Plot: What’s it about?
If you’re in the mood for a challenge, then Bloodrayne: Betrayal is just what the doctor ordered. This side scrolling adventure blends hack & slash and platforming, at a high difficulty level. As fans of the series know, Bloodrayne is one bad ass chick, a vampire that wields razor sharp blades like a master. In this game, you can put her varied skills to use, as she has a dash, multiple attack combos, and a life leech technique. This means she has slick moves, brutal combat, and if her health starts to get low, she can feed on her enemies to recover. When you’re on a roll, you’ll carve through enemies and navigate tricky platforms, as Bloodrayne: Betrayal can be quite fun. But while the game starts off with some brisk, not so tough levels, things soon ramp up and if you’re not on your toes, you’ll be dead countless times. I don’t mean hard like “man, I had to try that section twice,” I mean hard as in you’ll need split second perfection to even have a chance to succeed.
I don’t mind a daunting challenge, but this game doesn’t always fight fair. The controls are inconsistent, so the same dash that works perfectly here, will perform differently there. This kind of punishing experience needs sharp, precise controls and sadly, those aren’t present in Bloodrayne: Betrayal. At times, things go off without a hitch, but when you’re reloading for the twentieth time because of inconsistent control response, its hard to overlook the flaws. The concept is great, the combat is fun, and opting for a brutal challenge is great, but without the dead on controls the game demands, it all seems to be for naught. You can still have some fun with the game of course, but expect frustration and don’t assume you’ll see the game to the conclusion. The back and forth nature of loving the experience and hating the controls is bound to send some folks off the deep end. I still think the game is worthwhile to fans of hard as nails games, but a lot of patience is required. I hope we see a similar game down the road, as tight controls would have turned Bloodrayne: Betrayal into a fantastic experience. So if you love a challenge and have the patience of a saint, give Bloodrayne: Betrayal a chance.
Video: How does it look?
This game is beautiful and has a very cool visual design. The visuals are well detailed and refined, so the graphics have a nice polish. The style chosen is a great one, which is good since you’ll often be looking at the same visuals time and again. I really liked the way Bloodrayne: Betrayal looks, it has a great design, the animation is slick, and overall the visuals just shine and draw you in.
Audio: How does it sound?
The sound design is solid, but not all that memorable. I was never annoyed with the music, which is always a good sign. I found the various sound effects to be well done, from the blade slashes to the roaring, spinning blade that chases you down. And trust me, you will hear that spinning blade in your nightmares. All of the elements are passable and no problems surfaced, so while not remarkable, the sound design here is effective.
Supplements: What are the extras?
N/A
