Bonfire Peaks

Last updated
Bonfire Peaks
Bonfire Peaks cover.jpg
Developer(s) Corey Martin
Publisher(s) Draknek & Friends
Platform(s)
Release30 September 2021
Genre(s) Puzzle
Mode(s) Single-player

Bonfire Peaks is a 2021 puzzle video game by Canadian indie developer Corey Martin. Gameplay involves moving boxes to traverse a 3D grid and burn the player character's belongings. Created as a prototype for 2018 game jam Ludum Dare 43, it was published by Draknek & Friends for Linux, macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 in September 2021. The game received generally favorable reviews from critics and was nominated for "Best Indie Game" at the 2021 Golden Joystick Awards.

Contents

Gameplay

Bonfire Peaks is a block-pushing puzzle game in the style of Sokoban . [1] [2] The player controls a character that can move forwards, backwards, turn, and carry boxes, but cannot sidestep. [3] In each level, the player is presented with an 3D grid containing terrain, movable boxes, and a bonfire. One box represents the character's belongings, and the objective is to move that box into the bonfire, burning it. Typically, the bonfire is initially inaccessible, requiring the player to stack boxes in order to reach it. [4] Later levels introduce elements including longer boxes, streams that move the character, and traps. [5]

Individual puzzles are connected by a navigable overworld that presents players with several puzzles to solve at any given time. Most puzzles are not required; only about half of the puzzles need be solved. [6] The overworld itself functions as a puzzle with the same box-carrying mechanic; completing individual levels rewards players with boxes that allow them to progress in the overworld. [3]

The game allows the player to undo an unlimited number of actions, all the way to the beginning of a level. [5]

Development

Corey Martin is a Montreal-based indie developer. [7] He initially developed Bonfire Peaks in November 2018 for game jam Ludum Dare 43, themed "sacrifices must be made". Subsequent development took about three years. Alan Hazelden of Draknek & Friends contributed to roughly double the number of levels, which total over 200. The game has an intentionally limited narrative, featuring neither dialogue nor expository text. According to Martin, "In my opinion, storytelling is not really a strength of the medium of games, or what excites me most about it". [8]

The game was announced in January 2020 for a May 2020 release date, albeit with no publisher. [9] [10] It was eventually released by Draknek & Friends, a development collective which had previously released Cosmic Express and A Monster's Expedition. [9] Before release, a demo was released on 1 October 2020. [2] The game was released for Linux, macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 on 30 September 2021. [11] After release, a 3-part DLC, "Lost Memories", was announced, with the first part being released on 2 March 2023. [12] [13]

Reception

Bonfire Peaks received "generally favorable" reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic. [14]

Reviewers generally praised its art style, soundtrack, and atmosphere. PC Gamer praised the simple voxel art style, described the feel of the game as "meditative", and noted the game's inclusion of a dedicated button to make the character sit. [5] Edge described it as "soulful", commenting that the art style complimented the game's mood and pacing: "That's in keeping with the melancholic mood, which in turn encourages the deliberate, methodical approach you need to reach the top". [15] Vandal and Jeuxvideo complimented the soundtrack, noting that it fit the game's genre. [1] [4] However, PC Gamer found the game's attempts at telling a story through its environment lacking, Rock Paper Shotgun said "I'm having trouble connecting with its thoughtful story bits", and Eurogamer opined that its style was not for everyone. [5] [17] [6]

The gameplay and difficulty received both positive and negative reviews. Edge described its difficulty as greater than that of A Monster's Expedition but lower than that of Stephen's Sausage Roll , and commented that the game had simple mechanics but "extraordinary variety". [15] Others expressed frustration with the difficulty. Nintendo World Report said that the Playstation version of the game had hints, but the Nintendo Switch version did not, making it more frustrating. Jeuxvideo expressed frustration that the game forced the player to learn obscure and misleading mechanics without explanation. Nevertheless, the level design received praise, with reviewers describing the levels as well thought out. [5] [4]

The control scheme was criticized. One common contention was that the movement controls were unintuitive, that they led to frequent mistakes, or that they were so limited as to break immersion. [4] [1] [3] For example, Multiplayer.it found it cumbersome and absurd that the character could carry six boxes at once, but could only pick up boxes at the level of their feet. The publication also criticized the lack of a 360 degree camera in a 3D game. [16]

The game was nominated for "Best Indie Game" at the 2021 Golden Joystick Awards. [18]

Related Research Articles

<i>Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kongs Double Trouble!</i> 1996 video game

Donkey Kong Country 3: Dixie Kong's Double Trouble! is a 1996 platform video game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES). It was released in November 1996 in North America and Japan, and on 13 December in Europe and Australia. It is the third installment of the Donkey Kong Country series and serves as a direct sequel to Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest. It was also re-released for the Game Boy Advance (GBA) in 2005. The game was made available to download on the Wii's Virtual Console service in 2007, as well as for the Wii U's Virtual Console in 2014.

<i>Mario</i> (franchise) Video game franchise

Mario is a Japanese multimedia franchise created by Japanese game designer Shigeru Miyamoto for video game company Nintendo which produces and publishes its installments. Starring the titular Italian plumber Mario, it is primarily a video game franchise, but has extended to other forms of media, including television series, comic books, a 1993 feature film, a 2023 animated film and theme park attractions. The series' first installment was 1983's Mario Bros., although Mario had made his first appearance in 1981's arcade game Donkey Kong, and had already been featured in several games of the Donkey Kong and Game & Watch series. The Mario games have been developed by a wide variety of developers including Nintendo, Hudson Soft, and AlphaDream. Mario games have been released almost exclusively for Nintendo's various video game consoles and handhelds, from the third generation onward.

<i>Shovel Knight</i> 2014 video game

Shovel Knight is a platform video game developed and published by Yacht Club Games. Development was crowdfunded and the game was released for Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, and Windows in June 2014. It was ported to OS X and Linux in September 2014, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, and Xbox One in April 2015, Amazon Fire TV in September 2015, and Nintendo Switch in March 2017. Shovel Knight is inspired by gameplay and graphics of platformer games developed for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

<i>Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker</i> 2014 video game

Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker is a 2014 action puzzle video game developed and published by Nintendo for the Wii U. The game was re-released for the Nintendo Switch and Nintendo 3DS in 2018 with additional content. It is a spin-off of the Super Mario series and a part of the larger Mario franchise. The game stars Captain Toad and Toadette as they complete levels and save each other from the antagonist Wingo. Each level is contained within a miniature diorama-like environment that requires puzzle-solving and platforming challenges to complete. The player also uses the Wii U GamePad to rotate the camera and reveal new information and interact with the environment.

<i>Celeste</i> (video game) 2018 platform game

Celeste is a 2018 platform game developed and published by indie studio Maddy Makes Games. The player controls Madeline, a young woman with anxiety and depression who aims to climb Celeste Mountain. During her climb, she encounters several characters, including a personification of her self-doubt known as Badeline, who attempts to stop her from climbing the mountain.

<i>Dead Cells</i> 2018 video game

Dead Cells is a 2018 roguelike-Metroidvania game developed by Motion Twin and Evil Empire, and published by Motion Twin. The player takes the role of an amorphous creature called the Prisoner. As the Prisoner, the player must fight their way out of a diseased island in order to slay the island's King. The player gains weapons, treasure and other tools through exploration of the procedurally-generated levels. Dead Cells features a permadeath system, causing the player to lose all items and other abilities upon dying. A currency called Cells can be collected from defeated enemies, allowing the player to purchase permanent upgrades.

<i>OneShot</i> 2016 video game

OneShot is a puzzle-adventure game developed by indie studio Future Cat and published by Degica. Based on a free version made in 2014, it was released for Windows on December 8, 2016. A console adaptation, OneShot: World Machine Edition, was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on September 22, 2022.

Paper Mario is a video game series and part of the Mario franchise, developed by Intelligent Systems and produced by Nintendo. It combines elements from the role-playing, action-adventure, and puzzle genres. Players control a paper cutout version of Mario, usually with allies, on a quest to defeat the antagonist, primarily Bowser. The series consists of six games and one spin-off; the first, Paper Mario (2000), was released for the Nintendo 64, and the most recent, Paper Mario: The Origami King (2020), for the Nintendo Switch.

<i>Tunic</i> (video game) 2022 video game

Tunic is a 2022 action-adventure game developed by Isometricorp Games and published by Finji. It is set in a ruined fantasy world, where the player controls an anthropomorphic fox on a journey to free a fox spirit trapped in a crystal. The player discovers the gameplay and setting by exploring and finding in-game pages of a manual that offers clues, drawings, and notes. The backstory is obscured; most text is given in a constructed writing system that the player is not expected to decipher. Tunic's isometric perspective hides numerous pathways and secrets.

<i>Super Smash Bros. Ultimate</i> 2018 crossover fighting game

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a 2018 crossover fighting game developed by Bandai Namco Studios and Sora Ltd. and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Switch. It is the fifth installment in the Super Smash Bros. series, succeeding Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U (2014). The game follows the series' traditional style of gameplay, in which players control one of the various characters and use attacks to weaken their opponents and knock them out of an arena. It features a wide variety of game modes, including a single-player campaign and multiplayer versus modes. Ultimate features 89 playable fighters, including all characters from previous Super Smash Bros. games as well as newcomers. The roster ranges from Nintendo characters to those from third-party franchises.

<i>Baba Is You</i> 2019 puzzle video game

Baba Is You is a puzzle video game created by Finnish independent developer Arvi Teikari. The game centers around the manipulation of "rules"—represented in the play area by movable tiles with words written on them—in order to allow the player character, usually the titular Baba, to reach a specified goal. Originating as a short demo built for the 2017 Nordic Game Jam, the game was expanded and released on 13 March 2019 for PC and Nintendo Switch. Mobile versions were released in June 2021. A free update titled "Baba Make Level" was released on November 17, 2021, featuring over 150 new and previously unused levels and a level editor with online sharing. Baba Is You received generally favorable reviews from critics.

<i>Octogeddon</i> 2018 video game

Octogeddon is an action-strategy video game with elements of roguelike games developed by All Yes Good. It was released for Microsoft Windows in February 2018 and Nintendo Switch in 2019. The player controls an octopus who is seeking vengeance against humanity. It fights using tentacles that can be upgraded between each stage.

<i>Puyo Puyo Tetris 2</i> 2020 video game

Puyo Puyo Tetris 2 is a puzzle video game developed by Sonic Team and published by Sega. It is a direct sequel to Puyo Puyo Tetris. The game was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on December 8, 2020 with a Windows version released on March 21, 2021. The game was released to generally positive reviews.

<i>Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon</i> 2021 video game

Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon is a roguelike puzzle game co-developed by Vine and Yacht Club Games, and published by Yacht Club Games. A spin-off of the platform game Shovel Knight, the player takes control of the namesake adventurer as he becomes trapped within a magical artifact, the Pocket Dungeon, and is forced to fight his way out while battling other knights who befell the same fate.

<i>Terra Nil</i> 2023 strategy videogame

Terra Nil is a strategy video game developed by Free Lives and published by Devolver Digital. The game was released for Windows, iOS and Android on March 28, 2023; the mobile port was released as part of the Netflix subscription service. Ports for macOS, Linux, and the Nintendo Switch were released later in 2023.

<i>Vampire Survivors</i> 2022 video game

Vampire Survivors is a 2022 roguelike shoot 'em up video game developed and published by Luca Galante, also known as poncle. Following an early access period from December 2021, it was released for macOS, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Android, and iOS in late 2022. A port for Nintendo Switch was released on August 17, 2023.

<i>Wartales</i> 2023 video game

Wartales is a tactical role-playing game developed by Shiro Games and published by Shiro Unlimited in 2023. Players manage a mercenary band as it attempts to survive in a low fantasy world that is trying to recover from a plague.

<i>Lost in Play</i> 2022 point and click adventure game

Lost in Play is a 2022 point-and-click adventure game by Happy Juice Games and published by Joystick Ventures. It was released for Microsoft Windows, macOS and Nintendo Switch on August 10, 2022, and for iOS and Android on July 12, 2023. As a family-friendly game intended to look like a children's cartoon, the game follows the adventure of two imaginative siblings. Upon release, the game was praised for its charm, creativity, and accessibility.

<i>Snakebird</i> (video game) 2015 puzzle video game

Snakebird is a 2015 puzzle video game developed by Swedish studio Noumenon Games. The sequels Snakebird Primer and Snakebird Complete were released in 2019 and 2023, respectively.

<i>A Monsters Expedition</i> 2020 puzzle video game

A Monster's Expedition is a 2020 puzzle video game developed and published by independent game developer Draknek & Friends. The game incorporates elements from adventure games and open world games, having a nonlinear, branching path of levels, but is primarily a puzzle game. Developed over more than three years, the game was released in September 2020 for iOS, macOS, and Windows, and later for Linux, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Delgado, Manu (7 October 2021). "Análisis Bonfire Peaks, puzles a fuego lento". Vandal (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 30 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 Clayton, Natalie (1 October 2020). "Burn everything you own in Bonfire Peaks' new demo". Rock Paper Shotgun . Archived from the original on 30 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Hazell, Ted (12 January 2022). "Bonfire Peaks (Switch) Review". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on 30 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Bonfire Peaks : un jeu à vous faire brûler la matière grise". Jeuxvideo (in French). 29 December 2021. Archived from the original on 2 January 2024. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cassidy, Ruth (8 October 2021). "Bonfire Peaks Review". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on 27 September 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  6. 1 2 Blake, Vikki (30 September 2021). "Bonfire Peaks review - we'll burn it down together". Eurogamer . Archived from the original on 2 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  7. ↑ "Bonfire Peaks". bonfirepeaks.com. Archived from the original on 2024-01-03. Retrieved 2024-01-04.
  8. ↑ Wallace, Chris (22 March 2022). "When We Made… Bonfire Peaks: "In my opinion, storytelling is not really a strength of the medium of games, or what excites me most about it."". MCV/Develop . Archived from the original on 30 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  9. 1 2 Smith, Graham (27 April 2021). "Gorgeous voxel puzzler Bonfire Peaks will arrive this autumn". Rock Paper Shotgun . Archived from the original on 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  10. ↑ Cunningham, James (16 January 2020). "Burn It All in Bonfire Peaks Announcement Trailer". Hardcore Gamer.
  11. ↑ "Bonfire Peaks". IGN . Archived from the original on 2024-01-02. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  12. ↑ "Bonfire Peaks - Official Lost Memories Part 1 DLC Trailer". IGN . 1 February 2023. Archived from the original on 30 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  13. ↑ Gray, Kate (1 February 2023). "Slept On The Critically Acclaimed 'Bonfire Peaks'? DLC Drops In March For This 'EDGE 9'". Nintendo Life . Archived from the original on 30 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  14. 1 2 "Bonfire Peaks". Metacritic . Archived from the original on 2024-01-02. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  15. 1 2 3 "Bonfire peaks". Edge . No. 364. 12 August 2021. p. 120.
  16. 1 2 Borgonovo, Alessandra (20 October 2021). "Bonfire Peaks, la recensione di un interessante puzzle game di Corey Martin". Multiplayer.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 30 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  17. ↑ Bell, Alice (1 October 2021). "Bonfire Peaks' puzzle man would be a great (and terrible) presence in a house move". Rock Paper Shotgun . Archived from the original on 29 September 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  18. ↑ Tyrer, Ben (19 October 2021). "Golden Joystick Awards 2021". GamesRadar . Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.