Windbound Reviews
Windbound offers an enjoyable blend of survival and adventuring gameplay, though some technical issues and a tricky difficulty can make for some frustrating moments. There’s certainly more good than bad to be found on your journey through the Forbidden Islands and there’s plenty of enjoyment to be had sailing through its turbulent seas, but there’ll also be times where a particularly brutal (and sometimes unfair) battle with an enemy or a random glitch will annoy you too… Still, if you’re a fan of adventures that implement some neat survival elements, WIndbound will certainly appeal to you. It might not be perfect in all facets of its design, but it still manages to offer an entertaining adventure that’ll keep you hooked to your Nintendo Switch for some time.
Windbound is a small-scale crafting and survival game that will leave a good taste in your mouth. The use of the boat and navigation will remind us of the unforgettable Wind Waker and it is the best of the game. Despite the fact that crafting is not well implemented and has a repetitive structure, we will enjoy it in all its aspects.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Beautiful in visuals and in sound with a survival system that works best when the player learns from mistakes made, Windbound is a charming budget entry in a very crowded entry genre and may have stood out more if less of it was a tribute to a game like Breath of the Wild that simply does everything far better.
The central roguelite mechanic of the game is the weakest one and most frustrating - when you turn it off, Windbound is an enjoyable experience that's just held back by technical flaws. The story, however, partly makes up for that and Windbound has moments with the most remarking atmosphere.
Review in German | Read full review
For an indie title Windbound does a lot right. Graphics and sound feels just right and despite islands being a bit small there is still a lot to do on them. The non existing story and the tedious controls of your own ship are the biggest letdowns of the game.
Review in German | Read full review
Windbound is a fun sailing game set in a world that’s different every time you play, but it’s a frustrating and punishing survival game at the same time. It’s highly likely to not be the game players expect it to be. Without any story or narrative to anchor it, the player is left adrift at sea without a raft.
While Windbound initially instills the awe and wonder of a brave new world to explore, the game quickly grows stale once the structure of it becomes readily apparent.
The focus in Windbound is definitely more on the survival side, with you keeping protagonist Kara alive in this rogue-like game. The game also takes the survival genre in a new direction by providing endless replay-ability options thanks to the procedural world, and dynamic because of the modular craft you can build. As each time you play the size of your boat changes depending on what resources you can find on the islands, these dictate the type of boat you can build. There is something quite satisfying about building your own boat and setting sail across the sea into unknown territory in Windbound. I’ve found the game to be very entertaining and a lot of fun to play.
Windbound had a tonne of potential but the finished product is more Titanic or The Perfect Storm than a soothing day at sea.
While Windbound failed to shake my sails, being too repetitive and pressured, it should appeal to survivalists. Respect must be afforded to the interesting sailing mechanics, which elevates the exploration.
There’s a sense of achievement that comes with beating a game like Windbound. It may not be as difficult as something like Bloodborne, but it feels like you’ve run a marathon.