Battle Bruise
- May 3, 2017
- Zanardi and Liza
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"Battle Bruise" is a chaotic action game where you fight off hordes of enemies on a shifting, corpse-filled battlefield. The Arcade mode challenges you to survive against countless foes, while the Car Defense mode has you defend your vehicle with turrets. With around 5 classes of weapons and 5 distinct enemy types, including a final boss, the game offers a healthy dose of mayhem, accompanied by a soundtrack by Txai inspired by the Pothead Zombies series.
Reviews
- The game is fun and addictive, reminiscent of classic arcade shooters with a unique corpse piling mechanic that adds depth to gameplay.
- It features a charming art style and a great soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience.
- For its low price, the game offers a decent amount of content and replayability, making it a worthwhile purchase.
- The camera can be shaky and not smooth, which may cause discomfort for some players.
- The game is relatively short and lacks depth, with limited enemy variety and no endless mode.
- Some gameplay mechanics, like the car defense mode, can feel unbalanced and frustrating at times.
- gameplay33 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 24 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its addictive and chaotic nature, featuring unique mechanics like terrain deformation and a "corpse pile-up" system that adds depth and replay value. While the fast-paced action and nostalgic feel are praised, some players note a lack of variety in enemies and balance issues, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the game is considered a fun and engaging shooter, particularly for fans of the genre.
“The game features a unique gameplay style that involves fighting through swarms of enemies while navigating changing terrain.”
“The game's messy and chaotic gameplay is what makes it unique and enjoyable.”
“Gameplay is tight and frantic, music is great, lots of weapons and upgrades.”
“But all in all, the gameplay is what people are here for, and it's not here.”
“The only good thing about this game is the pile of bodies mechanic.”
“Gameplay consists of 2 main modes with several levels and 2 different weapon sets: a main campaign with three waves per level and a car defense mode with 8 waves per level.”
- music19 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its quality and dynamic nature, enhancing the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the impressive soundtrack, which evolves with gameplay, and commend the composer for creating engaging tunes that complement the fun and frantic action. Overall, the music is described as a standout feature that adds significant value to the game.
“The game's soundtrack, by txai, is inspired by the Pothead Zombies series and adds to the overall experience.”
“Great gameplay, good art style, and the soundtrack is fantastic!”
“The tunes sounded basic at first, but as more zombies flood the battlefield, they kick it up a notch, bringing out guitars, keyboards, etc. It's not often you find a game with dynamic music, especially from a 1 dollar game.”
“Oh yeah and for bonus points, the art is interesting and the music isn't half bad.”
“The game's soundtrack, by txai, is inspired by the pothead zombies series and adds to the overall experience.”
- graphics19 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and appealing art style, often described as hand-drawn or reminiscent of punk aesthetics. While some users noted that the visuals can be basic or have minor technical glitches, the overall impression is that the art complements the gameplay and enhances the overall experience. Many players appreciate the game's distinct look, which feels both nostalgic and fitting for its theme.
“I love the punk aesthetic and the cat is hella rad looking!”
“I absolutely love the art style and am drawn to even making fan art~”
“The visuals seem to be taken straight out of some downtown graffiti, and that's pretty cool - it fits with the awesome soundtrack very much!”
“The sloppy marker art style seemed kind of off-putting at first, but it totally fits with the theme.”
“The visuals are pretty basic with a nice art style.”
“Granted there are a few technical glitches, but it never distracts from the game and I love the aesthetic.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its over-the-top antics, such as a comedic character yelling during power-up pickups and a car defense mode that combines absurdity with fun. Players find the humor to be both hilarious and addictive, enhancing the overall enjoyment of the gameplay experience.
“There's also a car defense mode, where you sit on a car throwing rocket turrets all over it and laughing to the bank.”
“Very funny and addictive!”
“Fun, addicting, hilariously crazy rage-action well worth its price!”
- story4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game emphasizes resilience and the unpredictability of life, highlighting the importance of perseverance in the face of challenges. Players appreciate a narrative that fosters a sense of teamwork and emotional investment in allies, contrasting with games that lack depth and engagement. Additionally, environmental elements and interactions contribute to the overall storytelling experience, enhancing immersion and strategic gameplay.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“X-Wing Alliance was great even when I went on missions and my allies did everything... because you felt part of a team. It made you care for the people around you, made you want to steal their kills or help them or keep them alive and check their health points, all while focusing on the mission and impressing them. It didn't matter that the game was rigged so the mission would end in success sometimes.”
“It's dumb; if the game plays itself and there is no story or sense of world or environment, then it fails.”
“The story lacks depth and fails to engage the player, making the overall experience feel hollow.”
“The narrative is disjointed and confusing, leaving players feeling lost and disconnected from the game world.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users have noted that enabling vsync at the video driver level can significantly improve performance, although there are indications of some non-optimized code affecting camera movement in the game. Overall, optimization appears to be a mixed bag, with potential for smoother gameplay through adjustments.
“I think what might be happening is some slightly non-optimized code which moves the camera when the cursor is moved.”
“By ensuring vsync was enabled on the video driver level, I was able to smooth out the performance quite a bit.”
“Unoptimized”
- grinding2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be enjoyable and rewarding, particularly for farming purposes. The process is described as simple and engaging, avoiding the pitfalls of being overly tedious.
“Simple but not tedious.”
“The grinding feels rewarding and keeps me engaged.”
“I love how the grind leads to meaningful progress in the game.”
“The grinding in this game feels endless and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I spent hours grinding for resources, but the rewards just aren't worth the time invested.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding in this game quickly becomes a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that while the game has some technical glitches and occasional bugs, these issues do not significantly detract from the overall experience. The stability is generally acceptable for a budget title, though some players anticipate potential repetitiveness over time.
“I'm sure this will get repetitive after a while, but it is a dollar game and every game does after a while. It was a little buggy; I couldn't shoot for the first couple of times playing.”
“Granted, there are a few technical glitches, but they never distract from the game, and I love the aesthetic.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the character development for its stylish design and impressive art direction, highlighting the overall quality and aesthetic appeal of the characters.
“The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form a genuine connection with each character's journey.”
“I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making their growth feel authentic and rewarding.”
“The backstories and personal arcs of the characters are well-crafted, adding layers of complexity to the overall narrative.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the "corpse mountain" mechanic, highlighting it as a significant factor that contributes to the game's replayability. This feature encourages multiple playthroughs, suggesting a rich and engaging experience that invites players to return.
“I love the 'corpse mountain' mechanic and can see a lot of replay value in the game.”
“The variety of choices and outcomes keeps me coming back for more.”
“Each playthrough feels unique, thanks to the different paths and strategies available.”
