Ribbon routines frequently go nicely with the stories in Bound. With each pirouette and split, a lonely figure escapes reality, cocooning itself in a lovely and safe bubble of acrobatic beauty. Such scenes are undeniably beautiful, but basing gaming mechanics on them may be unsatisfying.
Platformers that provide more than simply new hurdles to conquer are fantastic. Phenomenal Journey led us on a journey deep within ourselves, teaching us new things all the while and penalizing missteps by shortening the ceremonial shawl. Bound has a fascinating premise, however there are no hurdles in the gameplay. We simply utilize one button to deal with dangers, which decreases the adventure’s appeal. With its game, Polish studio Plastic provides an ambitious plot. In Bound, a pregnant lady fights with her previous problems and seeks solace in the world of dreams. A wonderful, living land full of solid forms that alter shape with every musical note. All noises are a part of the universe, which serves as a metaphor for the heroine’s history. As a princess-dancer, the future mother explores interpretations of her memories and the emotions linked with them, protecting remarkable locations from incredible evil.
Bound is a work of art in terms of design. We have influence over a lady who is engrossed in dancing and moves with incredible elegance. We race over several platforms, climb, and dodge perils, the most deadly of which we avoid using dancing motions while holding a certain button. The camera is frequently placed in unexpected places to improve the sense of the dance on television. The unique experience is punctuated by narrative inserts that, for a few minutes, change the game into a walking simulator, where we stroll around dark rooms in first-person, explaining the heroine’s suppressed memories. Cold, museum-like recollections contrast with the dancing, which appears more emotive despite repetitive sequences and combinations. Such returns to gray reality, although important, appear disconnected from the substance of the game. This is the issue with Bound: we artificially isolate ourselves from the tale, which may just as well be highlighted more through a story taught in the amazing world of dance itself, rich of metaphors and symbolism. After a time, the platforming part becomes tedious. This aspect is readily improved and developed upon. The dancing princess freely hops across the levels, dashing away every hazard. The gamer is not even obligated to use caution. Long ribbon rides, apparently inspired by Journey, are restricted only to deflecting the analog stick.
A quick camera shift or negligence when leaping can result in death and returning to the save point, but that is all that threatens us. We don’t develop the heroine, and environmental riddles are almost non-existent. The action is very narrow, and the requirement to press a button to avoid danger does not diversify the pleasure, but rather slows it down.
Bound is unquestionably a one-of-a-kind game that attempts to approach a challenging subject in a novel way. The magnificent world might attract you, but the gameplay becomes tedious rapidly. The benefit in this scenario is the short time required to finish the amazing voyage.