Blackwind
- January 20, 2022
- Drakkar Dev
Heavy mechs smashing up alien threats is always going to be entertaining, but just be wary of expecting too much out of Blackwind other than straightforward action with some slight detours.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games StoreBlackwind is a top-down sci-fi action game that puts you in the shoes of a teenager trapped inside a prototype battle armor suit during an alien invasion. Face off against enemies, cut through their ranks, and fight back to stop a planetary invasion.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- Engaging twin-stick shooter mechanics with a variety of combat options including melee combos and upgrades.
- Decent graphics and performance, even on modest machines, with colorful environments and flashy visuals.
- Fun gameplay that can be enjoyed solo or cooperatively, with a rewarding upgrade system.
- Awful camera angles and controls that hinder gameplay, making it difficult to navigate and aim effectively.
- Poor voice acting and a generic, unoriginal story that fails to engage players.
- Repetitive combat and tedious exploration elements, with a lack of meaningful content and variety.
- gameplay13 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 31 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players enjoying the combat mechanics and the fun elements of the top-down shooter, while others criticize it for being repetitive and tedious, particularly in exploration. Issues such as poor camera control and basic puzzles detract from the overall experience, although the combat remains a highlight for many. Overall, while the gameplay offers familiar mechanics, it struggles with execution and variety.
“This is a fun top-down shooter with some interesting new little (but likeable) tweaks and gameplay.”
“It doesn’t set out to reinvent the wheel, but I found its tried-and-tested gameplay set against a sci-fi backdrop quite hard to put down.”
“[Combat is fun, particularly slicing up enemies; the battle frame drone adds diversity to gameplay.]”
“The gameplay is too repetitive and boring.”
“The camera control is super bad and confusing; it's an active detriment to your gameplay.”
“It has actual gameplay, examples of the bad camera and the bad voice acting, and you'll get a good look at what you'd be jumping into.”
- story8 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The story in the game is widely regarded as generic and underdeveloped, serving merely as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a compelling narrative. Many reviewers found it boring and nonsensical, with some noting that it detracts from the overall experience, despite attempts at humor in the voice acting. Overall, players seem to agree that the story is not a significant draw for the game.
“Royal mech story”
“I wasn't going to talk about the story because of how generic and boring it is; it's just something that's there to help move the game along.”
“You won't be playing this for the story anyway.”
“Unbelievably boring offensive capabilities, a nonsensical story, and hilarious voice acting which tries its best to stand out.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics received mixed reviews, with some praising the vibrant visuals and solid lighting effects, while others criticized them as fuzzy and in need of refinement. Overall, the game's aesthetic is described as decent but inconsistent, with some players enjoying the flashy design and others finding it lacking in polish.
“The graphics look great, the sound effects and the music sound good too.”
“Intuitive twin-stick action that's enjoyable solo or cooperatively with a friend, flashy neon visuals and solid voice work, lots of rewarding upgrades and secrets.”
“Graphics are fuzzy and need polishing.”
“Okay-ish graphics.”
“Decent graphics and lighting?”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to repetitive fetch quests and a lack of engaging exploration elements. While smashing objects for experience and health can be enjoyable, the overall experience is marred by unclear progression and finicky controls, especially in the latter parts of the campaign. More diverse content and lore could enhance the exploration and reduce the grind.
“The fetch quests, keys, and unlocking doors are a bit tedious, and there is not a lot to search for while exploring. However, you can smash lots of stuff and gain experience and sometimes health, so that is fun.”
“Unfortunately, the combat mechanics are undermined a bit by the tedious exploration elements.”
“If there were more things to find and more lore to uncover, the exploring would be less tedious.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate its quality and fitting soundscapes, others find it repetitive and lacking variety, which detracts from the overall experience.
“Everything else is pretty good; the mech sounds mechy, the monsters sound like monsters, and the music is pretty good.”
“The graphics look great, and the sound effects and music sound good too.”
“Repetitive music, awkward dialogue, and unvaried landscapes all lead to a pretty lackluster experience that even the fun combat can’t fix.”
“Music is repetitive, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is polarizing; while some players find the voice acting and certain lines amusing, others feel the overall execution is so poor that it detracts from the experience. The nonsensical story and offensive elements contribute to a sense of boredom, though a few good puzzles and interesting combat moments provide some redeeming qualities.
“Unbelievably boring offensive capabilities, a nonsensical story, and hilarious voice acting which tries its best to stand out.”
“Some good puzzles; some interesting combat; some funny lines.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been criticized due to glitches, such as mechs passing through walls during kill-animations, and various bugs affecting gameplay. However, players acknowledge the developers' commitment to addressing these issues and their responsiveness to community feedback since the initial release.
“Sometimes the mech glitches through walls during kill animations.”
“The game suffers from terrible camera issues, bad platforming, an undercooked story, balance problems, and numerous bugs and glitches.”
“While the love and effort put into this game by the developers is evident, there are still significant bugs and glitches that need to be addressed.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is generally well-received, particularly on the Switch, where it delivers decent performance. Players appreciate the effective rollout of abilities and upgrades, contributing to a solid and satisfying combat experience.
“Decent performance on Switch, good rollout of abilities and upgrades, solid satisfying combat.”
Critic Reviews
Blackwind (Switch) Review
Give it like 15 years and there will be a reboot where the mech is a grumpy dad that yells "boy!"
60%Blackwind Review (PS5) – Turbulent Bullet Storm
Related
40%Blackwind Review
After great first impressions showcasing fun gameplay and interesting characters, it quickly becomes a fascinatingly bad example of mech combat, lacking feedback, foresight, and fair play. Unbelievably boring offensive capabilities, a nonsensical story, and hilarious voice acting which tries its best to stand out. Unfortunately, it isn’t enough to stand out.
35%
