Bellwright

Release Date: April 23, 2024 Early Access

RPG, TPP, the middle ages, sandbox, survival, elements of strategy, Polish, indie games, co-op, crafting, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet

79%

Steam

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A cross between a survival game and an action RPG with strategy elements. Bellwright has us playing as the resistance leader, fighting against a tyrant ruling over a medieval land, liberating villages and cities.

Videos and Screens

[0:59] Bellwright - Villages 2.0 Update Trailer

[0:36] Bellwright Bellwright - Forestry Update Trailer

79%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Mostly Positive (9,537)

STEAM

User Reviews Summary generated by AI

The main pros of the game

Engaging Gameplay: Players appreciate the blend of settlement building, resource management, and combat, likening it to a mix of popular titles like Medieval Dynasty, Mount & Blade, and Valheim. The game offers a variety of activities that can be enjoyed at the player's pace.
Customization and Freedom: The game allows for a high degree of customization in settlement management and gameplay settings, which many players find appealing.
Active Development: Many users noted the developers' commitment to regular updates and improvements, enhancing the game's overall experience.
Co-op Play: The multiplayer aspect is well-received, making the game more enjoyable when played with friends.
Interesting Quests: Players find the quests engaging, with a good mix of crafting, exploration, and combat challenges.

The main cons of the game

Combat System Issues: A significant number of players express dissatisfaction with the combat mechanics, citing problems with controls, responsiveness, and overall fluidity. The directional combat feels unintuitive to some.
Grindiness: Many reviews mention that the game can become overly grindy, particularly in the crafting and resource management aspects, which may deter some players.
AI and NPC Behavior: Users report issues with NPC pathfinding and behavior, leading to frustrations when villagers get stuck or fail to perform their tasks efficiently.
Technical Bugs: While considered minor, several players mention bugs that disrupt gameplay, such as crashes, glitches, and issues with the multiplayer experience.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

Quality of Life Improvements: Players desire better inventory management, more intuitive UI, and improved sorting/filtering options for storage.
Enhanced Combat Mechanics: Suggestions include adding more fluid combat options, such as key bindings for attacks and defensive moves, as well as improvements in the responsiveness of the combat system.
Animal Husbandry and Mounts: Some users express a desire for features like animal breeding and mounts to enhance exploration and gameplay depth.
Improved Voice Acting: The use of AI-generated voice lines for NPCs has been criticized, with players calling for more engaging and human-like voice acting.
More Diverse Content: Requests for additional content, such as fishing, castles, and more varied building options, have been noted by users looking for a richer gameplay experience.

Summary

Overall, "Bellwright" is seen as a promising title with a solid foundation, but it requires further refinement and additional content to fully realize its potential.

Summary generated on: December 2, 2024

Bellwright is a cross between a survival game and an action RPG with strategy elements. It was developed by Donkey Crew, an indie studio also known for Last Oasis.

Plot

Bellwright is set in a world inspired by medieval Europe. Our playable character must hide from the law after being framed for the prince's murder. After miraculously surviving an assassination, they get a hold of the assassin's contract, learning new facts about their situation. They must return to their homeland and lead the rebellion against the new tyrannical ruler to learn did the prince fall to an accident or a conspiracy. Along the way, they discover the secrets of their family.

Mechanics

Bellwright is a third-person game. We'll spend most of the early game gathering resources, used both for survival (such as food, acquired by hunting or farming) and expansion. We start off being able to only build simple huts, eventually progressing to more advanced facilities. This lets us gradually turn our base into a formidable camp.

The player is not alone on their quest. As we traverse the world, we visit other settlements, meeting other characters and solving their problems. Many of them will join us out of gratitude, helping us gather resources and letting us use their unique skills, tied to crafting, construction or combat.

Our army grows as we play, letting the resistance liberate villages and cities from the new ruler. Our troops include melee fighters, archers and many other units. Combat is fast-paced, our characters must be properly geared out, equipped with good weapons and armor, using appropriate tactics and formations. The number of our troops grows as we progress through the game and our characters become stronger, letting us attack more critical targets.