Blood West

The game does feel pretty indie/low budget (in a good/charming way), but has a great atmosphere, soundtrack and sound effects. Plays like a simpler Thief game, with some ImSim elements, serviceable shooting and some RPG mechanics like an XP/skill system and shops. My two main issues are that; -The sound effects for enemies doesn't seem to take into account height, meaning you may hear something behind you that's actually on the floor above for example. I am playing on Linux so it could be Wine/Proton related, but worth noting -Controller support looks fine at first, but the inventory management can be a PITA with the item selection being seemingly random at times. Not a deal breaker but a pain point nonetheless. While the game is on the more pricey side, I would recommend at least trying it as it is in my opinion quite charming and really good at what it's trying to do!

I'll say it right off the bat; I love Blood West! Blood West is reminescent of a bright, wonderful time in gaming that I miss. Before the constant yearly sequels of games that are essentially the same game with a new coat of paint over and over again, before the broken AAA releases that require Day 1 patches to fix problems that should have been ironed out LONG before release. The Indy gaming scene today seems to be where the most interesting titles are coming from. Not to mention, where the chances are being taken - chances that AAA companies will rarely risk due to the massive budgets their games tend to have. Along comes Blood West; a game that graphically looks like a game that could have come out during the days of Quake 2, or Half Life 1. (Just one of its many charms, in my opinion.) The game elicits a feeling of nostalgia even though its new. You are a Wild West Outlaw who died, and is brought back to life by strange Native spirits. They have tasked you with tracking down and destroying the source of the evil blight that has taken over the region. On your quest, you will battle innumerable horrors, and loot valuable treasures in a wild west that has become host to monsters and evil spirits. The gameplay mixes fast paced shooting mechanics, and stealth - many have made comparisons to the legendary Thief games in regard to the stealth mechanics. (In fact, the voice actor who played Garret from Thief is voicing the hero here.) There is an inventory system that has similarities to Diablo, your own stash, and a light RPG aspect that allows you to level up and upgrade your skills. The game, at the beginning, is difficult, and you will die, often. But stick with it and you will be taking out monsters like a champ as you level and gain better weapons. You will meet other living denizens of the west you will have to help out, and trade with to survive. Blood West is one of my favorite releases of 2023, I HIGHLY recommend it. -Would be longer limited writing space.

2023 has seen the indie shooter move from the run-and-guns we all know and love to more complex offerings; the System Shock remake, Forgive Me Father and now Blood West are showing that more open-ended games are possible on a budget. Far from becoming a poor man's Caleb, the player effectively becomes Clint Eastwood's High Plains Drifter, cleansing the land of evil. The story is just as I have described it. There's nothing ground-breaking about it but then it shouldn't have to be; it serves the purpose of introducing the world and gameplay loop. Blood West takes its gameplay cues from...well, Blood. Ammo is scarce, the enemies are tough and the environment is unforgiving. Then the game throws a few immersive sim elements into the mix; a simple but effective stealth system can make the hardest kills easy when done right, charms and items looted from the dead (or purchased in shops) augment skills or prevent debilitating Curses upon death and there is an upgrade system in place that can further augment a particular playstyle. Blood West wears it's design cues on its sleeve without apology to make a fun and tense play session. The graphical presentation is the tried-and-tested pixelated style; depending on taste this can be a mood enhancer or a game killer. During my playthrough I found that enemies were scarce on the map; while this did make encounters tense it was strange to go from place to place on the map and encounter almost no resistance. As well, enemies can be shot near their allies, die and yet no one will react because I took the shot in stealth mode. (Last time I checked a Winchester rifle is not silent.) These complaints are minor at best when compared to the the asking price and the definite care placed into making this game a standout. This game may not be perfect but it's clear that this was made with passion on a budget. It runs without a hitch, plays as good as it looks and won't break the bank. You live again; make sure that Evil does not.

Is the boomer shooter phase finally over? I can't say, but games like Blood West and Gloomwood prove it should be. What was a interesting nostalgia driven dive back into mindless shooting and 90s graphics has became a plague of boredom while games that evolved the fps like System Shock 2 and Thief were seemingly ignored despite being exactly why we left boomer shooter games behind. It wasn't CoD that killed the boomer shooter it was genuine story telling with interesting gameplay systems and interactivity with the worlds we inhabited. Also Stephen Russell is the voice actor here. There is no reason you shouldn't be buying this game right now.