Bearnard

Quite unique and engaging mix of 2D Platformer type of exploration with turn-based combat. The main features of this game, and what makes this unique, is that, even if it is turn-based, you have to aim your own shots, taking gravity and enemy movement into consideration, and also you can (and have to) use cards that in this case are consumables (so, take notice, this is not really a deckbuilder) to temporarly boost your stats or just do a different type of attack. The game is harder than what you might think, but the balance make it really enjoyable, in a way that the game forces you to use your consumables, but at the same time it is constantly rewarding you with more, so you can keep trying different moves and combinations.
There are different biomes, each one with different enemies, also forcing you to change the way you engage each battle/enemy, adding enough variety so you don't get bored during your over 10 hours of gameplay.
The game also counts with elemental damage and the mechanic of combining different elements, in a way that order matters (so, fire+water is not the same than water+fire), generating really interesting and useful combos for you to try.
Overall, a pretty solid turn-based game for fans of the genre 8.5/10, just don't come here thinking this is a deckbuilder/roguelike.
You can check out my gameplay here if interested

I finished the game and can wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone who enjoys turn-based games. The aiming at opponents is reminiscent of the game Worms. It's an interesting mix, and the best feature is that it's highly engaging, with the so-called "just one more turn" effect kicking in strongly. A little gem!

Bearnard plays out like a one character SteamWorld Heist, except that all of your abilities are one time consumables. The graphics are neat and the dialogue is mildly amusing. The game play loop didn't click with me after a time, but it does what it's aiming to do well.

Excellent game for the price, which is more than a lot of aaa games can say! 8/10 for me as some of the access to areas requiring teleport arrows feels "unfair". Limiting the number of swaps from stash to 2 per level also felt annoying. I'd recommend costing AP instead. Sharing these critiques because all of the great mechanics (see other reviews, i agree with them), these limiting elements were enough to discourage me from finishing. Still, I recommend this game, just dont stress collecting everything.

Bearnard is a turn-based tactics game wrapped in a light platformer where you play as a bow-wielding bear navigating tricky terrain, dodging traps, and battling enemies using a deck of ability cards. Each battle plays out on a grid, but you’ll also jump and dodge between encounters like it’s an old-school side scroller. It’s a mix that sounds weird on paper but actually clicks once you’re in it.
Pros
✔️ Platforming + card tactics = shockingly great – I didn’t know I needed this combo in my life, but it just works. The strategy feels thoughtful, and the movement keeps it from getting stale.
✔️ Bearnard is a whole mood – His little grumbly inner thoughts and reactions had me cracking up. He’s basically a bear with anxiety and dry wit, and I felt seen.
✔️ Power combos were really fun – Finding synergies between cards and pulling off big turns felt super satisfying — it made me want to experiment constantly.
Cons
❌ Card limit felt too tight – I get that it’s meant to force choices, but it honestly felt like it limited creativity more than it added depth.
❌ Distance bonus is unclear – There’s a bonus for how far your shot travels, but there’s no clear indicator for it — I couldn’t tell if I was hitting it until after the move.
❌ Camera control issues while aiming – Not being able to swivel or rotate when lining up shots was super annoying, especially when enemies were behind me.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, Bearnard is just one of those games that made me smile. It's clever, it's silly, and it's trying something genuinely different — and mostly succeeding. I had a great time with it, and I really hope the dev keeps building on this foundation. Give me more grumpy tactical bear content, please.
Score: 8/10 Bearly Hitting Arrows
It’s tactical, it’s cozy, it’s hilarious — and yeah, I’m already preparing my next deck of forest-fueled vengeance.

uhhhh its like a soft yes on recommending
Bit of humor, simple and nice mechanic.
I guess personally I like a bit of progression feeling. There isnt really much of a power progression if that makes sense. The cards you get from start of game is the same end of game. I think the rarity of cards may go up a bit toward mid game?
Yeah you can level like hp up and such, it just makes it bit easier, but you can honestly avoid getting hit all together just by using cards well enough. And the cards given is pretty generous. The coins you get is also pretty generous.
There were some deaths that felt unfair. Like there are places you can land...and nowhere else to go but fall to die. But death doesnt really punish you at all.
levels felt a bit dragged out, but that may be because once i knew how to use up the cards and how to position, it wasnt that hard.
overall liked the idea, just started feeling more flat as game went on starting from mid game. I would take it as a more casual game.
If there ever is a sequel or whatever I think adding more mechanics and such wouldve made it more interesting.
Like enemy weakspots, tough spots, can disable maybe there weapons. Make it so you have to kind of explore the options and aim carefully to learn.
This would make exploring new areas, finding new enemies, improving your aiming skill more impactful and more fun to explore.
But this is my opinion of course. Maybe this game was intended to be a lot more casual fun

A breath of fresh air in card games. The game is little overwhelming at the beginning, with cards that are worthless (you don't need Bleach card if there are no elements in the first biome). Nothing less, great game to check out if you are into turn based combat or card games. I would love to see more levels, especially where you can see that level design is getting better with the progress of the game.