Windbound

62%
Game Brain Score Based on 584 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
Windbound Game Cover
Windbound follows Kara as she must rebuild her boat and discover the truth behind a long-forgotten battle between the land and sea.
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"Windbound" is a single-player Role Playing Game with an interesting plot and good mechanics, featuring a shipwrecked warrior, Kara, who must explore and adapt to survive on uncharted, mysterious islands. The game boasts masterful graphics and music, while also being somewhat grinding and buggy. Players must hunt, craft, and defend themselves against wild creatures, uncovering the islands' secrets and potentially finding their way home.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

62%
Audience ScoreBased on 584 reviews
gameplay67 positive mentions
stability53 negative mentions
  • Beautiful graphics and art style that evoke a sense of wonder and exploration.
  • Engaging sailing mechanics that provide a unique challenge and enjoyment.
  • Relaxing gameplay with a soothing soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
  • Combat mechanics are clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating encounters.
  • Inventory management is cumbersome, with limited space and resources that can be hard to come by.
  • The game can feel repetitive, with similar objectives across chapters and a lack of meaningful progression.
  • gameplay238 mentions

    The gameplay of Windbound is a mixed bag, featuring a simple yet satisfying loop centered around exploration, sailing, and crafting, which many players find relaxing and enjoyable. However, it suffers from rough mechanics, particularly in combat and movement, leading to frustration with its survival elements and rogue-like mechanics that can feel punishing. While the sailing mechanics are often praised for their depth and beauty, the overall experience is marred by inconsistencies and a lack of polish, leaving players divided on its potential and execution.

    • “It's a pretty simple gameplay loop, but I find it relaxing and I enjoy replaying through the game.”
    • “The sailing mechanics are spot on.”
    • “The sailing mechanics and physics are great.”
    • “The gameplay is extremely tedious.”
    • “If they had kept the game exploration and sailing focused it could have been a gem, but as it stands this game is a prime example of how adding mechanics can make a game worse.”
    • “The combat mechanics are just plain bad.”
  • story224 mentions

    The story in Windbound is generally described as intriguing yet simplistic, often conveyed through minimalistic means such as environmental storytelling and text snippets. While some players appreciate the emotional depth and beautiful art style, many criticize the narrative for being short, repetitive, and lacking in complexity, with a gameplay loop that can overshadow the story elements. Overall, it offers a cozy exploration experience, but those seeking a rich, immersive narrative may find it lacking.

    • “The silent and progressive storytelling is great, and the story itself has kept me interested enough to where I want to reach the end and see it all (which is a lot more than I can say for many of the more popular titles out there).”
    • “The story is intriguing and fun, the mechanics are enjoyable, the graphics are evidently cartoonish but very pretty and captivating.”
    • “The story and theme surrounding the game is intriguing and definitely makes you curious about how things are going to unfold for Kara.”
    • “The story is abstract and insipid, and the music very underwhelming/amateurish.”
    • “The story is bland and mostly told through a couple cryptic sentences.”
    • “The story and player goals are very weak in this game.”
  • graphics138 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beautiful art style, often compared to the cel-shaded aesthetics of titles like "The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker" and "Breath of the Wild." Many players appreciate the vibrant color palette and atmospheric visuals, which contribute to an immersive experience, despite some minor graphical issues and a few complaints about the overall polish. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, enhancing the game's appeal and enjoyment.

    • “The graphics are stunning, and the world is very atmospheric.”
    • “The cell-shaded graphics are wonderful to look at, and the music really harmonizes with the environment and the overall vibe of the game, which makes simply being in the game world an absolute pleasure.”
    • “Beautiful graphics, beautiful music, bad gameplay and survival mechanics.”
    • “Graphically it's pretty lo-fi and the soft and simple color palette is warm and vibrant.”
    • “The graphics look unfinished.”
    • “There are also many graphical errors to be fixed when climbing, sailing and dodging on certain terrain but they are not the main issue, just persistent enough to warrant mentioning.”
  • music132 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread praise for its beauty and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many players finding it relaxing and fitting for the game's themes. However, some reviews note that the soundtrack can be repetitive and sparse, leading to moments of silence that detract from the experience. Overall, while the music is a highlight for many, its limited variety and occasional absence have drawn mixed reactions.

    • “The music is beautiful.”
    • “I absolutely adore the soundtrack, and you can tell the composer loves his craft.”
    • “The music is really pleasant, fitting, and has the nice touch of being adaptive.”
    • “The story is abstract and insipid, and the music is very underwhelming and amateurish.”
    • “The music in the game gets repetitive after 10 minutes, especially when you have 2-3 tracks overlapping each other.”
    • “I had to keep clicking in and out of the game to a music player for stream so that they weren't listening to just nothingness for large extents of time.”
  • stability54 mentions

    The game's stability is frequently criticized due to numerous bugs and glitches that affect gameplay, including clunky combat mechanics, camera issues, and freezing problems. While some players find the experience enjoyable despite these technical shortcomings, many express frustration over game-breaking glitches and the need for frequent restarts. Overall, the game's stability issues significantly detract from its potential, leading to mixed reviews regarding its playability.

    • “There's no glitches or lag, and the game is pretty amazing.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes, making for a seamless experience.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it really enhances my enjoyment.”
    • “On top of that, it constantly freezes and I have to close it, losing progress again and again.”
    • “My biggest problem with this game is the sheer repetition of the tasks and the absolutely messy and clunky combat system, which feels unresponsive and buggy.”
    • “A fun and interesting game with a lot of potential, marred and held back by massive bugs, glitches, and poor optimization.”
  • grinding23 mentions

    Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is a significant drawback, with many players finding the crafting, gathering, and sailing mechanics tedious and repetitive. While some enjoy the progression and building elements, the overall experience is marred by frustrating drop rates, simplistic combat, and a survival system that often feels more like a chore than an engaging challenge. The sailing mechanics, in particular, are criticized for being cumbersome, detracting from the enjoyment of exploration.

    • “Combat feels nice, crafting isn't too tedious.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Repetition is fine and all, but there's a line between grinding and doing the exact same thing over again when it takes forever just to get to where you were.”
    • “It is somewhat fun to unlock new crafting options and build up your boat (raft), but grinding materials quickly becomes a chore.”
  • atmosphere22 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its relaxing and immersive qualities, enhanced by beautiful graphics and fitting music. Players appreciate the enchanting and mystical environment, which complements the sailing mechanics and overall gameplay experience. However, some critiques mention moments of emptiness and repetitiveness, suggesting that while the atmosphere is strong, it may not fully compensate for other gameplay shortcomings.

    • “Overall, the game offers an amazing experience with a really nice and relaxing atmosphere.”
    • “Altogether it creates a really enthralling mystical atmosphere.”
    • “In my opinion, this new enemy doesn't add anything to the lore and ruins the ocean atmosphere.”
    • “Windbound tries to be a lot of things, and while it may not succeed in some of them, it thrives in its atmosphere and sailing mechanics.”
    • “Even though the game has its bugs, I love the atmosphere and general feel of this game.”
  • replayability17 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed among users. While some appreciate the procedurally generated levels and the potential for varied challenges, many feel that once the story is completed, there is little incentive to replay due to repetitive chapter goals and a lack of new content or modes. A few players enjoy aspects like boat building, but overall, the consensus leans towards limited replay value.

    • “The entire game has a good deal of replayability, as the levels are procedurally generated and hold different challenges and treasures each time you play.”
    • “Good, kindly realistic sailing in a way, very fun, few bugs, good replayability.”
    • “Infinite replayability and respawning depending on difficulty selected.”
    • “Replayability is limited, and after completing it once I don't want to go back.”
    • “I would refund if I could, because it fails to deliver that potential in so many ways, and has little replayability.”
    • “Also if you beat the game there is no replay value like unlocked content, harder difficulties, even a freeplay mode would have been awesome.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of slapstick moments and quirky animations, such as creatures rolling down slopes and amusing sailing mishaps. Players find joy in the absurdity of the game's mechanics, like the small inventory system and the comical physics that lead to unexpected situations, although some repetitive gags, like skyrocketing enemies, can wear thin over time. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch to the survival experience, enhancing the enjoyment of both high-stakes and mundane moments.

    • “I've had really high highs, laughing at seeing a mob helplessly roll down a slope, and other hilarious and hair-raising moments near death with no food or potions, fighting to find the next few scraps to proceed to the next map.”
    • “The sailing mechanic needs some training on the player's side, and sometimes the physics cause some funny animations.”
    • “I think it's funny when you try to navigate in an incomplete boat and it ends up overturned in the middle of the sea.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its heart-wrenching story and beautiful music, which resonate deeply with players, often leading to tears by the end. While the game offers a wholesome and peaceful experience, it also presents challenging moments that can evoke strong feelings. Some players, however, may feel disappointed if they expected a different gameplay style, as the narrative-driven focus may not align with their preferences.

    • “The story up until this point (I was past chapter 3) was for the most part very emotional.”
    • “I cried at the end; good game :)”
    • “This is a game with amazing sailing physics, a heart-wrenching story, and beautiful music.”
  • optimization5 mentions

    Overall, optimization feedback is mixed; while some players report smooth performance and high frame rates on max settings, others experience confusion with gameplay direction and occasional performance issues. Additionally, there are mentions of hardware noise impacting the gaming experience, despite the game's impressive visuals and soundtrack.

    • “Game runs smoothly on my PC, has an impressive art/visual style with a solid soundtrack, and I haven’t had any issues with crashes or bugs thus far.”
    • “I've seen people mention performance being great. I managed to get 144Hz+ with max settings on 99% of occasions, but I had to endure the loud noise from my 2080 Ti, which was typically louder than any music I was listening to.”
    • “I don't know if it's just not optimized or directed well, but you're left on your own to figure things out. I have no idea what to do and find myself restarting often.”
    • “Performance isn't that great.”
    • “+Performance: light technically, but other games struggle with less.”
  • character development2 mentions

    While the game features great character design, beautiful graphics, and an engaging story, reviewers note a lack of depth in character development, progression, and customization, which detracts from its RPG elements.

    • “Great character design, lovely soundtrack, beautiful graphics - plus an interesting story and plenty of exploration.”
    • “Not enough character development, progression, or customization to be an RPG.”
    • “The characters feel one-dimensional and lack meaningful growth throughout the game.”
    • “There are limited options for character customization, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization of Satellite Reign has been met with confusion, yet it is supported by a strong gameplay foundation and a clear identity, despite mixed messages during its pre-release phase.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

65% average critic score

Buy Windbound

Play time

5hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
2-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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