I got to play a few more hours of Windbound, and I'm really digging it. It's got a roguelike aspect to it (on survivalist, which I'm playing) where you lose your boat and everything you haven't stored in "held" items (as well as keeping your permanent upgrades and equipment that you acquire along the way.) along with being returned back to the beginning of chapter 1 if you die. I only died once early in chapter 1, so I didn't lose much progress. But, it's one of those games where it's simply a chill and relaxing experience because of the setting and mood, despite the challenge, so it doesn't feel overly harsh to die, at least for me. But there is also a "storyteller" difficulty that won't send you back to the beginning of chapter one, although I do believe you still lose your boat and have to build a new one. There are different types of boats to build as well, from simple straw canoes that you paddle by oar and larger sailing vessels that you must account for the winds, appropriately enough, when utilizing. The sailing/rowing can feel slow as you search for more islands, but again, the mood (at least for me) makes it relaxing and fun as I search for new destinations. Anyone who enjoys the open water / oceans will probably enjoy the sensations here. There's also some story telling, but it's very minimal and interpretive - not so much talky-talky, which is perfect to me. I'm going to have to start letting everyone else pick my games from now on, lol. I feel like Miyamoto is being channeled through the gaming community's selections for me.
"You don't know what you rike"
