Born of Bread Receives Disappointing Low Initial Scores
Paper Mario-inspired ‘Born of Bread’ launches today and, unfortunately, initial review scores are claiming that it needed a bit more time in the oven. The game, developed by WildArts Studio, promised to be a bread-based reinvention of the classic turn-based RPG formula by bringing older Paper Mario inventions like its unique art style, badges, and unique characters to the modern era. It seems, however, that Born of Bread didn’t manage to deliver on the majority of those promises- with the game currently sitting at a fair 73 on Opencritic- with only 57% of critics recommending it.
Image by WildArts Studio Inc.
This isn’t the first game inspired by the early 2000s Paper Mario games- with Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling launching back in 2019. However, Bug Fables was a critical success- with an 85 rating on Opencritic cementing it as a worthy spiritual successor to the Paper Mario games. Unfortunately, it seems like Born of Bread missed the mark and (more importantly) the magic in more ways than one. Although some critics were fans of this Bread-based RPG, the general sentiment seems to be that the high bar set by the Nintendo 64 and GameCube Paper Mario games has greatly overshadowed what could have made this game unique.
Image by WildArts Studio Inc.
One critic site that was not a fan was TheSixthAxis, which was critical about how Born of Bread borrowed a lot from Paper Mario without doing anything of its own (their review also includes some awful bread-based puns). They said the following in their 6/10 review:
“Born of Bread may look unique but in reality, this is your run-of-the-mill action RPG. Some decent ideas can't disguise the formulaic ingredients on offer. In terms of bread, it's more supermarkets' own than an artisanal sourdough. When it comes to bread-based games, you deserve butter.”
Similarly, WayTooManyGames felt let down by Born of Bread- although they were more forgiving with their 7.5/10 score:
“Born of Bread is all the ingredients of Paper Mario put together in a different construct, and yet there’s something there that just doesn’t gel quite right… the final product just doesn’t rise to the occasion: it’s just a bit more than half baked.”
That’s not to say that some sites were’nt impressed, however- with more than a few 8s and 9s out of 10 that are worth looking into. One of these sites was PSX Brasil, who had the following to say in their review:
“Born of Bread is one of the biggest surprises of the year. An RPG that is initially simple, but that captivates with each new mission and component that we encounter…. Fun, with a delightful exploration, combat that works, an excellent soundtrack and full of pop culture references, Born of Bread is a game that deserves attention and that fulfills its main objective: to entertain”
Image by WildArts Studio Inc.
It seems, then, that your experience and enjoyment of Born of Bread will stem directly from your expectations of it. If you’re expecting a pseudo-sequel to the original Paper Mario games on the Nintendo 64 and GameCube, it seems that this one may disappoint. However, if you’re just looking for an RPG with a unique art style, kooky characters, and some similarities to those older games, you’re likely to have a lot more fun with this game. While it seems to be nothing revolutionary, if you keep your expectations in check, Born of Bread looks like it could be worth looking more into if you’re a diehard fan of the genre.
