In recent times, there’s been a recent trend of indie games or smaller titles trying to stand out by billing themselves as “non-violent.” Considering how big more wholesome games have become, it does make sense, even though non-violent games have been around since the days ofTetris.As such, it isn’t just enough to be non-violent, a game needs to be able to apply an absence of violence to a genre in a unique way. So there’s a bit of a challenge in creating a non-violent action game, and 3D Realms and developers Point N' Sheep definitely offer up something unique withBloodless,a game built entirely around non-lethal combat built around counters and defenses while telling a story about the cycle of violence. Basically, it puts a spin on the genre and a further spin on non-violent action, and it winds up as a unique gem because of that.
Bloodlessis the story of Tomoe, an older female ronin who finds herself heading back to the land of Bakugawa after years of being absent. Things haven’t exactly taken a turn for the better since they’ve left, with their previous master, Shogun Akechi, now ruling with an iron fist. To make matters worse, upon arrival, Tomoe isn’t exactly welcome upon arriving in Bakugawa, with all of the residents making it clear that she’s racked up quite the negative reputation, and even family like her own nephew is working for Akechi. Indeed, as Tomoe tries to help out everyone and fight back, it becomes clear that she’s done some horrible things in the past before leaving and has to confront her own demons…
Not a Drop
The gameplay inBloodlessis that of a top-down…well, it has the main features of a soulslike (an emphasis on slower fights with tough enemies, fires to revive health it, a gourd you refill at these points that acts as the way to heal), but given the atmosphere and cited influences, let’s call it aSekiro-like. Combat here works much differently, though. As Tomoe has sworn to never take a life again because of her past actions, instead she uses a unique counter-dash technique that, when struck as the enemy is attacking, will disarm them. Either that or use their ki attacks to try and weaken foes until you can take them out with a single dash (or at least end their first phase).
Bloodlessmanages to wind up hitting that perfect gameplay loop for an action game for something close to aSekiro-like, one where you start out with standard enemies and counters and start to feel like you can easily tackle this. Soon, though, trickier enemies are introduced, and frustration begins to initially set in as you lose to them again and again. But somewhere along the way, you begin to spot the hints of a pattern. Each new enemy or group foes becomes a puzzle, one where you try to figure out the way to have your enemy reveal their opening for a counter-dash, or ponder if you can find a way to stun them with ki attacks. And like any good video game puzzle, it’s challenging yet fair, providing you with an immense amount of satisfaction upon figuring out how to take down an opponent.
Danse Macabre
There’s a terrific amount of tension as you face down each enemy, with things becoming a bit of an intricate dance as you wait for them to move and you to learn. Some have red attacks that you may’t counter, some attack multiple times in a row, and each type has their own unique weapons and maneuvers, with even more elite versions of enemies using different strategies. And unsurprisingly, the boss encounters are a massive highlight with expertly-crafted battles. Thankfully, Tomoe has unlockable upgrades at their disposal to be purchased with mannen back at the main hub’s tea house, or additional ki techniques to learn via various quests, such as completing each area’s dojo. Not to mention crests that can be equipped, allowing for bonuses such as being able to drink tea faster or dash into boulders in order to hit an enemy for more ki damage, which helped this writer get out of some jams.
Bloodless Makes For Killer Non-Lethal Action
Developer Point N' Sheep’s upcoming action/adventure game Bloodless is shaping up to be something unique, especially with its combat.
So there’s a ton inBloodlessto experiment with, working towards whatever approach works for you, but despite coming off as rather imposing at first, what really makesBloodless’gameplay work is the elegance in its simplicity. When you get right down to it, a lot the game simply boils down to one button and the ability to master countering, making things a true test of timing.And as mentioned back in the preview for the game,typically I’m not a fan of parrying mechanics in similar games, but it felt like a dream here. Every attack has a telltale gleam that gives you just enough information to let you know what’s about to happen and how you should react. It’s a smaller, more modest-sizedSekiro-like, and it appropriately has simpler gameplay, yet it still feels just as meaty and challenging.
Pixel Art That Strikes Hard
Despite being a smaller game, though,Bloodlessstill has a good amount of side content to work with, from side quests to hidden collectibles like more crests, and idols that allow for bonus arenas with challenges that be undertaken as much as you want for more mannen or points for skill tree upgrades. Exploration is certainly encouraged here, and if the collectibles and upgrades don’t do it for you, then maybe want to see as much of the gorgeous scenery as possible. The pixel art visuals here are breathtaking, with the Game Boy Color palettes being an absolute treat, shifting perfectly with each new location (or even character or mood if needed). The monochrome character designs stand out perfectly while still allowing for a lot of personality, while the scenery has an immense amount of detail and perfectly captures the feel of feudal Japan. And of course, it’s all topped off with a great ambient soundtrack.
Speaking of the story and characters, they’re also another highlight as well. There’s a nice mystery going on as to why Tomoe is disliked so much and what exactly happened to make Bakugawa the way it is now and it all plays out expertly. Avoiding spoilers, at least one moment came across as devastating, conjuring up rather horrific images in this writer’s mind. And yet there’s surprisingly a decent amount of levity that comes from some of the secondary character dialogue, especially some of the villagers you can talk to. And it never feels like a jarring tonal shift; things feel perfectly balanced. It comes across as people doing their best to try and get through tough times, making the land come to life.
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If there are any issues withBloodless,it would be that it does sometimes throw in a combination of enemies and/or environmental hazards that can get annoying. As mentioned before, most of it is fair, and traps like spiked logs or pressure plates that cause kuani to be shot out that can put up a good challenge. But then you get something like several groups of ninjas all in a row, all who pretty much fight with projectiles and can easily turn the game into a bullet hell once multiple of them are in play. And then combine that with some bamboo trees in the area that you can bounce off of when dashed into accidentally, and whose stumps even remain afterwards to get in the way, and things can feel cheap on occasion. The only other flaw that comes to mind is the small amount of fast travel points (which you have to pay to activate). Yes, it’s a smaller game, but even getting to these points could feel like a pain. Still, they felt like a mere minor annoyance in an otherwise terrific experience.
Closing Comments:
Bloodless’unique counter-based approach to combat not only helps it come off as rather unique in a crowded genre, but the beautiful simplicity it creates with its non-lethal approach eventually gives way to a deeper layer of complexity as you face off against trickier foes in stellar showdowns. The world of Bakugawa is a delight to interact with and an absolute feast for the eyes, but the duels it contains are what make this a truly special game, and one not to be missed out on. It’s the most fun you can have in aSekiro-style game without drawing a single drop.
Version Reviewed: PC
In the land of Bakugawa, ronin Tomoe finds herself facing her past and going up against a samurai army, using her signature dash-counter technique to take them all on without spilling a drop of blood.
