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Bloodnet Game Review

 

Introduction

Bloodnet is an adventure game published by MicroPose for the Microsoft DOS operating system in 1993. It is a cyberpunk style game in which you have been bitten by a vampire and are trying to stop the transformation. It is set several decades in the future in Manhattan. Its graphics are slightly better than Doom but the game itself lacks user friendliness. This can cause many first time players to be frustrated; this article will discuss more about that.

 

Game Background

 

The game is a cyberpunk style game that was released around the same time as Doom. The game has two settings: everyday life in the future and cyberspace. In cyberspace, you can move around amongst morphing shapes. The graphics look surprisingly good for a game that came out over twenty years ago.

 

 

 

 

 

Game Controls

 

The game is simple to play; you point your mouse and click where you want to move. In order to interact with an object, you must first press the escape key, then click on the object that you wish to use. To travel you must open the menu and select where you want to go.

 

The Cyberspace realm consists of floating objects. You play a spinning man and interact with various objects floating in space. On my first attempt to navigate cyberspace, I was trapped by tentacles and had to open a menu in order to get out of there.� Navigating cyberspace seems simple, although it feels as if the developers could have developed the cyberspace realm more. Cyberspace feels more like a futuristic version of Frogger where you try to dodge floating objects.

 

 

The game's controls were not user friendly. They are initially confusing to figure out� and some controls don't seem very practical. The shooting system itself is interesting but takes some getting used to. The walking system is one of the better aspects where one simply clicks on where he/she wants to go. The walking system takes the 2D game and gives it a 3D feel.

 

The menu is simple enough. The options are Combat, View, Party, Deck, Computer, and Save. The combat option is used while one is in combat. The view option is to move to different locations around the city. The party option allows you to control members of your group and the deck option allows you to enter cyberspace. Under the computer option, there is a feature to go over dialogue that you have had earlier in the game. The save feature is self-explanatory. Another point worth mentioning is that once you die, you are forced to go to your last save point. If you forgot to save, you are out of luck--remember to save often.

 

Storyline

 

The game opens with you, Ransom Stark, being approached by a woman in a bar. Her name is Melissa Van Helsing. She offers you a relatively easy job worth fifty thousand dollars. Upon attempting to collect the payment, a man named Abraham Van Helsing bites Ransom. The bite is the first step in becoming a vampire.� At this point, you are told by a chip in your ear to stop the process of becoming a vampire. You have no idea where to go or what to do and are left to figure it out on your own. The game involves you talking to people and navigating your way around town until you kill Dracula, which will end the transformation. Failing to kill Dracula will not only set your fate to become a vampire but will also jeopardize all of mankind.

 

 

 

 

Reception

 

Due to the game being not very user-friendly, it never took off like Doom. It does have a good story, although it is overshadowed by the confusing and hard to maneuver game world. While playing the game I had a decent amount of frustration which I'm sure other users could identify with. Today, there are two main opinions about the game online. One opinion is that the game was a lot of fun but was largely ignored for the clarity and rigidness of the game made it unpopular. The other, and more common opinion, is that the game started off fun but became frustrating due to annoying features and not knowing what to do.

 

Tips

 

Do not talk to Shock Maraud at the Strawberry Fields if you want to finish the game fast. Talking to Shock will start the battle system. By not talking to him, you will only have to fight the bosses. However, talking to him will give you the opportunity to find better weapons.

 

Conclusion

 

If you like retro style games, Bloodnet might be a good game for you. If I had played it in 1993, I'm sure I would have chosen to play Doom instead since I'm not a big fan of action adventure RPGs. However, BloodNet's graphics are quite nice for how old it is and the game's massive world allows you to get lost in the BloodNet realm. This is true only if you are able to master the controls and are fine with the rigid gameplay.