Bounty Battle
- September 10, 2020
- Dark Screen Games
Can I give Bounty Battle a slight recommendation for character diversity alone? No, I can’t. There are excessive issues through and through, including (but certainly not limited to) lack of fluency, gameplay variety, and depth.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Bounty Battle" is a crossover indie fighting game featuring characters from various popular indie titles such as Guacamelee!, Darkest Dungeon, Dead Cells, and Owlboy. Each character has unique abilities and a minion companion to assist in battles across arenas inspired by their own game worlds. The game offers multiple game modes, color and palette swap options, and up to 4-player matches.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features a diverse and interesting cast of indie characters, which is a major draw for fans of those franchises.
- The art style and music have received praise, with some players finding them enjoyable and fitting for the game's theme.
- Despite its flaws, some players have found the game fun and believe it has potential for improvement with future updates.
- The gameplay is clunky and unpolished, with many players reporting issues with controls, hitboxes, and overall combat mechanics.
- There is a lack of content and modes, particularly the absence of online multiplayer, which significantly limits the game's replayability.
- Many players feel that the game was released too early and does not feel like a finished product, leading to disappointment given the initial hype.
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many users citing poor controls, unresponsive mechanics, and a lack of polish that makes it reminiscent of outdated flash games. While some appreciate the hype of the intro cutscene and acknowledge the potential for improvement, the overall experience is marred by issues such as ineffective combat mechanics and a disappointing roster. Many reviewers are calling for significant updates or an early access model to address these shortcomings.
“The trailer looked great, even a few gameplay videos looked exciting.”
“I’ll happily revise my stance if they implement substantial changes to the gameplay.”
“Combat mechanics: attacks and combos need to be tighter and less choppy.”
“Gameplay is awful and half of the modes don't even work properly with my Xbox controller, and a quarter of the roster is made up of original characters, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that intro cutscene was hype.”
“Loading up and playing the game on release day was extremely disappointing in both gameplay and visuals.”
“Graphics are amateur, gameplay and controls are worse than those old flash games from 1999 that you could play for free in your web browser.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players finding them below average and reminiscent of outdated flash games. While the art style is generally appreciated, particularly for character designs and fight levels, the overall visual presentation lacks depth and fails to enhance the gameplay experience. Some players noted that the graphics, while not the primary focus in a fighting game, contribute to an empty feeling in the game's world.
“I liked the art style of the fight levels.”
“Pros ~ the graphics are really neat, characters (at least the ones I know) stay true to the originals while some are improved from their 16/32-bit pixel prototypes.”
“I will say, that the game has a good art style.”
“Loading up and playing the game on release day was extremely disappointing in both gameplay and visuals.”
“Graphics are amateur; gameplay and controls are worse than those old Flash games from 1999 that you could play for free in your web browser.”
“Graphically, it is below average.”
- music7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its quality and nostalgic ties to the characters' original games. While it enhances the experience, some feel it doesn't fully compensate for other shortcomings in gameplay and animations. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a highlight, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere.
“Most animations are fine & the music is really a blast (big shout-out to adhensivewombat)”
“Trailer looked awesome, music is something you actually expect from a game about heroes from indie games.”
“At least the music is always nice to hear, but in a fighting game that doesn't help either.”
“The music in the intro is underwhelming and doesn't leave a lasting impression.”
“If you wait some time in the menu, the intro starts playing again, but once it ends, the menu music won't play again, which feels frustrating.”
“While the art style is decent, the music fails to enhance the overall experience of the game.”
- story4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Users express disappointment over the lack of a dedicated story mode, despite the intriguing premise of "all worlds collide in this final confrontation to determine the fate of the universe." Many feel that the game could benefit from a more developed narrative experience, such as a story mode or ladder, to enhance engagement.
“Add at least some kind of story mode or ladder, and that will be good.”
“With the short story in the description, I was expecting a story mode, especially since it said 'all worlds collide in this final confrontation to determine the fate of the universe.' I thought that'd be a fun story to play.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often described as unintentional, with players finding amusement in chaotic scenarios, such as characters behaving oddly or ignoring each other during battles. This unpredictability adds a layer of comedic value to the gameplay experience.
“What I witnessed was unintentionally hilarious: one character just stood there, swinging aimlessly, while others teamed up against a single fighter, completely ignoring each other.”
“But wanna know something funny?”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have significant stability issues, with users noting that it remains quite buggy.
“But unfortunately, the game is still quite buggy.”
“The frequent crashes make it nearly unplayable.”
“I experienced constant lag and frame drops during gameplay.”
Critic Reviews
Bounty Battle (Switch) Review
The heroes from amazing indie games can't save this fighter.
30%Bounty Battle Review
Have you ever wanted to see Juan from Guacamelee beat up Owl Boy?
20%Crossover cross off
It's a platformer fighter with characters from some of the world's best indie games, so Bounty Battle has to be good, right? It's not. It's really not. Our review.
20%
