Windbound

 Switch
Windbound Image
Metascore
63

Mixed or average reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 26 Ratings

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  • Summary: Embark on a personal journey and discover the history of the idyllic forbidden islands; each holding the key to a mystery and unexpected revelations. Head towards the horizon, advancing across the islands, each with their own wildlife, landscapes and challenges to face. Scavenge the island'sEmbark on a personal journey and discover the history of the idyllic forbidden islands; each holding the key to a mystery and unexpected revelations. Head towards the horizon, advancing across the islands, each with their own wildlife, landscapes and challenges to face. Scavenge the island's untamed terrain for resources that you can use to craft a full range of tools and weapons to hunt wildlife and upgrade your boat. You must set sail when resources become scarce. Your boat is your key companion on this journey, carefully craft your own custom sailing vessel to take on the treacherous waters, traversing from one island to the next.… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 8
  3. Negative: 1 out of 8
  1. NintendoWorldReport
    Aug 28, 2020
    85
    Windbound succeeds in how it balances so many different elements. Sometimes it can get precarious - sailing definitely had some moments of exasperation - but more often than not, the world of the game was in harmony, with exploration feeding into crafting, combat leading to rewarding resources, and sailing providing the calm middle. Every aspect works together to provide a winning, endearing experience that makes Windbound a special game on the Switch, especially if you’re looking for a survival game with a little bit of Zelda.
  2. Nintenderos
    Aug 31, 2020
    75
    Windbound is an equally intense and relaxed survival experience. This will largely depend on the way we play, but the feeling of exploration is magnificent, always inviting us to discover and solve the different mysteries of our odyssey. Perhaps the combat system and other points can be improved, but of course it is an adventure worth playing.
  3. Nintendo Life
    Sep 1, 2020
    70
    Windbound is most certainly not the Zelda-lite adventure that you may have expected it to be, but it still manages to pull off an impressively well-made survival experience that’s fun to roam around in for a few hours. The open-ended progression, pleasing art style, and relaxing pace make this one an easy recommendation for fans of the survival genre, though it’s held back from greatness due to issues with repetition. Still, it’s tough to go wrong with what’s on offer here; you might want to give this one a look.
  4. Digitally Downloaded
    Aug 31, 2020
    60
    This tedium would be unacceptable in an action game, but Windbound is a survival game. In survival games, death is supposed to mean something. Loss of progress represents the stakes; repetition is the barrier of entry. For players ready to take that plunge, there are some far-and-few-between moments of Windbound which are exhilarating. There’s nothing quite like stalking down the player’s first Gorehorn or Gloomharrow and seeing the game’s possibilities open right up as a reward for some intrepid hunting skills. But that being said, it’s a kind of enjoyment which needs to be really scrapped for and earned, and for most people, I suspect Windbound is going to feel a little too much like work.
  5. Gameblog.fr
    Oct 6, 2020
    60
    Windbound is a survival game with rogue lite components. If the game has good ideas and design, the controls lacks of ergonomy, and the game is quite repetitive.
  6. IGN
    Sep 1, 2020
    50
    Neither compelling as a survival simulation nor captivating as a story-based experience, Windbound is all at sea.
  7. Switch Player
    Sep 8, 2020
    40
    Windbound promises so much with beautiful Zelda-like visuals, but visuals alone do not make for a great game. The survival and rogue-like aspects detract from this game’s personality, and a miserable, repetitive search across each level make the game a bore.

See all 8 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 16
  3. Negative: 2 out of 16
  1. Low_Ink
    Sep 2, 2020
    10
    I've spent 13 hours in this game and i loved every second of it. I'm probably going MUCH slower than other people but at least I'm in chapterI've spent 13 hours in this game and i loved every second of it. I'm probably going MUCH slower than other people but at least I'm in chapter 5! It kinda reminds me of wind waker sailing? I really enjoy the raft building aspect in it, and I ended up getting the mothership achievement in normal gameplay. Overall if a AAA studio released this game it would probably have less glitches and more boimes, but for a $30 indie game I really enjoy it! So while I originally thought this was gonna be a Zeldalike I'd say i'm much more pleased than I would have been with a rip off. Don't trust the reviews of people who thought it was more like Zelda than a survival game. 9/10… Expand
  2. pieguard
    Aug 29, 2020
    9
    Honestly, I've only known about this game for a week, and I was a bit thrown off by critic reviews as it sounded like such an awesome concept.Honestly, I've only known about this game for a week, and I was a bit thrown off by critic reviews as it sounded like such an awesome concept. After getting through the story, I have to say that I am having an awesome time. It is immensely fun sailing around, scavenging for boat and gear upgrades etc. I am fine with the minimalist story, as I kind of like the freedom it allows. I HOP that the developers add some new game modes. I feel like this game could have so much potential if there was just a free mode where you could just roam the procedurally generated ocean discovering new lands.… Expand
  4. Shantum
    Sep 1, 2020
    8
    This game is kept me engaged from the moment I started it to the moment I finished it. Mind you I wasn't expected a Zelda game for less 20This game is kept me engaged from the moment I started it to the moment I finished it. Mind you I wasn't expected a Zelda game for less 20 something bucks.... It seems a lot of reviewers are punishing the for their own false expectations. This game game is not just a survival or adventure game.but rather a bit of both. Its exactly what I was looking for without me realizing it. The roguelike mode isn't recommended if you are short on time like I am. The story mode gives you enough challenge without making y I u start from nothing if you die. This game has a great sense of progression and exploration and makes you want to keep aging to learn more recipes and explore new places. Its a busge indie game so its not perfect of course but it absolutely scratched an itch I didnt know I had and I can wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone with an open mind... also, no it is not Zelda. Stop it.… Expand
  5. Thebowtiebandir
    Aug 30, 2020
    7
    A fairly short game with beautiful art but severe bugs and crashes which limit what otherwise could have been a fun if short lived experience.A fairly short game with beautiful art but severe bugs and crashes which limit what otherwise could have been a fun if short lived experience. One of the best parts of any survival game is always base building, but windbound’s single campaign direction with limited resources really limits the staying power of the game as you need to keep moving before all the resources are gone. Sailing in this game is both intuitive and rarely punishing, but does take a little thought. Only when you randomly come to a fall stop does it take away from the fun. Procedurally generated islands are varied and interesting and if there was more crafting paths, it could have made for a fun puzzle with ships showing the journey, but instead there are only a few hull choices that are limited by which of the resources you have unlocked by progressing through the chapters.… Expand
  6. Foxstrunk
    Sep 7, 2020
    7
    the game is genuinely fun and I enjoy it. But it has some problems in the switch version that I hope will eventually be patched out. Everytimethe game is genuinely fun and I enjoy it. But it has some problems in the switch version that I hope will eventually be patched out. Everytime I die it feels like its random in how much progress I lose. Sometimes I keep the items in my hand and return to the start of the current chapter, other times I go back to chapter one with my held items, and others still I start completely over with only my seashards and their abilities. I'm not sure which is the desired function of the game. Also sailing appears to work worse in the switch version of the game. I've seen people on pc sail quite quickly, but for me even going into the wind is painfully slow, no matter how I loosen or tighten my sail. That being said, I'm having an enjoyable time despite these setbacks.… Expand
  7. JediJen
    Sep 12, 2020
    5
    I love survival games and I had been looking forward to Windbound ever since it was announced for the Switch. The day finally came and II love survival games and I had been looking forward to Windbound ever since it was announced for the Switch. The day finally came and I downloaded it as soon as I could.

    It's a beautiful game and the sound design and music are done well. However, the combat is very clunky and trying to stay well-fed and/or not die of hunger occupied most of my time. While waiting for things to cook or dry, I would do chores around my own house. When I play a game, I don't want to feel like I could better use my time efficiently by walking away and doing things OUTSIDE of it. I did a lot of waiting and there wasn't enough for me to do in the game itself otherwise.

    Inventory management was awkward (also the controls said to use ZR/ZL to flip between menus but it was actually R and L). I spent a lot of time trying to make more bags and while waiting for more mats to respawn, I would start to go hungry but I couldn't pick up any meat from the kills I made (or I had to drop items) because I had no space.

    I enjoyed the no-hand-holding aspect but the feedback loop was getting a little too repetitive and disheartening. I died a few times in the beginning and the penalty is pretty steep, even in story mode (you get kicked back to the very start of the game) so you have to be very careful otherwise all your progress is for naught, even if you do get to keep your inventory items in story mode - in survival mode, you lose everything).

    It's a decent game and would still recommend it because it could be a really good game with different or better management than me. However, I would wait for the price to drop to about $15-$20. Full price of $30 is not worth it for a game that's 40% about waiting but still only lasts about 6 hours is not really good value for the buck, in my opinion. And I see little to no need for replay.

    TL;DR - An okay game though frustrating at times. So wait until price drops to $15-20 for best value.    … Expand
  8. SodaRamune
    Aug 30, 2020
    3
    Not worth it’s money. It’s repetitive and very poorly flushed out. Combat is extremely clunky and the sailing mechanic simply does not work.Not worth it’s money. It’s repetitive and very poorly flushed out. Combat is extremely clunky and the sailing mechanic simply does not work. It’s a shame because I would be fine with this if it wasn’t 60% of what the game’s about… Expand

See all 16 User Reviews

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70
#70 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2020

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