In my Bound review, posted earlier this week, I wrote about this lovely PlayStation 4 dance-platformer, and how it successfully blends a carefully animated central character with a surprisingly original world.
In the 10-minute video above, using various cuts from early parts of the game, I speak about these themes, as well as my criticisms of the game. Most significantly, I worry that the game does not go far enough in developing its central mechanic of putting together dance moves that make the player feel like a creative individual.
But this ought to be balanced with my other points, that this is an emotional journey more than a creative playpen or a physical challenge. It's about passing through an extraordinary space, and experiencing a story about love and belonging.
If you haven't read the review, here's my conclusion:
Each of our lives bind us to the lives of others, to our own desires and inadequacies, and to theirs. Bound is a reminder that through diversions like art, sport, dance and literature, there are ways to escape, at least for a while, and perhaps to re-emerge as someone slightly different. Bound is about finding that escape, and finding a way back. It presents us with a thought-provoking canvas of color, movement, narrative and grace that, while imperfect in execution, is nonetheless beguiling and beautiful.
If you're a PlayStation 4 owner who enjoys narrative games like Journey and Abzu, I recommend that you give this one a look.
