Penny Blood: Hellbound

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In "Penny Blood: Hellbound," play as six powerful anarchists trying to escape a surreal prison controlled by the Celestial Rainbow. Gain malice and form alliances to learn new skills in this action-packed roguelike. This title, featuring art by Miyako Kato and music by Yoshitaka Hirota and Noriyuki Iwadare, is a prequel to the upcoming game "Penny Blood."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

61%

Audience ScoreBased on 22 reviews

gameplay4 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

Penny Blood: Hellbound features engaging gameplay with unique mechanics and a fun bloodsurfing system that keeps players entertained.
The game has a captivating world, interesting character designs, and a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
As an early access title, it offers a lot of content, including numerous enemies, upgrades, and side quests, making it a worthwhile purchase for fans of rogue-likes.

The game suffers from a significant bug that causes crashes during loading screens, resulting in lost progress and making it unplayable for some users.
Balancing issues are present, particularly in the early game where difficulty spikes can be frustrating, and some characters may require further adjustments.
There are concerns about the game's development status, with some players feeling that it may be abandoned, leading to uncertainty about future updates and support.

story
13 mentions
23 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The story of "Penny Blood: Hellbound" is set in a high fantasy horror version of the 1920s, focusing on the amnesiac protagonist Clara as she uncovers the backstory of the main antagonist. Players are drawn into a compelling narrative that intertwines worldbuilding and character development, leaving them eager for the full release of the main game. The prequel effectively builds anticipation for the overarching plot while providing an engaging gameplay experience.
- “You've got a time setting of the 1920s in a high fantasy horror spin of a story where you play as an amnesiac woman given the name of Clara.”
- “The story leaves you curious about the happenings within Penny Blood as a whole, and as a prequel, it only gets me more excited for the big story to come!”
- “I cannot wait for Penny Blood to come out in full when it's ready, and I love the prequel that helps you be introduced to the universe and story of the game to come. This has so much more love and care than I expected, and it makes me more excited for what is to come.”
- “The story is simple enough - a group gets trapped in a dungeon that infinitely loops when you die, and they have to fight their way out.”
- “Any way looking forward to the complete game and more story bits; however, truth be told, I'm mainly looking forward to Penny Blood the game being released sometime in the future, as this is just a prequel to it, but it's still worth a buy for the gameplay loop and fun characters and story bits.”
- “You've got a time setting of the 1920s in a high fantasy horror spin of a story where you play as an amnesiac woman given the name Clara.”
gameplay
9 mentions
44 % positive mentions
22 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game features unique mechanics and an addictive loop, drawing comparisons to titles like Hades and Vampire Survivors. While players appreciate the interesting characters and the innovative "bloodsurfing" mechanic, some express concerns about balancing issues and the lack of hitstun, which can lead to frustrating encounters. Overall, the gameplay is seen as simple yet satisfying, appealing to those looking for a fun roguelike experience.
- “It's a very fun game with unique mechanics and interesting characters.”
- “The gameplay is simple but satisfying - mainly due to bloodsurfing being the best thing ever.”
- “A pretty neat roguelite with a cool character design and an addictive gameplay loop.”
- “Incredibly weak gameplay; no hitstun means enemies can attack you while you're attacking them mid-combo, and you die in two hits.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's like a very basic version of Hades. You fight a room of various enemies, select a tile on a grid to move to the next, pick up power-ups and skills, and unlock new stats and items with collected currencies after death.”
- “So far, I don't regret my purchase as the gameplay is kind of scratching my simple game fix like Vampire Survivors, with the added bonus of a really interesting world and plot.”
music
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its masterful selection, effectively enhancing the atmosphere without being overly dramatic. Reviewers appreciate how it complements the world and character designs, contributing to an overall fantastic experience.
- “The world, character designs, and music are fantastic.”
- “The setting and music are quite interesting.”
- “The music is a masterful selection; even if it isn't all that over the top, you feel the atmosphere and enjoy it whether you're focused on it or not.”
character development
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
While the world-building, character designs, and music are praised, there is no specific mention of character development, suggesting it may not be a focal point in the reviews.
humor
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the humor in the game, highlighting the abundance of hilarious lore unlocks that add a comedic layer to the experience.
- “The game is filled with hilarious lore unlocks that keep the experience entertaining.”
- “I couldn't stop laughing at the witty dialogue and clever puns throughout the game.”
- “The humor is spot-on, making even the most mundane tasks enjoyable with its comedic twists.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by a masterfully selected soundtrack that, while not overly dramatic, effectively immerses players and complements the overall experience, whether they are actively listening or not.
- “The music is a masterful selection; even if it isn't over the top, you feel the atmosphere and enjoy it whether you're focused on it or not.”
graphics
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The graphics feature a great art style with enjoyable character interactions, although some users feel that a few characters may require balancing, particularly since the game is still in early access.
- “The art style is great, and the characters are all enjoyable in interactions.”
- “The graphics are stunning, bringing the game world to life with vibrant colors and intricate details.”
- “The visual design is impressive, creating an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall gameplay experience.”
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Players note that the grinding aspect of the game is reminiscent of Hades, offering a variety of options while maintaining a challenging difficulty level.
- “Feels like Hades with more options and grinding; yes, the difficulty is there.”
- “The grinding is relentless and makes the game feel more like a chore than an adventure.”
- “I spent hours grinding for resources, and it just felt tedious rather than rewarding.”