The Bonfire: Forsaken Lands

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Build, survive and discover the secrets of the ancients

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 10,034 reviews

graphics616 positive mentions

monetization207 negative mentions

graphics
854 mentions
72 % positive mentions
27 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beautiful and clean art style, which many players find aesthetically pleasing and immersive. While some reviews mention that the visuals are simple or minimalist, they are often described as stunning and well-suited to the game's atmosphere, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. However, a few users noted that improvements could be made, particularly regarding readability and detail in certain areas.
- “The graphics are amazing and beautiful!”
- “The graphics are stunning, the controls are great, I absolutely love this game.”
- “The graphics are simple yet elegant, the gameplay and story are relatively self-explanatory, and it's a nice way to make you think on how to do things better and more efficiently.”
- “The graphics are awful and the bugs plaguing the game get worse as you get on.”
- “Unfortunately, the graphics aren't much to look at, and a lot of time is spent watching your nondescript character slowly perform his tasks.”
- “Graphics need work.”
gameplay
777 mentions
57 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its beautiful visuals, simple yet engaging mechanics, and a blend of strategic and survival elements. While many players appreciate the initial fun and addictive nature of the gameplay, several reviews highlight concerns about its repetitiveness and the limited content available after the free trial period, leading to disappointment regarding the value for money. Overall, the game offers a unique experience but may leave players wanting more depth and extended gameplay.
- “The gameplay is simple yet strategic, allocating workers to different jobs, utilizing their attributes and equipment to build a civilization while fighting off monsters, it is just wow!”
- “The gameplay is engaging, with new things to explore as the game progresses.”
- “The gameplay is original and quite refreshing to play.”
- “Gameplay in general after this initial point is extremely repetitive.”
- “Game is interesting in the beginning but the number of new mechanics quickly dries up and the game becomes repetitive.”
- “The gameplay is just waiting until you unlock something, getting it, then waiting for the next thing to unlock.”
story
374 mentions
47 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it is often too short and lacks depth, leading to an unsatisfying conclusion. While some appreciate the intriguing premise and beautiful graphics, they express a desire for a more developed narrative and longer gameplay experience. Overall, the potential for a richer storyline is recognized, but the current execution leaves many feeling disappointed, especially given the game's price point.
- “Beautiful art style and soundtrack, and the story and tasks were intriguing enough for me to purchase the game.”
- “The story is original, unique, touching, relaxing, and scary.”
- “I enjoyed every moment in it, from the beautiful art style to the ever-progressing storyline, and it is definitely worth the short amount of time you spend in the demo.”
- “The story itself is pretty vague and absent for the most part, which leads to a pretty anticlimactic end.”
- “Sadly, the ending felt very out of place and rushed; I had no idea what was happening story-wise (kinda felt like it ended abruptly) and the final battle was incredibly underwhelming.”
- “The game was good, but it's not that long and I think it should have an infinity mode or a bigger story.”
monetization
346 mentions
25 % positive mentions
15 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has received mixed feedback from users. While many appreciate the absence of ads and microtransactions, opting instead for a one-time purchase to unlock the full version, several players express a desire for an ad-supported free version to avoid the paywall after the initial trial period. Overall, players value the ad-free experience but suggest that incorporating optional ads could broaden accessibility and enhance revenue for the developers.
- “Get this game, it’s worth it: no ads, no microtransactions (other than paying for the full version), a deep experience, enough said.”
- “No ads or other microtransactions once you buy the full version.”
- “Best of all, it has no ads whatsoever!”
- “It's stupid that I can play for only 7 days without paying. It's annoying and makes me want to not play at all. If you need money, put in-game purchases like character weapons, armor, resource bundles, etc. Don't rip off Google Play for advertisement. Either make it so that it clearly states this is a demo in the store or make it free; otherwise, it existing in the free games section feels like I'm being lied to.”
- “I would rather have ads than only play the first 7 days. As you get iron, then it's like 'buy full version'; otherwise, it would be five stars.”
- “I love this game, but make the full version free. I love this just make ads to make money.”
music
208 mentions
61 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and immersive qualities, enhancing the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. Many players appreciate the beautiful soundtrack that complements the art style, creating a relaxing vibe, although some have noted issues with music looping and the inability to adjust sound settings. Overall, the combination of soothing music and appealing visuals contributes significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “The atmosphere is awesome with a soothing soundtrack.”
- “The music paired with the simple yet breathtaking graphics makes the game unforgettable.”
- “The graphics, music, and mix of city builder with exploration makes this one a great indie game.”
- “However, at certain points in the game's music/score, the loop breaks and, after a pause, the soundscape resumes.”
- “However, music cuts out each time the loop restarts which diminishes the calming effect.”
- “Been playing about 20 days so far, but whenever I try to explore the cave with the warrior the screen just changes to a static cave with repetitive music until I restart the game.”
atmosphere
63 mentions
67 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning graphics, soothing soundtrack, and immersive art style, creating a relaxing yet engaging experience. Players appreciate the balance between calmness during gameplay and tension during challenges, with many noting the game's ability to evoke a sense of mystery and charm. Overall, the combination of audio, visuals, and thematic elements contributes to a rich and enjoyable atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience.
- “The atmosphere and progression system drive home the feel of the game very well.”
- “The music is ethereal and perfect, the details are subtle and well placed, all to build a mysterious yet inviting atmosphere of a game.”
- “I'm sure the game is trying to set an atmosphere, but honestly?”
- “The atmosphere is grim and dark, but through it all a feeling of hope.”
- “Its actually scary unlike those rubbish knockoffs; it gives a welcoming atmosphere during the day but at night it gives a spooky atmosphere.”
replayability
63 mentions
22 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game suffers from minimal replayability, with many players noting its short length and linear structure as significant drawbacks. While some mention a hard mode that adds a bit of challenge, the consensus is that once completed, the game lacks compelling reasons to revisit, making it feel less valuable for the price. Despite its enjoyable elements, the absence of replay value is a common complaint among users.
- “The hard mode of playing the game is also genius in extending the replay value of the game without feeling cheap.”
- “Good replayability, each time you get better with the ratio of roles.”
- “Honestly, I love this game; the soundtrack is great and the free version, the 7 days, has a lot of replay value in my opinion. This game is good for just chilling out after a long day, so 5 stars from me.”
- “The only issue is that the replayability is minimal.”
- “Even if you bought the full game, you usually finish everything in the game around 35-40 in-game days, which is basically about 2 hours long. After that, there is no replayability or post-game completion modes you could play.”
- “Basically no replayability, which wouldn't be the end of the world except the game is relatively brief.”
grinding
51 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is generally viewed as tedious and slow, with many players expressing frustration over the micromanagement required for tasks like reassigning workers and equipping items. While some find the farming and crafting enjoyable, the repetitive nature of the gameplay can lead to boredom, especially as the game progresses. Overall, it strikes a balance between grind and fun, but players recommend improvements to streamline the experience.
- “Not much is explained (e.g. attributes for villagers), there's no fast forward feature, and the only way to get past certain points in the game is by learning from your mistakes. However, with how slow, tedious, and repetitive the progression is, it's not fun to learn.”
- “My only complaint is that re-assigning workers between different jobs can get really tedious; I wish there was a way to batch reassign roles for several workers at a time.”
- “Fun concept but the free version is only 7 days, and it is very tedious to change each worker's jobs individually and equip items to them.”
stability
44 mentions
9 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
89 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting frequent glitches and freezing issues, particularly during dungeon exploration and combat scenarios. While some users have experienced a relatively bug-free experience, the majority highlight significant stability problems that detract from gameplay, leading to frustrations and a sense that the game feels unfinished. Overall, while the game shows potential, its current state is marred by numerous bugs that need addressing.
- “The controls are great, the graphics are polished, the game has been bug free so far.”
- “It's pretty well made, not very buggy at all.”
- “The game runs great, looks great, feels great and is fun as hell to play.”
- “Now what really makes me give this a 4-star instead of 5 is that when I go to explore dungeons, the game gets stuck; only the background music plays and it shows the environment of the dungeon... it literally freezes... you can't do anything else...”
- “Built all the things there are to build, traded gems for ancient text, got an alchemist, 5 warriors, scout came back with news of a dungeon, went in to explore and womp womp, the game freezes every time... wish I could keep playing but there is nothing else.”
- “I love this game but when I try to enter the dungeon it just freezes so I can't finish the game.”
optimization
9 mentions
44 % positive mentions
22 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
Overall, players report a generally positive experience with optimization, noting smooth performance even on older devices like the Galaxy S10 Plus. While some users express a desire for improved inventory and crafting systems, the game's graphics and gameplay are praised for their aesthetic appeal and relaxing nature. The consensus is that the game runs well, particularly at 30 fps, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate strategy and resource management.
- “Simple but still has the optimization that us strategy needs. Graphics are nice.”
- “Hope we can have a more optimized inventory and crafting system.”
- “It doesn't seem to be a device problem, because I'm playing on a Galaxy S10 Plus, so there shouldn't be any performance issues on my side.”
- “I recommend the game to people who enjoy trial and error and figuring out resource puzzles and management/optimization.”
emotional
9 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its unique and touching story, which evokes a range of feelings from relaxation to sadness. Players appreciate the wholesome experience and personal touch from the developers, though some express disappointment over the game's pricing and linear progression, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game successfully connects with players on an emotional level, despite some criticisms regarding its length and cost.
- “The story is original, unique, touching, relaxing, and scary.”
- “The visual is not flashy and overbearing, but it is just a clean, simple graphic that can connect with you emotionally when you play the game.”
- “I love the game; it's amazing and beautiful, but it made me want to cry that you had to pay for the full version.”
humor
8 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is noted for its quirky and sometimes absurd elements, such as the exaggerated cheers when defeating enemies and the amusing reactions to pricing complaints from players. Reviewers find the game's comedic aspects to be a highlight, with some even laughing at the irony of negative feedback regarding payment for the game. Overall, the humor contributes to a unique and entertaining experience, despite some critiques about the storyline and monetization.
- “I find it hilarious that some of the reviewers think 4 dollars is too much compared to microtransactions; they really have no idea how much they spend on those games, do they?”
- “Great graphics, creepy atmosphere, and a funny story.”
- “I read a response about it being cheaper than a Starbucks coffee; it made me laugh so hard. Hopefully, your future endeavors go well.”