BlightBound Test: to know everything about this game, gameplay, depth, classes, roguelite aspect and online and local cooperation!

Local co-op, online and bots

Unlike my other tests, I'm starting this one with the multiplayer section, having posed a lot of issues for players and being the biggest source of negative reviews on Steam. It was therefore crucial that I give you my opinion on this point. BlightBound is a three-player game, with the principle of the Tank, Dps, Support trinity. You will therefore have to be three players or bot each time to start a game. However, here are the possibilities:

• Play online, you have a matchmaking system or the possibility of inviting your friends
• Play in local co-op, with multiple controllers
• Playing with bots

These functions allow you to quickly go to three, but you should know:

• the matchmaking is quite slow, I do not recommend using this option
• you can enjoy online AND offline co-op, it's quite rare in games but very practical. For example, you can play with a friend at home by being two on the sofa
• the bots are not as stupid as what is indicated in the steams magazines in particular, for having tested it he resuscitated me and kindly went to place himself on the plates when you have to be on three plates at the same time
• I do not recommend, however, to use two bots
• Note that you will improve the characters more quickly if you play locally, for example at 2 you will improve the levels of the two chosen characters, the bot does not bring experience

In conclusion of this section, you will be able to fully enjoy BlightBound if you have at least one person to play with, whether remote or at home.

The bot quickly settled on its slab to activate the door

Gameplay

Now let's move on to the section where I start my usual testing. You will have three types of activity during the dungeons, I will take stock of each activity:

• combat, which will occupy the majority of your time
• exploration, to recover treasures and avoid traps
• puzzles, to access treasures

The fights are quite nice, without being ultra innovative, they are pleasant but a bit repetitive. On the other hand, bestiary side these are well worked and come to compensate for this repetitive side. The classes are very different from each other, whether warrior, mage or assassin they are all fun to play, however the different heroes of the same class have a fairly similar skill kit.

During your dungeons, you will be led to explore and avoid traps, which are unfortunately quite ordinary in general. The puzzles in general are also quite incidental, even if I encountered a tough enigma as well as a trap path requiring a good level of dodging, it remains quite rare. The original point of the explorations, and very disconcerting, is the scroll which is in various directions. For example, you can go to the top left to access an area, asking to open your eyes to find your way around!

At the end of the dungeon, you meet a boss who has its own gameplay and will ask you to manage his attacks well if you don't want your run to end!

The bestiary well supplied, whether bosses or enemies

Snape-lite

This game is built in the following way, you go into dungeons then if you lose or win, you return to your refuge with the won rewards. You will unlock new dungeons and characters during your expeditions. Once in town, you will have a plethora of equipment to unlock, be it the blacksmith, merchant, etc. You can also upgrade each character and give them equipment. Even if the shelter's interface is extremely bizarre and not very intuitive, the content offered is very pleasant and makes you want to constantly replay the game!

Lots of upgrades to unlock with the rogue-lite system

Global Design

On the graphics side, we are in a neat comic strip style, with well-crafted characters and creeps. Not necessarily triple A graphics, but for those who do not like Pixel Art it is a very good intermediary, especially since the elements of the game are all taken into account. The soundtrack is ok, not necessarily music that will stick in your head wherever you want to listen without playing the game, but pleasant music during the dungeons and dynamic during the bosses.

The Dungeon Selection Map

Points to improve

In addition to the information preceding this guide, here are some points that unfortunately affect the gaming experience:

• the minimap really not clear, a complete overhaul would be appreciated
• a fairly frequent loss of FPS, not necessarily linked to an overload of the game (for example because of too many creeps)
• handling of the characters that sometimes lacks responsiveness

By Alchemists, July 2021