Bound By Flame - Review Roundup #2

Well it's time for the second round of reviews for Spider's new RPG Bound By Flame. As usual the scores are a mixed bag, and I posted them in no particular order.

PC Gamer - 54/100

The combat is fun in parts and the characters grew on me, but so much more of Bound by Flame is tedious, frustrating, and unpolished.

Strategy Informer - 6.5/10

Spiders wanted Bound By Flame to be their big breakout hit but penny-pinching on theirs or their publisher's side will hold them back. The combat system works pretty well once you get over the lack of a roll button and it actually gets very satisfying as soon as you get used to it, as well as level up a bit.

Analog Addiction - 6/10

Bound by Flame is anything but an RPG. Its focus on combat and its great soundtrack are redeemable qualities, though not enough to compensate for being so rough around the edges.

Escapist Magazine - 2.5/5

Bound By Flame would be an immensely likable game, were it not for just how slipshod it ultimately feels. Its individual components are well crafted, but when brought together, the result is something that just isn't quite right.

Gamereactor - 7/10

Spiders manages to deliver a compelling story; enough to raise our verdict a couple of notches from our original impression. However, the team immediately have a list of fixes they need to attend if they revisit this world.

Saving Content - 2/5

Bound By Flame is an average RPG held back by budgets and serious design flaws outweighed by its ambition. By the game’s end, I was happy that it was over, as in that I didn’t have to play it anymore.

Gameranx - 5/10

In the end, I called Bound by Flame a “side-quest” because RPG aficionados could play this game to pass the time but it’s not an essential experience for fans of the genre. However, I recommend skipping this one if you’re not a huge fan of RPGs in general

Gamingtrend - 65/100

Ultimately Spider’s follow up to Mars: War Logs is a far better effort than its predecessor. You can’t help but appreciate the effort put forth, as well as the fantastic concepts and new approach to storytelling. Bound by Flame provides engaging mechanics and choices that actually matter, if you can stomach the horrible voice work.

OnlySP - 6.5/10

Bound By Flame is a conceptually interesting fantasy RPG world with great crafting and music, marred by unpleasant combat that prevents it from truly taking off.

Destructoid - 7/10

A solid game that definitely has an audience. Might lack replay value, could be too short or there are some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun