Souls-likes are a well-loved genre for good reason, and Deathbound manages to capture the hallmarks, plus adds some innovations to keep it fresh.
Yes, a Souls-like that isn’t set in a castle, this third-person action game from Trialforge Studio and Tate Multimedia is one to watch if you’re a fan of the genre. Featuring a cast of characters to channel as opposed to a lonely hero, it’s touted as a party-based experience, albeit a single-player one – not an online co-op.
Where Dark Souls teases with narrative ambiguity, Deathbound likes to overindulge and bombard the player. As a fan of cutscenes, the opener, as beautiful as it was, dragged and was promptly forgotten. By the time it had started, I was unsure who I would play and mildly disappointed with the Papa Emeritus Ghost-like appearance. That all changed the moment I could walk.
Deathbound Peview: Death Is The Beginning
Deathbound is a classic third-person set-up with all the standard controls: light attack, heavy attack, block, parry, and a ghostly evade tactic. It flows and is easy to dive into from the get-go. The first of many surprises is an early boss. We often have an unbeatable boss to make us fill our pants and come back stronger. Not this one.
The first boss was easy yet enjoyable, but finding a bonfire before we lose everything would be nice! Yes, there are bonfire equivalents to level up your character, enhance items and equip unique talents. It’s barebones, to begin with, and as the local farmer in these parts, I did a few runs to beef up the hero, Therone, as a precaution.
The skill system is unique. Instead of investing in strength and dexterity, you select a free path that may increase one stat and overlook another. This allows for strategic levelling rather than shoehorning into one stat. As a former strength builder, this was another well-received mechanic in Deathbound.
No ‘I’ In Team, Etc…
Right, let’s focus on the USP of Deathbound: party-based combat. On paper, that sounds like a Souls-like multiplayer, but instead, it means your main character can acquire new traits by absorbing fallen characters that you can morph into, including mid-fight for a boost. In doing so, you’re introduced to a brief backstory, and then once you ‘learn’ their skill set, you can call upon them to help you in your quest.
Is there a school for voice talent to learn to do British accents? I believe there are four accents on display these days: the classic Dick Van Dyke, the what-ho aristocrats, peasants, and the ill-fated Scouse/Manc mash-up butchered by those who’ve heard an Oasis song and the odd interview with Sir Paul McCartney. Some of the voices in Deathbound, specifically Anna, fell into the peasant category and grated on me.
Note the long list of negatives so far: a couple of voiceovers. That’s decent if you ask me. Seriously, this party-based style of play isn’t a gimmick but a whole new way to look at the genre. As an Elden Ring platinum holder, I’m a nut for trying new builds and play styles, so I was massively impressed with how Trialforge Studio incorporated this while keeping gameplay fresh.
Give Me Your Soul, Like
Like Lies of Pi, Deathbound takes all those standouts from the Dark Souls series while making it a standalone title. This isn’t a clone or a cash grab. When the game was first announced, it caught my interest with its faith/science pursuit, party-based element, and, of course, the Souls-like factor. In execution, the game works well, though I’m only scratching the surface as I often opt for a methodical approach.
Before we wrap this up, let’s touch on the level design. It’s incredibly unique – almost timeless. It’s not strictly the medieval worlds of Dark Souls, the fantasy of Salt and Sanctuary, or the sci-fi seen in Hellpoint – it’s a blend of all of them. The levels are dream-like, industrial, claustrophobic and… different.
Suffice it to say, I love Deathbound. I’m gutted that it doesn’t play nicely on the Steam Deck – even with low settings [Since ‘verified’, though a little choppy for my liking]. Considering the depth, the visuals, and overall production, it’s understandable why it struggled. Don’t let that put you off – I played this almost entirely on a Ryzen 5, a 1660Ti card with 16GB with zero stutters.
Highly recommended so far…
