They Bleed Pixels
- August 28, 2012
- Spooky Squid Games Inc.
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"They Bleed Pixels" is a platforming slash-em up game where an academy student must defeat a curse transforming their body into a demonic form through nightmarish levels. The game offers a balance of fast-paced acrobatic platforming and combat, with a unique checkpoint system that rewards smart and stylish kills. Its features include hardcore difficulty, an easier mode, striking art style, and an original electronic soundtrack, with bonuses to unlock.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The art style and music are absolutely on point, creating a captivating atmosphere.
- The controls feel very snappy and responsive, making combat and platforming satisfying.
- The unique checkpoint system allows players to place checkpoints anywhere, adding a strategic element to gameplay.
- The game is incredibly punishing, with a steep difficulty curve that can be frustrating for many players.
- The controls can feel unresponsive at times, leading to unintended actions and deaths.
- Some levels feature poorly designed sections that rely on trial and error, which can detract from the overall experience.
- music568 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in "They Bleed Pixels" receives mixed reviews, with many praising its catchy and atmospheric qualities that complement the game's dark aesthetic. However, some players find the soundtrack repetitive and dull, especially during prolonged gameplay, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the soundtrack is often highlighted as a strong point, contributing to the game's unique charm and intensity.
“The soundtrack as well, is great, to the point where I listen to some of these outside of the game, which I honestly rarely do for game OSTs.”
“The music is fitting and the effects on death are a nice touch.”
“The music is great and fits the setting and story.”
“But every song I've heard in this game is really, really repetitive and dull to me.”
“The music was barely a presence (weird for a game that gives its composer top billing on the start-up screen), every level is aesthetically almost identical, and there's only a handful of uninspired enemies you keep encountering over and over.”
“My one real complaint is that the soundtrack is incredibly lackluster.”
- gameplay526 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "They Bleed Pixels" is characterized by its challenging platforming mechanics and a unique checkpoint system that allows players to place checkpoints strategically. While many players appreciate the tight controls and engaging combat, others find the difficulty frustrating due to occasional mechanical issues and level design that can feel unfair. Overall, the game offers a blend of rewarding gameplay and punishing challenges, appealing primarily to fans of hardcore platformers.
“The gameplay is superb.”
“They bleed pixels is a marvelous take on the precision-platformer genre, combining tough jumping challenges together with an intuitive combat system and a unique checkpoint/respawn mechanic.”
“The art direction, music, and gameplay are all amazing.”
“This game is known for being a challenging platformer, but I think 'frustrating' might be a more appropriate word here, since a lot of its difficulty comes from bugged mechanics, cumbersome gameplay, and unusual design choices.”
“A most annoying blend of bad features such as: precision platforming with non-responsive controls, a fighting system that never does the moves you're trying to do, enemies that knock you back across the screen, the smallest of platforms surrounded by death traps and the worst ice mechanic I've ever seen.”
“I really want to like this game, it looks like a good tough-as-nails platformer; however, despite otherwise smooth controls, the one button for every attack is just a poor design choice and leads to incredibly frustrating gameplay.”
- graphics512 mentions
- 61 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of "They Bleed Pixels" are widely praised for their charming pixel art style, which effectively combines gothic and Lovecraftian aesthetics with fluid animations and atmospheric backgrounds. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to create a rich, immersive world through its visuals, complemented by a fitting soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. However, some players note that while the graphics are appealing, they can become repetitive across levels, and the game's difficulty may overshadow the visual enjoyment.
“But 'They Bleed Pixels' isn't just about combat; it also features a rich and immersive world that is brought to life through stunning pixel art visuals and atmospheric sound design.”
“The pixel art style is great, the animations are fluid, the colorful level backgrounds contrast nicely with the monochromatic foreground, the Lovecraftian theming is on-point, the cutscenes are well-done, and the collectibles are fun to hunt down.”
“The graphics are beautiful; the gameplay is difficult, but fun; and the devs care about their customers.”
“Bad graphics (black ground) and very very very very hard!”
“I could not finish they bleed pixels because of the control issues, but combined with the lack of resolution options or really any basic graphics settings, I would not recommend anyone play this game.”
“The music was barely a presence (weird for a game that gives its composer top billing on the start-up screen), every level is aesthetically almost identical, and there's only a handful of uninspired enemies you keep encountering over and over.”
- story322 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The story in "They Bleed Pixels" is described as intriguing yet minimal, serving primarily as a backdrop for the challenging gameplay. Players appreciate the atmospheric and darkly whimsical elements, often likening it to Lovecraftian themes, but many note that the narrative is quite threadbare and lacks depth. While some find the art style and presentation engaging, others feel the story does not significantly enhance the overall experience, often overshadowed by the game's intense platforming challenges.
“In this game, survival is as difficult as for characters in a Lovecraft story.”
“The story is intriguing and the aesthetic is really interesting, so I want to power through it.”
“The art is beautiful, the story is really cool, the mechanics are unique and fun.”
“The story is nothing special at all.”
“There is no real story or development going on; the levels follow the same patterns and designs in an attempt to increase difficulty, and the enemies are there merely to justify combo chasing and high scores.”
“The game insinuates a story that really had potential, but like all too many platformers, completely fails at delivering.”
- atmosphere86 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "They Bleed Pixels" is widely praised for its rich, immersive world characterized by stunning pixel art and a haunting sound design that effectively conveys a gothic and Lovecraftian tone. Players appreciate the game's ability to create tension and a sense of foreboding through its eerie environments and atmospheric music, enhancing the overall experience of this challenging platformer. While some critiques mention a lack of artistic variation, the overall consensus highlights the captivating atmosphere as a standout feature that complements the gameplay.
“From eerie environments to haunting soundscapes, every moment feels dripping with atmosphere and tension, drawing players deeper into the twisted world of the game.”
“The pixel art style works very well for this game, and the music also gives it a very dark and gruesome atmosphere.”
“This is an incredibly fun game with a great soundtrack and awesome atmosphere.”
“This partly falls in line with my complaint about the story being too shallow, but there's not a whole lot of atmosphere, either.”
“Look elsewhere if you're looking for something that offers a great deal of gameplay variety or catches the essence or the atmosphere of Lovecraft.”
“Each chapter has some sort of an atmosphere to it, whether it be hellfire or underwater, but none of that relates to the actual gameplay.”
- replayability52 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, particularly for players who enjoy challenges and striving for high rankings, with numerous achievements, collectibles, and bonus levels enhancing the experience. While some reviewers noted the game’s short length, many found the mechanics and level design compelling enough to encourage repeated playthroughs. Overall, it caters well to perfectionists and hardcore gamers, providing a rewarding experience that keeps players engaged.
“Although, if you're one for a challenge or 100% game completion like me, there are several things you can do after finishing the main game, giving this game extreme replay value.”
“There's pretty strong replay value if you want to get the best rank on each level, and the mechanics are designed in a way that doing so is compelling.”
“Absolutely brilliant, endless replay value for perfectionists.”
“Needs more replay value though.”
“It has a lot of potential for replayability unlike some other platformers, and even though this game is pretty hard, it feels very rewarding.”
“Although, if you're one for a challenge/100% game completion like me, there are several things you can do after finishing the main game, giving this game extreme replay value.”
- emotional28 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is marked by a mix of frustration and exhilaration, as players grapple with inconsistent hit detection and challenging mechanics that often lead to unexpected deaths. Despite the aggravation caused by seemingly unfair obstacles, there is a strong sense of accomplishment in mastering the game's intricacies, creating a compelling urge to continue playing. This duality of emotions—frustration and triumph—fuels a complex relationship with the game, leaving players both exasperated and hooked.
“It's a double sense of accomplishment really; once from beating the game and once from mastering your playstyle and zipping through the stages without touching an enemy.”
“There are sections I beat that made me feel like a damn magician, but I can't stop playing it!”
“How did I get impaled by that spike without touching it-- my erstwhile spirit lingering far outside its range, like a transparent ragdoll floating in space?”
- humor26 mentions
- 92 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag; while some players find the absurdity of the story and quirky art style amusing, others feel that the challenging gameplay overshadows the comedic elements. Many appreciate the funny comments and situations that arise during gameplay, but some argue that the difficulty can detract from the overall humor, making it feel more frustrating than funny. Overall, the game offers moments of hilarity, particularly in its unique scenarios and character interactions, but the intense platforming may limit the comedic experience for some players.
“Plus, the story is really weird yet funny and of course the art style is adorable and dark.”
“May be a bit short, but it's damn hilarious fun to play this.”
“It's less frustrating and you get some pretty funny comments while you're playing.”
“The game could be great, but the platforming is too complex to the point where it is not funny.”
- grinding18 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overwhelmingly tedious and frustrating, primarily due to poor controls and combat mechanics that detract from the overall experience. The level design, while occasionally clever, often feels deliberately punishing, leading to a sense of trial-and-error that confuses difficulty with tedium. Additionally, issues like lost save files exacerbate the grind, making progress feel unrewarding and frustrating.
“Frustrating controls and combat that'll make you want to snap your controller in half, tedious level design that feels like it was deliberately made just to annoy you, and annoying enemies that just make levels even more of a slog to get through.”
“Confuses 'difficult' and 'tedious.' Combat mostly serves to make platforming more annoying instead of being entertaining on its own.”
“Dying repeatedly due to not having full control of the character makes the game incredibly tedious.”
- optimization14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is inconsistent, with reports of significant lag (dropping to 3-8 fps) in certain areas, particularly when interacting with specific surfaces and enemies, though it can run smoothly at around 50 fps when those elements are not present. While it offers a stylish and fun experience, the poor optimization may hinder playability on lower-end systems, making it less accessible for some players. Overall, the game is described as enjoyable but suffers from performance issues that detract from its replayability.
“The super meat boy comparison is apt because the game likes to time and judge your performance, encouraging constant movement and concentration.”
“Stylish, fun, optimized and punishing platformer.”
“Though when the game does run smoothly it is a good buy.”
“Performance is patchy; some surfaces and enemies cause near unplayable lag (drops as low as 3-8 fps), but as soon as they de-render, the game returns to the regular 50 fps.”
“The game is really poorly optimized; it won't run on my laptop, which can handle League of Legends on low settings or Torchlight, but this game just doesn't have enough fps to be playable, so be warned about that.”
“It has cool music, I have to say, and good pixel art, although the game is really poorly optimized.”
- character development8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Overall, character development in the game is minimal, with many players noting a lack of story and depth in character arcs. However, the character designs are praised for their cuteness and appeal, contributing positively to the game's aesthetic experience. Despite the absence of substantial character development, the engaging gameplay and smooth controls seem to overshadow this aspect for many players.
“I really really liked the character design, and the checkpoint system is quite nice for balancing out the harder difficulty.”
“Controls are smooth, graphics are great, character design and what seems to be plot is interesting too.”
“I liked the cute character designs and level setups, and the music is nice.”
“But that gameplay is so incredibly tight that I don't even care that there's no story, character development, etc.”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent glitches and technical issues that detract from the overall experience. Many recommend waiting to purchase until these bugs are addressed, despite the game's engaging elements that keep players returning. Overall, the current state is marked by significant instability and frustrating gameplay.
“I want to play this game, but so far I have run into so many glitches it's no fun anymore.”
“Wait to buy it though, it's pretty buggy in its current state.”
“Aside from repetitive gameplay and buggy platforming, the game's level design is less than great.”
