Skip to main content

Swords & Bones

Related
Swords & Bones Game Cover
74%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:music, atmosphere
Most mentioned negative aspects:graphics, grinding
97% User Score Based on 36 reviews
Critic Score 59%Based on 4 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchPCXbox OneXboxWindows
Buy NowGet on Steam
Swords & Bones Game Cover

About Swords & Bones

Swords & Bones is a single player arcade role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by SEEP and was released on March 1, 2021. It received neutral reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Swords & Bones inherits the spirit of the great 16-bit classics from the 80s and 90s, enriching the game experience with modern mechanics! Undead hordes and demons await you in this epic adventure!

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Swords & Bones screenshot
Swords & Bones screenshot
Swords & Bones screenshot
Swords & Bones screenshot
Swords & Bones screenshot
Swords & Bones screenshot
Swords & Bones screenshot
Swords & Bones screenshot
Skip Games Like Swords & Bones

Games Like Swords & Bones

Looking for games like Swords & Bones? Here are top arcade role playing recommendations with a fantasy focus, selected from player-similarity data — start with Momodora III, Taimumari or Inexistence.

Momodora III Image
92%1.3kreviews

Momodora III

2014Platformer
PCWindows
Games like Momodora III
Taimumari Image
66%111reviews

Taimumari

2015Arcade Platformer
Nintendo SwitchLinuxXbox Series X|S+6
Games like Taimumari
Inexistence Image
58%180reviews

Inexistence

2016Role Playing
PCXboxWindows
Games like Inexistence
Ghoulboy Image
62%120reviews

Ghoulboy

2017Casual Hack and Slash
Nintendo SwitchPCPlaystation 4+5
Games like Ghoulboy
Super Panda Adventures Image
95%858reviews

Super Panda Adventures

2014Casual Role Playing
PCWindows
Games like Super Panda Adventures
Out There Somewhere Image
91%5.6kreviews

Out There Somewhere

2016Arcade Platformer
PCMac OSSteam Deck+1
Games like Out There Somewhere
AGGELOS Image
74%355reviews

AGGELOS

2018Role Playing
Nintendo SwitchPCPlaystation 4+4
Games like AGGELOS
FOX n FORESTS Image
68%111reviews

FOX n FORESTS

2018Arcade Role Playing
Nintendo SwitchLinuxXbox Series X|S+9
Games like FOX n FORESTS
Fallen Leaf Image
89%231reviews

Fallen Leaf

2024Platformer
PCSteam DeckWindows
Games like Fallen Leaf
Insanity's Blade Image
74%177reviews

Insanity's Blade

2014Casual Platformer
PCWindows
Games like Insanity's Blade
More games like Swords & Bones
Skip User Reviews

Reviews

97%Audience ScoreBased on 36 reviews
music3 positive mentions
graphics3 negative mentions
  • Enjoyable retro-style 2D platformer with tight controls and charming pixel art reminiscent of classic games like Ghosts & Goblins and Castlevania.
  • Features short level segments with automatic saving and unlimited continues, making it approachable and less frustrating than similar old-school games.
  • Includes RPG-style upgrades, magic spells, and a shop system to customize difficulty, rewarding exploration and progression.
  • The game is quite short with limited replay value and some players find grinding for upgrades to be repetitive and somewhat padded.
  • Some boss fights are simple and repetitive, with enemies feeling like hit sponges and limited attack variety.
  • Presentation issues such as occasionally awkward boss dialogue, inconsistent sound volume, and a few minor technical quirks like fixed controls and rough artwork in some cutscenes.

  • graphics

    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    20% positive mentions, 50% neutral mentions, 30% negative mentions

    The graphics effectively capture a 16-bit, Mega Drive-inspired style with a charming and nostalgic art direction that fits the game's retro influences. While some elements, like the intro text scroll, feel amateurish, the overall visual presentation is solid and enhances the atmosphere.

    • “It is meant to be that way and I like the charm and art style.”
    • “The graphics are overall pretty good and nail the 16-bit style.”
    • “The artwork for the intro text scroll is very amateurish.”
    • “If I had to assign the graphics to a classic console, I would say Mega Drive.”
    • “This game has some sort of Sega Genesis gameplay, but SNES graphics.”

  • grinding

    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    Grinding in the game is notable, requiring players to farm coins early on for essential upgrades, with some having to replay initial levels multiple times to improve abilities. While upgrades can feel underwhelming and grinding may be tedious—especially to achieve 100% completion or buy all shop items—many find it manageable and ultimately rewarding.

    • “Upgrades are a bit underwhelming and having to do some grinding after collecting all the gold parts at the end wasn't great (I just redid the first world), but it wasn't too bad.”
    • “Btw my time with it does include grinding the first 10 levels about 10 times each for money so I could upgrade some abilities further.”
    • “There are achievements for buying everything in the shop, which requires grinding so much that it feels like I played through the game three times.”

  • gameplay

    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    20% positive mentions, 20% neutral mentions, 60% negative mentions

    The gameplay features small stages with a somewhat stiff feel, reminiscent of classic 2D platformers like Castlevania and Sega Genesis titles. While level design is mechanically solid, it can feel segmented and less cohesive overall. Fans of retro platformers may still find it worthwhile.

    • “Although the level segments are well designed mechanically, they sometimes felt a bit too raw and more like a set of accumulated challenges rather than a whole, organic stage.”
    • “The stages are small, the gameplay is stiff and the bosses are very basic, but I think the game is worth your time if you like classic 2D platformers.”
    • “This game has some sort of Sega Genesis gameplay, but SNES graphics.”
    • “The gameplay is kinda like Castlevania in the way that you can’t move and the attack at the same time.”

  • music

    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    75% positive mentions, 25% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The music is well-crafted and suits the game's style, offering an enjoyable but not particularly memorable experience. Some users feel it is too quiet or overly calm, suggesting it could benefit from being more dynamic or prominent.

    • “The music is well made and fits the style of the game.”
    • “The sound effects are decent and the music is very good, though sometimes a bit too calm and reserved.”
    • “The music is enjoyable; however, it is not exactly memorable and could be louder.”

  • replayability

    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 100% negative mentions

    The game offers a fun, short experience but lacks depth and surprises, resulting in minimal replay value once completed. Minor improvements could enhance its longevity.

    • “It has near zero replay value once completed and tied in a bow, and it’s neither deep nor surprising; but it is, undoubtedly, a fun way to kill three hours with a talented gang of bedroom coders.”
    • “Very easy to power through, simplistic to the point that it holds almost no replay value once done and dusted; a few minor tweaks and improvements would have refined the experience.”

  • atmosphere

    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The atmosphere effectively captures a nostalgic, retro vibe reminiscent of classic bedroom coder games, supported by a well-structured mix of gameplay elements and a decent graphical and audio presentation. The variety of enemies further enhances this authentic, familiar ambiance.

    • “Neatly implemented structure of shopping, trophy hunting, and quick-fire stages, graphically and aurally decent enough, with a good variety of enemies, gets the atmosphere right in regard to its obvious influences, fondly recalls the days of the bedroom coder.”
Skip Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews

59%Critics’ scoreBased on 4 critic reviews
Skip Game Offers

Buy Swords & Bones

Skip Videos

Videos

Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Swords & Bones is a arcade role playing game with fantasy theme. Common tags for Swords & Bones include indie, 2d, pixel graphics and retro.

Swords & Bones is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One, Windows and others.

Swords & Bones was released on March 1, 2021.

Swords & Bones was developed by SEEP.

Swords & Bones has received neutral reviews from players and neutral reviews from critics. Most players liked Swords & Bones for its music but disliked it for its graphics.

Swords & Bones is a single player game.

Similar games include Momodora III, Taimumari, Inexistence, Ghoulboy, Super Panda Adventures and others.