Born Punk
- January 12, 2020
- Insert Disk 22
Get on SteamIn Born Punk, a former combat hacker, a CEO, and a malfunctioning android must work together after being possessed by otherworldly entities. Set in a cyberpunk metropolis on Bornholm island in 2155, players will explore, puzzle, and interact with the game's world and characters to uncover the entities' origins. With a focus on humor and intriguing storytelling, players will experience the unique perspectives of these three individuals as they form an unlikely alliance.
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Reviews
- Fantastic pixel art and overall visual style that captures the essence of classic point-and-click games.
- Engaging voice acting and well-written characters that add depth to the story.
- Challenging puzzles that encourage creative thinking and exploration, with multiple solutions available.
- The game suffers from pacing issues, with a slow start and excessive dialogue that can feel tedious.
- Numerous bugs and design flaws, including game-breaking issues and unintuitive puzzle mechanics that can lead to frustration.
- The story ends abruptly on a cliffhanger, leaving many plot threads unresolved and potentially disappointing players.
- story51 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, featuring a decent sci-fi narrative with engaging worldbuilding and character development, but it suffers from pacing issues and an unsatisfying, abrupt ending that leaves many plot threads unresolved. While some players appreciate the humor and unique setting, others find the plot confusing and feel that it lacks coherence, ultimately leading to disappointment. Overall, the story has potential but is marred by execution flaws, leaving players hoping for a sequel to provide closure.
“The story and worldbuilding is interesting, and I liked that the puzzles didn't involve 'moon logic' to solve.”
“Intriguing story in a dystopian world with very well drawn characters and charming (and weird) NPCs.”
“The game manages to nail the cyberpunk setting yet also take a different approach to it being humorous and entertaining rather than the usual dark and depressing, filled with very enjoyable characters and wacky moments as you progress through the game's well-written story.”
“Although the story was good, the ending was disappointing.”
“The plot seems to hint it's going somewhere grand, but the game ends right there, just as it felt like we were reaching the climax. There are also a couple of plot threads I feel like weren't given proper conclusions and are left hanging for what I can only assume will be a sequel.”
“The story is confusing, hardly anything gets explained, and to top it off, it ends in the middle of it.”
- humor16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it flat and predictable, while others appreciate its clever and biting wit. Many highlight the contrast between the serious tone and the dark humor, with colorful characters contributing to genuinely funny moments. Overall, while some dialogues and scenarios fall flat, others are praised for their cleverness and emotional resonance, making the humor a notable aspect for many players.
“Leading up to the rather serious ending, the game is very funny and I genuinely laughed a few times, thanks to the colorful characters you both play and interact with.”
“It's smart, funny, biting, and bizarre in all the right places.”
“The game manages to nail the cyberpunk setting yet also take a different approach to it being humorous and entertaining rather than the usual dark and depressing, filled with very enjoyable characters and wacky moments as you progress through the game's well-written story.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the fantastic pixel artwork and nostalgic aesthetic reminiscent of classic titles like Monkey Island. However, some users criticized the overall quality, noting low resolution and inconsistency, suggesting that HD visuals would have enhanced the experience. Despite these criticisms, the pixel art style is often described as charming and fitting for the game's atmosphere.
“The pixel art style and atmosphere was the first thing I noticed, and I knew this game has heart.”
“The graphics look nice and the pixel art is on point.”
“Loving the game and its gorgeous aesthetics so far!”
“Graphics were really poor, especially if you consider this was released in 2022.”
“Graphics: low res, and the quality varies a lot.”
“HD visuals would have worked better here.”
- music15 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and fitting atmosphere, with standout tracks like the main menu theme receiving particular acclaim. However, some players found the sound design to be inconsistent, with muffled dialogue and distracting background noise detracting from the experience. While the soundtrack enhances the immersive world, there are mixed feelings about its depth and the balance between music and other elements like voice acting.
“The music is also quality, with the main menu theme being my favorite (no OST to buy on Steam though?).”
“Also, the music and sound design is very beautiful, adding to the fleshed out world the characters inhabit.”
“Great characters, good story, brilliant music, and challenging puzzles.”
“It seems like they tried to be immersive and intentionally muffled characters according to the scene, but this just made it extremely hard to hear, especially since for a lot of scenes the background music contains loud police chatter.”
“However, some of the puzzles did manage to frustrate me; for example, the music puzzle made me want to rip my hair out.”
“I also think a lot more work needed to be done on the soundtrack.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its engaging lore and charming pixel art style, which many players feel adds a heartfelt touch. However, some users express frustration over the re-recording of certain voice lines, despite appreciating the overall high-quality voice acting and immersive setting.
“The pixel art style and atmosphere were the first things I noticed, and I knew this game has heart.”
“Great setting and atmosphere with high-quality voice acting.”
- gameplay3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The gameplay in this point-and-click adventure primarily revolves around exploration and puzzle-solving, with some players enjoying the unexpected mechanic of using a gun to resolve certain challenges. However, many reviewers note that puzzle solutions can be poorly communicated or contradict established game mechanics, leading to frustration.
“I love the mechanic where you can solve puzzles by using a gun and taking out enemies.”
“The gameplay offers a unique challenge, but some puzzle solutions could be better communicated to align with player expectations.”
“Since this is a point-and-click adventure, the gameplay comes mostly from exploration puzzles.”
“This is unfortunately not an isolated incident as the solution to many puzzles is either not well telegraphed or in direct contravention of game mechanics players expect to find, with no indication this is the case.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its stability, with users reporting numerous bugs, including issues with achievements not unlocking and a lack of essential quality of life features. Overall, these stability problems detract from the experience and contribute to a sense of incompleteness in the game's narrative.
“The game is buggy; despite playing through it to the end, I didn't get a single achievement for some reason.”
“"Born Punk" is a worthy attempt at creating an old-school point-and-click adventure, but it fails: too many quality of life features are missing, the game is a bit buggy, and the story ends abruptly.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its emotional depth, alongside its humor and cleverness, making it one of the standout point-and-click titles in recent years.
“Funny, clever, and emotional, it's the best point-and-click game to have come out in years.”
