Windforge

Windforge is the shadow of the game that it should have been. There’s plenty of systems here that should be great, but the package doesn’t quite come together - primarily due to a lack of multiplayer, but also due to a number of design issues. Those who prefer their sandbox games as a solo experience will likely be thrilled with the RPG elements, while others should probably steer their airship clear of Windforge.

64%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

stability, grinding

67% User Score Based on 498 reviews

Critic Score 25%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

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About

Windforge is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Snowed In Studios and was released on March 11, 2014. It received negative reviews from critics and mostly positive reviews from players.

WindForge is a side-scrolling block-building game where you explore hostile skies in an ever-changing Steampunk world. Everything you see can be created or destroyed, creating an RPG without barriers that rewards creative problem solving and improvisation. Take off in fully customizable airships, and embark on a journey of discovery and survival that will take you to the heart of the world and bey…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 498 reviews

story42 positive mentions

stability58 negative mentions

The ship building mechanics are fun and allow for a lot of creativity.
The grappling hook adds an enjoyable element to movement and exploration.
The game has a unique steampunk setting with interesting concepts like flying whales and airship battles.

The game is plagued by bugs and crashes, making it frustrating to play.
The controls and movement mechanics are clunky and can lead to unintended deaths.
The game feels unfinished, with a lack of polish and depth in the story and character interactions.

story
162 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
69%
5%
The game's story is generally considered interesting but lacks depth and immersion, with many players feeling disconnected from the characters and plot. While it features a unique steampunk setting and creative elements, such as building airships from defeated enemies, the narrative is often described as linear and tropey, with some players expressing frustration over its abrupt ending and limited quest variety. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a compelling driving force, leading many to prioritize exploration and crafting over following the main narrative.
- “The story is interesting.”
- “It is very gripping and I enjoyed every encounter with a fellow NPC, and the idea of the game's origin and story is compelling and not seen elsewhere.”
- “The storyline is actually rather good, but I feel it just needs a bit more flavor.”
- “The storyline is pretty original and exciting, but it's very linear at the moment. There is very little background story and all the NPCs just say the same 10-ish flavor texts over and over again.”
- “While the character sets out with the noble goal of saving the world and society as the world knows it, there is so little support by the in-game cast that one can forget the names of most characters, or that they even exist until one has a quest to go talk to them.”
- “There are also so few quests that one can exhaust the side quests in an hour, and I will say that out of a 70+ hour playthrough, less than 6 hours were actual questing, of any kind at all.”
graphics
94 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
46%
11%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the retro and steampunk art style while others criticize the bland visuals and poor optimization. Many find the 2.5D graphics awkward and lacking in detail, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience, particularly due to issues like distant character visibility and frame drops. Overall, while there are moments of visual appeal, the execution leaves much to be desired, impacting immersion and enjoyment.
- “The art style is really nice.”
- “It's a fabulous idea, and as I said, the graphics are great.”
- “Wow, this game has a great storyline, pretty great pixel graphics, good for gamers that are willing to try for something, and spend some time on it.”
- “Such bad mobility combined with the awful 2.5D graphics makes moving around a nightmare.”
- “The graphics look like something I could have played online for free, and the game crashed twice within 25 minutes of playing.”
- “To add to the fact of terrible graphic choices, the extra 'fog' layer that covers ground you haven't mined yet is really sloppy and seems to take cues from Worms Open Warfare and other Worms titles, revealing small circles each time damage is dealt to the terrain.”
gameplay
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
62%
8%
The gameplay of Windforge is a mix of engaging mechanics reminiscent of Terraria and innovative features like airship building and grappling hooks, which many players find enjoyable. However, it suffers from bugs, clunky controls, and a lack of polish, leading to a somewhat frustrating experience for some. While the core gameplay is fun and creative, the overall execution leaves room for improvement, particularly in optimization and tutorial clarity.
- “Learning and manipulating the mechanics is where this game really comes through.”
- “Chemistry - the story, graphics, movement, and mechanics all work together flawlessly, to give a very satisfying experience at times.”
- “Fun engaging gameplay (think Terraria + original Bionic Commando), creative and immersive storyline, and fun open world.”
- “It has a lot of issues; the main tutorial doesn't fully explain all the mechanics, like how crafting recipes can change the gun depending on the materials you use.”
- “Gameplay-wise, the fighting both on foot and in a ship is unsatisfying.”
- “The only problem I have with the game is that the controls and gameplay can be clunky.”
stability
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, leading to frequent crashes and performance issues, such as random freezes and navigation problems. While some players find it enjoyable despite these flaws, many agree that it feels unfinished and in need of significant improvements. Overall, stability remains a major concern, with players recommending caution before purchasing unless at a steep discount.
- “The game freezes often - I have to kill the process and restart it.”
- “Yup, the game has been released so buggy, so alpha stage that the main quest line zone didn't even spawn in save games created several weeks after release.”
- “It has loads of playability but you will be cringing through it due to frequent short-term freezes due to enemies spawning in the area, and save corruption.”
optimization
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
67%
11%
The optimization of Windforge has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, including frequent frame rate drops and occasional freezes, particularly in foggy areas and during specific gameplay scenarios. While the developers have made strides in improving performance since release, some users still find the game unplayable due to these ongoing issues. Overall, while the game's mechanics are engaging, the lack of optimization detracts from the overall experience.
- “Everything you add to your airship in Windforge affects its performance: propellers determine its speed, balloons help the airship stay afloat and rise, turrets are used in combat, engines are required to power other devices, and even blocks and cosmetic furniture matter in that they weigh your ship down.”
- “At release it was a mess, but since then the developer has remained committed to their product and hammered out most of the real larger issue show-stopping bugs and greatly improved performance.”
- “The farther out you zoom, the greater the impact on performance, especially in any of the fog areas.”
- “I'm keeping the not recommended because of that: it is not optimized well, the frame rate drops regularly, but the game is still good.”
- “-[strike]garbage performance of 5-10 fps in the cloudy (trade route) region, and all of the lower poisonous gas regions where the fog effect is used.”
- “Absolutely worth trying it, many bugs and performance issues that need to be taken care of though (random freezes for example).”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often frustrating, particularly due to the lack of effective autosaving, which can lead to lost progress after lengthy resource collection sessions. While some users express excitement about crafting and building, they also note that mid-game ore grinding and repairs become monotonous, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “It seems to be at random, but when the only autosaves are changing of zones, you just spent half an hour grinding [spoiler] meteors for heartstone [/spoiler] or whatever other resource, it is disheartening to see all that go to waste when you try to leave, the game crashes, and your last save is the autosave of you entering the area.”
- “Then it just became tedious and the only reason I kept playing was to finish the game.”
- “-mid game ore grinding is boring.”
music
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it beautiful and fitting for various scenarios, while others describe it as forgettable and repetitive. Notably, the soundtrack is praised for enhancing the overall atmosphere, although some users noted issues like a lack of accompanying music during cutscenes and an overwhelming sound effect at the intro. Overall, while the music can elevate the experience, it may not leave a lasting impression for all players.
- “The excellent music and original setting were two of the best features that sold this to me.”
- “Beautiful music, fits all the different scenarios, like an intense battle with other privateers or arriving at a mysterious temple shrouded with fog and mystery.”
- “This, coupled with a solid crafting system that never sees older materials being upper-classed by newer ones, the enjoyable combat and movement, with the added aesthetics of stunning visuals and an amazing soundtrack makes Windforge the sort of game you can easily sink tens or hundreds of hours into.”
- “The music is immediately forgettable, and there's no life in it.”
- “The only nag is the sound effect explosion in the intro, and the fact that there is no accompanying music to the cut scene.”
- “The experience I had was the game would start with a white screen; after waiting a couple of minutes, music would start, and I could also hear sounds that would happen when buttons were hovered.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive setting, featuring elements like skywhales and pirate encounters that enhance the sense of adventure and danger. While the music is considered fitting, some players feel it could be less repetitive to better complement the atmosphere. Overall, the environment and the unique challenges it presents are key highlights that contribute to the game's appeal.
- “The setting and the atmosphere are what make this game.”
- “The world is atmospheric, with skywhales floating around peacefully, pirates ambushing travelers, wonders, and many dangers...”
- “In the upper atmosphere are 'space whales', these guys are really bad.”
- “For example, when you have a quest that tells you to go to the lower atmosphere, there isn't anything that indicates you need to get a gas mask or hazard suit, and there isn't a straightforward way to obtain those items.”
- “In the upper atmosphere, there are 'space whales'; these creatures are really problematic.”
- “The music is fine, but I would lower it to achieve the right amount of atmosphere. I think it's a bit repetitive, though very fitting.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its amusingly clunky movement and the entertaining airship travel and combat system, which adds a lighthearted touch to the overall experience. Additionally, the comically awkward design of the monsters contributes to the game's humorous tone.
- “The slightly clunky movement is easily overshadowed by the hilariously fun airship travel and combat system.”
- “The monsters look hilariously clunky too.”