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Bonfire Peaks

An atmospheric world with deep, absorbing puzzles, Bonfire Peaks is thoughtful and charming—but without establishing its tricks, it risks leaving less fluent puzzlers behind.
Bonfire Peaks Game Cover
88%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
story, grinding
95% User Score Based on 211 reviews
Critic Score 80%Based on 9 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchLinuxPCPlaystation 5Mac OSPlaystation 4XboxSteam DeckWindowsPlayStation
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Bonfire Peaks Game Cover

About

Bonfire Peaks is a single player puzzle game. It was developed by Draknek & Friends and was released on September 30, 2021. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"Bonfire Peaks" is a puzzle game about closure, featuring expertly designed puzzles in a beautiful voxel-based world. It offers a streamlined, fine-tuned experience with surprising mechanics and challenges, created by the developer of "Pipe Push Paradise" and "Hiding Spot". The game's art is by Mari Khaleghi and Zach Soares, and it was co-designed with Alan Hazelden.

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Bonfire Peaks screenshot
Bonfire Peaks screenshot
Bonfire Peaks screenshot
Bonfire Peaks screenshot
Bonfire Peaks screenshot
Bonfire Peaks screenshot
Bonfire Peaks screenshot
Bonfire Peaks screenshot
Bonfire Peaks screenshot
Bonfire Peaks screenshot
Bonfire Peaks screenshot
+16
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95%
Audience ScoreBased on 211 reviews
gameplay18 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • Bonfire Peaks features incredibly clever and well-designed puzzles that provide a satisfying challenge, often leading to 'aha!' moments when solutions are discovered.
  • The game boasts a beautiful voxel art style and a calming soundtrack, creating an atmospheric experience that enhances the puzzle-solving journey.
  • The non-linear progression allows players to skip difficult puzzles and return to them later, making the game more accessible and enjoyable for a wider audience.
  • Some players find the controls and camera angles frustrating, which can hinder the overall experience and make certain puzzles feel more difficult than intended.
  • The difficulty curve can be inconsistent, with some early puzzles being unexpectedly hard while later ones may feel too easy, leading to a lack of balance in challenge.
  • There are reports of bugs and technical issues that can disrupt gameplay, such as objects getting stuck or unintended interactions occurring during puzzles.
  • gameplay
    109 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is characterized by a clever and innovative design that effectively utilizes a limited set of mechanics to create challenging and engaging puzzles. Players appreciate the gradual introduction of new mechanics, which keeps the experience fresh and encourages deep exploration of interactions, although some mechanics can be obscure and poorly communicated. Overall, the game offers a satisfying balance of difficulty, with a variety of levels that avoid repetition and provide rewarding moments of discovery.

    • “The level design is very innovative, and just when you think you've learned a mechanic, they throw a wrench that makes you reconsider how to use that mechanic, or how it interplays with other mechanics.”
    • “Bonfire Peaks does a lot with a little - the mechanics at first glance are simple, but they fill the 3D game space and combine together to make very fiendish puzzles.”
    • “Each new level kept surprising me with another clever implication or interaction of the game's mechanics.”
    • “Some mechanics are not well communicated, which makes some levels annoying to finish without looking up a guide.”
    • “I've gotten better at it, but I have to say that compared to other puzzle games of similar difficulty, Bonfire Peaks doesn't do a great job of getting you up to speed on the mechanics it introduces.”
    • “The third problem I had was with the game's communication of its mechanics.”
  • graphics
    44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are predominantly praised for their charming voxel art style, which creates a warm and meditative atmosphere that complements the challenging puzzle mechanics. While some players appreciate the minimalistic and unique aesthetic, others find the visuals occasionally hinder gameplay clarity and experience graphical glitches. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the immersive experience, though opinions vary on their appeal and execution.

    • “I really like the voxel-based art style and overall meditative mood of the game coupled with the demanding puzzle designs.”
    • “The voxel graphic fits perfectly into the game.”
    • “The voxel art is some of the best I've seen in a video game, really stunning visuals.”
    • “Something about the code optimization/graphics/all the particle effects/something else makes this game run awfully slow sometimes.”
    • “I did experience some graphical glitches in the second DLC, where fire would reflect off boxes at times and the boxes would become completely red.”
    • “The 'artistically' pixelated graphics can make it hard to make out shapes, even with panning.”
  • music
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric and calming qualities, effectively complementing the voxel art style and enhancing the overall experience. While many players appreciate the soothing and meditative soundtrack, some find it repetitive or occasionally annoying, leading them to turn it off for better concentration. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a significant aspect of the game, contributing to its charm and immersive environment, despite some mixed feelings about specific tracks.

    • “The miniature toy box style setting is interesting; it manages to be morose and subdued with its rainy atmosphere, brown palette, and hauntingly melancholic music yet also cathartic as you progress through the levels.”
    • “The game is brutally hard, but the voxel visuals, ASMR sound design, and beautiful soundtrack make you feel at ease despite the difficulty.”
    • “Great soundtrack matching the game atmosphere perfectly.”
    • “Sound-wise, there is no music.”
    • “Music is hard for a puzzle game, true, but its absence made things more lifeless.”
    • “I was hoping for something a bit cozy -- bonfires in autumn, amber hues and the crackle of fire, etc. but the soundtrack and atmosphere felt quite morose.”
  • atmosphere
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beautiful, melancholic visuals and haunting music, creating a unique blend of charm and introspection. Players appreciate the thoughtful design and immersive environment, though some expected a cozier vibe. Overall, the game's atmospheric elements, including its voxel art style and soundtrack, effectively enhance the puzzle-solving experience.

    • “Beautiful, thoughtful puzzles, perfect atmosphere, and yet another huge win for Corey Martin, one of the best video game puzzle makers doing the dang thing.”
    • “The miniature toy box style setting is interesting; it manages to be morose and subdued with its rainy atmosphere, brown palette, and hauntingly melancholic music yet also cathartic as you progress through the levels.”
    • “The atmosphere, visuals, and overall vibe is very warm and relaxing.”
    • “The whole atmosphere of the game isn't quite what I'd expected.”
    • “I was hoping for something a bit cozy -- bonfires in autumn, amber hues and the crackle of fire, etc. but the soundtrack and atmosphere felt quite morose.”
    • “The game does have atmosphere and it’s clear that Corey Martin has designed every element of the experience to generate and sustain it.”
  • story
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is described as decent but lacking in clarity, primarily unfolding through puzzles and the overworld rather than a traditional narrative. Players piece together the protagonist Martin's life journey and motivations, which may involve themes of disillusionment with technology and a desire for escape, though the overall meaning remains ambiguous and open to interpretation.

    • “Now this game has a story, well more like Martin's life journey.”
    • “The story is told through the puzzles and overworld; you reveal more about who you are and why you must burn everything as you progress up Bonfire Peaks!”
    • “The plot isn't interesting, but the start still confused me to the point where I wanted some answers.”
    • “The meaning behind it isn’t entirely clear (yet) – there’s no active story – but I would assume that he is maybe fed up with technology, maybe with life itself (depression), or just wants to get away from everything to spend the rest of his life in nature.”
    • “Anyway, maybe you have your own ideas about it, but again, nothing is told, only shown, so you only get bits and pieces of a story.”
  • emotional
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game excels in its emotional depth, offering a unique blend of melancholy and comfort that resonates deeply with players. Its evocative environment evokes nostalgia and a sense of emotional safety, creating a compelling world that feels meaningful to inhabit. Overall, the emotional undertones significantly enhance the gaming experience, setting it apart from its peers.

    • “Gotta say, the emotional undertones here were leagues beyond what you'll find in the aforementioned peers.”
    • “This game has an understated mellow creepiness to it, a feeling of true sadness and emotional safety which really hooked me in.”
    • “This is a world which feels emotionally meaningful to exist within, and the mixture of bleakness and comfort that it creates is compelling.”
  • grinding
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players note that while the game features a variety of engaging puzzles, it can feel grindy, particularly in the early stages. However, the overall experience is described as pleasant and manageable, with most puzzles being logical and not overly tedious, making the game enjoyable despite some repetitive elements.

    • “There's a ton of interesting puzzle ideas throughout the game, but, especially towards the beginning, the game can also feel a bit grindy.”
    • “Overall, I found the difficulty pretty manageable - a handful had me stuck for some time (often due to my own tunnel vision), but only a couple ever felt fiddly or tedious - the solution is almost always simpler than it first appears.”
    • “Additionally, besides one or two puzzles, none of them felt particularly 'tedious' or had a false sense of difficulty via repetition or blind trial and error - most levels can be figured out logically after discovering the key mechanic to arriving at the solution.”
  • optimization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has been criticized for causing significant slowdowns, particularly related to code efficiency, graphics rendering, and particle effects. Players have reported performance issues that detract from the overall experience.

    • “The code optimization is lacking, causing the game to run awfully slow at times.”
    • “The graphics and particle effects are poorly optimized, leading to significant performance issues.”
    • “There are moments when the game experiences severe lag due to inadequate optimization.”
  • humor
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is appreciated for enhancing the experience, particularly through witty descriptions that reward exploration, contrasting with other titles that fail to balance frustration with comedic elements. While some players find humor to be a redeeming quality, others feel it is not enough to offset the game's challenges.

    • “I prefer its art style and sense of exploration, and the humorous descriptions of the exhibits provide a satisfying reward for progress.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, users report minor stability issues, including graphical glitches and some buggy interactions in the second DLC. However, these problems do not significantly hinder gameplay or the intended experience.

    • “I experienced some graphical glitches in the second DLC, where fire would reflect off boxes at times and the boxes would become completely red.”
    • “As of release, some of the interactions are a bit buggy around edge cases, but crucially, they never got in the way of the intended solutions.”
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80%Critics’ scoreBased on 9 critic reviews
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13h Median play time
13h Average play time
13-13h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Bonfire Peaks is a puzzle game.

Bonfire Peaks is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, Mac OS and others.

On average players spend around 13 hours playing Bonfire Peaks.

Bonfire Peaks was released on September 30, 2021.

Bonfire Peaks was developed by Draknek & Friends.

Bonfire Peaks has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Bonfire Peaks is a single player game.

Similar games include Stephen's Sausage Roll, A Monsters Expedition, Patrick's Parabox, Hiding Spot, Akurra and others.