Nintendo Switch Critic Reviews

Red Bow features an engaging story set in a creepy 16-bit world. The puzzles are fun without being frustrating. You’ll want to see it all; unfortunately it’s over rather quickly.

Red Bow's 16-bit era visual environment may easily have it mistaken for an RPG, with a few point and click adventure elements here and there but there should be no mistake that this is a horror game, and it's a good evidence that a good horror game does not require a realistic looking environment to instill restlessness on its players. Although very short, Red Bow's simple gameplay and visual environment, as well as replay value, make this a production that's well worthy of attention.

Despite its accessibility, Red Bow is not going to be for everyone. This isn’t just because of its darker themes, but its rigid, basic structure that shifts between item gathering and NPC interaction. Even at the $5 asking price, it’s tough to recommend to anyone but those who really fancy horror adventures with ample reading.

It's a super-short indie project, so it almost feels unfair to throw a score onto Red Bow. It's just not a game to put on the same kind of scale as major blockbusters from Nintendo. But, then again, the game is a commercial project and sits on the same virtual store shelf as Nintendo's games. The reality is that Red Bow struggles to understand how horror game stories are told, and adventure games are designed. There are some ideas buried in there, and when the developer is more experienced it would be great to see him revisit this but Red Bow itself its a bit too hollow for its own good.

Red Bow will lure gamers in with its pixel-art visuals and promise of a top-down, creepy adventure. Whilst it may impress for a short while, it will ultimately leave them wishing the game had been much more than it is.