We’d normally refuse to review a game with a hashtag in its title, but #BLUD is ultimately worth writing about. This is a top-down action adventure with a superbly realised aesthetic, evoking strong Cartoon Network vibes. If you’re a fan of the highly stylised shows that helped define the 90s and 2000s for many a millennial, then #BLUD’s visuals could carry the entire experience across its 12-ish hour runtime.
You play as Becky Brewster, an especially plucky girl who’s just about to get started at a new school. But her first day on campus quickly goes to sh*t when vampiric energies are unleashed, plunging the small town of Carpentersville into chaos. Fortunately, Becky’s got vampire-slaying blood in her veins, and armed with an all-powerful hockey stick, she sets off to smite the undead menace.
#BLUD takes place across a series of maps that cover the school, town, and a bunch of dungeons that exist below ground. It’s pretty much a traditional Zelda game in terms of structure, as you steadily gain access to new tools that have uses both in and out of combat. There’s some slightly tedious backtracking every now and then, when your objective isn’t immediately clear, but overall, its manageable runtime results in a decently paced release.
Fights are fairly basic to begin with, but unlocking and upgrading your abilities eventually leads to a nice difficulty curve, where encounters get more and more complex without feeling convoluted. That said, there are some arenas that feel cheesy when it comes environmental hazards — the kind that’ll have you questioning how you were ever supposed to avoid such dangers without prior knowledge.
Thankfully, the game’s boss battles are a highlight — despite some questionable hitboxes. #BLUD’s at its best when its challenge is derived from precisely-timed dodges and clever use of your abilities — and clashes with big baddies tend to bring these elements to the fore.
#BLUD’s not without its drawbacks. Quest objectives can seem vague, the combat takes a while to really get going, and its dungeon design teeters into tedious territory at times. But fun boss fights, a good sense of humour, and an absolutely killer art style can make you forget all about the missteps.