I’m working my way through Spiders’ catalog, and The Technomancer feels like a noticeable improvement over their earlier titles like Of Orcs and Men, Bound by Flame, and Mars: War Logs. (By the way, I picked up Faery on Steam, and it didn't even launch. I hope GOG releases an improved version as part of their conservation program.) The story is fantastic, with great romance options (Jack and Andrew forever!). If you're a fan of sci-fi, post-apocalyptic, and cyberpunk stories, you're in for a real treat. That said, I have a couple of complaints. The lack of a true fast travel system between areas can be frustrating, and it can get a bit repetitive fighting the same enemies repeatedly. Also, Chapter 4, which has an awesome final boss, feels way too short, and it's by far the most visually stunning area of the game.
If you've played other Spider titles, it's evident that this was an early effort by the team. The game feels a bit short, with enemies becoming repetitive at times, and some gameplay mechanics feel outdated. However, the rich universe and the unfolding story keep me engaged. In summary, it's a fun game with room for improvement.
Bound by Fire leans more towards a 'Gothic' atmosphere than a traditional 'Souls-like' or Witcher experience. If you're familiar with other Spiders games, you'll recognize it as an earlier iteration of their later titles, such as Technomancer and Greedfall. The story is engaging, and the gameplay is solid overall, though the final boss felt frustratingly unbalanced and unfair. Despite this, Bound by Fire is still a must-play for any RPG enthusiast.
A more "mature" version of the first one, more gore, more nudity, more everything. Curtis and Trevor, 90s better OTP.
