- Publisher: Dear Villagers , WildArts Studio Inc.
- Release Date: Dec 5, 2023
- Also On: PlayStation 5, Switch, Xbox Series X
- Critic score
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Jan 2, 2024Born of Bread’s recipe for a light role-playing adventure is competent, thanks to charming visuals and combat that favors variety over difficulty. And while it’s great to see a Paper Mario-style expedition on PC, it’s evident that the process was a bit rushed. The occasional crash or underdeveloped mechanic doesn’t ruin the formula. But these can leave a sour taste with players.
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Jan 2, 2024Born of Bread adds another entry to my ever-growing list of games that I wanted to love but left me with mixed feelings. It’s clear that a lot of heart went into Born of Bread. I loved the bevy of unique characters inhabiting the game’s world, and the second half of the story was quite engaging. However, Born of Bread‘s confluence of minor flaws, including a lack of convenience features, marred my enjoyment. Born of Bread is not a bad game, but those seeking that magical Paper Mario experience might be better off waiting for the upcoming Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door remaster.
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Mar 26, 2024Despite some gripes, Born of Bread feels like a team of creative and talented designers were given free rein to design a world the way they wanted, even infusing it with genuinely hilarious comedic writing throughout. However, the limitations enacted by the combat system upon itself, i.e. being beholden to ally and enemy affinities without any way of adjusting them to fit the situation at hand, actively hamstring the game’s positive aspects. The QTE-style attacks make the whole thing a needlessly repetitive chore that undermines the joy found in the game’s world design and writing. Those with a love for all things Paper Mario surely won’t mind it, but everyone else will want to go into the experience prepared for what’s to come.
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Dec 4, 2023It's a real shame that these problems are so prevalent because there's a lot to like in Born of Bread. It's a very cute and charming game, and I enjoyed myself enough when playing it that I was willing to redo chunks of the game every time I broke something. I replayed sections until I just couldn't do it anymore. There's a good chance that there will be a bunch of patches for the game that will help it rise to its full potential, but at the moment, it's a bit too raw to readily recommend. I look forward to revisiting the title sometime later, after it's been thoroughly patched and stabilized.