#Unbound worlds apart steam series

However, when you die, it’s a quick affair, and the battle doesn’t always shunt you back to the very first phase. Soli can only take one hit and many bosses have multiple phases. They’re challenging, but Unbound doesn’t make the experience punishing. Because Soli has no weapons, this still usually means using the environment against the boss, although in some cases your portal ability might offer you a way to attack directly. The one place where you do vanquish your foes is in boss battles. When I died, it was because I made a mistake, and forgiving checkpoints mean you never have to replay long stretches. Overcoming these challenges often requires a high standard of precision, but Unbound always feels fair. You’ll need to slip past them or incapacitate them by using the environment to your advantage. There are enemies, though you can’t fight them directly in most cases. As Soli progresses, they additionally gain a double jump, dash, and wall jump, adding more maneuvers to master. I had to learn to manipulate portals in between standard platforming actions, which was a new skill for me. Even as a platforming veteran, Unbound wasn’t easy. Unbound sells itself as a puzzle platformer, and while you do sometimes push blocks around, I found that figuring out what to do was simple. You’ll have to combine the powers of your portal with platforming skills to navigate the obstacles standing in Soli’s path. In some areas, your portal has additional effects, for example reversing gravity or stopping time. What looks like a harmless butterfly might in fact be a demonic monstrosity eager to devour you if you peek across the veil. However, your portals can also attract danger. Blocks or hazards may exist in one world but not another. At first, your portals transform the landscape around you. The central mechanic of Unbound is manipulating portals. Soli, who themself has the power to open portals, must embark upon a quest to save their world as well as all the many others. But before the ritual can be completed, the seal breaks, and the town is overrun by terrifying demons. The villagers are preparing for the annual ritual to reinforce a sealed portal that keeps a dark corruption at bay. In Unbound, you play as Soli, a young mage living in a peaceful town. But much of the time, the scaffolding around this central mechanic fails to come together to form a dynamic and engaging whole. It’s an interesting idea, and Unbound has flashes of brilliance. Rather than fight enemies with a sword or control a large suite of movement abilities, you transform yourself and the world around you by opening and closing portals. Unbound: Worlds Apart from Alien Pixel Studios makes its bid with a unique portal mechanic. To make an impact, a metroidvania needs something that stands out.

#Unbound worlds apart steam series

And with games like Hollow Knight and the Ori series setting a high standard, would-be contenders can’t simply be satisfied with functionality. Metroidvania is a crowded genre these days.