CROSSBOW: Bloodnight, by developer/publisher Hyperstrange, is a simple, yet addictive arena shooter that, on its surface, did not immediately earn my respect. However, this endless pit of repetitive violence somehow managed to steal several hours from my day before I knew it. Was there something more beneath the surface that I hadn’t first realized? A dark energy that had latched to my soul, urging me to play through one more round?
Story
CROSSBOW: Bloodnight doesn’t have time for an epic story. Instead, it thrusts you right into the action whether you checked the game’s controls or not. No tutorial, no tooltips, just hordes of increasingly monstrous enemies spawning in with one single purpose: Make You Dead. That’s all the story Hyperstrange needs to set you loose in this hellish pit. Having a weapon in hand and monsters approaching, you quickly realize exactly what you’re here to do.
Gameplay & Mechanics
Developer Hyperstrange has created a simple, yet addictive game loop: Hunt. Die. Hunt again. You are given a magical crossbow that has three modes; rapid-fire, which shoots an endless barrage of bolts in a straight line when you hold down the left mouse button; Shotgun, which fires in a short-ranged cone that melts anything in front of you, or a heavy rocket, which is aimed by holding the right mouse button, and shoots an explosive rocket with the left click that does a nice amount of splash damage. There are also special abilities to help clear the map of face-eating monsters.
The main goal of CROSSBOW: Bloodnight is to survive as long as possible. During the first two minutes, you’ll quickly notice the repetitive pattern to which enemies spawn and, once you get used to it, hitting this time mark becomes easy. However, enemy spawns will then begin to randomize, quickly filling the map with increasing numbers of shambling corpses, bloodsucking bats, and lightning-fast werewolves. It doesn’t take much to die in this game: one or two hits from the weaker enemies will easily end a run. Anything other than that is an instant one-hitter-quitter, so make sure to take advantage of dashing and bunny-hops.
Aesthetics & Sound
For a $3 game, the graphics are just what you’d expect. They’re not bad, but they’re not slap-yo-mama good either. Hyperstrange made them just good enough to telegraph what type of enemy you’re dealing with, their attack patterns, spawns and weaknesses (if they have any). The stage is set to a Castlevanian courtyard that offers plenty of room to move around. The music and sounds are simple, and get the point across: Just enough to set the tone.
Summary
CROSSBOW: Bloodnight is a game that does just enough to be a game. It’s got okay graphics, an okay game loop, and just enough of a competitive incentive to keep you coming back for more. In fact, that was the only reason why I continued to play the game after the first 10 minutes: I just wanted to see how far I could get on the leaderboard. And that’s okay! The fact that CROSSBOW: Bloodnight is just game enough to hold my attention makes it worth the time. Definitely a game that can be played while waiting for something to download or update.
6/10
Check Out the CROSSBOW: Bloodnight Trailer:
CROSSBOW: Bloodnight is available for $2.99 for PC via Steam.
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Steam Review
As the (self-proclaimed) King of Casuals, I'm always seeking out new titles to play and experience across all platforms. Eventually, I have ambitions to take the many different styles of this medium to create titles that will wow the masses in fresh, innovative ways.
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