Bonfire

About

Bonfire is a procedurally generated, rapid-paced tactical RPG set in a desolate world where hope is lost. Assemble a team of heroic misfits and engage in complex strategy with contextual abilities and tactical item use in turn-based battles. Despite the gloomy story and depressing settings, Bonfire offers quick gameplay sessions and crazy builds that somehow work.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

72%

Audience ScoreBased on 36 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

Bonfire features polished gameplay with fun mechanics and a surprising story, making it a solid choice for roguelike fans.
The game offers a simple yet deep tactical experience, allowing players to easily learn skills while providing great strategic depth.
The developer is highly responsive to feedback and is committed to improving the game, which shows promise for future updates.

The game suffers from a slow grind and limited character choices, which can make progression feel tedious and punishing.
There are significant issues with gameplay balance, including overly punishing mechanics and unskippable animations that disrupt the flow of play.
The lack of a compelling plot or interesting characters detracts from the overall experience, leaving some players feeling unengaged.

gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The gameplay of "Bonfire" features an interesting mechanic of permanent damage, which can lead to frustrating situations when players struggle to manage their health. While the game offers a polished experience with fun mechanics and a surprising story, the difficulty balance is criticized, as easy mode feels too simplistic and high difficulty lacks adequate player tools to succeed. Overall, the gameplay borrows from rogue-lite elements but may not fully capture the sense of loss and challenge that defines the genre.
- “Despite still being in early access, Bonfire is already a very polished game, with fun mechanics, a surprising story, and interesting character design.”
- “Simple concept, yet surprisingly deep gameplay.”
- “Easy mode is so easy, it feels like I'm just going through the motions rather than playing a game.”
- “I kicked it to high difficulty, but the simplistic gameplay doesn't equip the player enough to rise to the challenge of jacked-up enemy hitpoints.”
- “In terms of gameplay, Bonfire borrows ideas and concepts from rogue-lite genres - like the endlessness of its gameplay loops - without emphasizing the finality of loss and defeat that other games might focus more on.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The game's story is described as surprising and engaging, with interesting character design, but some players feel it lacks depth and coherence, often relying on repetitive dialogues. While some appreciate the polished mechanics, others criticize the absence of a substantial plot and character development, suggesting that the gameplay could benefit from more interactive elements. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some finding the story enjoyable and others deeming it insufficient.
- “Despite still being in early access, Bonfire is already a very polished game, with fun mechanics, a surprising story, and interesting character design.”
- “No story, no character, un-fun gameplay, and bugged to boot?”
- “And a small story could help instead of constant dialogues between heroes.”
- “I was thinking whether sending heroes to single missions to pick up loot could be more active, like making some mini games to increase the loot gained.”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The graphics are praised for their appealing art style and smooth animations, which contribute to a captivating atmosphere enhanced by the accompanying sound design.
- “I like the art style and animations.”
- “The artwork and sound create a nice atmosphere.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players note that while grinding for skill points can enhance abilities and overcome certain limitations, many find the time investment required for this process unappealing.
- “These limitations may be circumvented by grinding enough skill points to add effects to your abilities, but I'm not about to take the time to do that.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in "Bonfire" is noted for its intriguing design and engaging narrative, contributing to a polished experience even in early access. Players appreciate the depth and uniqueness of the characters, which enhances the overall gameplay.
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its effective combination of artwork and sound, creating an immersive and engaging experience for players.
- “The artwork and sound create a captivating atmosphere.”
- “The combination of artwork and sound immerses you in a beautiful atmosphere.”
- “The stunning artwork paired with the sound design establishes a truly enchanting atmosphere.”