Bound Reviews

Bound is ranked in the 51st percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
5 / 10.0
Aug 16, 2016

Bound really is stunning to see in motion, but the keyword is “see.” I dare say I’d have had a lot more fun watching someone else playing it as opposed to playing it myself. Simply soaking in the color and music is captivating. All that splendor, however, is balanced with equal weight by the troubling truth that it’s just really, really not that enjoyable to play.

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55%
Aug 14, 2016

Bound definitely has style but the game is lacking in a lot of different areas.

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6 / 10
Aug 30, 2016

When it comes story-driven experiences such as this, gameplay is often a secondary concern. Puzzles and mechanics are often uncomplicated, going so far as to become simply linear interactive experiences colloquially known as “walking simulators.” Bound’s approach is a beautiful and fluid one, as all of the movement and combat — if it can be called that — are carried out through dance. You’ll forgive me if I lack the collective dance terminology to correctly ascribe to the movements, but the characters leaps, twirls and slides through with a casual grace, and mostly with a feathery weight. It’s gorgeous, and the transitions are flawless, though sometimes slow.

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3 / 5
Aug 16, 2016

Do you usually enjoy games that focus more on the artistic and symbolic side of video games, such as Journey and Abzu? Because this is the type of games who’d definitely enjoy this game. Otherwise you might see it as a boring and short (2 hours) game.

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6 / 10.0
Aug 15, 2016

Bound's impeccable, surreal visuals are let down by its lacklustre platforming and a narrative that can't quite deliver the necessary emotion

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Aug 19, 2016

Bound is undeniably beautiful, but a chasm between the player and the characters makes it difficult to empathize with them — unless you're willing and able to bridge the gap yourself.

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Aug 12, 2016

A beautiful ballet dance with a few tumbles

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6 / 10
Aug 15, 2016

Bound is beautifully presented and will make you think, but its basic platforming doesn't have the legs that developer Plastic thinks it has. Fans of emotionally charged titles like Gone Home will be satisfied with what's on offer here – but those looking for a quality platformer may want to dance with something a little more competent in that department.

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6 / 10.0
Aug 15, 2016

For all my complaints, Bound is an interesting beast. The way it incorporates its animation style has been rarely, if ever done so well. It's well worth experiencing in some fashion, just maybe not at full price.

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6.5 / 10.0
Aug 30, 2016

Wonky camera controls and sub-par platforming aren't enough to take away from the fact that Bound is absolutely art in game form. Almost everything about the game is beautiful and unique, and if you find yourself enjoying games where gameplay takes a back seat to aesthetic, then you might want to think about picking up Bound.

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6.5 / 10.0
Aug 15, 2016

It’s unfortunately obvious how much Bound wanted to be like Journey, but it’s even more unfortunate that they go so close and yet failed to fully capture everything amazing about Journey. A beautiful environment, unique concept (the dancing), and deep story will get you very far, but the gameplay needs to be just as entertaining. Unless you’re a Trophy Hunter and/or you enjoy speedrunning, there’s not much that will keep you bound to this title.

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6.6 / 10.0
Aug 21, 2016

Bound is a fascinating experience... at a first glance. Soon it reveals its limited mechanics.

Review in Italian | Read full review

67 / 100
Aug 26, 2016

Despite all its flaws, Bound is undoubtedly a celebration of the female form, both physically and spiritually. And, for that, it could be said to be a game better viewed as one to experience rather than to play, and the fact that it tries to encompass so many deep psychological metaphors in the videogame format is an ambition worth praising.

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7 / 10
Aug 24, 2016

The beauty in Bound is even more prevalent in its visuals – it is digital artwork at its finest. It is honestly some of the most unique and beautiful artwork I have ever seen in a video game

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games(TM)
games™ Team
Top Critic
7 / 10
Oct 26, 2016

Leaps gracefully but slightly fumbles the landing

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7 / 10
Aug 15, 2016

Bound excels in presenting an engaging universe and telling a deep and imaginative story, but where it has the imagination to make the player think and awe at what they’re seeing, it simply doesn’t have as much to tell when it comes to the core gameplay. That being said, it wouldn’t be fair to call Bound a bad game, because it’s simply a flawed one when it comes to gameplay. The lack of engaging gameplay really affected my experience to a certain point, but for what it’s worth Bound’s storytelling managed to salvage what else there was and give me an immersive narrative experience.

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Stevivor
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Aug 16, 2016

As the icon on the Playstation Store proudly proclaims, Bound is Playstation VR-compatible -– I’m not lucky enough to have a PSVR kit to test this out (it’s not released yet!), but it will definitely be worth a look when the headsets start arriving later this year. This is the kind of game that will work best in a virtual reality framework – bright, colourful and removed from any sense of realism. Playing in 2D is by no means a disadvantage, and I encourage anyone with a preference for ‘artsy’ games to give this a shot. It’s not without its issues, but Bound presents traditional platforming mechanics with an artistic flair that really sets it apart.

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7 / 10.0
Aug 15, 2016

Bound is a strange title. It's not a platform, neither a walking simulator. Is a game that values aesthetics over any other aspects, and for this reason in beautiful, different and flimsy.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Aug 24, 2016

Movement here isn't just treated as a necessity of the gameplay, but as an expression of joy and healing.

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Ray Carsillo
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Aug 15, 2016

A powerful, poignant story that utilizes a brilliantly crafted world and movement mechanic to help get its symbolism across. Its short length and lack of gameplay depth hold the experience as a whole back, however.

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