The best way I can describe this game is that i have 10 friends on my friend list who own this with less then an hour in this game, and 1 friend on my friend list who owns this with over 600 hours in this game. It's a true pervert mmo. Most people will bounce off of it, and then a few people will find that it's the only game they've ever wanted.
in development
As it's early access, I don't think it fair to give it a star rating. My feedback on my short playthrough is that this could be the exact sort of game I'm looking for, except it just doesn't quite get there for me personally.
The one thing that really hits is the exploration and the feeling that you're in the world. The emergent gameplay of creating your own path is delightful. I started somewhere, a river or shore I think, and headed north to the tea house by the tree as recommended by a random. I talked to the manager there who said that I must be heading to a certain place. I didn't take a note of the place, but figured I'd find it and recalled rough directions. It seemed to me like my emergent story was to head to that place; that was my role-playing element; that's what my character would do. I couldn't find the place, alas, and kept hitting roadblocks. I'd spoken to the tea shop manager to try and get him to repeat what he said, but it didn't work.
So I was at a bit of a dead-end as to where my story would take me, at which point I lost the immersion and started to think whether the feel/vibe of the game was enough for me to spend another 20 mins or so walking back to the tea house. I opted not to continue. I wasn't interested in side-quests at this point, I don't like the art style and certainly don't like the character design, the music was not drawing me either, and the landscape felt more magic realism than fantasy (which is fine, just not what I wanted). So I reluctantly called it quits and refunded.
It is interesting, to me at least, that it captured the exploration elements better than something like Skyrim (not to criticise it, but journey moments in Skyrim were more retrospective than active). The fast travel between sections of the map were annoying as were the limitations on where you could go in a particular scene, but the journey was ever-present and palpable.
The one thing that really hits is the exploration and the feeling that you're in the world. The emergent gameplay of creating your own path is delightful. I started somewhere, a river or shore I think, and headed north to the tea house by the tree as recommended by a random. I talked to the manager there who said that I must be heading to a certain place. I didn't take a note of the place, but figured I'd find it and recalled rough directions. It seemed to me like my emergent story was to head to that place; that was my role-playing element; that's what my character would do. I couldn't find the place, alas, and kept hitting roadblocks. I'd spoken to the tea shop manager to try and get him to repeat what he said, but it didn't work.
So I was at a bit of a dead-end as to where my story would take me, at which point I lost the immersion and started to think whether the feel/vibe of the game was enough for me to spend another 20 mins or so walking back to the tea house. I opted not to continue. I wasn't interested in side-quests at this point, I don't like the art style and certainly don't like the character design, the music was not drawing me either, and the landscape felt more magic realism than fantasy (which is fine, just not what I wanted). So I reluctantly called it quits and refunded.
It is interesting, to me at least, that it captured the exploration elements better than something like Skyrim (not to criticise it, but journey moments in Skyrim were more retrospective than active). The fast travel between sections of the map were annoying as were the limitations on where you could go in a particular scene, but the journey was ever-present and palpable.
I am not sure whether it's ever truly possible for a video game—at least not one with goals to achieve, metrics to manage, and items to hoard—to transcend the inevitable compulsion toward completionism, to halt the ever-present pull toward efficiency maximization, and to re-direct the player's energies toward less narrow-minded, less mastery-focused, less algorthm-aligned, more expansive, more observant, more convivial, more vibes-based ends... but damn if this one doesn't make a valiant effort.
It's one-of-a-kind. Feels like it was adapted from some unknown fantasy masterpiece. Come for the staggering environment art, stay for the tea houses, the merchants towns, letters written in knotted string, the quests and stories that gently bloom from innocuous small talk with strangers... good lord.. it's so wonderful, please play this.
(copied from my steam review, from 13th oct 2021.)
Two things to remember about Book of Travels: firstly, it is an Early Access game, and a brand new one at that. It's buggy, it's unrefined in places, there are texts missing. This is to be expected. Secondly - it is not an MMORPG. If you go into this expecting a traditional MMORPG, you've got it all wrong.
Book of Travels is, to use more traditional terms, an open-world, point-and-click RPG. Though there are RPG elements, it's not the focus - the game is largely an exploration, an endless journey through a world that must be discovered for yourself. The character creation is reminiscent of Dungeons and Dragons, in a strange way - though as I've said, there's less focus on stat optimisation and more on your character themselves. Creation shapes their personhood; "forms", this game's version of classes, are more akin to a character archetype than a profession.
BoT does not hold your hand - but it is not punishing. The game is happy to let you explore at whatever pace you so desire, and there are no pressing matters, no urgent quests to take care of. At the heart of any journey is discovery and wonder, and Might and Delight understand this. There's joy in finding a simple bridge, a man resting at the side of the road, a carving on a tree. The small servers work well to infuse each player interaction with meaning.
The art within the game is stunning, and it's not difficult to see it. Beautifully painted, it's reminiscent of a pop-up storybook - fitting! It's clear to me that much love and care was put into every design, as well as the soundtrack within the game, which completes the atmosphere wholly.
Ultimately, Book of Travels is unique. I can't compare it to any other game I've ever seen or played. It's a meditative experience, a slow trek through a land of curiosities. If you're looking for a fast-paced adventure, BoT won't be for you. But if you're a fan of the simple things in life, the kind of person to find joy in the journey and not the destination? This game is perfect. Go out there into the Braided Shore, and get yourself lost - it's 100% worth it.
Two things to remember about Book of Travels: firstly, it is an Early Access game, and a brand new one at that. It's buggy, it's unrefined in places, there are texts missing. This is to be expected. Secondly - it is not an MMORPG. If you go into this expecting a traditional MMORPG, you've got it all wrong.
Book of Travels is, to use more traditional terms, an open-world, point-and-click RPG. Though there are RPG elements, it's not the focus - the game is largely an exploration, an endless journey through a world that must be discovered for yourself. The character creation is reminiscent of Dungeons and Dragons, in a strange way - though as I've said, there's less focus on stat optimisation and more on your character themselves. Creation shapes their personhood; "forms", this game's version of classes, are more akin to a character archetype than a profession.
BoT does not hold your hand - but it is not punishing. The game is happy to let you explore at whatever pace you so desire, and there are no pressing matters, no urgent quests to take care of. At the heart of any journey is discovery and wonder, and Might and Delight understand this. There's joy in finding a simple bridge, a man resting at the side of the road, a carving on a tree. The small servers work well to infuse each player interaction with meaning.
The art within the game is stunning, and it's not difficult to see it. Beautifully painted, it's reminiscent of a pop-up storybook - fitting! It's clear to me that much love and care was put into every design, as well as the soundtrack within the game, which completes the atmosphere wholly.
Ultimately, Book of Travels is unique. I can't compare it to any other game I've ever seen or played. It's a meditative experience, a slow trek through a land of curiosities. If you're looking for a fast-paced adventure, BoT won't be for you. But if you're a fan of the simple things in life, the kind of person to find joy in the journey and not the destination? This game is perfect. Go out there into the Braided Shore, and get yourself lost - it's 100% worth it.
I have almost 200 hours spent on this and I'm looking forward to spent some more.
great game, very slow paced. you have to leave the anxiety behind if you want to enjoy it, no use in rushing it. sometimes I just log in, make a campfire and sit listening to the ambient sounds.
I'm pretty excited to see where this will be going for the next couple years.
great game, very slow paced. you have to leave the anxiety behind if you want to enjoy it, no use in rushing it. sometimes I just log in, make a campfire and sit listening to the ambient sounds.
I'm pretty excited to see where this will be going for the next couple years.
early access so ofc not everything is done but this is bordline not playable ( last time i played was in august may have changed)
cool concept
case of the "i know the people who made this are good at art but the code is lacking so it's buggy"
case of the "i know the people who made this are good at art but the code is lacking so it's buggy"
tbf i have not played this properly and have just been fishing LMAO (i'm gonna pick it up later i swear)
Consistently facilitates magical experiences and little stories through its systems. The most beautiful multiplayer video game I've ever played, in multiple senses of the word.
sad