Bookbound Brigade

In a cartoon literary Metroidvania game, you try to save the Book of Books using a group of heroes. Well, it is not as funny as it seems.

I want to like Bookbound Brigade more than I do. I like the concept of working in several references to classic literature and historical figures in a big ol’ side-scrolling adventure. As is, it’s a serviceable Metroidvania with somewhat awkward combat and levels composed of rooms that blend together and stretch on for way too long. It took almost 18 hours for me, in large part due to navigation problems. Like how every word in a good book is written with purpose, this game needs to better apply that methodology to its level design. It could easily scale back some rooms and/or improve navigation and trim a few unnecessary hours off its run time. If monotony isn’t an issue, you’ll probably find the $19.99 it costs to be worth it in the end.

All in all, Bookbound Brigade is a pretty fantastic and enjoyable platformer. Don't let its colorful exterior fool you, this little game has enough challenge to hang with other big boy Metroidvania titles.

Bookbound Brigade is fun and implements some interesting ideas, although it suffers from some issues that could be fixed in the future.

Bookbound Brigade feels less like a literary Avengers and more like a literary Suicide Squad. It simply has not done enough to justify itself. Strictly for diehard Metroidvania fans.

Unfortunately , the Bookbound Brigade is unable to catch up with its competitors on a number of issues

Between the unreliable map, the tedious combat, the tired sense of humour, and the missed opportunity to do anything noteworthy with the "literary mash-up premise", Bookbound Brigade's good ideas are overshadowed by poor execution.

Digital Tales latest title, Bookbound Brigade is a fun and easy to digest game in Metroidvania genre. But unfortunately there are a number of technical issues, that can spoil the fun and waste the high potential of this game away. Platforming is tedious and combat could be a lot better. Though the graphics are beautiful and the story is kinda unique. It absolutely feels fun to play this game, though it may not be your best Metroidvania experience.

Bookbound Brigade brings some very interesting innovations to the already traditional metroidvania style, especially in the setting and design of a protagonist ensemble and not a lone hero. It has a very competent level design, but it fails in what could stand out the most: the combat system and the change of formation, leaving an almost contradictory feeling where the fun, from time to time, gives way to frustration.

I really enjoyed Bookbound Brigade's humour, art style and world design but unfortunately, the unresponsive formation changes and bad map design really drag down its score. The characters are enjoyable and the gameplay, on the whole, is sound. Hopefully, after a patch to fix the control issues, I will return to find all its secrets. Until then I would wait for a sale and hopefully the fixes this game deserves.