Vinebound: Tangled Together

Vinebound: Tangled Together is a co-op horde-survival roguelite about two partners bound together by a magical vine. A vine fairy wakes you to save the corrupted Garden Lands and grants you its powers, but the vine means you can neither get too far from your partner nor too close. You survive intense 10-minute runs through hazards, adversaries and bosses, building combinations of weapons, items, characters and sauces.

Bound by the vine

Your weapon attacks use cooldown flowers that zip back and forth along the vine between you and your partner. You align your positions and time attacks as a flower reaches you. Weapons call for different strategies: the Banana Sword slashes toward the direction opposite your friend, while the Strawberry Rod surrounds enemies and zaps them. Attacks adapt to the performer’s build, so both players can customize the same weapons with their preferred upgrades.

Cooperation also matters when opening treasures faster, choosing drops, combining builds and reviving each other amid the fighting. Your partner influences your attacks, making coordination central to each run.

Builds and unlocks

Weapons, items, characters and sauces can combine into powerful builds. For example, multiple inflated Pumpkin Bombs can set off massive Frosty Mayo explosions, while the Strawberry Rod can evolve into a critical-hit weapon that engulfs enemies in Spicy Sauce flames. Collect golden seeds to unlock new weapons, items, sauces and characters, then upgrade their ranks between runs. Cards and characters can also be unlocked and improved between runs.

Stages and challenges

Runs take place in scenarios including entangling forests, slippery ice floors and shifting lava walls. Each has its own mechanics and conditions; on some, you can be frozen and need your partner to drag you. Moldy elite enemies carry shiny treasures, and formidable bosses await. After completing the game for the first time, you unlock Spicy Mode, which offers tougher settings for your expanded arsenal and skills.

Solo play

In single-player mode, the vine fairy controls the other end of the vine. It echoes your basic movements but can also move quickly and independently as an aim. It is immune to damage, can collect drops and has its own upgrades, letting you plan combinations for more than one character.