Bounty of One
- August 17, 2022
- K0b4l
- 6h median play time
"Bounty of One" is a roguelite bullet hell game where you, a fallen legend of the Western Kingdoms, must survive endless waves of bounty hunters and clear your name. Play solo or with up to four players, utilizing mobility and skill upgrades to survive against tougher enemies and bosses. Collaborate with friends to defeat foes and split loot, but be prepared for both friendly competition and the ruthless Undertaker.
Reviews
- The game is fun and addictive, offering a unique twist on the genre with its mechanic of only shooting while standing still.
- It features local co-op, making it a great game to play with friends, and the developers are responsive to community feedback.
- The variety of characters and potential builds keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging, with regular updates adding new content.
- The game can become repetitive quickly due to limited enemy and boss variety, and the upgrades often feel uninspired.
- There are significant performance issues, especially in later stages of the game when many enemies are on screen, leading to lag and crashes.
- The lack of a proper online multiplayer mode and reliance on remote play can be frustrating for players wanting to enjoy the game with friends.
- gameplay177 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a unique mechanic where players can only shoot while standing still, which adds a strategic layer to combat and encourages careful positioning. While many players find the mechanics simple yet addictive, opinions vary on the depth and variety of gameplay, with some noting it can become repetitive and lacking in content over time. Overall, the game offers engaging mechanics and enjoyable co-op play, but some players feel it needs more variety and depth to fully realize its potential.
“The mechanics are simple yet addictive—dodging enemy attacks while carefully timing your own strikes is immensely satisfying, and the difficulty ramps up in a way that feels both challenging and fair.”
“Amazing gameplay, bullet hell roguelite done well.”
“The gameplay twist of only being able to attack when stationary is done very well, and the upgrades, despite being oriented around statistics and not new weapons, are very satisfying to select as you try to craft the most optimal build every run.”
“The gameplay is not amazing, nor is it awful.”
“The animations are clunky, the sounds are annoying, the gameplay is boring and repetitive, and it takes way too long before your run becomes anything remotely pleasant unless you luck out like nobody's business right at the start, and even then, it's still stagnant and not enjoyable.”
“Honestly, the game has some potential, and that's very hard to achieve in this genre, weapon upgrades are well balanced and bring up many possible build strategies, but good luck trying to have fun in the long-run though, because there's no gameplay hooks, and after playing for less than an hour everything already feels bland and dull.”
- graphics67 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Bounty of One" are generally praised for their charming and simplistic art style, which effectively captures a western-themed aesthetic. While many players appreciate the clean visuals and character designs, some report performance issues, such as frame rate drops and poor resolution, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are considered a strong point of the game, though opinions vary on their impact on gameplay enjoyment.
“Bounty of One is an absolute gem of a game that blends the best elements of rogue-like action with a charming, western-themed aesthetic.”
“The art style is simple, yet beautiful.”
“Graphics are amazing for the genre, with fluid player, enemy, and boss animations that the devs clearly put their work into.”
“This is a very enjoyable game to play... that is until it gets so bogged down that I'm playing at one frame per second (or less) even with all optional graphics turned off.”
“I was initially turned off by the basic graphics and sluggish-looking gameplay of this game.”
“It's very simplistic, lacks in any sort of character, the graphics and audio are a bit bland, and the upgrades are extremely dull and don't change very much to be honest.”
- music48 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising it as "top-notch" and "catchy," enhancing the overall experience, while others find it repetitive and grating, leading to frustration during gameplay. Many users express a desire for a broader soundtrack, noting that the limited number of tracks can become tiresome. Overall, while the music is appreciated by some for its quality and thematic fit, it is criticized by others for its lack of variety and potential to detract from the gaming experience.
“The music is top-notch, and the controls are intuitive and fun.”
“Great gameplay, great visuals, great music, lots of build options, plenty of intense late-game challenges, and power progression that defies expectations and is full of surprises.”
“The music is very catchy and gives the feel of an action-packed western.”
“Very high quality game in all but one single regard - the music is a boring annoyance.”
“I personally had to turn the ten second music loop and sound effects off to be able to keep playing without it causing a headache.”
“The biggest gripe I have is that the music and sound design becomes grating really fast.”
- grinding39 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 90 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious and time-consuming, with many players feeling that it detracts from the overall enjoyment. While some find the grind to be manageable or even fun in a casual setting, others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking excitement, particularly in the early game and during boss fights. Overall, the consensus suggests that while grinding is a significant part of the experience, it can lead to frustration and a sense of monotony.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Even just trying to fill in the meta progression is some major grinding.”
“However, this game becomes repetitive really quickly, needs way more enemy and boss diversity, has incredibly tedious meta progression, and is severely limited on content.”
- replayability23 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
"Bounty of One" is praised for its high replayability, featuring engaging gameplay, charming graphics, and a variety of builds and item synergies that encourage players to experiment with different playstyles. While some reviewers note that the game can become repetitive, the overall consensus is that its chaotic, fast-paced action and multiple character options provide ample motivation for repeated playthroughs. Despite being in early access and facing some bugs, the game's replay value remains a significant highlight.
“What truly sets Bounty of One apart is its replayability.”
“Its charming graphics, engaging gameplay, and endless replay value make it a standout title that you won’t want to miss.”
“Awesome replayability with the different outlaws, multiple infamy levels.”
“Replayability quickly falls off the map.”
“While the game is very repetitive as far as the same mobs and bosses, I feel as though it does have quite a bit of replayability for being so early in its development.”
“Early access isn't an excuse considering all the other vs-likes, and vs itself, are/were early access with much higher quality, depth, and replayability.”
- optimization18 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 28 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag, with users reporting smooth performance on handheld devices but experiencing frame drops and lag when too many enemies are on screen. While there are no major bugs, many players feel that the game requires further optimization, particularly for extended play sessions and during intense action. The consensus suggests that improvements are needed to enhance the overall gameplay experience.
“The game runs smoothly on the handheld device, with responsive controls.”
“Satisfying build system, gorgeous artwork, great character variety, and smooth performance.”
“This is still early access so it could be optimized for infinite play at a later date.”
“My only note is that it could use some more optimization.”
“Also, the game isn't properly optimized, and starts lagging quickly when there are too many enemies on screen.”
“The game requires some optimization; once enemies start piling up, the lag is very noticeable compared to other similar games.”
- humor18 mentions
- 94 % positive mentions
- -11 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players enjoying its absurdity, pop-culture references, and entertaining gameplay, especially in multiplayer settings. Many reviews highlight the comedic elements of the game, although some note that certain mechanics, like standing still during fights, can detract from the overall fun. Overall, the game is described as a lighthearted and amusing experience, particularly when played with friends.
“If you are searching for a funny game mixed with pop-culture quotes, simple gameplay, and just to have fun after work or study, this game is recommended.”
“The controls are good, the guns feel good, and the game has a pleasant sense of humor about it.”
“All in all entertaining, with lots of sick and fun upgrades that actually made me laugh at its absurdity.”
“Standing still to attack is unfunny.”
“The jokes feel forced and fall flat.”
“The humor relies too heavily on clichés and lacks originality.”
- story12 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a mixed reception regarding the story aspect, with some players noting a lack of narrative depth, while others appreciate the game's structure as a form of storytelling akin to game theory. Additionally, the presence of daily quests is mentioned, though opinions on their impact on the overall story experience vary. Overall, the story is not a central focus for many players.
“Epic story.”
“The story is a sculpture, expertly crafted in such a way that it could end up in a game theory video.”
“Like playing 'Candy Crush' for the story.”
“No story.”
- stability9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 78 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed, with users reporting occasional frame drops, audio glitches, and unexpected shutdowns. While it runs well on Steam's remote play and performs adequately on the Steam Deck, local multiplayer experiences can be buggy and awkward. Despite these issues, players note that there are no major bugs or glitches, but the game does exhibit some frustrating stability problems.
“It may be local multiplayer, but the game runs great over Steam's Remote Play Together.”
“It's a cheap game, and it runs great on the Steam Deck. There's no reason to pass on it if you like Vampire Survivors and you have a Deck.”
“The game freezes and I have to go through the task manager in order to close it.”
“However, there were a few downsides: the Xbox One controller vibrations didn't work for two players, occasional audio glitches occurred, and the game would unpause unexpectedly when progressing to the next level while picking up boss items.”
“Buggy as hell.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized for being misleadingly marketed as "casual," while the gameplay can be punishingly difficult, leading some players to perceive it as a cash grab reminiscent of typical mobile game ads.
“Muh cash grab.”
“Like the game you see in mobile ads.”
“This is not necessarily a bad thing, but I do feel like the advertising of the game as being 'casual' is not accurate, especially when any character can die at infamy 10 in 3 hits.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is noted for its engaging replayability and appealing music, though it lacks solid gameplay and depth in character design. Players find it easy to pick up, offering a fast-paced experience that prioritizes fun over intricate character progression.
“This is on par with Vampire Survivors in terms of replayability and fun, with amazing music and character design.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks meaningful progression.”
“Characters are one-dimensional and fail to evolve throughout the game.”
“There is little to no emotional investment in the characters due to poor development.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a blend of fun and excitement, making it suitable for both casual play and extended sessions, with each level up enhancing the overall experience.
“This game is good for both casual and non-stop play, creating an atmosphere of fun and excitement with every level up.”