Blood Nova

About

Blood Nova is a single player puzzle game with fantasy and science fiction themes. It was developed by CosmicVoid and was released on October 5, 2022. It received positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

In Blood Nova, Princess Love and her best friend Kel are stranded on an interstellar lighthouse after conspirators try to prevent Love's ascension to the throne of the peaceful Velayan Empire. They must expose the threat and save the empire in this modern point and click adventure game, set in a unique science fantasy universe.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 115 reviews

story50 positive mentions

character development2 negative mentions

The game features beautiful pixel art and a captivating color palette that enhances the overall aesthetic experience.
The story is engaging and well-written, with a gripping narrative that includes strong character arcs and themes of political intrigue.
The music is exceptional, creating an immersive atmosphere that complements the gameplay and enhances emotional moments.

Some puzzles can be frustratingly obtuse, requiring players to resort to walkthroughs due to a lack of clear in-game hints.
The main character may not be likable until later in the game, which can detract from the initial experience.
The game is relatively short, with some players feeling that it could benefit from more content or a longer playtime to fully explore its rich world.

story
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
54%
3%
The story is a captivating blend of grand space opera and personal coming-of-age narrative, featuring a spoiled princess who uncovers a deadly conspiracy on her journey to coronation. While the writing is praised for its wit and emotional depth, some reviewers note the linearity and lack of dialogue choices as drawbacks. Overall, the game is lauded for its rich world-building, engaging characters, and a well-paced plot that keeps players invested throughout the experience.
- “The story tells the tale of a spoiled princess traveling to her coronation to become the empress of a galaxy-spanning empire, who stumbles upon a deadly conspiracy and is forced to become the heroine and save the day.”
- “The writing is witty and strong, the story itself is very well paced.”
- “Blood Nova is a masterpiece of aesthetics, world-building, character design, character writing, and story.”
- “The story is a little facile and derivative, and it strains credulity that the protagonist is simultaneously flighty enough to be oblivious to the circumstances and grounded enough to solve all the puzzles required to advance the action.”
- “At some point, I had to resort to a walkthrough to continue, mainly because I could no longer bother exploring and clicking on everything, as the big onscreen text and general weirdness of the plot became unbearable.”
- “It was also weirdly off-putting to have the game story present itself so seriously, but the dialogue sometimes sounded like it was written by a rebellious teenager breaking the fourth wall.”
music
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
70%
25%
5%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers highlighting its emotional depth, memorable melodies, and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere. Several players noted that the soundtrack is so impressive that it stands out as a highlight of the experience, with some expressing a desire to purchase it separately. While most feedback is positive, a few users found the music irritating, but overall, it is regarded as a significant strength of the game.
- “The true highlight of the game is a soundtrack that I would pay a great deal of money to have a copy of.”
- “What really stands out is the music that features some cool and memorable melodies; the soundtrack is worth buying on its own.”
- “The music really stands out.”
- “The music made the whole experience especially aesthetically pleasing.”
- “There was more than once that I just took a break from playing and let the music loop a few times because it was a real banger.”
graphics
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
29%
6%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a retro pixel-art style that effectively utilizes a limited color palette, creating a visually appealing aesthetic reminiscent of early 90s point-and-click adventures. While the graphics feature static screens with minimal animations, they are well-drawn and contribute to the game's immersive atmosphere, complemented by strong character portraits and diverse settings. Overall, the visuals are praised for their charm and consistency, enhancing the storytelling and emotional experience of the game.
- “The game is done in a retro-style first-person view, with pixel-art graphics using a limited color palette but to maximum effect: character portraits are nicely drawn, and the designs of the screens make them appear quite realistic.”
- “The graphics are well drawn, and I liked the very consistent palette of the ship interiors that switched between a tad bit claustrophobic abandoned spaceship rooms and more lush garden settings.”
- “Very good pixel art graphics, with a style emphasizing a few strong colors, interesting and slightly disturbing locations, and nice character portraits.”
- “The graphics are static screens with minimal animations, similar to old graphic adventures, but with a point and click interface.”
- “Blood Nova is a throwback to early 90's and even late 80's graphical point & click adventure games but with a modern design on both theme and gameplay.”
- “Graphics, music, sound, are all fine for a retro pixel adventure.”
gameplay
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The gameplay of Blood Nova is a nostalgic nod to early 90s point-and-click adventure games, featuring a modern design and engaging puzzles within a concise 3-4 hour experience. While some players appreciate the worldbuilding and find the gameplay enjoyable, others feel it lacks replay value and may only appeal to those willing to step outside their comfort zone. Overall, the game offers good value for its price, especially for fans of the genre.
- “Gameplay length is on the shorter end, expect something around 3-4 hours without any major stuck points, and for the offered price it’s well worth it.”
- “Blood Nova is a throwback to early 90's and even late 80's graphical point-and-click adventure games but with a modern design on both theme and gameplay.”
- “The puzzles and gameplay are good.”
- “I played it once and am glad it's over. I will never play it again and cannot in good conscience recommend it to anyone -- unless you are willing to take a big risk and step out of your comfort zone: if you download the demo (by the way, great for providing that!) and realize that the first couple of gameplay minutes are your cup of tea, then you might be able to take the plunge.”
- “Gameplay length is on the shorter end; expect something around 3-4 hours without any major stuck points, and for the offered price, it’s well worth it.”
- “So much of cool worldbuilding and story packed just in about 3-4 hours of gameplay.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The game is praised for its immersive and epic atmosphere, characterized by a strong aesthetic and fantastic music that enhances its futuristic and eerie vibe. While the storyline is linear and lacks dialog choices, the engaging writing and compelling world setting contribute to a highly enjoyable experience. Overall, the atmosphere is a standout feature, making it a vibe-heavy game that resonates with players.
- “A very vibe-heavy and atmospheric game.”
- “Storyline is linear to the extreme and there aren’t even any dialog choices, but the writing is good, world setting and atmosphere are nothing short of epic, story is engaging and the main protagonist just kicks ass.”
- “Also, fantastic music - creates a futuristic eerie atmosphere.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with many praising the witty and emotional dialogue that enhances character personalities and narrative flow. However, some players find certain comedic elements jarring and express a desire for better lore tracking in future installments. Overall, the humor is a standout feature, with memorable moments that elicit genuine laughter.
- “However, the dialogue itself is great; funny, emotional, and relates the personalities of the characters while keeping the story moving.”
- “I think I consulted a guide once (in the puzzle involving a humorous alien animal, which made me laugh pretty hard), although I'm not sure if I'm being honest with myself here.”
- “> Great humor.”
character development
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
50%
33%
Character development in the game is criticized for being rushed, offering only brief insights into characters' motivations before they undergo predictable betrayal or redemption arcs. Additionally, the character design is seen as lacking depth, resembling mere photos of ordinary people with superficial sci-fi embellishments. However, some praise the overall character writing and story within the broader context of the game's aesthetics and world-building.
- “Blood Nova is a masterpiece of aesthetics, world-building, character design, character writing, and story.”
- “Everybody's character development happens in fast-forward, and you only get the tiniest glimpses of what motivates them before the inevitable betrayal or redemption arc.”
- “Character design was weak as it just looked like photos they took of normal people and then they added sci-fi-looking adornments to them.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its engaging and humorous dialogue that effectively conveys the characters' personalities while driving the story forward. Reviewers highlight its strong emotional core, noting that it creates a touching experience, especially during interactions with the development team and the inclusion of heartfelt easter eggs. Overall, the emotional depth enhances the gameplay experience, making it memorable and enjoyable.
- “However, the dialogue itself is great; funny, emotional, and relates the personalities of the characters while keeping the story moving.”
- “Trippy sci-fi with a great emotional core.”
- “I started talking with one of the team members who seemed really nice, and then all of a sudden I found myself playing all of part 2 with most of the team alongside me, giving me little tidbits and even a really touching easter egg they included.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious due to the absence of a toggle to highlight interactable spots, leading to frustrating "hunt the pixel" scenarios where essential interactions can be easily overlooked. This design choice significantly detracts from the overall experience.
- “The game really suffers from the lack of a toggle to flag interactable spots, similar to the golden idol. The 'hunt the pixel' mechanic becomes tedious very quickly, and some mandatory interactions are really easy to miss.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews do not provide specific insights into the stability of the game, focusing instead on urging support for the studio. As such, there is insufficient information to assess the game's stability.