Shooting, sneaking and slaying demons in the Wild West: Blood West, a new shooter, has been released on Steam and has received almost unanimous praise
An “American stalker” was released on Steam and GOG.com last week, as one tester of Blood West put it on Valve’s online platform. Following the release, the reviews are “very positive”, as they were during the 22-month early access phase – 91 percent of buyers recommend the stealth shooter with the Western setting.
The launch trailer gives you a quick overview:
What is Blood West and why is it so highly praised?
Let’s take a closer look at (the approximately 2,000 Steam reviews) to find out who the game is suitable for. Players also (at GOG.com) draw an enormously positive conclusion with 4.7 out of 5 stars. Developer Hyperstrange (Postal: Brain Damaged) advertises Blood West with the claim that the shooter offers over 20 hours of gameplay, spread over three scenarios or episodes.
You play a cursed cowboy who is resurrected every time he dies. In the game, you are only out and about at night; the open-world environments can be freely explored and are teeming with the undead and monsters from nightmares and old Western legends.
Although you’ll mainly be operating in stealth and will need to hit the overpowered enemies from behind with a knife or axe, there are also a number of firearms. A perk system allows you to gradually improve your character; Blood West is a rogue-lite game in which death is your constant companion and you lose your equipment when you die.
User min3r95 writes in his review: “A very good, immersive horror first-person shooter with stealth elements.” CultishEncounters also gives it a thumbs up and says: “A mega good game, I’ve had it for a week and already have 28 hours under my belt.” And Ashur Hart’s conclusion is:
“The pixel style is cool and clever. The curvy monsters and NPCs are great to look at, and it’s fun to find your own groove and play style. You can be a super ninja or a clever gunslinger. […] The unique weapons are fun, cool and can change the way you fight “
There are also negative voices, but these are clearly in the minority. Tonera complains: “You are punished for every little mistake that alerts nearby enemies.” And Tokamatsu states after six and a half hours of gameplay:
“The premise and concept are solid, but the overall execution misses the mark. The weapons feel cumbersome and the damage values are very inconsistent. Death is an unnecessary punishment because in addition to losing all the resources used in that playthrough (potions, bullets and temporary buffs), you get a health debuff every third death.”
Have you already played Blood West or are you thinking of buying it for around 25 euros (currently with a 30 percent discount to just under 18 euros on Steam and GOG.com)? If not, what’s stopping you? Let us know what you think in the comments
