Songbringer

Songbringer is a retro love letter, but ink can be messy.

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"Songbringer" is a sci-fi action RPG with procedurally-generated worlds, swords, secrets, and dungeons. Play as Roq Epimetheos, a party-loving musician who accidentally awakens an ancient evil. With your Skybot Jib, defeat foes, uncover loot, and explore vibrant planets in single-player or local 2-player co-op mode, all set to a beautiful soundtrack. The game features good mechanics, amazing visuals, and plenty of humor.

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Play Modes

Reviews

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 114 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Songbringer offers a unique procedural generation system that creates a different experience with each playthrough, enhancing replayability.
The game features beautiful pixel art and a captivating soundtrack that contribute to its immersive atmosphere.
It successfully captures the nostalgic feel of classic Zelda games while introducing modern elements and humor.

Combat mechanics are often criticized for being clunky and imprecise, leading to frustrating encounters.
The procedural generation can result in uninspired dungeon design and confusing navigation, detracting from the overall experience.
Some players find the story and character interactions to be vague or poorly executed, making it hard to engage with the narrative.

gameplay
34 mentions
26 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its tight controls, enjoyable swordplay, and engaging exploration mechanics reminiscent of classic titles like Zelda, while others criticize it for clunky controls, overly simplistic combat, and a lack of depth in execution. The procedural world generation and item mechanics are noted as highlights, but frustrations with combat and mechanics detract from the overall experience for many players. Overall, the game offers a blend of fun and frustration, with a strong aesthetic but inconsistent gameplay quality.
- “Combine the very first Zelda with Superbrothers' Sword and Sworcery, add in some actually good gameplay, pepper it with a bit of kitsch aesthetic, procedural world generation, fantastic lighting, and a number of little touches like using your top hat for a boomerang.”
- “It's a mix of Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past gameplay, Star Wars-esque lore, and a jambalaya of procedural generation, optional permadeath, optional 2-player mode, intuitive button-binding system, nice chiptune soundtrack, and pixel art graphics, casual and fun combat and exploration, cool power-ups, equitably challenging dungeons... Hyper Light Drifter and LOZ: LTTP are my two favorite games of all time.”
- “The gameplay in general feels really smooth and the world and enemy design is beautiful.”
- “The reason for the downvote comes from what felt to me like very clunky controls and mechanics.”
- “The combat sucks... sigh... it's the central mechanic of the game and it's a boring slog from the get-go.”
- “The combat is overly simplified and sloppy; the mechanics make no sense, the environments are cluttered and don't look immersive at all, and the plot progression is completely illogical.”
graphics
31 mentions
58 % positive mentions
32 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a vibrant pixel art style that combines retro aesthetics with dynamic lighting effects, creating an atmospheric experience reminiscent of classic titles like The Legend of Zelda. While many players appreciate the artistic design and the nostalgic feel, some note that the pixel graphics can obscure detail and occasionally lead to mismatched hitboxes. Overall, the visuals are praised for their charm and creativity, though they may not fully meet the standards set by other indie games in the genre.
- “The graphics have the retro 8-bit look to them, but the art and special effects are beautifully done.”
- “Graphics are a beautiful blend of retro/simplistic pixel-art with dynamic lighting and alpha effects.”
- “The art style of this game is beautiful and a perfect marriage with the dope soundtrack.”
- “Probably related to using old integrated graphics in a laptop.. at any rate, I keep hoping for an update that might fix it, because it's a fun game, but an update hasn't dropped in quite a while.”
- “Hitboxes are poorly matched to visuals.”
- “With achievements and leaderboards, Zelda fans should check this one out, but maybe wait for a sale if you find the visuals to be distracting.”
story
30 mentions
37 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The game's story is a blend of intriguing elements and nostalgic references to classic action RPGs, particularly reminiscent of the original Zelda, with a focus on exploration and discovery. While some players appreciate the mysterious and engaging narrative that unfolds through gameplay, others criticize its pacing and coherence, suggesting that the story could have been developed further. Overall, the game offers a unique approach to storytelling within a procedurally generated world, making it a compelling experience for those who enjoy uncovering secrets and narratives organically.
- “The story is vague enough to be interesting and mysterious, but gives enough framework to encourage the player to want to move forward.”
- “Excellent atmosphere, interesting story unfolds as the game is played, plenty of secrets to discover, and it looks incredibly nice.”
- “With so many options and routes through the story, this is a game begging to be replayed for months to come.”
- “The story makes no sense, and what little story progression I experienced was a terribly paced stream of gibberish.”
- “All in all, the story sounds like the beginning of a typical hero tale.”
- “Here and there you can find some walls of text that add to the story, although they're sparse.”
music
26 mentions
46 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its catchy and atmospheric qualities that enhance the overall experience, while others find it annoying or off-putting. The soundtrack is often described as a blend of chiptune and club music, creating a unique vibe that complements the pixel art style. Overall, while some players appreciate the emotional impact and creativity of the music, others feel it could be improved.
- “The art and soundtrack are much more than pot-sweeteners; Songbringer’s pulpy, ultra-futuristic sci-fantasy brings the genre’s best grit and gloss seductively to life.”
- “Pros: amazing soundtrack that actually causes emotional reactions, at least it did for me.”
- “The music is odd, but enjoyable enough once you get used to it, and it blends well with the overall vibe -- a light, goofy sci-fi/fantasy adventure with psychedelic undertones.”
- “The controls are terrible, music and sound effects are super annoying.”
- “If the music is not killing you, it's your eyes trying to figure out what the heck is going on.”
- “In my frank opinion, I think the music could be better.”
humor
9 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its engaging and irreverent nature, blending elements reminiscent of classic Zelda with a lighthearted, comedic tone. Players appreciate the hilarious and wholesome dialogue that fosters attachment to characters, despite their limited lines, though some caution is advised for parents due to mild language and alcohol references. Overall, the humor is considered a standout feature, enhancing the game's appeal within the roguelike genre.
- “Dialogue is hilarious and wholesome; I find myself attached to characters who only have a few lines.”
- “It's like they figured out what makes a 2D Zelda game compelling, made it procedural, and added some irreverent humor.”
- “Soundtrack rules, humor is on point, and the pixel art/design looks great!”
atmosphere
8 mentions
75 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its captivating artistry, combining a mysterious overworld, engaging music, and impressive pixel art with effective lighting effects. Players appreciate the intriguing story and the abundance of secrets, although some express disappointment with the level design due to procedural generation issues. Overall, the aesthetic and sound design significantly enhance the immersive experience.
- “Excellent atmosphere, interesting story unfolds as the game is played, plenty of secrets to discover, and it looks incredibly nice.”
- “Artistry manifests here in atmosphere, not in gameplay: overworld, dungeons full of enemies, bosses, puzzles, secrets.”
- “It keeps this mysterious atmosphere around everything and encourages the player to think and try.”
replayability
6 mentions
17 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability, with each new playthrough offering a completely random world through seeded generation, ensuring a fresh experience every time. Players can expect significant replay value, as the game invites exploration of numerous secrets and variations, making each 8-hour playthrough feel both unique and familiar.
- “The replayability is just perfect, with each new seed you generate a completely random world.”
- “Replayability hovers in the wings while the credits roll.”
- “A playthrough takes about 8 hours, but the replayability of this game invites many more hours, as every playthrough feels different yet familiar.”
- “Given that you can seed your playthroughs, I suspect that players will find significant replay value with this game.”
emotional
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by an impactful soundtrack that elicits strong feelings, alongside humorous and heartwarming dialogue that fosters a deep attachment to even minor characters.
- “The amazing soundtrack actually causes emotional reactions; at least it did for me.”
- “The dialogue is hilarious and wholesome; I find myself attached to characters who only have a few lines.”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The game's stability is positively noted, with the developer actively engaging with users on troubleshooting forums and implementing constructive feedback to address hardware-specific issues, resulting in multiple updates that enhance performance on various devices.
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I experienced constant lag and stuttering, which ruined the overall experience.”
- “There are numerous bugs that disrupt gameplay, and the stability issues are frustrating.”
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate that the game emphasizes exploration over grinding, creating a more relaxed and enjoyable experience without the pressure of repetitive tasks.