#BLUD Review

Cartoons of the ‘90s were truly something special, and it shocks me that more games haven’t been inspired by classics such as Ren & Stimpy or Dexter’s Laboratory. Well, developer Exit 73 Studios clearly has fond memories of these shows as action-adventure game, #BLUD, looks to take inspiration from this era of animation. Whilst it may look great, does it have the substance to back up its style?

Our heroine, Becky, has recently moved into town and is about to start her first day at a new school. As if trying to fit in and make friends isn’t difficult enough, Becky also learns that she comes from a long line of vampire hunters. Before too long, a curse is put on the town by these nefarious garlic haters, and guess who has to save the day! Equipped with her trusty hockey stick, Becky must put a stop to the fanged menaces before Carpentersville is overrun! It’s a simple premise for a story, sure, but that doesn’t mean the entire game isn’t packed full of puns, slapstick comedy, and goofy characters that you just can’t help to be charmed by.

The visual design of #BLUD is one that harkens back to classic cartoons of the 1990s and early 2000s, particularly ones shown on Cartoon Network, and I, for one, absolutely love it. The exaggerated attacks, bright colour palette, and fantastic character and enemy designs are just a joy to look at. The animations are equally brilliant, especially during boss battles. As a ‘90s kid, #BLUD definitely fuelled some nostalgia that ended up with me reminiscing about old cartoons I’d watch after school.

Although characters aren’t voiced, the gibberish noises they make when speaking are certainly in theme with the visuals, as is the music. Despite the lack of voices, all the main characters, NPCs, and enemies are full of character and always entertaining to talk to. The developer did a great job in giving each character a unique personality, and I often found myself going out of my way to talk to everyone for more snippets of quirky dialogue.

The previously mentioned characters and their fun personalities tie into one of the game’s mechanics: Perch. This is a social media app where Becky can do things like check her mission progress, post selfies, learn the weaknesses of enemies, or just see what some of the other townsfolk have been posting. It’s not a deep, complex system or anything like that, but it was always a guaranteed laugh whenever scrolling through her feed (especially whenever her dad left a comment).

A lot of your time spent in #BLUD will be engaging in the simple, yet still enjoyable, combat. It’s pretty basic, with one button to attack and another to dodge, although unlockable weapons and skills are earned as you play, with things such as pencils to throw at enemies (surprisingly deadly!) and a shield to block incoming attacks. Not every foe can be taken down with a few swings of Becky’s hockey stick, though, and learning how each of the fairly large variety of enemies should be bested goes a long way in mixing up the combat.

Boss encounters are mostly enjoyable, and all look cartoonishly hideous. These instances, unfortunately, are when the cracks start to show in #BLUD’s combat. Attacks you could have sworn were a direct hit will often not register, and the opposite is true when you were certain that you successfully dodged an enemy, only to take a good chunk of damage regardless. It’s not a game-breaker, but these issues do cause a few headaches, especially when dying to an attack that was not even close to connecting with Becky.

Aside from smacking around the vampire horde, you’ll roam around Carpentersville, tackling optional missions or hunting for collectibles. The side missions aren’t overly taxing and usually require you to retrace your steps to a previous area to find something or kill someone. #BLUD is mostly linear, so you’ll never be stuck wondering how to find something or where to go next. However, the few optional paths will reward keen explorers with a few nice items or more money to spend in the shops.

Despite the combat being relatively simple and the world feeling mostly linear, #BLUD was still a very enjoyable game for the 15 or so hours it took me to finish it. I can’t speak highly enough about the fantastic art design, and hope other developers take note of its style for future titles. That’s not to say it’s only good for a nostalgia trip, though, as despite its simplicity, there is still a lot of fun to be had, and a lot of jokes to be laughed at!