Bard's Gold is a slow-paced platformer game that has a focus on level memorization and taking your time. The plot revolves around the Bard (the player) trying to get the Bard's Gold back from a goblin.
Controls and Gameplay
The controls are easy to master. You can jump and double jump, shoot daggers, and you can move like any platformer game.
The gameplay involves obtaining a key then unlocking a door to proceed to the next level. On the way, you'll encounter enemies and traps. There is a large variety of enemies with unique AI that makes the game challenging and fresh. For example, we have a Bat enemy that moves up and down horizontally, and a different type of bat that bounces off walls. Traps are found in every level. They range from stationary spikes to arrow traps. Certain spike traps have unique properties, such as falling from the ceiling if you walk right next to them. If you're not paying attention, these traps will hinder your adventure.
The game features lots of secrets. They are found by simply throwing a dagger at a specific part of the area. Most secrets are gems, but others can be items that help you in your journey. Certain secrets trigger events that may provide a useful item or powerup. Locating secrets is recommended, though not required. Gems can be found much more easily by purchasing a pair of glasses from a shop.
Gems are the currency featured in Bard's Gold. They can be found by locating secrets, killing enemies, opening treasure chests, and smashing pots. You can spend these gems on shops found throughout the levels. Shops sell items such as better weapons, increased weapon damage, extra lives, and more. If you die with gems, they don't go to waste. You can spend these on abilities to make your character stronger. You start off with the ability to purchase more starting lives, but you can unlock more abilities by finding Skill Books. Abilities such as increased dagger range, enemies dropping more gems, unlocking a big gem, and more. You must have at least one level in the ability for it to take effect.
There are a total of four worlds in the game, each containing six levels (with the seventh level being a boss). There are multiple variations of each level, which keeps each playthrough unique and fresh.
Conclusion
Overall, Bard's Gold is a magnificent platforming game. There's lots of things to unlock which will keep the player hooked for quite a while. It's unfortunate that the game is obscure, but hopefully that will change soon. The developer has shown that he is passionate about the game and is open to user feedback.