Link to the past?
At a first glance, you’d notice the definite Zelda nods that Songbringer has…first of all, you walk forward down into a cave and retrieve a sword, the only thing missing is an old man saying “It’s dangerous to go alone, take this” before you start on your adventure…
But the story itself is a bit more complex than all that and the sword itself is your tool to defeating the evil found on the planet you’ve crash-landed on. The combat itself is a bit clunky however and takes some getting used to, but if you can get the hang of it…here lies a decent action-adventure that any Zelda fan will enjoy.
Like with the original Zelda, Songbringer doesn’t give you any clear idea of where to go through its labyrinth of areas and secrets to uncover. Even the basic of going from one screen to the next is taken directly from the legendary series, so fans will know what to expect. The bosses and enemies, however, are a little tougher than your traditional game, well unless you count Zelda II…Dark Souls has nothing on that…
The visuals are retro-inspired and fit the overall feel of the game well, while the music is as well. It’s overall a nice looking game for retro fans and if it wasn’t for the clunky combat controls, Songbringer would be a real contender in the action-adventure genre.
The Verdict
Songbringer is a decent action-adventure game that takes a lot of inspiration from Zelda, which is no bad thing. The problem lies with the combat and the unforgiving difficulty that will no doubt put players off. But if you can overcome that, then you’ll be rewarded with a nice entry for the genre.