Blood Bowl

About

Blood Bowl is a single player and multiplayer role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Cyanide Studios and was released on October 11, 2012. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Blood Bowl: Chaos Edition is a strategy sports game inspired by the Warhammer Fantasy world, where players can choose from 23 races, including Chaos Dwarfs, Underworld teams, and Daemons of Khorne. The game allows for tactical gameplay, with the option to use dirty moves like bribing the ref or using illegal weapons. The Chaos Edition also includes a new Lizardmen Stadium and a World Cup mode for even more challenges.

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79%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,996 reviews

graphics34 positive mentions

stability32 negative mentions

Faithful adaptation of the tabletop game with a variety of teams and strategies.
Engaging gameplay that combines strategy with chance, providing a unique experience.
Fun and humorous commentary that adds to the overall enjoyment of the game.

Frustrating RNG can lead to unfair outcomes, making it difficult for new players to succeed.
The AI is often seen as lacking, leading to a less challenging single-player experience.
Bugs and glitches can disrupt gameplay, including crashes and issues with player formations.

graphics
108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
49%
20%
The graphics of Blood Bowl are generally considered outdated, with many reviewers noting that they lack the polish seen in newer titles like Blood Bowl 2. However, some players appreciate the game's charming, cartoonish aesthetic and find the visuals adequate for gameplay, especially on lower-end hardware. Overall, while the graphics may not impress, they do not detract significantly from the fun and strategic depth of the game.
- “The game offers some nice graphics and a beautiful aesthetic which is pleasant all the same and has some amazing attention to detail even though it is a little rough around the edges.”
- “There is a surprisingly deep strategy in this game, and the charming graphics do not detract from the spectacle (I actually like the cartoony graphics of this game much more than Blood Bowl 2's 'realistic' graphics).”
- “Blood Bowl: Chaos Edition's graphics are perfectly suitable for what it is trying to achieve and generally looks visually pleasing and adds a fair amount of detail into the surroundings and units; for a game made in 2009, you definitely can't complain.”
- “It has resolution problems and after adjusting them, the graphics look ugly and there are still strange flickering near the models of the players.”
- “Poor graphics and bad optimization.”
- “Yes, the graphics aren't that great, yes, there is a big randomness factor for a hardcore turn-based strategy, and yes, some races are extremely below the curve.”
gameplay
108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
57%
13%
The gameplay of Blood Bowl is a mix of strategic turn-based mechanics and dice rolls, offering a unique blend of sports and tactical gameplay that can be both fun and frustrating. While many players appreciate the depth and humor, they also note significant issues such as poor AI, bugs, and a steep learning curve that can detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, the game remains engaging for those who enjoy its quirky adaptation of the tabletop experience, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its repetitive nature and reliance on chance.
- “The gameplay is easy to get, easy to have fun, hard to master.”
- “Blood Bowl is an excellent turn-based strategy game that can provide many hours of fun and exciting gameplay.”
- “It looks nice, the gameplay is really fun and addictive and the career mode is amazing; you'll really get attached to your team and players.”
- “Although I like the concept and the humor in the game, the number of bugs related to gameplay, sound and music, or even cut commentaries is staggering and takes a lot from enjoyment.”
- “The premise is great, the announcers are the life of the game, but the mechanics, the awkward AI, and the lack of reward for your troubles absolutely destroy the fun for me.”
- “There isn't a tremendous amount of strategy, the RNG is terrible, the graphics poor, and the gameplay repetitive and boring.”
humor
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
97%
3%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with many players finding the commentary and setting to be both creative and hilarious. While the repetitive nature of the announcers can be a downside, the overall comedic atmosphere, combined with the game's chaotic and unpredictable nature, leads to many memorable and funny moments. Players are encouraged to embrace the game's absurdity and enjoy it with friends, making it a fun experience despite its challenges.
- “The setting is creative and funny, and the game itself is stimulating.”
- “Great atmosphere, hilarious commentary, good ol' blood bowl.”
- “If you enter it with the expectation that it will be funny and a catastrophe, then you'll probably have a good time.”
- “The game is good, but only in board game format. The video game is not funny, so I will not buy the new Blood Bowl and I uninstalled this one because I can't play solo.”
- “The humor in the video game falls flat compared to the board game, making it less enjoyable for me.”
story
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
58%
18%
The story mode in Blood Bowl 2 has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it more akin to a challenging tutorial than a traditional narrative experience. While some appreciate the underdog themes in the campaign mode, others criticize the story mode for its difficulty and lack of clear instructions, leading to frustration. Overall, players seem to prefer the competitive aspects of the game, particularly in online leagues, over the story-driven content.
- “Campaign mode is the best underdog story you'll ever see (with your team as the underdog) and story mode will test you to the point you rage quit over and over.”
- “Story mode is very different as you're a free-agent coach who coaches teams that need your expertise.”
- “Also ready for your enjoyment are one-shot tournaments organized by yourself in competition mode, one-shot games called exhibition matches, a tutorial for new players, and a story mode which has you playing with various famous teams over the course of a career as a coach.”
- “Worst of all is that it promises a story mode, but that story mode is more of a challenge mode... one with absurdly difficult challenges to boot, as you basically need every single roll to go your way on offense and, at times, for the AI to immediately score so you can get the ball back because your team is a bit weak at forcing fumbles.”
- “Can't even get past the second match as goblins in the story mode; I've been stuck here for 2 hours... gee, what a great game.”
- “One might accept that story mode is in fact the true tutorial, since the first mission is simply to finish a game, regardless of win or loss, as though testing a player's patience for the slow, laborious plodding of the computer.”
stability
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely criticized for its severe stability issues, with numerous reports of crashes, bugs, and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. Many users express frustration over the lack of fixes and updates, suggesting that the game feels incomplete and poorly executed. While some players still find enjoyment in the core mechanics, the overwhelming consensus is that the game's instability makes it difficult to recommend, especially to newcomers.
- “Selling such a buggy game and never bothering to fix anything should be considered a scam.”
- “This game is a buggy mess that doesn't even let you place all of your players on the field at the start of the match, constantly crashes, and sometimes the AI opponent will just sit there and let its turn clock run out instead of playing the game.”
- “Sadly, the game crashes and glitches quite regularly.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The music in the game is generally described as decent, but it suffers from repetitiveness and a lack of variety, leading some players to turn it off in favor of their own background music. While the commentary is humorous, it quickly becomes stale due to limited dialogue, and technical issues such as music stopping or the game freezing detract significantly from the overall experience. Overall, while the sound effects are appreciated, the music and commentary need more depth and stability to enhance enjoyment.
- “Commentary is hilarious, music is decent and sound effects.”
- “Music is good.”
- “Game music is likewise utilized and during the matches there is a duo-presentation by two dudes who sadly will have run out of new things to say after you've played a few matches.”
- “Although I like the concept and the humor in the game, the number of bugs related to gameplay, sound, and music, or even cut commentaries is staggering and takes a lot from enjoyment.”
- “I've had the game freeze on me like 7 times in 3 days and just today the music stopped working. I know it's not my PC as it's relatively new. I'm really disappointed because I've been waiting to play this for years.”
- “They really need a lot more lines of dialogue, as it did not take me long to turn off all sound except in-game sounds (collisions, blocks, and crowd) and just play some music in the background.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
42%
8%
The game boasts exceptional replayability due to its diverse team selection, multiple rule sets, and various gameplay modes, including single matches and campaigns. Players appreciate the strategic depth and unique tactics each team offers, making every playthrough feel fresh and engaging. Overall, it is regarded as one of the highest in replay value among games.
- “The different team variety is excellent, and gives this game a ton of replayability.”
- “This game has one of the highest replay values I have ever seen in a game.”
- “There is depth, replayability, 2 sets of rules, many different kinds of games you can play from a single match to a campaign, and so on.”
- “There is depth, replayability, 2 sets of rules, many different kinds of game you can play from a single match to a campaign, and so on.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by its cheesy charm, engaging sound design, and vibrant graphics, which collectively enhance the fantasy football experience. Players appreciate the wacky commentary and the variety of venues that contribute to a lively environment, making it enjoyable for both online and AI matches. Overall, the atmosphere is a significant draw, providing a fun and immersive backdrop for strategic gameplay.
- “Great atmosphere, hilarious commentary, good ol' blood bowl.”
- “I think that many gamers will get much enjoyment from its wacky atmosphere, the simple but enticing strategy game and the progression of their team and players from game to game and season to season.”
- “You can play online or against the AI, in lots of different venues that all create their own great atmosphere.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly when starting out, as they struggle to draft effective teams and navigate challenging matchups. The repetitive nature of battles, especially against certain factions, contributes to an overall sense of annoyance and slows down the gameplay experience.
- “Tedious and annoying.”
- “Very tedious and just overall not fun.”
- “To sum it up, the playability of this game is tedious, slow, and annoying.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional depth of the game surprisingly profound, often leading to intense feelings of attachment and loss, especially when invested in their teams. While the strategic elements enhance the experience, the potential for devastating outcomes can make the game emotionally challenging and even crushing at times.
- “The emotional and strategic depth in this game is unlike anything I've experienced.”
- “You would never think a game like this can make you so emotional.”
- “I recommend it, but be warned this game is not easy to play, and can be emotionally crushing if you get invested in a team only to have your star players get killed by a blown dice roll.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's optimization is criticized for not adapting to modern technology and design standards, resulting in performance issues and gameplay elements that can lead to unexpected deaths and significant shifts in gameplay. Reviewers note that the outdated design flaws remain unaddressed, impacting the overall experience.
- “Keep in mind it's a long time ago that the game was made and this is the exact same just digital, meaning the flaws of the old design are still here and nothing has been optimized for our current tech/design knowledge.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the character development in the game, noting that it is enjoyable and enhances their skills as they progress and level up.
- “The character development is incredibly engaging, allowing for meaningful growth and skill enhancement as you level up.”
- “I love how the character development is tied to gameplay, making each level-up feel rewarding and impactful.”
- “The depth of character development adds a layer of fun, as you can truly see your skills evolve over time.”