Introduction
When I first saw Broventure’s trailer, I braced for a vampire-slaying co-op epic with real base customization. Alice Games pitched a mash-up of Vampire Survivors, base building, and multiplayer mayhem. In practice, it delivers moments of chaotic fun and frustrating design choices. I jumped in eager to smash hordes with friends and fortify a daring camp. Instead, I found a fun bullet-hell core buried beneath grindy systems and rough co-op execution.
Overall Impressions
Broventure grabs you with tight, auto-attacking chaos. It feels like Vampire Survivors on steroids when you swarm dozens of vampires. Resource gathering and camp upgrades tease strategic depth. Yet the novelty wears off after a few hours. The grind for materials drags progression. Co-op promises dissolve if you don’t host. I expected slick teamwork but got solo host advantage. Compared to genre heavyweights like Terraria or Risk of Rain, Broventure’s base building feels shallow. It stands out in concept but falls flat in execution.
Gameplay Mechanics
At its core, Broventure nails bullet-hell shooting. You choose powers, dodge enemies, and auto-attack with style. Critical hit unicorns still surprise me in the heat of battle. Gathering resources feels satisfying at first, however the loop quickly becomes repetitive. One player told me the hitboxes “are crap.” I agree, hits sometimes register off-kilter. Another fan called the combo weapons “trash” when they suddenly switch mid-fight. That frustration is real. Co-op multiplies the fun until host advantage slams your curtain. Only hosts keep progress; guests redo quests. That’s a co-op cardinal sin.
Story and Characters
Broventure’s story anchors on a vampire uprising and a ragtag group of survivors. You unlock quirky characters by “building” their houses. That claim borders on disingenuous, since you don’t craft or decorate a true base. Character dialogue lands occasional snarky humor but goes stale quickly. I craved backstory or evolving relationships beyond generic one-liners. The world-building hints at deeper lore, yet never follows through. The cast feels like placeholders rather than memorable companions, and the plot mostly serves as an excuse to grind resources.
Visuals and Graphics
Alice Games nailed a vibrant pixel art style. The animation packs energy as fists, swords, and spells rom-com through the screen. Enemy sprites swarm smoothly, even during the most hectic waves. Camps look cozy under torchlight, though they lack personal touches. I expected furniture placement or wall upgrades, not just a checklist of buildings to unlock. The art direction leans cute-meets-dark, striking a tone I adore. Still, the base visual feedback for upgrades could feel more substantial.
Sound and Music
The soundtrack delivers thumping chiptune beats that match the frantic pacing. I found myself bobbing to a track as I dodged a vamp’s lethal bite. Sound effects pack a satisfying punch: swords clang, bullets whiz, and resources chime when gathered. However, I caught myself muting the repetitive loops after extended sessions. Voice lines appear in bits of dialogue, but none jump out as iconic. The audio team did solid work, but they missed a chance to craft a truly memorable theme.
Difficulty and Replayability
Broventure challenges you early, then plateaus. You survive wave one easily, but wave five will chew you up without constant upgrades. Unfortunately, the real challenge comes from the grind rather than player skill. Once you unlock basic tools and a few characters, the difficulty curve flattens. Future unlocks add power spikes, not new abilities. In co-op, the tension spikes again—if you’re the host. Guests face a tug-of-war for progress and often bail out. Solo players might find enough content for a weekend. But once you see every weapon combo, the game leaves little reason to return.
Developer Trivia and Behind the Scenes
Alice Games built Broventure on an internal engine originally meant for mobile roguelikes. They pivoted to PC co-op after early success in small leagues. The team of eight worked remotely across three continents. Lead designer Sophia Lin cited Vampire Survivors as an inspiration but wanted “more hands-on base play.” A recent patch promised hitbox fixes and co-op sync improvements. I’m curious to see if those updates deliver on the hype.
Conclusion and Score
Broventure: The Wild Co-op offers a solid bullet-hell foundation and eye-catching pixel art. Its promise of base building and seamless co-op falls short. Host-only progress, repetitive grind, and uneven hitboxes sink much of the fun. If you crave a quick vampire-slaying party with friends, you’ll get a few hours of joy. Beyond that, you’ll hit the grind wall fast. I admire Alice Games’ ambition, but Broventure needs polish to fulfill its wild co-op dream.
Broventure shines in short bursts but stumbles on core design flaws. Keep an eye on future patches—but don’t bring garlic just yet.
