Ever since the release of the PSVR, we’ve had several short animated experiences for the headset. Experiences with little to no interaction that are more focused on bringing a good story or unique experience to VR. Baobab Studios has put out several of these experiences before, such as Invasion and Crow. I enjoyed those experiences and so when Bonfire was announced for the PSVR, I was interested to see how it would turn out. So, is Bonfire any good?
Bonfire is a PSVR experience that puts you into the role of a Space Scout that is looking for a new planet for humans to inhabit, because earth is no longer a sustainable planet. At the beginning of the game you crash land on an unknown planet with a robot companion, voiced by Comedian Ali Wong. And soon after you come across an unknown alien. That’s all I’ll say about the story, because I don’t want to spoil too much. The story has two different endings, but they aren’t that different from one another.
The gameplay in Bonfire is pretty simple. You can interact with and pick up objects, which include levers, a scanning device, and food. The gameplay doesn’t need to be complex because the story is the main focus.
The graphics are good, and I didn’t notice any blurriness. And the animations of the characters and objects is amazing, on the same level of something you would see in an animated movie from Disney or Dreamworks. Because of the animation and voice acting, each of the characters have a unique and fun personality. Baobab Studios is king at creating fun characters that come to life in Virtual Reality.
My only problem with Bonfire is that it’s only 12 minutes long, and around 30 minutes long if you go for all of the trophies. I loved everything that was in that time, but it just left me wanting a lot more from it.
So overall, Bonfire is a great experience. The animation is top notch, the voice acting is great, and the story is fun. But I can’t really tell you whether or not you should buy this, it depends on how much you value experiences like this. Are you willing to spend a few dollars to have a really great but short experience? Do you have people to show it to? Do you have kids that could enjoy it? These are some factors to consider when deciding whether or not to purchase this game. I personally enjoyed it while it lasted, and will probably end up showing it to a few people. And I look forward to what Baobab Studios makes next!
