GVGINU This isn't a review. Razor is not white knighting SJWs and Feminists and he didn't call his fanbase misogynistic, white male nerds who love porn and beating up women.
My girlfriend picked this one up, was definitely worthy of purchase. You don't see too many games like this anymore, sure the spoken dialogue is cheesy, but it only adds to the charm. The last time I remember games like this being so available was during the PS2 era. That seemed like the last time developers were trying everything and tons of cool games were produced. Now it just AAA or don't even bother.
The hypocrisy that surrounded this game's reviews reminds me of the "professional reviewers" who compared the $15-dollar downloadable game Call of Juarez: Gunslinger to Red Dead Redemption. I almost fractured my skull with the sheer impact of my facepalm.
Yea, me as well. Reviewers seem to have a very limited frame of reference, (a skeptical man would suggest that this is because they don't play video games) causing them to compare games that are nothing alike. Funnily enough, all of the reviews that brought up the comparison failed to mention how much better the combat in Gunslinger was, perhaps because it lacked Rockstar's trademark "Don't worry, we'll do all the aiming for you" mode.
The issue is that middle-market games too often try to be AAA games. They bite off way more than they can chew and attempt to produce a 40 hour cross-platform $60 game on a shoe-string budget. The ones that do succeed are those wise enough to find a niche of their own, like D:OS or Euro Truck Simulator 2. More middle-market games should search for this comfortable half-way point of ambition between "my indie game is so arty, it's a 2D platformer yadda yadda" and 'press X for mo-capped cutscene' AAA, where they make a focused, polished game that's fun and unfettered by greed or pretentiousness in achieving that goal. The death of the middle market probably has something to do with the rising cost of game engine and graphics (a small team can't write a competitive engine in a few months anymore) and the fact that the number of these niches has reduced. Many of the good ideas of games past have been snatched up by big companies (and dumbed down to appeal to an audience large enough that you'll inevitably get the dumb fucks saying 'lol i'll just play skyrim if i want X') or done so many times before that they'll always be compared with previous attempts. Hence this will be unfavourably compared to Skyrim, Dark Souls, the Witcher etc. As you say it's also press bias. The recent Zoe Quinn scandal has shown how the well-known bias of the gaming press isn't just in favour of those who pay them money. The AAA games get good scores due to money, the Indies get them due to Twitter friendship and the writer's desire to be part of their clique. The middle-market is caught between a rock and a hard place and gets shat on by IGN etc, so they can balance out their otherwise over-generous scores.
ALJustice0 I guess it's an inevitable consequence of the growth of the industry and market. AAA is such a mess of bland, committee designed crap that feels like it's ticking boxes to make everyone happy- it rarely offends people, but nor does it deliver much fun. A lot of more mature gamers have to play AAA games on hard, mod them and impose restrictions on themselves to get anything resembling an immersive, challenging experience. And the Indies don't usually have the resources to develop anything immersive and deep. There's no middle ground. It's sad. Middle market games, for all their lack of polish, at least feel like a group of real people made them and put their hearts into them, but these intangible feelings don't mean much for most people. The other thing is that newer middle market titles are AAA-ised by greedy publishers as soon as they are successful. See Dark Souls. I reckon the only middle-market IPs that stay that way will be the Kickstarted ones.
If only Bound by flames remove all fantasy elements. Gameplay and graphics. Replace it sound track with a 8-bit tone generator. And change it story to be about a pan demi-sexual trans-racial otherkin coming out of the closet and being depressed. The mainstream video game review sites would showering it with Game of the Year awards by now.
What irritates me the most is that, once word of mouth gets this game around, everyone is going to start acting like they actually enjoyed the game as opposed to regurgitating what the reviews have to say, a la Deadly Premonition and NIer.
And what of those that do authentically enjoy these games? Are they lying to themselves as well? Am I lying to myself because I genuinely enjoyed Deadly Premonition?
Honestly guys I'm jumping back in time here with this comment cuz I'm in 2021 and the games has been reliable it released the last three years probably for years since at least 2018 have not been finished they've been junk no stories just terrible
I love Spiders' games. I think it's a fucking shame that they get pretty much universally shat on by mainstream review sites - I (and likely most of the other viewers here) could give two shits what most of them have to say (for reasons that have been enumerated and elucidated on countless occasions here and elsewhere) but it doesn't change the unfortunate fact that they undoubtedly impact sales; and I want to see Spiders do well. I just played through The Technomancer recently and loved it. It, like Spiders' previous endeavors, was certainly not perfect with some amount of jank and the occasional lack of polish, but it was still a great time. I'm actually amazed at how much they were able to pull off with so little. Thanks for another spot-on review Razor. God fucking speed!
It seems you are more in love with the idea of what Bound by Flame represents as a middle market game then what it actually is. I've seen this before where you use a game most considered to be shit as a platform to vent your anger at the journalists and while I can agree that sentiment I think you missed the mark. Game of Thrones RPG as an example was a good game with an excellent story that was very much proclaimed as shit by the media and players when it was one of the best stories I ever saw in a video game. But Bound by Flame is just terrible in that it promises you the moon and then fails to deliver. Look I have a love for games like this, it's why I like the Witcher 1 and 2. Why I support Kingdom Come: Deliverance and why I play Wargame: Red Dragon, all middle market games ( and yes Witcher 2 was middle market until the enhanced edition came out then it turned AAA ). Bound By Flame has good things: The crafting, the weapon sheaths ( HOW MANY FUCK AAA GAMES DOES IT TAKE TO IMPLEMENT THAT BIOWARE? Let's not even talk of the Witcher ), the influences from Black Company. But it's a repetive grind with respawning enemies, fetch quests, uninteresting characters and a terrible story. I've seen games with similar budgets do things far better. I am not impressed by this game.
+Serious Gaming Game of Thrones? Excellent story? Utter claptrap. Bound by Flame easily has a story that rivals Dragon Age: Origins and/or Mass Effect. The writing? Charming, in that nice, early Bioware manner.
I'd agree with some of your complaints (most-of-all respawning enemies) but he's admittedly overselling it as an investment. GoT RPG had a shit, retarded storyline so bad I stopped playing. "Hello guy I've never met before in my life, let me tell you who I'm protecting and what our plan is. What's that? My drink's poisoned? Who has ever heard of poisoning someone's drink before!?". Martin self-inserted as a guy who gets to look at tarbaby pussy. Explains his Tiger 2 tank-thick plot armor for Danny.
Yeah Bound by Flame was ridiculously ambitious but the only other team this small (20 odd people) I can think of that isn't making blocky sidescrollers is Piranha Bytes and people praise their broken bits of crap no end. Bound by Flame was decent, Technomancer was really quite good and if this trajectory continues Greedfall is going to be excellent.
Murada Did you just decide to throw Dark Souls under the bus, because it is popular? Dark Souls has no quests, therefore it doesn’t have fetch guests, so that criticism doesn’t apply. You don’t need to grind in Dark Souls and I am pretty sure no one grinds in Dark Souls. And the enemies respawning has a reason, it isn’t just the developers being lazy. Bound by Shit had a budget roughly the size of Demon’s Souls and Demon’s blows Bound by Shit out of the fucking water.
Ultimately. what made BbF a great game for me, was the fact that it was a fantasy RPG with actual fantasy in it. None of that feudal who-gets-the-throne-and/or-fancy-title heraldry lecturing (a la Song of Ice and Fire) and none of that epic story development crammed in the last fifth of the game to promise some epic fantasy in the next installment (Dragon Age 2, the Witcher 1&2). In any case, you can play as a dude (or dudete) with huge horns, and can set your greatsword on fire. A greatsword on fire, people!
I'm playing through Mars: War Logs right now and I'm impressed what they could make with the budget they had for the game. I can't wait to start this game as well.
Thank you, this is the first vid of yours I've seen and I appreciate your counter view of the big company reviews that magically agree with each other on almost every game.
I enjoy these videos due to the fact I get to hear the a raw and straight forward review. Also I get to learn some new words I never knew before. Thanks you Mr.Fist for being my best English teacher ever!
Razorfist, haven't you heard? The Middle Market is back! Divinity: Original Sin Wasteland 2 Unreal Tournament (yes, it's from Epic, but being made on a modest budget with the community) Planetary Annihilation Satellite Reign Broken Age (though that was kind of a flop) Xenonauts Age of Wonders 3 Insurgency Hawken Loadout Devs are in a position with licensed engines and digital distribution to make games on a budget greater than indie while still retaining some of the scope and production values associated with "AAA" (I hate that term, it's goddamn meaningless).
Dont forget Transistor and um... that game that looks like XCOM but with the guys who made Mark of the Ninja, Invisible Inc.? It's just that it's hard to define the placement of these games nowadays as indie companies that were previously considered indie now have better funding. Just look at Mount & Blade: Warband.
I wonder and I'm basically asking an open-question at this point, would Shadowrun: Dragonfall be considered an indie game? Or the Banner Saga? I legitimately don't know what the middle-market is anymore with the wide-range and variance of games at present.
GothaBillsAndDeath To me, it's hard to truly & accurately classify a developer/game as indie vs middle market. I think the main point to take away though is that only a few years ago most non-"AAA" devs were truly indie, and made almost entirely 2D platformers of some sort. Now we're seeing smaller companies go into all sorts of genres, and it's fucking awesome.
DrearierSpider1 It's a glorious renaissance! Sure you'll get crap here and there, but there are some good gems out there that made me revamp my top favorite lists.
The prevailing attitude seems to be 'if it's not on console, it doesn't count.' While I don't think Razor holds that attitude, I'd like to see him comment on the examples you've presented.
Oh man oh man, I have just discovered you! The only channel where I can watch a cool video game review - or a Dark Throne documentary)) You've got yourself plus one subscriber. Don't listen to critics - you're doing a good work here. Keep it up and bang your fucking head!)
Running a *little* low on my checking account for two more days, but I'm buying this right away because of your recommendation. Psyched to be surprised.
I've ordered this thanks to this review (also, a friend of mine endorses this game as well). I actually quite enjoyed Mars: War Logs too. Great review, as always!
I loved this game once I got past the voice-acting. (Two Worlds' voice-acting was just goofy, like the story. Not terrible.) And, maybe it's the difficulty level I was playing at, but this game does seem geared toward tactical combat. Resulted in me being skewered quite a few times, but hey.
Same here. Although once I got the rhythm of any real big fight, I was practically untouchable. My only real problem I had with the game was the lack of a proper ending. After I beat the final boss(I opted to minimize the Demon's influence), it just....ends. I had a massive case of story blueballs. What I was thinking when I finished it was, "Where's my epilogue dammit?" Still enjoyed the game though.
About the soundtrack: I'm not sure if you already knew this, but it was composed by Olivier Derriviere (I think that's how you spell it). The same cat that composed the scores for both the ObScure games AND Alone in the Dark 2009. Speaking of which, could you possibly do an Alone in the Dark retrospective sometime in the near future?
We may not see eye to eye in some reviews and opinions, but I always opened up to games you are really positive about, like Brutal Legend and Deus Ex. So thanks for that Razorfist. I've been on the fence about this, but now, considering the low price, I need to get this. I've been doing an amateur game (and movie review), and I've got a new adition for the website now. I'm leaving a small mention of you, so thanks (the site is in portuguese for now, btw, so there's that little problem).
While I really did love Witcher 3, I agree with you that this game was actually pretty enjoyable. I went into it without too many y expectations, and I ended up loving it more than more recent RPGs like DA:I or even Skyrim. Then again I have a soft spot in my heart for the middle tier games out there, like Alpha Protocol, Technomancer, Folklore, and Majin & The Forsaken Kingdom. There's a certain charm to them, and it feels like the smart ones make up for their lack of graphical fidelity with engaging stories or top-notch gameplay. Hell one of my favorite RPGs to come back to from time to time is Kingdoms of Amalur, a game I believe is superior to Skyrim in just about every way.
Kingdoms of Amalur is amazing, and one of those games I can go on for hours about to friends who haven't played it. I'm playing it again on the Xbox One with backwards compat and it's like I'm reliving it all over again.
@@xxXXRAPXXxx fair point. It was just an oddly huge hot button issue in my gaming circles for me to proclaim Amalur better when everyone else I talked to about gaming was acting like Skyrim was the Second Coming and couldn't stop sucking Todd Howard off.
I would like to hear what Razor thinks of Spider's latest game, The Technomancer. From what I've seen and heard, it's a lot like Bound by Flame. The combat system, at least, is very much the same.
Well, I've never been convinced by the bad reviews of this. Now I'm sold and plan to play it on PS4. I want to support more than just Indies and Triple A's. This is a good candidate for that.
I thought Bound by Flame was a valiant attempt given their budget, and I agree we need more, but come on... The combat was pretty bad. At best, it was incredibly repetitive. I really wanted to like it. It's the exact type of game I want to support. That said, about half way through, I just couldn't force myself to continue. It's not a bad game, it's just ruined by it's combat.
Aaahhh, Razorfist's reviews always leave me in a good mood. :) I think what may have sold this to me is that I saw an NPC use the word "godsdamned". So they have multiple gods who might all have some actual IMPACT on the world? Speaking as someone doing the very same thing in my own RPGs, I like that idea. Imma go consult Steam to see if they have this game. If so, I'm picking it up once I land a part time job this semester.
Your gaming tastes are close to mine and so whenever you give a thumbs up to such an undiscovered game, I feel happy that I have another awesome game to play during this dry spell!
Nice, my new copy just arrived in the mail and like Duke Nukem Forever, you have persuaded me. I dig Mars: War Logs because, like you said "It's low rent charm" and am looking forward to Technomancer. . I'm happy to support Spiders, the middle market, and you.
Hey Razorfist, this has nothing to do with the current video, but what is your opinion of the Dark Mod? Of course it is the obvious successor to Thief, more so than Dishonored and Teef could ever hope to be, but does the absence of plot or narrative ruin it for you, or do you find enough enjoyment in other areas to praise it?
I'm going to have to check this game out. I'm so fucking sick of the AAA trash that we get these days. Everyone around gets excited for the next Destiny, or Bloodborne, or whatever the fuck is being advertised the hardest, and I'm just sitting around with my 3DS in hand, letting loose a giant sigh followed by an audible "meh".
I think I'm really starting to get into your content, there's a certain charm and cynical humour that I'm starting to appreciate, this video in particular has convinced me to give this game a shot along with other games made by this developer the next time I have the cash to spare, with that being said though I couldn't help but realise that a huge chunk of this video was spent taking pot shots at other games and in doing so the word "objective" was played with rather fast and loose. Oh and that reminds me I should probably check out the latest Earth Defence Force and play Deadly Premonition: The Directors Cut the next time I have the chance.
Is this game available for next generation consoles? I had thought about getting this game for my 360 but due to all the bad reviews I didn't feel like throwing down money for it full price.
Which reviewers were panning it? User reviews are far more trustworthy than website reviews, because there's always the possibility of a website reviewer being bought and paid for by the publisher of the game...usually with money or collector's editions...or even sex in some cases (let's hope we never have to open THAT can of worms again). The sites may also give games, whose publishers didn't give them advertising revenue, shitty scores, and their scores may very well have a direct correlation with the ad revenue they make from publishers. Website reviews are always suspect. If a lot of user reviews say "it's average/shitty", it's probably best to wait until it drops in price.
Bound By Flame is a great fucking game & it's nice to see it getting some love. I got this game the day it launched & couldn't believe how hard reviewers were on it. Not only did it have a tiny budget & no major publisher backing it, but it even launched at $40 on the PS3 & 360 and $50 on the PS4. I wrote a product review of it on Amazon that mirrored the theme of this video -- I titled it "Don't list to professional reviewers."
Have you played Mars: War Logs? It's was another underrated RPG released last year by Spiders. It's like The Witcher 2 meets The Chronicles of Riddick meets Dune. I haven't played Bound by Flame yet, but I'll certainly grab it until the end of 2014.
Thanks for the heads up razor. I'm with you on all your points even though I feel like ive taken a dose of speed when I watch your videos lol. There always are a group of fantastic games that get pushed to the back like the supposed ugly girl in class, only to be found latter to be the drop dead gorgeous supermodel. This game looks like to be one of them.
I also liked Spiders other RPG Faery Legends of Avalon. I was actually caught up with the story, world and characters. What sucks is it ends on a cliffhanger and there's still been no announcement from Spiders for episode 2.
Started playing it (on your recommendation)... and its exactly like you said : RPG version of Deadly premonition! Still too early for me to judge though.
This is probably one of the few honest reviews on this game that I've actually watched. I really enjoyed Bound By Flame, despite some of it's flaws namely elements of the combat system and the voice acting.
Can you review destiny. I don't know if I trust mainstream journalism anymore. Also if there are any commenters whove played I would like to know what you thought of it.
I was actually surprised how decent this game was. It was pretty rough around the edges, but I did have some fun with it. My biggest issue was that the enemy design got really frustrating later in the game. I was the rouge/thief class and there were enemies in the catacombs (or whatever dark, dead body filled place it was; I played the game when it came out earlier this year) that were a royal pain to take down, though I admit I can't quite remember why. It's the part of the game right after the long snowy section, with the cursed king or what have you. Not a fantastic RPG, but it had some neat ideas and I think it would at least be worth throwing some money at the studio, to see what they could do with more funds and development time. Though as per usual I think Ragaholic is a bit too hard on the gaming press. Whatever, I still like his stuff. One thing I might want to point out (though you might already know this Razorfist), is that while Brandon Jones reads all of the reviews for Gametrailers, the reviews are written by different people, which might explain the difference in the opinions being expressed in regards to linearity as it manifests in FFXIII and Bound by Flame. I suppose it could be argued that an editor for the site should keep track of this sort of thing, but they have been doing video reviews since the second Brothers In Arms game came out, so that might be nigh impossible at this point. Just a thought.
Hm, I've heard of this game. TB did a short on it, mostly stated you have to be careful with what gear you have to use, but again it's just a first impression show. I'll talk to some friends about the game, and if they think it's nice, I'll probably pick it up on Steam.
I have been so hesitant in buying this game since I really needed to fill in the RPG gap on my PS4. Tired of the indie mess they keep putting out on PSN every month, not to say some of those games aren't good, but damn they get old. Thank you Razor you always stick to the truth and keep it real.
I love this game! And I don't understand why so many people say the combat sucks and the game is so hard, it's tricky for the first like, hour or so, then you learn how to use everything at your disposal, and then it pretty much feels like the difficulty level of any game on normal mode. I got this game for super cheap and I almost feel bad for doing so because there is a ton of fun and charm to be had and enjoyed in this absolute gem!
When I first played through this I found it hard to get through, I got bored at the end game and rushed the last levels much like white knight chronicles. but I pushed through, beat it and never picked it up again. I think after watching your review I'll do another playthrough.
I WATCHED ONE OF THIS GUYS VIDEOS , SUBBED ! YOU MY FRIEND ARE VERY WELL SPOKEN AND VERY ENTERTAINING TO WATCH , WITH OPINIONS AND IDEALS THAT RIVAL OTHER CHANNELS ? COUNT ME IN
Bound by Flame seems promising. I know that youtuber Rhexx did a playthrough of it, and now this vid has convinced me to buy it sometime in the future.
I don't know if you've already done a video about this or not,but what do you think of the fact that gamers are killing the industry. Since every game that comes out has so much of it already spoiled or revealed by people that there is nothing to really get excited about when you actually get the game. Not to mention stores breaking street dates weeks in advance at times so some idiot can post everything about the game. I'm just finding it harder to get excited anymore since I have to do a media blackout just so I can be surprised about upcoming games.
Bound by Flame isn’t the only RPG that fell under mostly everyone’s radar. The White Knight Chronicles Duology is a JRPG that’s sort of like Power Rangers or Kamen Rider seeing how the main characters have to ability to transform into giant robot esc knights to fight giant monsters. Like Bound By Flame, White Knight Chronicles has character creation system where people can make their own characters and project themselves into the game. Problem is that the Avatar character doesn’t do a lot in the main story as he/she is just a background character in most cutscenes. Plus White Knight Chronicles doesn’t have a romance option mechanic like Dragon Age, Fire Emblem, Mass Effect, Persona, Divinity Original Sin and Baldur’s Gate has seeing how the Avatar can’t romance characters such as Leonard, Yulie, Kara and Caesar.
Actually, another middle market game that got undeservedly ignored (as far as I could tell) was Of Orcs and Men. It had some problems and was clearly on a budget, but dear GOD it had so much heart and was so much goddamn fun. ...At the very least it seems to have done well enough to get a stealth-based sequel, so I guess I shouldn't complain. It's so stupid that the gaming media doesn't so much as give these middle market gems the time of day. >: ( ...Yeah, I think I'm going to have to get back to writing my blog and spotlighting these kinds of games. They need more attention.
"We need more games like Bound By Flame."
Couldn't agree more!
"If this game had been any more ignored at E3, Sony would be selling it as a handheld." LOLOLOL
See, this is what you call an actual review.
Shots fired.
GVGINU
This isn't a review. Razor is not white knighting SJWs and Feminists and he didn't call his fanbase misogynistic, white male nerds who love porn and beating up women.
***** Like Jimbo the Hutt?
Dúnadan SonoftheWest
yes and some other people as well
My girlfriend picked this one up, was definitely worthy of purchase. You don't see too many games like this anymore, sure the spoken dialogue is cheesy, but it only adds to the charm. The last time I remember games like this being so available was during the PS2 era. That seemed like the last time developers were trying everything and tons of cool games were produced. Now it just AAA or don't even bother.
The hypocrisy that surrounded this game's reviews reminds me of the "professional reviewers" who compared the $15-dollar downloadable game Call of Juarez: Gunslinger to Red Dead Redemption.
I almost fractured my skull with the sheer impact of my facepalm.
Yea, me as well. Reviewers seem to have a very limited frame of reference, (a skeptical man would suggest that this is because they don't play video games) causing them to compare games that are nothing alike. Funnily enough, all of the reviews that brought up the comparison failed to mention how much better the combat in Gunslinger was, perhaps because it lacked Rockstar's trademark "Don't worry, we'll do all the aiming for you" mode.
Jason Jackson to be honest, call of Juarez gunslinger is still amazing to play and I go to that more often than red dead
@@religiousotaku9926 Damn good game!
The issue is that middle-market games too often try to be AAA games. They bite off way more than they can chew and attempt to produce a 40 hour cross-platform $60 game on a shoe-string budget. The ones that do succeed are those wise enough to find a niche of their own, like D:OS or Euro Truck Simulator 2. More middle-market games should search for this comfortable half-way point of ambition between "my indie game is so arty, it's a 2D platformer yadda yadda" and 'press X for mo-capped cutscene' AAA, where they make a focused, polished game that's fun and unfettered by greed or pretentiousness in achieving that goal. The death of the middle market probably has something to do with the rising cost of game engine and graphics (a small team can't write a competitive engine in a few months anymore) and the fact that the number of these niches has reduced. Many of the good ideas of games past have been snatched up by big companies (and dumbed down to appeal to an audience large enough that you'll inevitably get the dumb fucks saying 'lol i'll just play skyrim if i want X') or done so many times before that they'll always be compared with previous attempts. Hence this will be unfavourably compared to Skyrim, Dark Souls, the Witcher etc.
As you say it's also press bias. The recent Zoe Quinn scandal has shown how the well-known bias of the gaming press isn't just in favour of those who pay them money. The AAA games get good scores due to money, the Indies get them due to Twitter friendship and the writer's desire to be part of their clique. The middle-market is caught between a rock and a hard place and gets shat on by IGN etc, so they can balance out their otherwise over-generous scores.
ALJustice0 I guess it's an inevitable consequence of the growth of the industry and market. AAA is such a mess of bland, committee designed crap that feels like it's ticking boxes to make everyone happy- it rarely offends people, but nor does it deliver much fun. A lot of more mature gamers have to play AAA games on hard, mod them and impose restrictions on themselves to get anything resembling an immersive, challenging experience. And the Indies don't usually have the resources to develop anything immersive and deep. There's no middle ground. It's sad. Middle market games, for all their lack of polish, at least feel like a group of real people made them and put their hearts into them, but these intangible feelings don't mean much for most people.
The other thing is that newer middle market titles are AAA-ised by greedy publishers as soon as they are successful. See Dark Souls. I reckon the only middle-market IPs that stay that way will be the Kickstarted ones.
I can only image how long it takes to do a review like this..... good stuff Razor
Fuck the "Professional" reviewers that say this game is garbage. It's not, it's fucking awesome!
+Nolan Hickey It's not.
+Nolan Hickey Well after I played the game I have to say...the game IS garbage
***** Exactly.
It's the creators of Bound by Flame's own fault for not having the money to pay for a good review!
If only Bound by flames remove all fantasy elements. Gameplay and graphics. Replace it sound track with a 8-bit tone generator. And change it story to be about a pan demi-sexual trans-racial otherkin coming out of the closet and being depressed. The mainstream video game review sites would showering it with Game of the Year awards by now.
What irritates me the most is that, once word of mouth gets this game around, everyone is going to start acting like they actually enjoyed the game as opposed to regurgitating what the reviews have to say, a la Deadly Premonition and NIer.
And what of those that do authentically enjoy these games? Are they lying to themselves as well? Am I lying to myself because I genuinely enjoyed Deadly Premonition?
Hovis Steve You should reread my comment, in no way was I referring to people that actually enjoyed the game, just chill out man.
Four years later and people still consider this game “eh”. Because that is what it is, “eh”.
@@finismalorum9746 found the IGN intern!
Honestly guys I'm jumping back in time here with this comment cuz I'm in 2021 and the games has been reliable it released the last three years probably for years since at least 2018 have not been finished they've been junk no stories just terrible
I love Spiders' games. I think it's a fucking shame that they get pretty much universally shat on by mainstream review sites - I (and likely most of the other viewers here) could give two shits what most of them have to say (for reasons that have been enumerated and elucidated on countless occasions here and elsewhere) but it doesn't change the unfortunate fact that they undoubtedly impact sales; and I want to see Spiders do well.
I just played through The Technomancer recently and loved it. It, like Spiders' previous endeavors, was certainly not perfect with some amount of jank and the occasional lack of polish, but it was still a great time. I'm actually amazed at how much they were able to pull off with so little.
Thanks for another spot-on review Razor. God fucking speed!
It seems you are more in love with the idea of what Bound by Flame represents as a middle market game then what it actually is. I've seen this before where you use a game most considered to be shit as a platform to vent your anger at the journalists and while I can agree that sentiment I think you missed the mark.
Game of Thrones RPG as an example was a good game with an excellent story that was very much proclaimed as shit by the media and players when it was one of the best stories I ever saw in a video game. But Bound by Flame is just terrible in that it promises you the moon and then fails to deliver.
Look I have a love for games like this, it's why I like the Witcher 1 and 2. Why I support Kingdom Come: Deliverance and why I play Wargame: Red Dragon, all middle market games ( and yes Witcher 2 was middle market until the enhanced edition came out then it turned AAA ).
Bound By Flame has good things: The crafting, the weapon sheaths ( HOW MANY FUCK AAA GAMES DOES IT TAKE TO IMPLEMENT THAT BIOWARE? Let's not even talk of the Witcher ), the influences from Black Company. But it's a repetive grind with respawning enemies, fetch quests, uninteresting characters and a terrible story.
I've seen games with similar budgets do things far better. I am not impressed by this game.
+Serious Gaming Game of Thrones? Excellent story? Utter claptrap.
Bound by Flame easily has a story that rivals Dragon Age: Origins and/or Mass Effect. The writing? Charming, in that nice, early Bioware manner.
I'd agree with some of your complaints (most-of-all respawning enemies) but he's admittedly overselling it as an investment.
GoT RPG had a shit, retarded storyline so bad I stopped playing. "Hello guy I've never met before in my life, let me tell you who I'm protecting and what our plan is. What's that? My drink's poisoned? Who has ever heard of poisoning someone's drink before!?".
Martin self-inserted as a guy who gets to look at tarbaby pussy. Explains his Tiger 2 tank-thick plot armor for Danny.
Serious Gaming reverse opinion on GoT RPG
Yeah Bound by Flame was ridiculously ambitious but the only other team this small (20 odd people) I can think of that isn't making blocky sidescrollers is Piranha Bytes and people praise their broken bits of crap no end. Bound by Flame was decent, Technomancer was really quite good and if this trajectory continues Greedfall is going to be excellent.
Murada Did you just decide to throw Dark Souls under the bus, because it is popular? Dark Souls has no quests, therefore it doesn’t have fetch guests, so that criticism doesn’t apply. You don’t need to grind in Dark Souls and I am pretty sure no one grinds in Dark Souls. And the enemies respawning has a reason, it isn’t just the developers being lazy.
Bound by Shit had a budget roughly the size of Demon’s Souls and Demon’s blows Bound by Shit out of the fucking water.
i went out of my way to play this after seeing this review, and he's right, the game is amazing for being so underfunded
Ultimately. what made BbF a great game for me, was the fact that it was a fantasy RPG with actual fantasy in it. None of that feudal who-gets-the-throne-and/or-fancy-title heraldry lecturing (a la Song of Ice and Fire) and none of that epic story development crammed in the last fifth of the game to promise some epic fantasy in the next installment (Dragon Age 2, the Witcher 1&2).
In any case, you can play as a dude (or dudete) with huge horns, and can set your greatsword on fire. A greatsword on fire, people!
I need to get this as soon as I get paid.
Luckily, it's pretty cheap, even brand new.
***** So, I'm guessing that you don't like Steve Blum.
So I guess this time around you are not going to buy some plat on warframe XD
(and before someone says something, I know the guy)
***** Well, not until the new Prime access rolls around, likely with U15.
Banshee Prime does sound nice
I'm playing through Mars: War Logs right now and I'm impressed what they could make with the budget they had for the game. I can't wait to start this game as well.
This is why I like focus home interactive and eugen.
Thank you, this is the first vid of yours I've seen and I appreciate your counter view of the big company reviews that magically agree with each other on almost every game.
I enjoy these videos due to the fact I get to hear the a raw and straight forward review. Also I get to learn some new words I never knew before. Thanks you Mr.Fist for being my best English teacher ever!
Razorfist, haven't you heard? The Middle Market is back!
Divinity: Original Sin
Wasteland 2
Unreal Tournament (yes, it's from Epic, but being made on a modest budget with the community)
Planetary Annihilation
Satellite Reign
Broken Age (though that was kind of a flop)
Xenonauts
Age of Wonders 3
Insurgency
Hawken
Loadout
Devs are in a position with licensed engines and digital distribution to make games on a budget greater than indie while still retaining some of the scope and production values associated with "AAA" (I hate that term, it's goddamn meaningless).
Dont forget Transistor and um... that game that looks like XCOM but with the guys who made Mark of the Ninja, Invisible Inc.?
It's just that it's hard to define the placement of these games nowadays as indie companies that were previously considered indie now have better funding. Just look at Mount & Blade: Warband.
I wonder and I'm basically asking an open-question at this point, would Shadowrun: Dragonfall be considered an indie game? Or the Banner Saga?
I legitimately don't know what the middle-market is anymore with the wide-range and variance of games at present.
GothaBillsAndDeath
To me, it's hard to truly & accurately classify a developer/game as indie vs middle market. I think the main point to take away though is that only a few years ago most non-"AAA" devs were truly indie, and made almost entirely 2D platformers of some sort. Now we're seeing smaller companies go into all sorts of genres, and it's fucking awesome.
DrearierSpider1 It's a glorious renaissance! Sure you'll get crap here and there, but there are some good gems out there that made me revamp my top favorite lists.
The prevailing attitude seems to be 'if it's not on console, it doesn't count.' While I don't think Razor holds that attitude, I'd like to see him comment on the examples you've presented.
Oh man oh man, I have just discovered you! The only channel where I can watch a cool video game review - or a Dark Throne documentary)) You've got yourself plus one subscriber. Don't listen to critics - you're doing a good work here. Keep it up and bang your fucking head!)
Running a *little* low on my checking account for two more days, but I'm buying this right away because of your recommendation. Psyched to be surprised.
I've ordered this thanks to this review (also, a friend of mine endorses this game as well). I actually quite enjoyed Mars: War Logs too. Great review, as always!
As a training dev.
I watch Razor's videos for guidance.
TAKE ME OH MASTER OF THE FISTS.
Thanks Razor. I never heard about this. Really excited to check this game out.
I love your commentary. Very insightful.
Great review, I didn't even know this game existed, may have to check it out.
I started this game last night. Like greedfall it's got a lot of heart and good characters. I like it
Well you've sold me. Gonna pick this up ASAP.
Just saw this go on Steam Sale, and came back to rewatch this episode. Welp, I'm convinced.
Great review and interesting to see others take on this to see the positives.
I loved this game once I got past the voice-acting. (Two Worlds' voice-acting was just goofy, like the story. Not terrible.)
And, maybe it's the difficulty level I was playing at, but this game does seem geared toward tactical combat. Resulted in me being skewered quite a few times, but hey.
Same here. Although once I got the rhythm of any real big fight, I was practically untouchable. My only real problem I had with the game was the lack of a proper ending. After I beat the final boss(I opted to minimize the Demon's influence), it just....ends. I had a massive case of story blueballs. What I was thinking when I finished it was, "Where's my epilogue dammit?" Still enjoyed the game though.
About the soundtrack: I'm not sure if you already knew this, but it was composed by Olivier Derriviere (I think that's how you spell it). The same cat that composed the scores for both the ObScure games AND Alone in the Dark 2009. Speaking of which, could you possibly do an Alone in the Dark retrospective sometime in the near future?
Mars war log and Dark are good games?
They are working now on Greedfall, which is, pretty much, Bound by Flame but on the 17th Century, although it still features some medieval weapons.
Off-topic but will you review "the Dwarves" action "rpg" anytime soon?
We may not see eye to eye in some reviews and opinions, but I always opened up to games you are really positive about, like Brutal Legend and Deus Ex.
So thanks for that Razorfist. I've been on the fence about this, but now, considering the low price, I need to get this. I've been doing an amateur game (and movie review), and I've got a new adition for the website now.
I'm leaving a small mention of you, so thanks (the site is in portuguese for now, btw, so there's that little problem).
damn i didnt even know this game existed till just now. You definitely got me interested.
I got this remastered for PS4 after playing GreedFall. I really am looking forward to this RPG. Spiders has become one of my favorite developers now.
While I really did love Witcher 3, I agree with you that this game was actually pretty enjoyable. I went into it without too many y expectations, and I ended up loving it more than more recent RPGs like DA:I or even Skyrim.
Then again I have a soft spot in my heart for the middle tier games out there, like Alpha Protocol, Technomancer, Folklore, and Majin & The Forsaken Kingdom. There's a certain charm to them, and it feels like the smart ones make up for their lack of graphical fidelity with engaging stories or top-notch gameplay.
Hell one of my favorite RPGs to come back to from time to time is Kingdoms of Amalur, a game I believe is superior to Skyrim in just about every way.
Well to be fair being superior to vanilla skyrim is not that big of an achievement.
Kingdoms of Amalur is amazing, and one of those games I can go on for hours about to friends who haven't played it.
I'm playing it again on the Xbox One with backwards compat and it's like I'm reliving it all over again.
@@xxXXRAPXXxx fair point. It was just an oddly huge hot button issue in my gaming circles for me to proclaim Amalur better when everyone else I talked to about gaming was acting like Skyrim was the Second Coming and couldn't stop sucking Todd Howard off.
Wow didn't expect you to do a review for this game Razorfist even thou I already thought about getting this, I didn't know it already came out LOL
I would like to hear what Razor thinks of Spider's latest game, The Technomancer. From what I've seen and heard, it's a lot like Bound by Flame. The combat system, at least, is very much the same.
Well, I've never been convinced by the bad reviews of this. Now I'm sold and plan to play it on PS4. I want to support more than just Indies and Triple A's. This is a good candidate for that.
We need more Non-SJW reviewers like Razor Fist....Get SOME!
I've wanted to play this for ages looks good as dragon age in looks. And kool armour :) I just want to play it in the next gen stuff or PC next year
You didn't censor the glaring proof that the drapes match the carpet at 1:51?
I thought Bound by Flame was a valiant attempt given their budget, and I agree we need more, but come on... The combat was pretty bad. At best, it was incredibly repetitive. I really wanted to like it. It's the exact type of game I want to support. That said, about half way through, I just couldn't force myself to continue. It's not a bad game, it's just ruined by it's combat.
tbh the combat wasn't that bad. pyromancer with ranger is the best combo
Aaahhh, Razorfist's reviews always leave me in a good mood. :)
I think what may have sold this to me is that I saw an NPC use the word "godsdamned". So they have multiple gods who might all have some actual IMPACT on the world? Speaking as someone doing the very same thing in my own RPGs, I like that idea.
Imma go consult Steam to see if they have this game. If so, I'm picking it up once I land a part time job this semester.
>0:28
>Dark
if only you knew back then
Your gaming tastes are close to mine and so whenever you give a thumbs up to such an undiscovered game, I feel happy that I have another awesome game to play during this dry spell!
Awesome review, thank you!
Nice, my new copy just arrived in the mail and like Duke Nukem Forever, you have persuaded me.
I dig Mars: War Logs because, like you said "It's low rent charm" and am looking forward to Technomancer. . I'm happy to support Spiders, the middle market, and you.
You sir have gotten another subscriber
do a Mars war logs video
Hey Razorfist, this has nothing to do with the current video, but what is your opinion of the Dark Mod? Of course it is the obvious successor to Thief, more so than Dishonored and Teef could ever hope to be, but does the absence of plot or narrative ruin it for you, or do you find enough enjoyment in other areas to praise it?
I’ll take your word for it and check it out! :)
I'm going to have to check this game out. I'm so fucking sick of the AAA trash that we get these days. Everyone around gets excited for the next Destiny, or Bloodborne, or whatever the fuck is being advertised the hardest, and I'm just sitting around with my 3DS in hand, letting loose a giant sigh followed by an audible "meh".
I think Destiny was advertised more honestly.
I think I'm really starting to get into your content, there's a certain charm and cynical humour that I'm starting to appreciate, this video in particular has convinced me to give this game a shot along with other games made by this developer the next time I have the cash to spare, with that being said though I couldn't help but realise that a huge chunk of this video was spent taking pot shots at other games and in doing so the word "objective" was played with rather fast and loose. Oh and that reminds me I should probably check out the latest Earth Defence Force and play Deadly Premonition: The Directors Cut the next time I have the chance.
Is this game available for next generation consoles? I had thought about getting this game for my 360 but due to all the bad reviews I didn't feel like throwing down money for it full price.
Which reviewers were panning it?
User reviews are far more trustworthy than website reviews, because there's always the possibility of a website reviewer being bought and paid for by the publisher of the game...usually with money or collector's editions...or even sex in some cases (let's hope we never have to open THAT can of worms again). The sites may also give games, whose publishers didn't give them advertising revenue, shitty scores, and their scores may very well have a direct correlation with the ad revenue they make from publishers.
Website reviews are always suspect.
If a lot of user reviews say "it's average/shitty", it's probably best to wait until it drops in price.
Bound By Flame is a great fucking game & it's nice to see it getting some love. I got this game the day it launched & couldn't believe how hard reviewers were on it. Not only did it have a tiny budget & no major publisher backing it, but it even launched at $40 on the PS3 & 360 and $50 on the PS4. I wrote a product review of it on Amazon that mirrored the theme of this video -- I titled it "Don't list to professional reviewers."
Did you ever get to play Spiders newest game Technomancer? An incredibly clumsy rpg that I enjoyed more than I had any right to
Have you played Mars: War Logs? It's was another underrated RPG released last year by Spiders. It's like The Witcher 2 meets The Chronicles of Riddick meets Dune.
I haven't played Bound by Flame yet, but I'll certainly grab it until the end of 2014.
I really, really enjoyed Mars: War Logs. It was a pleasant little oasis in the RPG wasteland of 2013.
***** I bought it day 1 cause it looked fucking cool for a game from an unknown studio and no budget. Wasn't disappointed.
No mention of the minefield of bugs?
Did you play it on PC or on console?
Thanks for the heads up razor. I'm with you on all your points even though I feel like ive taken a dose of speed when I watch your videos lol. There always are a group of fantastic games that get pushed to the back like the supposed ugly girl in class, only to be found latter to be the drop dead gorgeous supermodel. This game looks like to be one of them.
I also liked Spiders other RPG Faery Legends of Avalon. I was actually caught up with the story, world and characters. What sucks is it ends on a cliffhanger and there's still been no announcement from Spiders for episode 2.
Started playing it (on your recommendation)... and its exactly like you said : RPG version of Deadly premonition! Still too early for me to judge though.
I'm so glad I have The Rageaholic to show me awesome games. I would've never heard of this without him.
This is probably one of the few honest reviews on this game that I've actually watched. I really enjoyed Bound By Flame, despite some of it's flaws namely elements of the combat system and the voice acting.
Can you review destiny. I don't know if I trust mainstream journalism anymore. Also if there are any commenters whove played I would like to know what you thought of it.
I was actually surprised how decent this game was. It was pretty rough around the edges, but I did have some fun with it. My biggest issue was that the enemy design got really frustrating later in the game. I was the rouge/thief class and there were enemies in the catacombs (or whatever dark, dead body filled place it was; I played the game when it came out earlier this year) that were a royal pain to take down, though I admit I can't quite remember why. It's the part of the game right after the long snowy section, with the cursed king or what have you. Not a fantastic RPG, but it had some neat ideas and I think it would at least be worth throwing some money at the studio, to see what they could do with more funds and development time. Though as per usual I think Ragaholic is a bit too hard on the gaming press. Whatever, I still like his stuff. One thing I might want to point out (though you might already know this Razorfist), is that while Brandon Jones reads all of the reviews for Gametrailers, the reviews are written by different people, which might explain the difference in the opinions being expressed in regards to linearity as it manifests in FFXIII and Bound by Flame. I suppose it could be argued that an editor for the site should keep track of this sort of thing, but they have been doing video reviews since the second Brothers In Arms game came out, so that might be nigh impossible at this point. Just a thought.
I still find myself humming the main theme from time to time.
I was skeptical about this game but now, I'll buy it as soon as I can.
Why did you have to put the image of moviebob in a g-string in my mind???
Only 37 bones? Yes fucking please, thanks Razorfist.
So Razorfist, does that mean you hate Shovel Knight? - presents a Kotaku branded microphone -
Hm, I've heard of this game. TB did a short on it, mostly stated you have to be careful with what gear you have to use, but again it's just a first impression show. I'll talk to some friends about the game, and if they think it's nice, I'll probably pick it up on Steam.
I have been so hesitant in buying this game since I really needed to fill in the RPG gap on my PS4. Tired of the indie mess they keep putting out on PSN every month, not to say some of those games aren't good, but damn they get old. Thank you Razor you always stick to the truth and keep it real.
I love this game! And I don't understand why so many people say the combat sucks and the game is so hard, it's tricky for the first like, hour or so, then you learn how to use everything at your disposal, and then it pretty much feels like the difficulty level of any game on normal mode. I got this game for super cheap and I almost feel bad for doing so because there is a ton of fun and charm to be had and enjoyed in this absolute gem!
it didn't have a presence at e3 2014 because it came out a month before the event
I had heard about this game. I just didn't know if it was good or not. Thanks!
4:52
You're killing me man lol
ALSO
That taxation theft picture you snuck in
Man we need to jam sometime
I miss the days of ps1, shit even ps2 and gamecube. They were filled with mid class games that where by far some of the best gaming hours i ever had!!
Fuckin A, I gotta get it! I've been dying for a great RPG! Jolly good RazorFist keep it up ol chap.
When I first played through this I found it hard to get through, I got bored at the end game and rushed the last levels much like white knight chronicles. but I pushed through, beat it and never picked it up again. I think after watching your review I'll do another playthrough.
Ah, glad i picked this up for $5 or so last week... been meaning to start it, thus will after seeing this review.
Dude I got it for 2 to 3 USD
@@subinater well I've since dropped the game.. it is pretty shit tbh.
hey razorfist, any thoughts on scottish independence?
I WATCHED ONE OF THIS GUYS VIDEOS , SUBBED ! YOU MY FRIEND ARE VERY WELL SPOKEN AND VERY ENTERTAINING TO WATCH , WITH OPINIONS AND IDEALS THAT RIVAL OTHER CHANNELS ? COUNT ME IN
Bound by Flame seems promising. I know that youtuber Rhexx did a playthrough of it, and now this vid has convinced me to buy it sometime in the future.
This guy talking is exactly how I sound like with a few shots in my body system
I don't know if you've already done a video about this or not,but what do you think of the fact that gamers are killing the industry. Since every game that comes out has so much of it already spoiled or revealed by people that there is nothing to really get excited about when you actually get the game. Not to mention stores breaking street dates weeks in advance at times so some idiot can post everything about the game. I'm just finding it harder to get excited anymore since I have to do a media blackout just so I can be surprised about upcoming games.
finally, a game i could buy for my ps4.
Bound by Flame isn’t the only RPG that fell under mostly everyone’s radar. The White Knight Chronicles Duology is a JRPG that’s sort of like Power Rangers or Kamen Rider seeing how the main characters have to ability to transform into giant robot esc knights to fight giant monsters. Like Bound By Flame, White Knight Chronicles has character creation system where people can make their own characters and project themselves into the game. Problem is that the Avatar character doesn’t do a lot in the main story as he/she is just a background character in most cutscenes. Plus White Knight Chronicles doesn’t have a romance option mechanic like Dragon Age, Fire Emblem, Mass Effect, Persona, Divinity Original Sin and Baldur’s Gate has seeing how the Avatar can’t romance characters such as Leonard, Yulie, Kara and Caesar.
best buy is having sale on this game i might actually pick it up.
Actually, another middle market game that got undeservedly ignored (as far as I could tell) was Of Orcs and Men. It had some problems and was clearly on a budget, but dear GOD it had so much heart and was so much goddamn fun. ...At the very least it seems to have done well enough to get a stealth-based sequel, so I guess I shouldn't complain.
It's so stupid that the gaming media doesn't so much as give these middle market gems the time of day. >: (
...Yeah, I think I'm going to have to get back to writing my blog and spotlighting these kinds of games. They need more attention.
Hmm i never heard of bound by flame.I want to see it.
well time to check this game out.
Picked this up recently, purely off the back of this film, 5h in and defiantly worth a go.
Loved this game. A bit short, but seeing the budget, this game was awesome. Thanks for the advice. Experience worth experiencing.
Well, I'm fucking sold. This looks great.