The Legend of Bum-bo

 PC
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. TheGamer
    Dec 14, 2019
    80
    Even with current bugs and shortcomings, it's been hard to stop playing. 14 hours later, I still want to take just one more turn.
  2. Twinfinite
    Dec 11, 2019
    80
    The Legend of Bum-bo is a highly worthwhile experience. Though flawed in places, it makes good on many of its ambitions, bringing together gameplay genres and capitalizing on ideas for an experience that can enthrall longtime fans and newcomers to the Binding of Isaac universe alike.
  3. CD-Action
    Jan 10, 2020
    75
    I still don’t know if I pulled all those all-nighters with the game despite its bugs because of my Stockholm syndrome or because it’s really that good. [01/2020, p.59]
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  5. Everyeye.it
    Nov 24, 2019
    75
    A turn-based puzzle game that will keep you glued to the screen with its six playable characters but will end very soon at because of the only four plans currently available.
  6. PC Gamer
    Nov 15, 2019
    72
    A fun blend of puzzle and roguelike that inspires forward-thinking, but cuts your strategy short.
  7. Screen Rant
    Nov 21, 2019
    70
    It’s an intriguing and fun puzzler mashup with easter eggs and callbacks to serve the horde of Isaac fans raving in the stands, and maybe that’s enough.
  8. PC Games
    Nov 19, 2019
    70
    The Legend of Bum-bo is more entertaining than I thought. But - and this is the big 'but' – I really hat Bumbo the Stout. I just don't like his playing style. But well, Isaac also has characters I don't like to play with (Blue Baby). I'm too spoiled by The Binding of Isaac in terms of size, and I've got a lot more combinations there because of the higher number of items you can collect (and keep). The bugs are annoying, the crashes too of course - after all, the developers try hard to quickly add patches. In the future I will see myself playing a fast run more often - and maybe another one, and another one. Presentation and faecal humor are a matter of taste, just like the rest of McMillen's games.
  9. The Indie Game Website
    Nov 14, 2019
    70
    Bum-Bo is repetitive, childish, revolting, and gratuitous – and most importantly, it’s a stroke of genius. The team behind Bum-Bo have thrown caution to the wind with this one, revelling in the stuff we all loved about The Binding of Isaac but didn’t want to admit. We’ve no need for a story when we have the basement-dwelling combo of tabletop gaming, semi-edgy humour centering on the grotesque, and fiendishly difficult completion tasks. The game is fun, irritatingly so. It makes no sense whatsoever, but you’ll be glued to it from the first trial run.
  10. Game World Navigator Magazine
    Mar 6, 2020
    69
    Beneath the simple “match-three” surface lies a very conscious attempt to subvert the traditions of this trite genre. [Issue#243, p.58]
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In Progress & Unscored

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  1. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Nov 20, 2019
    Bum-bo may have to deal with a lot of crap, but it’s all well worth pushing through.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 17 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 17
  3. Negative: 4 out of 17
  1. schindlabua
    Nov 21, 2019
    7
    This game certainly seems like it's trying to capitalize on the indie-gamers' thirst for Slay the Spire-like games, and I would say it does aThis game certainly seems like it's trying to capitalize on the indie-gamers' thirst for Slay the Spire-like games, and I would say it does a good job at catering to that. There's a surprising amount of depth I didn't expect at first and runs turn out pretty varied.

    That being said Bum-Bo hasn't quite managed to capture me as much as StS has; maybe it's because there's limited creative deckbuilding and most of your brainpower goes into making good plays on the board which, at times, can be a bit mechanical.

    I'm looking forward to pouring more time into the game though to explore it in it's entirety, and I'd say it's definitely worth 12 bucks. I'm looking forward to more updates aswell.    … Full Review »
  2. Vulgrim
    Feb 3, 2020
    4
    So much waiting for any product and I got something so stripped down and boring? It deserves attention only for its graphic style. InSo much waiting for any product and I got something so stripped down and boring? It deserves attention only for its graphic style. In addition, it looks like clogging up waiting for the postponed BOI expansion.… Full Review »
  3. Feels64
    Nov 21, 2019
    8
    This game takes the formula of mom browser games like Bejweled and makes it very interesting and fun. The reason I was never able to get intoThis game takes the formula of mom browser games like Bejweled and makes it very interesting and fun. The reason I was never able to get into Bejweled or Candy Crush or any game like this is because there is never any sense of progression. That is not the case in Bumbo though. You progress through levels and fight bosses and gear up. Another thing I don't like about these games is a lot of the time, you're doing things that you don't realize you're doing. You'll match some tiles then boom, bam, you get like an explosion of matches all across the board in a completely accidental combination. While that does occasionally happen here, it is far less common. If you wanna do well, you need to really work for it. It's a difficult game. It requires careful planning and a good strategic brain. Creating a real build rather than just choosing strong items hoping they get you through. In Isaac, you typically just take whatever you can scavenge. Things are a lot more strategic here and the items you choose need to help strengthen your build. This has become my favorite game of this year and considering I don't really even like this sort of game, that has to be saying something. The only really bad thing here is the fact that mousing over things doesn't give you any sort of feedback. Tiles aren't highlight, neither are options or anything. It feels like a port of a mobile game. I really hope they add some mouseover glow.… Full Review »
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