Bloodshed: Everything We Know

Do you ever miss the good old days of old-school shooters with their pixelated graphics and fast, intense action? Well, Bloodshed brings that retro feel but gives a new spin to it. Mixed with roguelite mechanics and survival gameplay, the game gives you that look but in an exciting new way. You’ll be dodging bullet after endless wave of enemies in this video game, and even if you die, you can still improve and upgrade your character to get stronger. This is one exciting game to watch if you love fast-paced shooters with some retro charm to them. But what else can we really expect? Here’s everything we know so far about Bloodshed.

What is Bloodshed?

According to developers, Bloodshed is described by the developers as “a fusion of Roguelite elements merged with retro-styled visuals and first-person “Survivors-like” combat action.” Here, in this new game, the player finds himself in the midst of a brutal world, depending on skill, quick decision-making, and constant adaptation for survival. The action remains fast-paced and unrelenting as the players repel wave after wave of enemies in a desperate effort to survive the night.

At the heart of Bloodshed are its roguelite mechanics. The player makes his runs where he battles enemies, earns experience, and gathers currency with the aim of improving his chances in subsequent runs. So basically, all of those playthroughs feel different, with new challenges emerging as the game is meant to get tougher. To survive longer will require smart choices and strategies within the upgrades and power-ups gained along the way.

Visually, this game goes full-fledged retro style, so it’s great to get that nostalgic atmosphere while still playing out smooth, modern gameplay. The contrast between pixelated graphics and frenetic combat is quite striking, so it’s a unique mix of old-school aesthetics and frenetic action, and it puts Bloodshed in a very special place both in terms of the roguelite and FPS genres.

Story

In Bloodshed, players are thrust into a nightmarish world where the fate of humanity hangs in the balance. A short distance away from the action is the malevolent Cult which aims to resurrect an ancient deity, an act that would bring about the apocalypse. As a survivor, you battle through relentless waves of undead, demons, and cultists. Indeed the stakes are high because if Cult succeeds, the world as we know it is going to plunge into chaos and destruction.

Gameplay

Bloodshed is a roguelite – the best from the subgenre of roguelites along with fast action in FPS. The real challenge here is survival from hordes of cultists, demons, and undead while fighting through levels with amassed experience points, which can be spent on new weapons and abilities. You’ll even keep all the money that you’ve generated from the runs and spend it buying permanent upgrades which will make future runs easier and more rewarding.

The game will feature various playable characters with their unique abilities and playstyles. This means that you can change heroes during the game and find out which one suits your playing style. Some are fast, agile, while others are much stronger but slower. You will expect to change your pace, tactics, and strategy with every wave, and enemies will be as diversified in their skills and modes of attack.

Moreover, upgrades are part and parcel of Bloodshed’s gameplay. Every successful or unsuccessful run, where you spend, earn, and perhaps die, you spend the money you’ve gained on permanent upgrades that make you stronger and keep you alive for longer in subsequent runs. You also complete optional objectives to unlock new skills and features, adding even more depth to the game. The system makes every run relevant, since you are always making progress, even after defeat.

In addition to this, graphics will be retro-style, while the action is fast and modern. The player will battle through several environments against tougher enemies as progress is made. The corresponding soundtrack will also change with each intensity of action to intensify the experience. And with visceral combat and cool gore effects in every battle, the player will enjoy the raw blood-bath action in the game.

Development

Com8com1 is developing another great piece called Bloodshed, with Headup handling its publication. The team has been diligently working to attach retro visuals with fast, intense combat to make for a really unique roguelite experience in FPS. Their approach is actually making the game exciting for replay and very progressive, and let each player improve every time they play. Currently, you can add the game to your wishlist and try the demo of this game right now on Steam.

Trailer

The trailer is short, yet pretty exciting; it gives us the first taste of Bloodshed’s fast-paced FPS. We view intense battles, retro-style graphics, waves of enemies, so we are going to have an idea of what to expect from this game. It also throws light on the key features and dark world you’ll navigate through. So if you haven’t seen it yet, make sure to watch the trailer above!

Release Date, Platforms, and Editions

Bloodshed will hit Steam Early Access for PC in Q4 2024, though the exact launch date remains unconfirmed. The information shared so far does not state any special editions or if the game has a plan for releases on other platforms. As with most Early Access titles, new features and updates will roll out based on player feedback as the game evolves. Well, we’ll keep you posted as more info comes out. To catch the latest scoop, you can also follow the Headup Games’ official social media account here.

So, what do you think? Also, what are you most excited to see in this roguelite FPS? Let us know on our socials here!