Riftbound
- May 12, 2022
- Barrel Smash Studios
- 8h median play time
Get on Steam"Riftbound" is a single-player fantasy real-time strategy game with a campaign featuring over 50 levels. Choose from over 40 spells and evolutions, summon and evolve elementals, and use tactical spells to stall, interrupt, and control enemies. The game offers more than 30 gameplay-changing upgrades and a new roguelite mode in a free content update. The game takes about 8 hours to beat and has no microtransactions.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The gameplay is very fun, with a variety of mechanics that enhance the classic PvZ formula, including spells and unique character abilities.
- The roguelike elements add replayability and keep the experience fresh with each run, allowing for diverse strategies and playstyles.
- The game features charming graphics and a solid introduction to its mechanics, making it accessible for both new players and fans of the genre.
- The story and characters are less engaging, leading to a lack of emotional investment in the game.
- The game can feel unbalanced at times, with some mechanics and difficulty spikes that may frustrate players, especially in the early stages.
- The UI and some design choices can be clunky, making it difficult to manage units and spells during chaotic battles.
- gameplay35 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Riftbound is described as a fun and engaging evolution of the Plants vs. Zombies formula, introducing unique mechanics such as spell casting and lane management that enhance strategy and replayability. While some players note a lack of depth compared to its predecessor, the game compensates with a solid introduction to mechanics, entertaining challenges, and a variety of unlockable upgrades. Overall, it offers a casual yet satisfying experience, making it worth the investment for fans of the genre.
“Definitely worth the purchase; it's not just a PvZ clone. There are unique and transformative mechanics like upgrading your plants, casting spells (unlike PvZ, this doesn't cost real money), and when a zombie reaches the end of a lane, you don't lose the game, you lose that lane. This is a cool mechanic that forces you to deal with the same number of zombies but in fewer lanes, allowing you to still win.”
“Riftbound introduces new mechanics at a nice pace to not overwhelm players, while also allowing for branching off the main story to unlock extra upgrades such as spells and new units through challenges that can be used moving forward.”
“The basic gameplay is the same (lanes, gather energy, defenders, etc.), but Riftbound goes beyond that, making for a more interesting game and removing some of the busywork inherent in PvZ.”
“Ultimately, the gameplay boils down to spamming units down in lanes as fast as you can until the battle ends and then doing it again and again with basically no strategy.”
“This, coupled with the casual nature of the gameplay, ends up making you feel like how far you make it in a run is dictated almost entirely by luck and where you are in meta-progression.”
“PvZ is still the gold standard though - this doesn't match the charm and whimsy of PvZ, or the variety of gameplay.”
- story12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally considered simplistic and less engaging, with a basic premise of good versus evil involving a tree guardian and a malevolent mage. While some players find the narrative lacking, they appreciate the game's mechanics and the way the story integrates with gameplay, particularly in the roguelite and challenge modes. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the fun and engaging gameplay rather than a focal point.
“The roguelite experience is only a piece of the game itself as there is an endless and a story mode.”
“I like that the story tells you what is going on with an element of intrigue without having to read too much.”
“More complex PvZ, the characters are less interesting, the story is boring, the gameplay is very, very fun.”
“There's not much of a story setup here other than evil is afoot and you happen to end up in cahoots with a tree guardian trying to stop the bad guy mage.”
“I don't know which came first, but if I am guessing the roguelite mode was added at the end as it screams of a pivot from a story game into a roguelite game, rather than a roguelite game from the start.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 22 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, featuring a cute art style reminiscent of Pokémon, which appeals to many players. While the visuals are enjoyable, some reviewers note that the battlefields lack depth and can appear flat and uninteresting. Overall, the game's graphics are considered sufficient for enhancing the gameplay experience, despite some technical limitations.
“The art style is super cute and it's great to see your little guys evolve Pokémon-style into bigger and better defenders.”
“The game has cute graphics, with a fun pace; I was playing for several hours before I knew it.”
“Graphics are well done.”
“The art style looks nice even if I don't like the Pokémon games, but it looks exactly like that with its evolutions.”
“Sometimes, you don't need a game with graphics that simulate the real world.”
“Graphics and sound are sufficient to my needs, and when chain lightnings, blizzards, and firestorms wreak havoc on the undead - well, they don't deserve it better...”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is praised for being dynamic and enjoyable, enhancing the overall experience with a polished and charming style. It effectively complements the gameplay, making it both engaging and fun.
“The music is nice and dynamic.”
“It has a good introduction to learn the mechanics and the music is awesome!”
“It's got a good amount of polish, a charming visual style, great music, and most importantly, fun gameplay.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's roguelite twist on the Plants vs. Zombies formula enhances its replayability, making it a compelling experience. However, there are concerns about the replay value in non-campaign modes, with players hoping for future content updates to enrich the experience further.
“The roguelite twist on the Plants vs. Zombies formula makes for a very compelling and replayable game.”
“I'm not sure how much replay value there is in the non-campaign modes, so I'm hopeful that additional content of all kinds might be added in the future.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game demonstrates strong stability, running smoothly without any noticeable bugs or glitches.
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
While the game's performance is technically solid, players feel that the visuals, particularly in the battlefields, are lacking depth and appear flat, detracting from the overall experience.
