CROSSBOW: Bloodnight

About

CROSSBOW: Bloodnight is a single player arcade shooter game with a horror theme. It was developed by Hyperstrange and was released on September 24, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Crossbow: Bloodnight" is a first-person shooter game that takes place in a sprawling, procedurally generated city. Players take on the role of a vigilante armed with a powerful crossbow, using stealth and precision to take down enemies and survive the night. With a range of upgrades and customization options, players can tailor their playstyle to their liking in this intense, fast-paced action game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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73%

Audience ScoreBased on 324 reviews

gameplay20 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

Fast-paced gameplay that is addictive and encourages players to keep trying for higher scores.
Satisfying combat mechanics with a variety of enemy types and a unique crossbow with multiple firing modes.
Great gothic aesthetic and atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.

Repetitive gameplay with limited content, featuring only one arena and a small number of enemy types.
Sound design issues make it difficult to track enemy spawns, leading to frustrating deaths.
The game lacks depth and progression, making it feel shallow after a short playtime.

gameplay
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
64%
7%
The gameplay is characterized by a repetitive loop with limited content, primarily featuring two similar maps and a straightforward combat system that can feel cheap and floaty. While the mechanics are generally tight and responsive, and the visuals and sound design are praised, many players find the experience lacks depth and variety, leading to a sense of boredom despite some fun mechanics and frantic action. Overall, it appeals to fans of arena shooters but may not satisfy those seeking more complex gameplay.
- “The gameplay is emulated well here, from its fast-paced attack lineup to its frantic multidirectional incoming threats, enough to keep you glued to the screen with the 'just one more' itch arena shooters are known for.”
- “Its simple gameplay loop is balanced and engaging; Hyperstrange has concocted a pleasant dose of action for all to enjoy.”
- “Intense gameplay, great controls, and pace.”
- “The gameplay loop is extremely repetitive.”
- “Cheap and floaty feeling gameplay, plus the only two levels in the game are the exact same map.”
- “Absolutely infuriating how much feedback the player receives when the enemies shamelessly spawn at all corners, constantly restricting you & in ever increasing numbers with extremely cheap mechanics.”
graphics
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
46%
7%
The graphics of the game have received generally positive feedback, with many players appreciating the beautiful aesthetic, solid visuals, and well-crafted art style, particularly the Lovecraftian and gothic elements. While some noted minor glitches and a lack of depth compared to similar titles, the overall impression is that the graphics meet or exceed expectations for a game of its price point, contributing to an engaging gameplay experience. However, a few critiques highlight that the visuals can sometimes hinder gameplay clarity, impacting the overall enjoyment.
- “Graphics are good, sound design and controls are good, gameplay is quick and frantic, the Lovecraft-ish style and gothic background music is great, and the game runs very solidly.”
- “With spine-chilling visuals and audio, this action game offers a blood-pumping blend of horror, skill, and relentless challenges.”
- “Shakes up the Devil Daggers formula with just enough new ideas to feel fresh while not messing with what works, then drenches it in a gorgeous gothic aesthetic.”
- “Usually when I play and then review games, the primary reason I simply can't recommend the games to other gamers is not due to the core game concept, but because the developers did a bad job creating the game, typically through substandard/low quality game assets, graphics, and so on.”
- “Here the sound is nearly useless, the visuals are a lot less informative, the mobs don't move in a way that's manageable, the hurtboxes are too big, and many enemies are bullet-spongy.”
- “I realize it's an art-style decision, but it's actually impacting gameplay a fair bit more than you'd think.”
story
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The game's story is minimal and poorly developed, primarily conveyed through a brief splash screen at the start, leaving players with a lack of narrative depth. Reviewers note the absence of a compelling plot, repetitive gameplay, and limited enemy variety, which detracts from the overall experience. Many express a desire for a more engaging story, suggesting that the game could benefit from a narrative expansion in the future.
- “You’re dropped into a gothic nightmare with a single weapon and one mission — survive the endless night.”
- “ epic story”
- “That’s all the story hyperstrange needs to set you loose in this hellish pit.”
- “There is no story.”
- “The game has no story, is extremely repetitive, lacks enemy variety and has only two maps.”
- “It's a nice setup, but other than a splash screen explaining the setting and what's happening, there's not much of the story.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
56%
19%
The music in the game is described as having a dark, gothic vibe that effectively sets a creepy and atmospheric tone, enhancing the overall experience. While some players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to convey mood, others find it generic and lacking in variety, suggesting that it may not be sufficient for all gameplay scenarios. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance, though it may not stand out as exceptional.
- “The dark gothic vibe and soundtrack create a solid first impression.”
- “Lovely feeling, great climate and amazing music.”
- “The ambient music offers a somewhat 'creepy' or 'sinister' tone, which fits.”
- “Soundtrack isn't up to snuff, so I recommend shoving on some metal and letting rip.”
- “And here are the downsides - just a shallow story that is not developed further, just one weapon and one arena with very simple design, low number of enemies, exponentially increasing difficulty, repeating the same actions again and again, absence of upgrades or power-ups, generic music and sounds.”
- “Despite the soundtrack, I can't actually tell how injured I am.”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
11%
33%
The game's atmosphere is praised for being immersive and intense, particularly during frantic combat scenarios, creating a sense of overwhelming excitement. While some players note that it lacks the distinctive style of similar titles like Devil Daggers, the overall aesthetic and variety of enemies contribute to a compelling experience. However, the blending of enemies with the environment can make them harder to spot, adding a layer of challenge to the gameplay.
- “Combat feels great and the atmosphere will get overwhelming when things get frantic in a good way; it's very similar to Devil Daggers.”
- “Excellent atmosphere and a variety of enemies to fight with.”
- “Great dark atmosphere.”
- “Also, some of the enemies blend in more with the atmosphere and look of certain maps, so sometimes it's harder to see them.”
- “The game delivers on atmosphere and speed, but sadly, it runs out of depth fast.”
- “Although it doesn't have the distinctive atmosphere and art design that Devil Daggers had, it is still as fun and immersive, and the new mechanics like dashing and heavy attack make the gameplay more diverse.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The game offers a solid gameplay loop and high replayability, primarily driven by leaderboard challenges. However, players note that the experience can become repetitive over time, particularly due to the lack of opportunities to learn enemy mechanics without dying and the chaotic nature of enemy spawns.
- “A really straightforward FPS game with a good gameplay loop and a significant amount of replayability!”
- “High replayability.”
- “Late game replayability comes mostly from trying to climb the leaderboard as high as possible, though at some point it does become very repetitive.”
- “The lack of opportunity to understand the mechanics of an enemy without dying to it immediately is a huge detriment for replayability, and the decision to structure the game as escalating spam spawn structures with little rhyme and reason also leads to another problematic aspect.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game enjoyable initially, particularly due to mechanics that allow for farming resources and fast-paced movement. However, the repetitive nature of replaying the early stages becomes tedious over time, especially for those aiming to climb leaderboards, leading to a decline in overall enjoyment.
- “Fun for about 10 minutes unless you enjoy grinding leaderboards for high scores.”
- “After a while, replaying the start feels tedious.”
- “Fun casually, but grinding the game competitively to climb the leaderboard gets boring quickly.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
The game's optimization is commendable, with well-optimized graphics and no significant bugs reported, showcasing the developers' potential. Users have noted impressive performance metrics, achieving 3000 fps in menus and 200 fps during gameplay on a 5700xt.
- “The engine seems optimized well enough, offering 3000 fps in menus and 200 fps in-game on a 5700 XT.”
- “The game graphics, optimization, and absence of serious bugs show the potential of the developers.”
- “The performance issues make it hard to enjoy the game, even when the content is good.”
- “Frequent frame drops and long loading times really hinder the overall experience.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its quirky elements, such as a funny crossbow, which adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay. Despite being a budget title at just three dollars, some players feel it receives undue criticism, suggesting that its comedic aspects contribute positively to the overall experience.
- “Cool arena shooter with a funny crossbow; I would recommend it.”
- “It's funny in a game like this, which is just 3 dollars, that it gets the hate that it does.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a sense of emotional tension and frustration in the game, as the high stakes of instant death from minor mistakes, like accidentally touching a bat nest, create a thrilling yet anxiety-inducing atmosphere. This intense gameplay experience heightens the emotional engagement, making each encounter feel significant and impactful.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features appealing graphics, but users have reported occasional glitches that affect stability. Overall, it remains an enjoyable experience despite these issues.
- “The game offers some nice graphics, although there are some ugly glitches here and there; it is pleasant all the same.”