Bound By Flame

Bound by Flame is a game that many will undoubtedly gain a huge amount of enjoyment from. Shortcomings of bad character interactions and weak contributions from NPCs are something that's easy to look past on.

64%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

grinding, stability

64% User Score Based on 1,882 reviews

Critic Score 55%Based on 27 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $2.69

Buy NowGet on Steam$6.99

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About

"Bound by Flame" is a fantasy action RPG that lets you customize your character's appearance and choose your gender. Your decisions and interactions with the demon inside you will impact the story's direction and your companions' behaviors. The game also features a crafting system for creating and upgrading weapons and armor, with unique customization options such as separate blade and hilt choices for your sword.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

64%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,882 reviews

story439 positive mentions

grinding81 negative mentions

The game features an interesting story with choices that affect the outcome, including character appearance.
Combat is challenging and requires strategic thinking, especially with the use of traps and abilities.
The graphics and art design are decent for a game of its time, and the soundtrack is well-composed.

The combat system can feel clunky and unresponsive, making it frustrating during encounters.
Voice acting and dialogue writing are often poor, leading to awkward and cringeworthy moments.
The game is relatively short and lacks depth in character development and enemy variety.

story
1,459 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
62%
8%
The story of "Bound by Flame" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it both intriguing and flawed. While the premise of a mercenary possessed by a fire demon offers potential for depth and moral choices, the execution often falls short, leading to a narrative that feels rushed and filled with clichés. Characters and dialogue are frequently criticized for being underdeveloped and poorly delivered, detracting from the overall experience, though some players appreciate the game's dark fantasy themes and the impact of player choices on the storyline.
- “The story feels smaller scale but you do at least get quite a few companions, romance options as well as a few endings.”
- “The story is intriguing, characters are underdeveloped but the quests are fine.”
- “The story is interesting enough, nothing more, nothing less, protagonist is very cool, you get to play as a mercenary possessed by a flame demon, which grants you all sorts of fire abilities, and the choices you make throughout the campaign (good/evil) affect the way your character looks.”
- “Back to my personal experience however... much like my experience with Avatar: The Last Airbender (the movie by M. Night Shyamalan), I couldn't even get into the story because the acting was so terrible, and the dialogue was written at the level I would expect from a middle schooler.”
- “Half-baked story, zones, quests, characters, inconsistent writing, dumb protagonist with bad voice acting, etc.”
- “The story is quite simple and characters you meet are fairly cliché, copied from Dragon Age.”
gameplay
512 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
61%
13%
The gameplay of this title has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its challenging difficulty and clunky mechanics. While some appreciate the depth of combat and skill trees, others criticize the repetitive nature of encounters and the lack of a proper dodge mechanic, leading to frustration during battles. Overall, the game offers a blend of engaging combat and RPG elements, but suffers from balance issues and a lack of polish that detracts from the overall experience.
- “The gameplay is unforgivingly hard, but doable, especially when you've spent years playing souls games and know how to git good.”
- “The characters and factions felt interesting and I actually really enjoyed the gameplay and the combat system.”
- “The gameplay is smooth, fluid, and typical of an older RPG, which is in many ways a lot better than the one you get in the newer ones.”
- “The gameplay is simple, but the enemies and bosses are so poorly designed that the combat is overall very bad.”
- “The gameplay is harsh, even on easy mode; I died a lot, but it is not as bad as with Dark Souls.”
- “The gameplay is bland and repetitive, level design consists of small linear locations with enemies respawning frequently, and on top of that, you have to roam the same old narrow paths back and forth.”
graphics
462 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
50%
9%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the visuals are decent for a mid-budget title released in 2014, they often feel dated and lack the polish of more recent games. Some appreciate the unique art style and atmospheric design, particularly the cell-shaded effects, while others criticize graphical glitches and inconsistencies that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are generally considered acceptable but not groundbreaking, with some players finding them enjoyable despite their flaws.
- “The graphics are very good, but there is too little variation.”
- “The graphics are good, even though there are not that many different enemy types and areas.”
- “The graphics and music are enjoyable and the lighting is done well, though the voice acting can be cringeworthy at times.”
- “The graphics suck.”
- “The graphics are really bland and dated, with basic textures, blocky shadows and are pretty unrefined to look at.”
- “The graphics are not great, but (in my opinion) the game's really satisfying to look at.”
music
296 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
40%
5%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its quality and emotional impact, often highlighting it as the standout feature. Composed by Olivier Deriviere, the soundtrack is described as beautiful, atmospheric, and fitting for various game scenarios, enhancing the overall experience. However, some players noted that certain tracks felt out of place or repetitive, detracting from the immersion at times.
- “The soundtrack is absolutely amazing, one of the best and most fitting soundtracks I have ever found in a game.”
- “I do not know how it happened that a game with such a small budget managed to receive one of the best soundtracks I’ve heard in years, but it did, and it makes the game all the better for it.”
- “The music is amazing and gives off a feeling of epic adventure, featuring low, slow relaxing melodies whenever you are in the safety of one of your camps or in a village, and intense tunes whenever you are engaged in a fight.”
- “The music, the gameplay, and the lore are all fighting each other instead of working together, making this game feel bad to play.”
- “The boss suddenly turning against me even though he is my ally in the narrative, summoning an epic monster, and all of that is underlined by some happy anime soundtrack which feels so off.”
- “The music is okay, but becomes repetitive early on, having the same menu tune pop up almost every other cutscene.”
humor
106 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
99%
1%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the witty dialogue and quirky character interactions that often lead to genuine laughter. While some find the humor to be crude or poorly timed, others enjoy the blend of dark and absurd comedy, particularly from the protagonist and certain companions. Overall, the game's humor is seen as a highlight, providing a refreshing contrast to its otherwise serious themes, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its reliance on profanity and "dumb" jokes.
- “The main character Vulcan sometimes cracks the silliest jokes at just the right moments, catching me off guard and making me laugh out loud several times, even though he is usually pretty serious.”
- “There's some fantastically subtle humor in this game that, if you get it, will definitely make you choke on your beverage of choice from laughter.”
- “The characters are great, the script is hilarious, and the environment is fun and engaging.”
- “The hero is joined by an entourage of sidekicks I would never have seen before if I had never played any other game. The characters feel like ripoffs: Morrigan is a sort of indecent, sort of evil, and yet sexy like a turnip; Tali/Aerie/Shani are every sexy bookworm ever; Carth/Sten embody the 'my life is forfeit, I lost my reason to be' trope; and every elf is just a forgettable design with 50% more cliché. The humor is witty yet still unfunny, much like a rotting Alistair.”
grinding
83 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
1%
98%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and frustrating, with many players noting that combat feels clunky and unengaging. Boss fights often require excessive grinding to overcome, leading to a sense of boredom and dissatisfaction. Overall, while some players find moments of enjoyment, the overwhelming sentiment is that the grinding mechanics detract significantly from the overall experience.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Unresponsive controls, unreliable target locks, main questlines that suddenly lock you out of side quests with no warning, and tedious boss fights make this unworthy of the time invested.”
- “The game becomes more tedious with its poor level design, non-stop backtracking and endlessly respawning mobs as you go on.”
- “This game so far has been a tedious grind and I urge you not to waste your money unless you have the patience of a god.”
stability
53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
92%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting a variety of bugs and glitches, including audio issues, texture pop-ins, and character-related problems that can disrupt gameplay. While some users experienced minimal issues and found the game enjoyable, others described it as clunky and unpolished, with significant stability concerns that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game appears to be in need of further refinement to address these stability issues.
- “The game isn’t even that expensive, and it’s not buggy or broken; it’s a great RPG.”
- “Positives include good graphics, no glitches or crashes, and a good variety in the leveling system.”
- “I found the game to be fairly bug-free, other than a couple of random crashes linked to a compatibility issue with my GPU.”
- “The game is still very buggy and while fun when it works, it simply is a waste of money.”
- “It's a buggy game, and still crashes to the desktop several times with no warnings or error messages.”
- “All in all, very unpolished, buggy and not very well thought out.”
replayability
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
65%
12%
The game offers a moderate level of replayability, primarily through its branching story paths and the choice between playing as a human or demon, which can lead to different endings and character interactions. While some players appreciate the variety of choices and potential for multiple playthroughs, others find the overall experience lacks depth and may not encourage repeated plays. Overall, it seems best suited for those interested in exploring different narrative outcomes rather than extensive replayability.
- “It's fun, has a neat story and characters, even has replayability in the form of good/evil paths, and it doesn't wear out its welcome.”
- “The good/evil paths give the story plenty of replayability and definitely make it worth the price regardless of whether or not it's on sale.”
- “Not only that, but there's plenty of replayability as I discovered during my second playthrough, choosing different choices not only affects the ending but also events along the way too.”
- “It suffers from poorly designed combat, boring quests, awful balancing, and a complete lack of content, meaningful decisions, and replayability.”
- “Not much replay value; after you finish the game once, you probably won't feel inclined to do it again.”
- “Overall, I really enjoyed my time with the game, and it has some replay value, but the endless backtracking is so horrible that I don't want to go through that again.”
atmosphere
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
37%
6%
The atmosphere in "Bound by Flame" is generally praised for its rich world-building, engaging lore, and strong music that enhances the overall experience. While the initial locations and aesthetic are captivating, some players feel that the atmosphere becomes generic as the game progresses. Despite criticisms of combat and voice acting, many reviewers appreciate the game's dark, gothic tone and immersive storytelling, which contribute to a unique and memorable atmosphere.
- “The graphics and the music are very atmospheric.”
- “Great world building, good lore and fitting atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere, story and characters created deep immersion for me.”
- “After playing for only two hours, I was extremely bored with the repetitive combat and dull atmosphere of the whole game.”
- “Must say I expected far more from this... there's also something about the atmosphere that feels unfinished.”
- “The cinematic is pretty bad, it seems really boring how they design the in-game cinematic, which makes you not feel the game atmosphere.”
optimization
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
38%
21%
The game's optimization is a mixed bag, with many players reporting smooth performance and minimal issues on various systems, including older hardware. However, some users have experienced significant lag, particularly on the native Linux version and with certain graphics settings, indicating that optimization could be improved. Overall, while the game performs well for a mid-budget title, there are notable inconsistencies that may affect the experience for some players.
- “The game runs smoothly with very few performance issues.”
- “Animations look good too and overall the game seems to be very well optimized.”
- “The graphics are pretty darn good despite the game's age and the performance/optimization of the game is perfectly acceptable with no obvious issues.”
- “Disclaimer for Steam Deck users: do not play the native Linux version; it has serious performance issues.”
- “Terrible optimization, low framerates, miserable graphics etc.... just grabbed this on sale though as I wanted an RPG to get over boredom.”
- “The performance is a joke, first time a game lagged on my PC.”
character development
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
60%
23%
Character development in the game is generally viewed as lacking depth and variety, with many reviewers noting that characters feel flat and generic, which detracts from the overall narrative experience. While some aspects of character progression, such as leveling and skill trees, are appreciated, the execution often leaves players wanting more meaningful interactions and growth, particularly among companions. Overall, the character development is seen as a missed opportunity, overshadowed by uninspired dialogue and limited engagement.
- “Character development is pretty well done: by leveling up, one can spend attribute points, which can be put into one of three perk trees.”
- “Great character development (at least for giving in to the demon, not sure about resisting).”
- “The level of character development and interaction left me wanting to explore all of the dialogue options simply to learn more about the detailed world of Vertiel.”
- “You cannot experience character development properly and the story is boring.”
- “The last chapters just feel like they needed more character development for your companions and more story.”
- “The characters involved that attempt to drive the lore are also themselves bland and lacking true character development.”
emotional
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
36%
Overall, the emotional aspect of the game has received largely negative feedback, with many players feeling disconnected from the story and characters due to poor voice acting, flat character development, and a lack of engaging narrative. While some appreciated the ambition behind the game's lore and setpieces, the execution fell short, leading to a generic and uninspiring experience that failed to evoke genuine emotional investment. Players noted that despite attempts at moral choices and emotional moments, the overall storytelling was inconsistent and often boring, leaving little room for meaningful engagement.
- “I felt invested enough in the world and in saving it that I accidentally did an evil run, since the plot made me feel like I wouldn't be able to save it if I did a cookie-cutter, paragon playthrough.”
- “Full of poignant and heartbreaking moments, this game is not to be missed.”
- “It's heartbreaking.”
- “Boring story, small RPG elements, and slow pace of the game just didn't get to me.”
- “Awfully clunky mechanics, unsatisfying skill tree, boring story, and uninspired characters.”
- “Which he tries to get but fails miserably; you don't even have the option to try and talk people down like in Mass Effect or get told the 'good' or 'bad' options. You get streamlined down a boring story that makes no sense.”
monetization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
83%
The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions, loot boxes, and paid DLCs, which contributes positively to the overall experience. However, some players express concerns about potential deceptive advertising regarding in-game content and the quality of the supporting cast.
- “The big win, in my opinion, is that the game does not feature any microtransactions, loot boxes, paid DLCs (yet), or any other shady cash-grabbing features.”
- “I also just noticed that I never encountered a couple of the mobs shown in the images on the game's store page, so either I was weirdly unlucky, they looked nothing in-game like they're being advertised, or it was straight-up deceptive advertising.”
- “Of course, it's hard to do something about the supporting cast who're about as three-dimensional and entertaining as advertisement leaflets.”
- “Forced choices in a game that pushes the 'your choice matters' advertising.”