Bound By Flame

[EmperorZorn]

Bound By Flame

I've recently stumbled across this RPG "Bound By Flame" which is being released the 9th of May.
Although I'm not very excited about it, it went under my radar - so I thought I'd share this with you.

I'm not sure what kind of RPG this game wants to be, but it feels influenced by Dragon Age games somehow.
Judge it for yourself and tell us if you think it'll blow or if it might be a pleasant surprise:

http://www.boundbyflame.com/en/media.html

At the developers blog you also get an idea of how crafting works out and a little background about the companions.

http://spiders-devblog.tumblr.com/

Have fun !

 

[ReptilePZ]

The art style does remind me of DA:O quite a bit (the weakest point in that game for me), especially in this trailer:

I dun't know, it doesn't really capture my interest all that much. Looks more like a hack 'n' slash, which isn't my kind of RPG.

 

[volsung]

I still don't know if this is an "action RPG", an action game with role-playing elements, a proper computer RPG, or what. Also no idea about mechanics. Judging by that video it seems more like a mix between DA:O and DA2.

If this turns out to be a "slower", tactical cRPG like DA:O with better writing and reactivity I would be interested. I can put up with tacky fantasy visual designs if the game mechanics, narrative and role-playing are worth it.

 

[ReptilePZ]

The combat seems very aRPG, don't see any evidence of it being party-based.

So the mechanics are a bit of a turn-off for me but I can deal with it. Plot seems fairly generic, I guess it all comes down to C&C for me - will they have any? If the answer is yes, how important will it be, are they going to handle it well? If they won't have any C&C and it's all about the loot, then it's not the game for me.

 

[Garrison72]

Their other game, Mars War logs, was very amateurish and had dreadful writing. This looks derivative as hell but the gameplay looks decent.

 

[EmperorZorn]

Their other game, Mars War logs, was very amateurish and had dreadful writing. This looks derivative as hell but the gameplay looks decent.

Mars War Logs was also very linear in the second half of the game.
It had a lot of potential and good ideas, but felt rushed and unfinished - with poorly written dialogs.


@ReptilePZ :

From what I've read the game has C&C, companions (including romance) and crafting.
But I wouldn't expect anything amazing or genre-redefining.


Apparently the developers have made rather mediocre RPGs in the past, including Mars War Logs and Of Orcs and Men.

 

[ReptilePZ]

 

[Cs__sz__r]

Just heard of the game the other day out of the blue. Impressions: Fable, Dragon Age, and Kingdoms of Amalur thrown into a pot.

 

[vivaxardas2015]

Well, it is OK game. If you ever played Mars War Logs, GOT, and Of Orcs and Men, you'll instantly understand it is from the same devs. It is sort of Of Orcs and Men with a dynamic combat system and skill-trees similar to Mars War Logs. The game looks all right on 360 (not great, but good enough), and runs very well. For a budget game made by indies it is pretty good. Nothing to play right now anyway, at least for those who like fantasy/medieval RPGs. BBF will help to spend a bit of time before DAI.

 

[EmperorZorn]

Just to let you guys know - I've played Bound by Flame and... I can't recommend it, at least not until the price drops.

You notice that this game is heavily inspired by the Witcher, but seems to have forgotten to copy many parts which made the Witcher so great.

My main issue with the game is that the story is a rather standard RPG story (evil threatens the land, an undead army and so on...) and that the characters, although interesting, are a bit stiff and not that memorable.

On a positive note the music is fantastic, the crafting system excellent, the graphics are also great.

Overall this is a bit better than your average RPG, but by no chance an AAA title.

It comes close to the feel of the Game of Thrones RPG, if that tells you anything.

 

[vivaxardas2015]

Well, it was never presented as AAA game, it was not advertised as such, and it's starting price is $39.99 (vs. $59.99 for all major releases). The devs are very clear on this. They openly say they are not CDPR, and this game is not trying to be another Witcher. My guess is that they like to be indies, like to make games, and they earn their living this way. Their games are getting progressively better technically, and they are fairly cheap and entertaining. I buy them because it is my way to support indie game development.
It seems that this game has completely different endings depending on your priorities, and how you decide to deal with the demon inside, and I am curious how it was done.

 

[CostinRaz]

I am sorry but there's no excuse for this piece of shit game: The voice acting is terrible, the combat horrible, the story a pile of shit.

I've played GOT, it was far superior to this trash. A 40 dollar/euro game? With that money I can buy Dragon Age II which is better then this shit, along with Alpha Protocol, Game of Thrones RPG AND Witcher 1. All are far superior to this rushed piece of trash.

This is NOT an indie developer, but a middle market one: Yeah you know there's another category besides small and AAA, it's AA and this is exactly what this is. For the middle market Alpha Protocol are vastly superior to it story wise, combat wise I've got Dark Souls and Dark Souls 2 or I could just get Banner Saga!

It seems that this game has completely different endings depending on your priorities, and how you decide to deal with the demon inside, and I am curious how it was done.

LOL. There's only 1 different ending if you went full demon vs refusing it, and all it involves is a terrible piece of shit dialogue at the end.

 

[goopit]

The concept of having a demon inside you is cool though; but this game did it better.

When are we going to have a horror RPG!?!?

 

[227]

LOL. There's only 1 different ending if you went full demon vs refusing it, and all it involves is a terrible piece of shit dialogue at the end.

Did I miss an opportunity to give in or something? I played as pro-demon as I possibly could, even sacrificing my comrades when possible, and I still had the choice between two endings:

Spoiler

 

[vivaxardas2015]

I am sorry but there's no excuse for this piece of shit game

Such a strong reaction concerning some damn game! I am really too old to get it. Also, games are not such things that require excuses or apologies - they are not insults, or offenses. The devs made the game they could, and if you do not like it - you don't buy it. No need to go all RAAARRR! about it.

The game is about average, and for me better than DA2 because it does not pretend to be a deep and epic AAA title. It is like with B movies, sometimes you like them, sometimes you don't.

 

[CostinRaz]

Did I miss an opportunity to give in or something? I played as pro-demon as I possibly could, even sacrificing my comrades when possible, and I still had the choice between two endings:

There are 3 possible endings, one of these is only available if you go full demon another only if you resist. The middle option is available for both.

The devs made the game they could, and if you do not like it - you don't buy it. No need to go all RAAARRR! about it.

They made a piece of shit game that's clearly a cash grab while also lying at every opportunity during the marketing trailers. This is the gaming industry you want to have?

Such a strong reaction concerning some damn game!

Because people defending crap titles really pisses me off. It's shit and should buried, not have the developer rewarded. Same with defending ME3 and DA2.

The game is about average, and for me better than DA2 because it does not pretend to be a deep and epic AAA title.

Oh it didn't. "Looks at marketing" Could have fooled me!

 

[227]

There are 3 possible endings, one of these is only available if you go full demon another only if you resist. The middle option is available for both.

Ah, so it is. Thanks; I thought that I had accidentally been a goody-two-shoes without knowing it.

Spoiler

I like the "rule" option being the ubiquitous possible ending, but I definitely agree that the "cleanse with flame" ending needed some work and had terrible dialogue. Why the hell is Vulcan against it? I had killed pretty much everyone he knew already, and there was little of him actually left by that point, yet his old personality pops out to protest the decision at the very end? Would have been much better if he stood behind it all the way.

Also on the subject of things the game got very wrong, "gods dammit" is the worst exclamation I've ever heard in a game. They might as well had been exclaiming "tea and cookies, Batman!" Had the same lack of impact because of how ridiculous it sounds.

When are we going to have a horror RPG!?!?

1998? Parasite Eve. It wasn't heavy on the horror, but it was definitely eerie enough to qualify.

 

[goopit]

1998? Parasite Eve. It wasn't heavy on the horror, but it was definitely eerie enough to qualify.

should have been more clear; An RPG with Choice and Consequence.