Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands

99%
Game Brain Score Based on 520 reviews
  • music
  • humor
  • gameplay
Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands Game Cover
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"Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands" is a turn-based rPG where you play as a 3-piece band, DEATHBULGE, who unknowingly enter a cursed battle of the bands contest. Customize your band with 9 musically-themed classes and unique attacks, while utilizing measure effects in combat for a more dynamic experience. Explore the real-time elements in the turn-based combat, avoid random encounters, and collect band logos to sew onto your battle jacket for extra perks.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

99%
Audience ScoreBased on 520 reviews
music154 positive mentions
grinding32 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique and engaging combat system that combines turn-based mechanics with real-time elements, making battles dynamic and strategic.
  • The humor and writing are top-notch, filled with clever jokes and charming characters that keep players entertained throughout the experience.
  • The art style and soundtrack are both exceptional, contributing to the game's vibrant atmosphere and enhancing the overall enjoyment.
  • Some players found the non-boss battles to be too long and repetitive, leading to a sense of grind during certain sections of the game.
  • The game lacks a fast travel system for a significant portion of the gameplay, which can make backtracking tedious.
  • A few players noted that the game could benefit from more variety in enemy types and a more robust system for acquiring skills from defeated foes.
  • music280 mentions

    The music in "Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands" has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its catchy and energizing soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience. The integration of music into the combat system adds a unique twist, making battles feel dynamic and engaging. Overall, the soundtrack is described as top-notch, filled with memorable tracks that players find themselves humming long after playing.

    • “The music was incredibly enjoyable, and I'd love to see more of this universe.”
    • “The music is amazing and super expressive!”
    • “The soundtrack is just banger after banger.”
    • “Music loops get repetitive, too, quickly.”
    • “I think the art and map/character/enemy designs were really well done, and the music was solid (although I wish there was more of it).”
    • “But like that weird song you hear for the first time and go 'eh', the more you hear it the more you warm up to it and unravel the really solid changes it has done.”
  • humor254 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing, memorable characters, and consistent laugh-out-loud moments, often drawing comparisons to classic adventure games and the creator's webcomics. Players appreciate the blend of whimsical art, catchy music, and engaging dialogue that enhances the overall experience, making it a standout feature of the game. While the humor may not resonate with everyone, it is described as charming, well-executed, and a significant reason to recommend the game to fans of quirky RPGs.

    • “The humor is extremely well written and is everywhere.”
    • “The writing is awesome, humor is on point, story is interesting, can't remember the last time I enjoyed reading every bit of text in a game this much.”
    • “The dialogue is effortlessly hilarious and the characters are charming, unique, and memorable.”
  • gameplay146 mentions

    The gameplay of "Deathbulge: Battle of the Bands" is characterized by its unique turn-based mechanics centered around a measure bar, which adds a fresh twist to traditional RPG elements. Players appreciate the engaging combat, humorous writing, and vibrant art style, although some express frustration with certain mechanics like the swap system and the pacing of fast travel. Overall, the game is praised for its inventive gameplay that balances fun and complexity without overwhelming players, making it a standout experience in the genre.

    • “Funny, stylish, simple, yet effective gameplay, gorgeous soundtrack, what's not to love?”
    • “The gameplay kept me hooked and the story absolutely moved me.”
    • “The characters are fun and interesting; the writing feels natural and is complemented pretty well by the wacky humor; gameplay is well-paced without need for grind, and provides a unique take on turn-based systems without over-complicating it.”
    • “The swap mechanic in combat while hordes of enemies got to have multiple turns for each of mine felt really frustrating; it really felt like my whole team should have been split up and the switch mechanic didn't add much to the gameplay.”
    • “I also wasn't a huge fan of the measure mechanic; I think it was missing some move that would let you move the marker around without actually affecting the board.”
    • “It feels like about 50-60% of my gameplay is random encounters, and it's by far the least fun part of the game.”
  • story122 mentions

    The game's story is widely praised for its engaging narrative, clever humor, and memorable characters, featuring unexpected twists and heartfelt moments. Players appreciate the seamless integration of side quests that enhance the main storyline, as well as the witty dialogue that keeps them entertained throughout. Overall, the story is described as both original and expressive, making it a standout aspect of the game that resonates with a diverse audience.

    • “It has a great story with twists and turns, a memorable cast of characters, lots of humor with more than a few laugh-out-loud jokes, interesting combat, a variety of character builds, catchy music, and many, many secrets!”
    • “The entire narrative style, setting, and story is incredibly original and fun.”
    • “The characters, story, and humor really set this game apart from the crowd - good enough to be a major TV show.”
    • “It's pretty short if you only complete the main quests with a little side stuff at 12 hours for myself.”
    • “The game tells its story and isn't apologetic about it; there's too often in games or media where something happens and it's all wiped away by the end. The consequences are real.”
    • “While some of them will be rewarded to you by simply proceeding through the story, others will have to be bought, found, or earned by doing side quests.”
  • graphics58 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming, cartoonish art style and vibrant colors, which effectively complement the light-hearted atmosphere and humor. Reviewers highlight the impressive character designs and slick animations, noting that the visuals are reminiscent of comic book aesthetics and contribute significantly to the overall enjoyment of the game. Additionally, the game runs smoothly, enhancing the experience further, especially in contrast to other recent titles.

    • “All the music is incredible, the combat style is unique, and the visuals are more stylish than anything I've ever seen.”
    • “The character design is top notch with a cohesive art style and clearly distinguishable designs.”
    • “A wonderful and charming game with impressive visuals, great writing, and a killer soundtrack!”
  • grinding32 mentions

    Players have mixed feelings about grinding in the game; while some find the combat enjoyable enough to make grinding bearable, others feel it becomes tedious and frustrating due to low drop rates for skills and diminishing XP gains. Although grinding is not strictly necessary and can be avoided, completionists may find themselves spending significant time on it, leading to a repetitive experience. Overall, the game offers a blend of fun and frustration in its grinding mechanics, with some players appreciating the rewards while others see it as a chore.

    • “Every enemy in the game has a skill you can get from them, but they have an extremely low drop rate, and XP scales down as you outlevel enemies, so I reached a point where I spent a significant percentage of my playtime grinding enemies that gave me no rewards just for a chance for a low drop skill.”
    • “The problem is that some of them can be really rare, and the only way to get them is by tediously grinding.”
    • “Way too repetitive after a while, feels like grinding for the sake of grinding.”
  • character development18 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its well-written storyline and engaging character arcs, with many reviewers highlighting the unique and cohesive art style that enhances the characters' personalities. However, some players found the characters themselves to be annoying or unlikable, which detracted from their overall enjoyment. Despite mixed feelings about the characters, the humor and creativity in design received widespread acclaim.

    • “The character design is top notch with a cohesive art style and clearly distinguishable designs.”
    • “The storyline is well written with bounding character development.”
    • “Music is great, humor is the best I've ever seen, character design is peak, I could go on.”
    • “I can see what the devs were going for with each character's design, but... all of them were pretty annoying and unlikable to me.”
    • “The story line is well written with bounding character development.”
    • “But the rest of the character designs and portraits are well done.”
  • emotional10 mentions

    The game features genuinely heartfelt moments that blend sincerity with its absurd world, creating memorable emotional plot beats. While primarily a lighthearted comedy, it culminates in a powerful and emotional finale, showcasing a balance of tension and humor throughout the adventure. Overall, players appreciate the emotional depth woven into the narrative.

    • “There are some really heartfelt moments in here, and the fact that Deathbulge doesn't shy away from being sincere with its absolutely absurd world makes for some memorable plot beats.”
    • “The adventure and plot itself is very good, ending with a sick emotional finale and a perfect amount of tension throughout, even if it's mostly a lighthearted comedy during the journey!”
    • “There's some genuinely emotional moments in there.”
  • optimization10 mentions

    The game is praised for its smooth performance and lack of bugs, providing a seamless experience that enhances the engaging combat mechanics. The optimization is particularly commendable, especially in contrast to other recent titles that have struggled with performance issues. Overall, it runs perfectly well, making it a standout in its visual style and gameplay execution.

    • “Runs smoothly, no bugs encountered.”
    • “They offer an awesome twist to already awesome combat, and they get elevated when either side uses their performance ability and things really heat up.”
    • “Also, Faye's performance made me headbang in real life every time.”
    • “It also runs perfectly well, which isn't unexpected given the style of visuals but still worth pointing out in 2023 when even some high-profile 2D games (River City Girls 2) launch with terrible performance.”
    • “Later parts of the game have your moves slowly build up towards a 'performance', which is a temporary power boost that absolutely turns the tide of battle in your favor with an awesome musical track backing it.”
  • atmosphere6 mentions

    The game's cartoonish art style effectively complements its light-hearted atmosphere and humor, enhancing the overall experience. Each region features music that aligns perfectly with its theme, from rock and roll in 'demon' zones to upbeat tunes in 'fishy' areas, creating a vibrant and engaging environment. While the gameplay may not stand out, the atmosphere and music are key highlights.

    • “Each track also fits its region to a tee, from 'demon' zones that have a more rock and roll style, to 'fishy' zones sporting an upbeat and 'bubbly' atmosphere.”
    • “The main thing about this game is the humor and atmosphere/music; the gameplay isn't very impressive.”
    • “The art style is cartoonish in its look and really fits the light-hearted atmosphere and silly jokes that the game is going for.”
    • “Each track also fits its region to a tee, from 'demon' zones that have a more rock and roll style to 'fishy' zones sporting an upbeat and 'bubbly' atmosphere.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization approach of the game is praised for its integrity and thoughtfulness, standing out in an industry often criticized for exploitative practices. Reviewers appreciate the developers' commitment to creating a fair experience rather than resorting to quick cash grabs.

  • replayability2 mentions

    The game has limited replayability, with many users noting that it lacks sufficient content or variety to encourage multiple playthroughs.

    • “The game doesn't have much replayability.”
    • “The game lacks significant replay value.”
    • “There isn't enough incentive to replay the game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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