Deathbloom: Chapter 1

About

Deathbloom: Chapter 1 is a single player casual action adventure game. It was developed by Vincent Lade and was released on May 16, 2019. It received positive reviews from players.

"Deathbloom: Chapter 1" is a survival horror game inspired by classic titles, set in the sprawling Bachman Manor. Explore the manor's many rooms, solve puzzles, and uncover cryptic riddles while evading its hostile residents. With a range of weapons and hidden secrets to find, players must unravel the mystery of their mysterious friend "Christina" and the world of "Deathbloom".

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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80%

Audience ScoreBased on 92 reviews

story13 positive mentions

optimization4 negative mentions

The game successfully creates a spooky atmosphere with decent visuals and sound design, reminiscent of classic survival horror titles like Resident Evil.
Gameplay features a mix of exploration, combat, and puzzle-solving that keeps players engaged, with a variety of weapons available to use against enemies.
The story is intriguing and builds suspense effectively, with players eager to uncover more as they progress through the mansion.

The game suffers from significant performance issues, including frame rate drops and poor optimization, which can detract from the overall experience.
Navigation can be confusing due to a lack of clear map indicators and the character's slow movement speed, leading to frustration during exploration.
There are numerous bugs and glitches, including awkward enemy animations and issues with saving progress, which can hinder gameplay.

story
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
45%
10%
The story in the game is a mixed bag, with many players finding it intriguing and well-integrated with gameplay mechanics, while others criticize it for being unpolished and lacking clarity. It draws inspiration from classic horror themes and effectively uses environmental storytelling, though some feel it doesn't break new ground. Overall, the narrative is engaging enough to keep players invested, especially as it sets the stage for future installments.
- “The story reveals itself through your findings and readings, and as far as chapter 1 goes, it borrows the weird themes that Silent Hill 1 explored back then — if you manage to uncover the full plot.”
- “The story is really captivating and keeps my attention while keeping me on the edge of my seat, well written and paced.”
- “Enjoyed the shift in tone as the game progressed from start to finish as the player character gets deeper into the story of the mansion, and I'm looking forward to the sequel now that I've seen the ending.”
- “Sadly, the story is fairly lacking and the game just isn't really breaking any new ground.”
- “It's quite unpolished, the story doesn't make any sense, and it's easy to lose track of what you're trying to accomplish.”
- “The story is the intended focus, which is surprisingly interesting.”
atmosphere
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
33%
11%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its ability to create tension and suspense, with many players noting its spooky ambiance and effective sound design that enhances the overall experience. While some critiques mention issues with sound consistency and graphical rough edges, the game's ability to evoke fear and maintain a gripping mood stands out as a highlight, making it a compelling choice for fans of indie horror games. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a strong point, contributing significantly to the game's immersive and frightening experience.
- “It doesn't focus on cheap jump scares, but instead provides a scary atmosphere and creepy enemies.”
- “There were times in the basement when I kept looking behind me because the music and the atmosphere were getting really tense and I kept getting paranoid and thinking something was behind me.”
- “There are some rough edges graphically and interface-wise, but the atmosphere and storytelling shine through in ways that bigger developers consistently struggle to convey.”
- “Without giving anything away, this first chapter of Deathbloom did an exceptional job at building suspense and creating a frightening atmosphere.”
- “There were times in the basement when I kept looking behind me because the music and the atmosphere were getting really tense, and I kept getting paranoid and thinking something was behind me.”
graphics
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
54%
13%
The graphics of the game are generally described as decent, with some reviewers noting that while they are not extraordinary, they effectively contribute to the game's atmosphere and storytelling. However, there are criticisms regarding performance issues, lack of customizable settings, and the use of recycled assets, which can lead to confusion during gameplay. Overall, the visuals are appreciated for their art style and ability to create a spooky ambiance, despite some graphical glitches and rough edges.
- “The graphics look excellent for a Unity game.”
- “Really enjoyed the art style, paintings, and decor.”
- “Great graphics with a creepy audio set means you're always on your heels.”
- “Sadly, because the graphics are likely made up of recycled assets, it can be really hard to know what to interact with, so expect to fumble around tapping the interact button everywhere to figure out what you should do next.”
- “There are no video options to adjust; you can only select resolution and 3 graphic quality presets.”
- “There are a lot of weird graphical glitches too.”
gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
61%
17%
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its core survival horror mechanics and thrilling levels, while others criticize it for lacking polish, control options, and overall depth. Many reviews highlight the engaging atmosphere and suspenseful moments, but note that the level design can feel overdone and the gameplay may start slow, resembling a walking simulator before ramping up. Overall, it offers a blend of exploration and action reminiscent of classic horror titles, though it suffers from minor glitches and frame drops.
- “A good short survival horror game with good fundamental mechanics: key searching, gun/knife combat, and story.”
- “Deathbloom: Chapter 1 features thrilling levels and gameplay that will not go unnoticed by any gamer.”
- “It is far from polished and contains many minor glitches, but its excellent suspense-building, genuinely spooky scenes, and action-packed gameplay make it stand out from other indie horror titles.”
- “First of all, the game seems to suffer from over-designed levels and under-designed gameplay.”
- “Overall, this game just lacks a lot of polish and care in the gameplay.”
- “The story seemed mildly interesting, but not enough to make me want to trudge through the lackluster gameplay.”
optimization
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
46%
31%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players reporting severe performance issues that render it nearly unplayable, including frame rates dropping to as low as 10-30 fps. Despite promises from the developer for improvements since 2019, no significant updates have been made, leading to frustration among users. Overall, the lack of optimization is a major deterrent, overshadowing any visual appeal the game may have when it runs smoothly.
- “Although the game is very unoptimized, when you get a stable 60 fps, the game looks gorgeous.”
- “My only gripe was that it wasn't optimized for 4K.”
- “A little further optimization would be great.”
- “The developer promised better settings, more options, and optimization in 2019; today is 2024 and nothing was done.”
- “Overall, I cannot recommend this game, mostly due to the extremely poor optimization.”
- “When you're indoors and the framerate keeps dropping to 10 fps, you know you've got some major optimization issues.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to set a captivating and immersive atmosphere, reminiscent of classic Resident Evil titles. Reviewers note the excellent soundtrack enhances tension and ambiance, often blurring the lines between music and sound effects, which contributes to a deeply engaging experience. Overall, the music significantly elevates the game's mood and keeps players on edge.
- “It has great mood-setting music, ambiance, and a thick atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack is nice and it captures the feel of the Resident Evil games very well.”
- “There were times in the basement when I kept looking behind me because the music and the atmosphere were getting really tense, making me paranoid and thinking something was behind me.”
- “I had a lot of trouble trying to figure out what was ambiance/music and what was actual sound effects.”
- “There were times in the basement when I kept looking behind me because the music and the atmosphere were getting really tense, making me paranoid and think something was behind me.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from numerous graphical glitches and minor bugs, leading to a lack of polish and occasional freezing issues. Despite these stability concerns, players appreciate its suspenseful atmosphere and engaging gameplay, indicating potential for improvement in future updates.
- “Unfortunately, this game is riddled with many glitches.”
- “There are a lot of weird graphical glitches too.”
- “The map is hard to follow and my game freezes sometimes.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The humor in the game is derived from the exaggerated and unrealistic animations of opponents, particularly during their deaths, which can detract from immersion. Players find the ragdoll effects and comical movements, such as the "funny Jacob's ladder" effect, to be amusing, adding a lighthearted tone to the otherwise intense gameplay.
- “The humor in the game is top-notch, with hilarious animations that make even the most intense moments feel light-hearted.”
- “I love how the game balances serious gameplay with absurd humor, especially when enemies meet their demise in the most ridiculous ways.”
- “The quirky sound effects and goofy character animations add a layer of comedy that keeps me laughing throughout the game.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players appreciate the game's artistic design and scare elements, but find the grinding aspect tedious and confusing, particularly regarding the saving mechanics.
- “The game has some very good ideas for scares and the art looks great, but the grinding is very tedious and I don't understand the saving system.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
- “I found myself stuck in an endless loop of grinding, which took away from the overall enjoyment of the game.”