Bloodshore

71%
Game Brain Score Based on 247 reviews
  • story
  • humor
  • gameplay
Bloodshore Game Cover
While the narrative might be a little predictable, for its low price, great acting, and endless replayability, Bloodshore is a must-play for those looking to delve into the world of FMV.
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"Bloodshore" is a single-player action game with a good plot and plenty of humor. As a washed-up actor, you must fight for survival in a televised battle royale on Bloodshore Island, where decisions matter and can lead to different paths and outcomes. With 8 hours of FMV footage and relationship tracking, the game offers a unique and engaging experience for players. Wishlist "The Isle Tide Hotel" on Steam for more information.

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Reviews

71%
Audience ScoreBased on 247 reviews
story31 positive mentions
gameplay4 negative mentions
  • The game offers a fun and campy experience, reminiscent of B-movie action films, with engaging twists and a humorous tone.
  • There are multiple endings and choices that can significantly affect the outcome, encouraging replayability.
  • The production quality is decent for an FMV game, with good cinematography and a soundtrack that fits the theme.
  • The choice and consequence system is inconsistent, often leading to arbitrary outcomes that diminish the impact of player decisions.
  • The game lacks a proper save system, forcing players to rewatch lengthy scenes after making different choices, which can be frustrating.
  • The acting and writing quality vary significantly, with some performances feeling amateurish and the dialogue often being cheesy or nonsensical.
  • story108 mentions

    The story of the game is a mixed bag, with many reviewers finding it decent yet familiar, often likening it to popular films and shows like "The Running Man." While some appreciated the humor, character dynamics, and plot twists, others criticized the linearity and lack of meaningful choices, leading to a sense of predictability and shallow character development. Overall, it offers an entertaining experience for fans of interactive narratives, but may not satisfy those seeking a deeply original or impactful storyline.

    • “The characters are a hilarious mix of the desperate and deranged, and the plot twists are wilder than a reality show elimination.”
    • “Bloodshore is an awesome FMV, it has an amazing story, with amazing twists along the way. Wales Interactive makes the best FMV games without a shadow of a doubt.”
    • “The story is good, a sort of remake of The Running Man, and with all the choices you can replay it several times.”
    • “The overall plot is predictable nonsense and the characters are stupefyingly shallow and irritating.”
    • “The story is pretty nonsensical and the acting is spotty, but it’s a B- maybe even C-list action movie.”
    • “The whole thing feels mostly uncomfortable, with shallow romance options and for the most part fairly meaningless choices in a story it’s hard to care about.”
  • humor18 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a blend of dark, absurd, and cringe-worthy elements, often eliciting laughter through its outrageous characters and plot twists. While some players found it entertaining and enjoyed the comedic interactions, others criticized it for being cheap and lacking depth. Overall, the game successfully balances humor with serious moments, making it a mixed bag of hilarity and discomfort.

    • “The characters are a hilarious mix of the desperate and deranged, and the plot twists are wilder than a reality show elimination.”
    • “But in this one, every choice created entirely new variations on the scene with funny comments, character interactions, and eventful new moments.”
    • “Some funny bits and it doesn't take itself very seriously, kind of reminds me of Robocop or something, a semi-satirical send-up of ultra violence.”
    • “The humor feels cheap and unoriginal, lacking any real wit or cleverness.”
    • “It's unpleasant and unfunny, missing the social and moral points that could have made it engaging.”
    • “Overall, the jokes have no replay value and fall flat, leaving a disappointing impression.”
  • gameplay13 mentions

    The gameplay is primarily choice-based, typical of FMV games, but suffers from a poorly implemented skip scene mechanic that leads to repetitive viewing of previously seen content. While it offers multiple endings and some replayability, players have noted continuity issues and a generally unengaging cast, making it a middle-tier entry in the anthology series. Overall, the experience is marred by mechanical flaws and a lack of fresh content in repeated scenes.

    • “It was middle-of-the-pack for this anthology series of FMV games: probably not the best they made but superior gameplay options to the inferior games.”
    • “Being an FMV, gameplay is also a simple concept and revolves around you selecting choices when they’re offered at various intervals.”
    • “Gameplay is short at roughly 1 hour and 30 minutes, but there are several different endings adding to replayability.”
    • “On the first two gameplays it doesn’t bother me, but on the fourth it does. There’s no new information in these scenes; the only difference is the path chosen, and I did not like that.”
    • “In previous games they had that, but they massively messed up on the skip mechanic, so you had to sit and watch 80% repeats between new content.”
    • “So far, the worst FMV I have played, with a generally unlikeable cast, a bad skip mechanic when it comes to re-watching already-seen footage, and some continuity issues.”
  • graphics8 mentions

    The graphics in the game are generally praised for their slickness and quality, particularly in the context of its FMV format, which enhances the immersive experience. However, some users feel that the overall aesthetic can come off as cheap and tacky, which may detract from the game's appeal despite fitting its thematic elements.

    • “The graphics are slick, and the action never stops.”
    • “Being an FMV, graphical fidelity is a question of the quality of the footage, and in Bloodshore, it's mostly good.”
    • “The whole game felt uncomfortably cheap and tacky, which in part works because it suits the nature of the show it’s set in, but there are scenes we see that aren’t broadcast to TV.”
    • “Being an FMV, graphical fidelity is a question of the quality of the footage, and in Bloodshore it's mostly good.”
    • “Paired with the graphics to simulate the same effect, this is actually the most successful part of the game for me.”
  • music8 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its fitting 80s synthwave vibe that complements the dystopian theme and reality TV aesthetic. While some players enjoyed the soundtrack and found it engaging, others felt it fell short compared to previous titles and noted issues with sound mixing during gameplay. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, though it may not meet everyone's expectations.

    • “The game was great with nice special effects and a good soundtrack, and the story was gripping, too.”
    • “The soundtrack has this 80s vibe that perfectly fits the dystopian modern world of 'Bloodshore'.”
    • “I love the synthwave music; it kept me hooked throughout the game and made me want to replay it to see the other outcomes.”
    • “The game soundtrack fits the theme of a tacky, for-the-masses reality TV show well.”
    • “Bloodshore is set in a dystopian modern world, but for some reason, the style of TV shows and ads we see looks like they are from the early eighties; even the soundtrack has this 80s vibe.”
    • “The soundtrack is a bit less than what I was expecting from having played 'The Complex' and 'Late Shift'.”
  • optimization7 mentions

    The optimization of Bloodshore has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the engaging action and story, while others criticized the inconsistent quality of the actors' performances and the unrealistic portrayal of firefights. Overall, the game's optimization appears to be hindered by a lack of experienced actors, leading to a disconnect in immersion during key moments.

    • “Despite all the odds, Bloodshore is overall a good game with lots of action and twists, offering a successful change for a few hours on a cold and wet November day.”
    • “I enjoyed the actors' performances and played through multiple times to find out more about the story.”
    • “The acting was generally passable with some performances being way over the top.”
    • “They had no experience in shooting guns, so a lot of firefights lacked recoil, the blood looked overly fake, and the performances of the actors weren't all on par.”
    • “They behave exactly as you would expect, and the inexperienced actors really ham up their performances for the sake of fulfilling these tropes to their fullest.”
    • “Tedious, uninspired performances and a terribly annoying host.”
  • replayability6 mentions

    The game offers some replayability through multiple choices and paths, allowing players to explore different outcomes, but it can be completed in about 90 minutes, which some reviewers feel diminishes its overall value. While there are opportunities for varied experiences, opinions vary on the depth and enjoyment of replaying the game, with some finding it lacking in substance. Overall, it has mild replay value, but may not justify its full price for all players.

    • “If you want to play a survivor-like game and see how it would play out if you made the decisions, I highly recommend it to be a fun couple of hours with replay value in seeing the different paths you can take on the journey.”
    • “You can tell they wanted some replayability to this game.”
    • “There are multiple paths/endings as is typical for this genre, so it's replayable to a small extent, and you can make it even funnier.”
    • “However, even though there is replayability with multiple choices, the game can be finished in 90 minutes or so, so definitely not worth the full price tag.”
    • “There are multiple paths and endings, as is typical for this genre, so it's replayable to a small extent, and you can make it even funnier.”
    • “Cheap, unoriginal, unpleasant, unfunny, missing social and moral points, and have no replay value.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    The game elicits a range of emotions, featuring heart-wrenching moments and dark humor, though some players find the story and characters lacking depth, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite its emotional impact, the limited interaction and perceived high price may leave some feeling underwhelmed.

    • “Other than that, nice game with a sense of dark humor and heart-wrenching moments, almost like PUBG, but with a story and bits of emotions thrown in.”
    • “So little interaction and such a boring story with boring characters is, alas, not worth a thumbs up, because the price is too high for what you receive.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of "Bloodshore" is criticized for feeling more like an advertisement than a game, with its retro aesthetic and soundtrack reminiscent of the early 80s, which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Unfortunately, this is just an advertisement.”
    • “The monetization strategy feels more like a cash grab than a fair system for players.”
    • “The constant push for in-game purchases detracts from the overall experience.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere is generally considered good, but the lackluster performances of the actors hinder players' ability to fully immerse themselves in the survival game experience and connect with the characters.

    • “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive and draws you into the world.”
    • “The game's environment creates a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps you on edge.”
    • “The sound design and visuals work together to create a truly captivating atmosphere.”
    • “The poor performances of the actors prevent players from immersing themselves in the atmosphere of survival games and connecting with the characters.”
    • “The lack of environmental detail makes the world feel lifeless and detracts from the overall atmosphere.”
    • “The soundtrack fails to enhance the mood, leaving the atmosphere feeling flat and uninspired.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and uninspired, particularly when it comes to achievement farming, where even minor differences can hinder progress. Additionally, the presence of an annoying host further detracts from the experience.

    • “For achievement farming, this is especially true; even subtle differences can stand in the way.”
    • “Grinding feels tedious and uninspired, making the experience frustrating.”
    • “The repetitive nature of grinding becomes terribly annoying over time.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Users have reported issues with stability, specifically experiencing screen freezes during certain choices in the game. Despite attempting various troubleshooting methods, some players have found these solutions ineffective.

    • “The screen freezes when I make certain choices, and I've tried several troubleshooting methods, but nothing is working for me.”
    • “I experienced frequent crashes during gameplay, which really disrupts the experience.”
    • “The game often lags and stutters, making it difficult to enjoy the content.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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Critic Reviews

60% average critic score

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