate the game's cryptic narrative style and the integration of lore through environmental storytelling and collectibles, others criticize the story for feeling like a series of disconnected mini-games rather than a cohesive campaign. Overall, players recommend "Bonelab" primarily for its sandbox and modding capabilities rather than its story, which many feel is underwhelming and serves more as a tutorial for the game's mechanics.
“Bonelab's story campaign offers an engaging narrative with a lot of mystery and intrigue, but it’s the seamless integration of story-driven missions with open-world sandbox elements that sets Bonelab apart.”
“The developers have truly crafted something special here—a game that offers both structured storytelling and the freedom to go completely off-script and make your own fun.”
“The variety of settings you explore throughout the story is mind-blowing.”
“The main story is not interesting at all; there are some puzzles that are fun to do, but it gets boring quickly.”
“Do not get this game for the story.”
“The story is confusing and is comparable to how complex the story of Five Nights at Freddy's is.”
- gameplay1,214 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Bonelab has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it retains much of the core mechanics from its predecessor, Boneworks, while introducing new features like avatar switching. However, the execution of these mechanics often feels janky and unpolished, leading to frustrations with controls and level design. While the physics and sandbox elements are praised, the campaign is criticized for being short and lacking depth, with many players feeling that the game relies heavily on user-generated content to enhance replayability.
“The gameplay is fun and gunplay feels nice; you can toss chairs or any object you can pick up at enemies.”
“The physics mechanics and all of that other good stuff is well worth it, but don't go in for the 'downloadable content'.”
“The avatar switching mechanic is a great addition, but not all are as useful as a few standouts.”
“I only have 3.8 hours on the game as of writing, and only around ~20 minutes of it was actual gameplay.”
“The gameplay feels like it got weightier in a bad way; Boneworks genuinely felt easy to control, here it feels like you're hurling around a bag of potatoes.”
“The climbing mechanics are awful and frustrating.”
- music531 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in "Bonelab" has received mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack as a standout feature, particularly highlighting the work of composer Michael Wyckoff. While some players find the music engaging and fitting for the game's atmosphere, others criticize it for being overly loud, repetitive, or out of place, especially during key gameplay moments. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a significant improvement over its predecessor, "Boneworks," though opinions vary on its effectiveness in enhancing the gaming experience.
“The soundtrack is an absolute banger though, just like in Boneworks.”
“The music is fantastic, the new things are amazing too.”
“The soundtrack is one of the best game soundtracks I've heard in a very long time.”
“The music is also a complete letdown, nothing memorable, meanwhile Boneworks had one of the best soundtracks in video game history.”
“The music is just disappointing and inconsistent, with the best pieces being the ones reused from Boneworks.”
“The music is genuinely so much better than the game itself since it's not full of f***ing jank and incredibly infuriatingly stupid decisions.”
- graphics504 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics in Bonelab have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the stunning visuals and improved lighting compared to its predecessor, Boneworks. However, some users report performance issues and graphical downgrades, particularly on lower-end hardware, leading to a perception that the game was optimized for the Quest platform at the expense of visual fidelity. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good for a VR game, there are notable inconsistencies and optimization challenges that detract from the experience.
“Whether you’re in a dark, moody underground facility or a bright, open outdoor space, the visuals pull you in and keep you immersed.”
“The game excels with stunning visuals and detailed environments that bring the dystopian setting to life.”
“Bonelab builds on Boneworks’ success with enhanced visuals, deeper immersion, and refined mechanics.”
“Nearly every element of the game feels like a step backwards from Boneworks, with the graphics and single-player campaign feeling like the biggest drawbacks.”
“With Bonelab, it feels like a collection of stages strung together, with only the most bare-bones amount of effort put into the graphics and presentation.”
“The graphics feel like a downgrade from Boneworks.”
- stability326 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting significant bugs, glitches, and performance issues that hinder gameplay. Many players experienced game-breaking problems, such as freezing during loading screens, inconsistent physics, and frustrating interactions with the environment. While some acknowledge the potential for improvement through future patches, the consensus is that the game feels unpolished and unfinished at launch, making it difficult to recommend in its current state.
“Edit: fixed the issue, now works and runs great.”
“Game runs great for me, even on a slightly dated PC that could use some upgrades soon.”
“Bonelab runs great, runs smoothly, and has great visuals considering how well it plays.”
“This game has much more bugs and glitches than the previous game.”
“Don't even get me started on vaulting over small walls... holy crap is this buggy. I've had game-breaking bugs in the first few hours of the game only.”
“The game is a buggy mess full of game-breaking glitches that will hinder campaign progress.”
- optimization248 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The optimization of Bonelab has received mixed reviews, with some players noting significant improvements over Boneworks, particularly in terms of performance on lower-end hardware and the addition of more graphics settings. However, many users report persistent issues such as stuttering, crashes, and long loading times, especially on higher settings or with certain VR setups. Overall, while some players experience smooth gameplay, others find the optimization lacking, leading to frustration and a less immersive experience.
“The game is well produced and optimized.”
“The improved optimization most likely has to do with the greater depth in the graphics options.”
“Bonelab feels pretty decently optimized, looks stunning even on a mix of low, medium, and high settings, also being able to achieve the 90fps that my Rift is supposed to run at.”
“The game is optimized very poorly, causing insanely long loading screens and an inconsistent refresh rate.”
“I have never seen such abysmal performance in a game as Bonelab; it constantly crashed SteamVR, froze my entire computer, then crashed everything I had opened. Bonelab is the only game that has ever done that.”
“The performance is awful; the physics are laggy and often glitchy.”
- replayability125 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
Bonelab offers significant replayability primarily through its robust modding support and sandbox elements, allowing players to experiment and create new experiences. While the campaign is shorter and less engaging than its predecessor, Boneworks, many players find enjoyment in replaying levels for collectibles and challenges. However, some reviews indicate that the base game lacks substantial replay value without mods, leading to mixed opinions on its overall longevity.
“Whether you’re playing through the story campaign, experimenting in the sandbox, or diving into the ever-expanding world of mods, Bonelab offers an experience that’s both deeply satisfying and endlessly replayable.”
“Bonelab offers high replay value with its sandbox nature and mod support.”
“The physics engine plus the idea and the mods make this game quite replayable and a lot of fun.”
“Bonelab is ultimately a fun experience carried mostly on its impressive physics, but past its few short levels, you'll have to turn to modding for any amount of replay value.”
“The campaign itself can be completed in just a few hours, with more than half of the levels feeling like a showcase for the character-swap mechanic, which kills replay value because it's so narrowly and linearly designed for specific characters in certain sections.”
“Costing 50 Australian dollars, this game is definitely not worth what you are getting, the story takes around 4-6 hours to complete with basically no replayability whatsoever.”
- humor107 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely derived from its janky physics and chaotic gameplay, leading to numerous funny moments, especially in multiplayer settings. Players appreciate the comedic elements, including pop culture references and absurd scenarios, although some feel certain jokes can be hit-or-miss. Overall, the game is celebrated for its ability to generate laughter through its mechanics and interactions, making it a recommended experience for those seeking fun and humor.
“Super fun and it gives a lot of funny stuff.”
“10/10 died laughing and the local EMS had to resuscitate me with defibrillators.”
“The whole body changing feature is hilarious and lets you ragdoll enemies with your bare hands, and makes weapons handle different.”
- grinding105 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 70 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and unengaging, with many players feeling that it detracts significantly from the overall experience. Reviewers frequently mention the repetitive nature of mini-games and puzzles, which often feel like a chore rather than enjoyable gameplay, leading to a frustrating and monotonous experience. Overall, the grinding mechanics are seen as a major flaw, overshadowing the game's potential fun elements.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Depends on how much you like grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“This game becomes extremely tedious and unfun after the intro.”
“Some levels are tedious and almost made me reach down my own throat and rip my balls out from the inside.”
“The campaign was overall boring and tedious.”
- atmosphere66 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in Bonelab is described as a mix of haunting beauty and immersive detail, with some players appreciating its eerie sound design and level aesthetics. However, many reviews express disappointment, comparing it unfavorably to its predecessor, Boneworks, citing a lack of consistency and depth in the atmosphere, as well as a more linear and less engaging experience. While some levels evoke a strong sense of wonder, the overall consensus suggests that Bonelab fails to capture the captivating and anxiety-inducing atmosphere that made Boneworks a standout title.
“The environments are richly detailed, and the lighting effects create an atmosphere that is both haunting and beautiful.”
“The sound design and atmosphere are haunting, keeping players engaged and on edge.”
“The atmosphere, vibes, and world was the greatest experience I ever had in VR.”
“Also they ruined the entire atmosphere of the first game, which personally was one of my favorite parts of the game, so that's a shame, too.”
“I understand it was meant to be a revolutionary or an influential VR game with modding SDKs and other unique features, and while it has truly done that, I feel like it doesn't have the same environment and atmosphere as Boneworks.”
“The main campaign is significantly shorter than Boneworks' (at around 6 hours) and falls flat when it comes to the puzzles, atmosphere, and level design.”
- emotional46 mentions
- 93 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
Players express a wide range of emotions while engaging with the game, from feelings of nostalgia and excitement to disappointment and confusion. Many highlight the emotional impact of certain moments, such as the ending and specific gameplay experiences, while others criticize the lack of a compelling story and the janky mechanics that detract from immersion. Overall, the game evokes strong feelings, both positive and negative, reflecting its potential to resonate deeply with players despite its flaws.
“This game made me feel special.”
“Want to cry because after 110 hours I finally have the last achievement; Boneworks is good, maybe better than Bonelabs.”
“The themes, the environment, everything made me feel lost and existentially dreadful in an amazing way.”
“Very boring story, but you can get through it quickly, and downloading mods is the real fun.”
“Boring story, lame levels, but at least there is mod support.”
“As soon as you finish the boring story, you unlock an entire world of custom items, avatars, worlds, and NPCs, making it all somewhat worth the effort.”
- monetization44 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many reviewers expressing disappointment over its perceived lack of content and quality compared to its predecessor, Boneworks. The $40 price tag is seen as unjustifiable given the game's unfinished state and reliance on user-generated mods, which were heavily advertised but underdelivered. Overall, players feel misled by the marketing and believe the developers prioritized profit over delivering a substantial gaming experience.
“The best comparison I can give is single-player games with microtransactions, except that instead of money, people pay with time, either waiting for new community-made content or creating it.”
“No battle pass or microtransactions.”
“It almost feels like a cash grab.”
“This game is a shameless unfinished half-assed cash grab by Stress Level Zero.”
“Somehow this game screams cash grab at $40 and comes in lower in almost all areas of the gameplay and graphics.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the character development for its impressive integration with the game's music, handling, and design, highlighting the potential for further enhancement through mods. Overall, the characters are seen as a strong aspect of the game's appeal.
“The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form meaningful connections with each character.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making each decision feel impactful and personal.”
“The variety of character arcs and their growth throughout the game adds so much richness to the overall experience.”
