Review: Bleed

While idling around the Steam store, staring whistfully at the parade of choice titles the summer sale was dangling in front of my face, I happened across this little gem. 

It was cheap. Very cheap. Cheap enough that my wallet started to sing its swang song, because I knew there was literally no way I could hold out against both the price AND the premise – A kickass woman who plays dirty fighting her way to the pinnacle of video game heroism by murdering the opposition. 

Beautiful. I nearly shed a tear.

Wryn assembles her hit list of has-beens and its up to you to help her take out her targets.

Combat is fluid – it would have been considerably more so for me if I’d had the sense to plug in my game pad – and intensely satisfying. Ammo isn’t an issue, and you can fly through the levels with guns blazing and glory as you take out waves of innocent mooks who just wanted to enjoy their retirement in peace.

In Story Mode, if you happen to be taken out, Wryn will offer an inspiring message and kick your sorry butt back into the game. If the idea of unlimited attempts at success bother you, you can try Arcade Mode where you only get one shot at success. 

I, uh, stuck with Story Mode.

This game is hard, and it has no issues with mocking your failures thanks to a nifty grading system the likes of which I haven’t seen since the last time I played Sonic: Rush. That game did more damage to my teenage self-esteem than the jeers of a thousand peers, and I was immediately inundated with flashbacks to that painful time the instant the first ‘D’ grade was handed out. 

The story is quirky and entertaining, and Wryn is a glorious anti-hero with delusions of grandeur. The art style is endearing and the music is face-paced and really fits with each level. 

Pick it up while it’s on sale, and have fun with this indie gem of a game. I’m giving it seven out of ten.