Bard's Gold Review (Smartygirl7)
I am a big fan of rogue-like games, simply for the challenge posed by them. Bard's Gold is no exception to that rule. When I first picked up my controller, I died nearly instantly. I felt silly, dying to a stupid bat, so I picked myself back up and went in again. I cannot tell you how many times I've died thus far, but I'm enjoying every obsenity-riddled moment of it. The slightly randomized feel to the levels helps you learn where secret treasures are, how to navigate through the obstacles, and ultimately, get your treasure so you can buy upgrades. I have found this much more enjoyable because there is a somewhat unpredictable nature to the levels themselves. The enemies are always the same, regardless of the layout, but each different scenario gives you a better idea of how to kill the monsters around you.
Guidance-wise, there isn't much, other than some one-line remarks by the Bard (at the beginning of some levels); you basically have to charge in and hope for the best. The learning curve itself felt steep for me, at the very beginning, but after I was able to progress through a few levels (after a multitude of deaths), I became comfortable and was not losing my precious power-ups immediately after I had gotten them. Having the extra life skillbook from the beginning is very helpful, but I quickly became stumped while trying to locate others. It was slightly frustrating not knowing how to find other skillbooks; however, the emphasis on finding secret treasures was enough to overcome that obstacle.
I cannot emphasize this enough: don't think you're done with the level simply because all of the enemies are dead and you have a key in-hand! If the timer isn't out, attack like crazy and try to find those secret treasures!
The platformer aspect of the game is enjoyable; it relates back to old-school platformers that I grew up with. I'm not sure if this is happening for everyone, but I have some moments when the double-jump seems to glitch a bit. It happens sporadically, and I'm playing on a relatively new controller. It is a little bothersome, but it's not enough to make me stop playing. That is really my only complaint so far, which says a lot about this game. It is a challenge and make you want to rip your hair out, but it is one of the more addictive games that Steam has to offer right now. Well worth it!