"There
can be only one" said the tag line in those Highlander movies.
Well that's the basic premise of Bleed, a new indie run 'N gun game
for PC and Xbox Live Indie.
The
year is 21XX and our heroine, the punky haired Wryn, is tired of the
old set taking up the top spots in the Hall of Heroes. So she sets
out to become the ultimate heroine by destroying all those who currently reside in the esteemed leaderboard. To do so she must defeat the
current heroes, who take the in-game form of huge boss monsters.
Armed
with twin pistols and a rocket launcher right from the start, you
charge your way through seven stages, blasting everything that moves
as you head towards the end of level boss. Standard fare for sure,
but Bleed has some great retro presentation and quirks that help it
rise above other games of its genre (on Xbox Indie at least). The
graphics have a neat 16-bit style, with colourful sprites and
backgrounds that contain a certain level of charm. Unfortunately many
of the enemy sprites let the side down as they can be quite basic,
but the more detailed bosses make up for it. The soundtrack consists
of catchy chiptune tracks that hark back to the 8-bit era, but also
sound strikingly similar to the more recent Scott Pilgrim game on
XBLA. Most of the tunes are good, but the title screen theme is by
far the most memorable.
The
game uses twin-stick shooter style controls, meaning the left stick
is used for movement, and the right for shooting in the direction
held. PC users can use the mouse for aiming and firing purposes,
which is slightly easier, and is the only difference between the two
versions. A controller works fine, but there are some odd button
assignments (which can’t be configured to your choosing). Right
trigger jumps, which feels unnatural and something I never really
adjusted to fully. Likewise instead of the usual double-jump found in
most 2D platformers these days, Wryn is capable of triple jumping,
with each new jump propelling you like a rocket in the direction you
are holding on the left stick. It takes some practice to get the hang
of, but after some time playing you will be able to navigate tricky
jumping sections in style. Wryn also has a cool Bullet Time mode
which can be activated by pressing the left trigger. Everything
around you slows down allowing you to deftly dodge projectiles or
falling objects while maintaining accurate fire on enemies. It lasts
for only a short time though, and you must wait for the bar to refill
(automatically) before you can employ it again.
Stages
comprise of a reasonably varied selection of locales such as a
haunted mansion (complete with Castlevania style corridors), a
collapsing cave system, an excellent moving train stage and, most
inventive of all, the insides of a dragon. While the game isn't
particularly difficult its quick action pace and varied stages keep
you engaged until the final boss meets his maker. As you progress you
earn points that can be used as currency to buy new weapons and
upgrades to your health and bullet time bars. There is also an
additional challenge mode that allows you to fight any bosses already
defeated in story mode, on any stage you like. Performance is rated
and so offers a small amount of replay value after you finish the
main campaign. To be honest though, the game is a one-playthrough
affair. While fun, Bleed feels quite generic, and once you've
completed the seven stages on offer there is little incentive to play
again.
It
is an enjoyable game that offers some decent platforming and
blasting action for the hour and a half it takes to finish, but it
doesn't really offer anything new, or indeed, anything particularly
outstanding. It is certainly better than many of the indie offerings
on Xbox Live but it fares less well against the vast catalogue of
excellent, and highly polished, 2D platform shooters on PC. The steep
400 point price tag for the Xbox version may also deter some
potential customers from taking the plunge. At 80, or even 240,
points it would have been an instant recommendation, but 400 is
pushing it a bit.
At
the end of the day it is an pretty decent game with some nifty retro
aesthetics and action packed gameplay, but one that is quite
throwaway in today's overflowing indie market. You will have fun
playing it but it isn't something you will give any further thought
to once completed.
The
Good
- Cool retro graphics
- Energetic chiptune soundtrack
- Decent run 'N gun action
The
Bad
- Some sprites and backgrounds lack detail
- Not something you will come back to once completed
- Can be beaten in a short amount of time
- Costs 400 points
Developer : IanThraxx
Also available on : PC
Price : 400 points
Price : 400 points
