Bloodthief

About

Bloodthief is a single player hack and slash game with fantasy, medieval, historical and dark fantasy themes. It was developed by Blargis and was released on September 22, 2025. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Bloodthief is an ultra-fast melee dungeon-runner where you use momentum to parkour through hazardous dungeons and brutally slash through enemies. Speed-run through haunted crypts and castles and learn what dark secrets lie beneath. Featuring 30 main levels + secrets / extra levels 20 collectable weapons with unique perks Over 100 secrets Custom User Maps via Steam Workshop Compete with …

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97%

Audience ScoreBased on 787 reviews

gameplay54 positive mentions

grinding7 negative mentions

Exceptional, fluid, and satisfying movement mechanics with a high skill ceiling that feels rewarding to master.
Well-designed levels that encourage exploration, speedrunning, finding secrets, and offer multiple routes.
Addictive gameplay loop with tight controls, exhilarating speed, and intense combat that keeps players engaged.
Strong replayability supported by leaderboards, ghost races, collectibles, unlockable weapons, and a level editor.
Great atmosphere with retro-inspired visuals, an impactful soundtrack, and cohesive thematic presentation.
Respectful and responsive development by a solo developer with continuous updates and community engagement.

Later levels shift to heavy combat and enemy spam, which some players find frustrating and less enjoyable compared to early speed-focused sections.
Certain difficulty spikes and mandatory time score requirements can lead to repetitive grinding and player fatigue.
Occasional inconsistencies with mechanics such as wall-running, air-dash targeting, and checkpoint placement affect flow and accessibility.
Some players feel the level design becomes stale or rushed towards the end, reducing overall quality and pacing.
The progression system requiring grinding of prior levels to unlock new content may discourage casual or less skilled players.

gameplay
117 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
51%
3%
The gameplay is fast-paced, fluid, and highly addictive, centered around smooth, momentum-based movement and combat mechanics that reward skill mastery and speedrunning. While most praise its tight controls, varied mechanics, and engaging level design, some note frustration due to inconsistent mechanics, punishing segments, and level design that occasionally hampers flow. Overall, it offers a satisfying challenge with deep replayability for players who enjoy precision, speed, and mechanical depth.
- “The core gameplay is almost perfect; all of your abilities chain together incredibly well and let you feel powerful without being boring or overpowered.”
- “The mechanics, secrets, and numerous weapons are all very fun and well balanced, making the experience constantly engaging.”
- “The game introduces mechanics one by one to ensure you don't get overloaded, and if you aren't quite understanding something, you can simply replay a level.”
- “Some movement mechanics—especially wall-running—can occasionally feel inconsistent, and certain level segments demand such exact timing that frustration becomes part of the learning process.”
- “Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against a challenge, I spent most of the demo getting the higher level badges, it's just more frustrating when I'm fighting against the mechanics and flow of the game rather than using them to my advantage.”
- “The lack of accessibility for non-speedrunners, combined with the slightly inconsistent mechanics and a somewhat tedious level design, makes it a tough sell to a broader audience.”
music
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
36%
5%
The music in the game is widely praised for its high-energy, dark electronic and synthwave soundtrack that perfectly complements the fast-paced gameplay and retro aesthetic. Many reviewers describe it as a "banger" that enhances the adrenaline rush and atmosphere, making the experience more immersive and memorable. Though a few find it occasionally generic, the soundtrack is overall regarded as a standout element that drives excitement and replayability.
- “The soundtrack contributes heavily to the game’s atmosphere, mixing dark electronic beats with rock-infused energy that fuels the game’s rapid pacing.”
- “Pair it up with certain Doom-style sections where you must kill all the enemies in an arena while going ultra fast chaining combos, boss fights, and a kick ass dark electronic soundtrack, you have yourself an incredibly exciting, dopamine rushing experience.”
- “The music and atmosphere are excellent, lots of secrets to find that change gameplay.”
- “I think the music sounds a little bit generic, and not always as impactful or grand as it could be.”
- “It feels a lot more like montage music than action music.”
- “- Music and mood are daunting.”
graphics
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
37%
8%
The game's graphics feature a charming, retro-inspired art style reminiscent of PS1 and Quake-era visuals, which many players find memorable and fitting for its fast-paced, gritty atmosphere. While the visuals are generally simple and occasionally inconsistent or overly flashy, they are well-optimized and complemented by a strong, synth-wave soundtrack that enhances the overall aesthetic. Most reviewers appreciate the unique, stylized graphics as a perfect match for the gameplay and genre, valuing atmosphere and style over high-end polish.
- “The art style is unique but quite charming and memorable, and the game is still regularly updated with bug fixes and features.”
- “The graphics have that early 3D charm and everything oozes with style, with incredibly tight controls and fun gameplay.”
- “The visuals are simple, but most levels have their own set pieces, theming, and even soundtrack, which makes them easy to remember.”
- “Aggressively flashy visuals sometimes (this was the first game I've played in a while that made my eyes hurt after a long time playing).”
- “Graphics-”
- “Aesthetics are unimportant.”
story
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
53%
12%
The story in the game is generally light and mostly conveyed through brief blurbs, artefact descriptions, and level intros, serving as a subtle backdrop rather than a focal point. While some players appreciate its dark fantasy setting and the context it provides, others find it minimal or unnecessary, valuing the game's emphasis on fast-paced movement and gameplay over narrative depth. Overall, the story complements the experience without overwhelming it, adding intrigue for those interested while allowing players to focus primarily on the action.
- “This game combines my love of hack-n-slash movement games with story-rich games.”
- “The story was a complete surprise; I didn't really expect one, but it's in here and does a good job of providing context for the levels and tying them together.”
- “The story also helps provide context to the levels and ties them together, which is all a nice bonus you wouldn't necessarily expect in a retro quasi-FPS.”
- “There isn't too much of a story, mostly in short blurbs between levels, and in artifact descriptions.”
- “The story leaves a lot to be desired.”
- “Honestly, it would have been better with absolutely no story and just a fun playground.”
replayability
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game offers exceptional replayability driven by addictive mechanics, challenging yet fair gameplay, and a strong emphasis on mastering levels through speedrunning and discovering secrets. Its high skill ceiling and diverse playstyles provide endless opportunities for improvement and varied experiences, making it highly engaging for players who enjoy refining routes and competing on leaderboards. Overall, it delivers great value with numerous hours of fun beyond the initial playthrough.
- “The speedrun component adds a huge amount of replayability, and all the levels are places you will enjoy revisiting to improve your times.”
- “It’s a title that rewards dedication, and for those who click with its philosophy, it offers hours of replayability as you strive to perfect routes and conquer its most demanding challenges.”
- “Great replayability, addictive mechanics, enough challenge to keep you on your toes but not so brutal that it feels impossible (except in a couple of levels lol, but it's all good fun).”
optimization
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
45%
22%
The game is generally well-optimized, offering smooth combat and performance that caters to precision platforming and melee combat enthusiasts. Some players note occasional stuttering and input delay issues in specific areas, but overall, it runs better than many AAA titles. However, the heavy emphasis on repetitive time optimization can feel punishing to some, suggesting that making such challenges optional could improve accessibility.
- “The game preserves enjoyment for hardcore/time optimization players without locking out casual players.”
- “Performance was pretty much perfect for me on release day.”
- “The game is well optimized, with smooth combat and good performance.”
- “At this point, I've gone from a fluid, joy-filled, delightful movement hack and slash game to a punishing, hyper-repetitive, scoreboard optimization game.”
- “- The fact that it basically requires us to restart the map depending on the severity of mistakes, making checkpoint reset redundant when time optimization is the goal.”
- “Game so far feels really fun, although it does seem to be a lot more unstable compared to the demo, experiencing a lot of stuttering, as well as increased input delay.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
88%
Grinding in the game is a polarizing aspect: some players find it addictive and enjoy the quick restarts and fast-paced improvement, while others feel it becomes tedious and kills motivation, especially in later levels. The grind appeals mostly to dedicated speedrunners, but its repetitive nature and inconsistent mechanics may deter a broader audience.
- “Combined with the whole grinding for swords, the game just kills the motivation I have to play it.”
- “Also, the later levels begin to feel slower and more tedious.”
- “The lack of accessibility for non-speedrunners, combined with the slightly inconsistent mechanics and a somewhat tedious level design, makes it a tough sell to a broader audience.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its dynamic blend of dark electronic and rock-infused music that enhances the fast-paced gameplay and overall charm. Combined with clever level design, hidden secrets, and a harmonious aesthetic, the atmosphere creates an engaging and replayable experience.
- “The soundtrack contributes heavily to the game’s atmosphere, mixing dark electronic beats with rock-infused energy that fuels the game’s rapid pacing.”
- “There is a lot going for this game: the tight controls that prioritize speed, a surprisingly heavy amount of atmosphere for a game in this genre, clever level design that synergizes well with the established mechanics, good music, a lot of charm in its aesthetic and so on.”
- “The music and atmosphere are excellent, with lots of secrets to find that change gameplay.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users find the game's humor fast-paced, edgy, and genuinely funny, enjoying the unexpected blend of styles that creates an entertaining and amusing experience. Some even appreciate technical quirks, like occasional crashes, as part of the comedic charm.
- “Well, some guy thought it would be funny to combine Ghostrunner with Quake and create this monstrosity of a game, and I absolutely love it.”
- “It's a fast-paced and totally funny game.”
- “Very funny game, I love it.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game runs well on Steam Deck, but on Linux users experience occasional freezes and crashes, with some incidents causing the desktop environment to become unresponsive. Stability issues appear to be inconsistent and setup-dependent.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck.”
- “However, I am having an occasional bug playing on Linux where the game just freezes for a few seconds.”
- “Unfortunately, in my setup Bloodthief regularly freezes and crashes, occasionally taking down the desktop environment with it.”