Painted In Blood

About

Painted In Blood is a single player action game. It was developed by MadCraft and was released on October 23, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

Painted In Blood is a dark, atmospheric single-player FPS that immerses players in a strange world filled with eerie monsters and intense combat. Featuring sprawling skill trees and vivid environments, it delivers a tightly-paced, skill-driven journey rich in imagination and excitement. The game is a passionate homage to 30 years of FPS gaming history.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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86%

Audience ScoreBased on 81 reviews

graphics13 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game features incredible pixel art and a unique visual style that blends retro aesthetics with modern lighting, creating a captivating atmosphere.
Gameplay combines strategic shooting mechanics with horror elements, requiring players to utilize light and various abilities to defeat enemies, enhancing the overall experience.
The narrative is engaging and emotionally resonant, with a focus on psychological themes that add depth to the gameplay.

Performance issues are prevalent, particularly on lower-end machines, with reports of stuttering and poor optimization despite the game's retro art style.
The gunplay can feel janky and lacks the fluidity expected from a boomer shooter, with some players finding the combat mechanics frustrating.
As an Early Access title, the game suffers from bugs and incomplete features, which can detract from the overall experience.

graphics
29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
45%
10%
The graphics of the game are praised for their moody and atmospheric quality, blending retro aesthetics with modern lighting effects to create a visually stunning experience. While the environments are often described as beautiful and engaging, some users noted that enemy designs could be less inspiring. Overall, the unique art style and atmospheric visuals contribute significantly to the game's immersive storytelling and exploration.
- “It's quite moody and atmospheric, with a gorgeous combination of retro throwback graphics and modern lighting and effects.”
- “This aesthetic is more than superficial decoration; it sets the tone for a game that constantly blurs the line between physical reality and surreal, hand-painted madness.”
- “Great FPS game with some gorgeous visuals, recommend to anyone who likes boomer shooters!”
- “These issues are completely unacceptable, for a game that graphically is worse than a GZDoom engine game.”
- “I got less frames than I would have expected on mid/high settings, but I've not played around with all the graphics options.”
- “Was getting 45-55 fps on highest graphical settings on the deck so this should be potato approved.”
story
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
63%
11%
The game's story is a compelling blend of psychological horror and action, featuring a protagonist grappling with trauma and existential dread in a richly atmospheric setting. Players appreciate the engaging narrative that unfolds alongside the gameplay, with elements reminiscent of classic horror and thoughtful storytelling, while also offering the option to skip story segments for those preferring pure action. Overall, the narrative is praised for its depth, emotional resonance, and integration with the game's visual and auditory design, making it a standout aspect of the experience.
- “However, the story is actually fun to follow on your first playthrough.”
- “I went in with blank expectations and got a more thoughtful, heart-wrenching, and psychological story than I expected, leaving me hungry to learn more in the future chapters.”
- “The story in this game is really amazing; it reminds me of Spec Ops: The Line, actually a little bit.”
- “My use button broke frequently for whatever reason, meaning I could not read the in-game story items, despite the button working on pickups.”
- “The plot revolves around a man being traumatized by war, rotating back to the real world, and losing his marbles.”
- “I also noticed the story felt very similar both in tone and subject matter to the indie horror walking-sim series 'Layers of Fear'.”
gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
57%
12%
Gameplay in "Painted in Blood" is characterized by a blend of fast-paced, kinetic combat reminiscent of old-school shooters, combined with strategic elements and horror mechanics that create a unique tension. Players are encouraged to utilize various powers and mechanics, such as stamina management and light vs. dark combat, to navigate intense encounters, although some horror elements feel underdeveloped. Overall, the gameplay is praised for its addictive nature and artistic presentation, despite some areas needing polish and refinement.
- “So far so good - I am really enjoying the gameplay and visual style.”
- “The game design heavily encourages the player to engage with all the mechanics, so make sure to use the powers, flashlight, and slow motion because otherwise the lightning-fast combat may overwhelm you, especially in the hostile zones where the combat truly shines and the remarkable soundtrack kicks in.”
- “I love how the game merges atmosphere, story, and action-oriented gameplay into one great experience.”
- “The horror elements, although promising, sometimes feel less fully formed than the combat systems—a result of the sanity mechanic not yet reaching its full potential.”
- “The gore and gameplay are pretty solid but a little overwhelming at times, which takes you a little out of the horror a bit but still scary!”
- “I can't help but compare it to Cultic, after very recently finishing chapter 2, but don't go expecting Cultic-speed levels of gameplay here: Painted in Blood is a slower game (in a very good way).”
atmosphere
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
30%
13%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its moody and immersive qualities, blending retro graphics with modern lighting to create a unique horror experience. Players appreciate the chilling environments, engaging storylines, and the balance between atmospheric tension and action-packed gameplay, often likening it to classic horror titles. Despite some performance issues, the artistic design and atmospheric depth leave a lasting impression, making it a standout in the indie shooter genre.
- “It's quite moody and atmospheric, with a gorgeous combination of retro throwback graphics and modern lighting and effects.”
- “The atmosphere and art is something truly special and unforgettable, with immense artistic talent, love and detail clearly put into every room.”
- “I love how the game merges atmosphere, story, and action-oriented gameplay into one great experience.”
- “Additionally, the game looks and feels bad; however, the atmosphere is well constructed, but due to performance problems, I will ask for a refund.”
- “A solid shooter, excelling at its art design and atmosphere; sometimes I even forgot I'm playing a 'boomer shooter' since the ghosts and the eeriness definitely make it feel more like a horror game sometimes.”
- “If I could explain this game, it's like Doom 3 gameplay and Amnesia: The Dark Descent atmosphere with a dark story.”
optimization
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
62%
19%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including inconsistent frame rates, bugs, and visual glitches, particularly on lower-end machines. Despite the appealing graphics powered by Unreal Engine 5, the performance remains subpar, especially for a retro-style FPS, leading to a frustrating experience for many users. While some players with high-end systems report fewer issues, the overall consensus is that the game requires substantial optimization improvements before its final release.
- “Performance-wise, I didn't have any issues.”
- “The atmosphere is amazing, but the performance and the bugs are a huge issue.”
- “I don't understand why there are complaints about performance - this game is in early access; of course, they haven't smoothed out everything yet.”
- “Biggest criticism I have, though, is performance issues with the Steam Deck.”
- “Performance inconsistencies, occasional visual glitches, animation roughness, and sound design gaps are noticeable throughout the experience.”
- “Since it's an Unreal Engine 5 game, the performance is horrible, even with a mid-range machine (Ryzen 7, 64GB RAM, 3070) sitting at 25-35 FPS even on low settings at anything above 1080p.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game's music is highly praised, with a remarkable soundtrack that enhances the atmosphere and complements the fast-paced combat. Reviewers note the effective use of classical music, which adds depth to the experience, while the overall sound design, including background effects, is described as solid and immersive.
- “The game design heavily encourages the player to engage with all the mechanics, so make sure to use the powers, flashlight, and slow motion because otherwise the lightning-fast combat may overwhelm you, especially in the hostile zones where the combat truly shines and the remarkable soundtrack kicks in.”
- “Pixel art is incredible; the art style and inclusion of classical music is *chef's kiss*.”
- “The game design heavily encourages the player to engage with all the mechanics, so make sure to use the powers, flashlight, and slow motion because otherwise the lightning fast combat may overwhelm you, especially in the hostile zones where the combat truly shines and the remarkable soundtrack kicks in.”
- “And if boomer shooters aren't your thing, you still should play it (but on the easiest difficulty) just to experience the art, atmosphere, music, and story.”
- “Music was pretty solid.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game's stability is marked by performance inconsistencies, occasional visual glitches, and rough animations, alongside some gaps in sound design. However, it runs smoothly on higher-end hardware, such as the 7800 XT.
- “Runs great on my 7800 XT.”
- “The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
- “I've experienced no crashes or bugs, making for a smooth gaming experience.”
- “Performance inconsistencies, occasional visual glitches, animation roughness, and sound design gaps are noticeable throughout the experience.”
- “The game frequently crashes, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
- “I encountered numerous bugs that disrupted my gameplay, leading to a frustrating experience.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers a surprisingly deep and heart-wrenching narrative that exceeds initial expectations, blending challenging FPS gameplay with emotional complexity. Players are left eager to explore further chapters, making it highly recommended for those seeking a thoughtful experience.
- “I went in with blank expectations and got a more thoughtful, heart-wrenching, and psychological story than I expected, leaving me hungry to learn more in the future chapters.”
- “Very recommended for those who want challenging FPS gaming with emotional depth.”