Developer: Wales Interactive
Publisher: Wales Interactive
Release Date: 3rd November 2021
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch & PC
Reviewed on: PlayStation 5 via BC
▫️ Review code provided by the publisher ▫️
Full motion video games – more commonly known as FMV, have had quite the renaissance in recent years. As tends to be the case though, the results have varied wildly. On one side of the scale, we’ve been treated to the excellent Erica, by Flavourworks. On the other, we’ve recently endured the terrible Escape the Undertaker on Netflix. While that endeavour was Netflix produced and not technically a game, it still followed the exact formula. I’m happy to report that Bloodshore lands much closer to the former, and in turn, has ended up being one of my favourite FMV experiences to date.
The story follows washed-up ex-child actor Nick Romeo, who instead of successfully making the transition to Hollywood has succumbed to a few bad years of drink and drugs. His plan to change his career trajectory is to hop on the 13th season of Kill/Stream – a real-life battle royale on an island where the last person alive wins $10 million and their freedom (if applicable). I say their freedom because the contestants are a mix of convicts and Z-List celebrities. You’ve got everything from game streamers, to influencers, to beauty and nature bloggers and even a famous adventurer turned cannibal – with each feeling more punchable than the last. The influence of the 2000 film Battle Royale is clear, but I felt that the game perhaps took even more from the lesser-known 2007 film The Condemned featuring Vinnie Jones and Steve Austin among others.
Despite the premise, where contestants must murder each other in order to survive, the story and acting are presented in quite a campy way. While that may sound strange on the surface, it actually helps the overall experience massively. I don’t think it would have been possible to present this as a serious thriller, so the way they lean into the stereotypes of each character was a smart move. I have seen a few pieces of feedback calling the bulk of the characters annoying and not only is that the case, but I feel it is kind of the point. Much like Until Dawn back in 2015, I felt you wanted the supporting cast to get on your nerves at times. After all, it makes their eventual demise that bit more satisfying.
That’s not to say the acting itself was bad. I really liked the casting throughout and felt like they each brought the caricature they were assigned to life admirably. The main character Nick Romeo, played by James Palmer was a particular standout. In fact, the only thing I found to not always fit was the cuts to people watching the game play out. Particularly two homeless lads, who seemed both baffled and hooked by what was transpiring in front of them. I think they had Gogglebox in mind during these scenes, but it just didn’t land for me.
As with most FMV games, there isn’t much gameplay to speak of. Erica tried to incorporate a little more with touchpad gestures to mimic certain actions, but Bloodshore follows the tried and tested method of watching the scenes play out and making choices at key moments. By default these decisions are on a pretty short timer, so you really do need to be on the ball. So much so that I ended up enabling the very handy ‘streaming mode’. This allows unlimited time to make decisions, so you can poll your audience on what way to go. However, I just used it so that I had time to think over my next move.
Accessed via the pause menu is a tracker, which shows you stats like team morale, audience opinion, romance, strength and insight. I liked the idea of being able to go in here at any time and see how your decisions were affecting things, but it did come off a little half baked. Also, while there are 50 contestants battling it out on the island, you only ever see about 10 of them. Granted, this would have been necessary to keep the story and branching paths manageable, but it did result in Kill/Stream not feeling as big a deal as it was portrayed.
These minor negatives aside though, I really enjoyed my time with Bloodshore. Wales Interactive has carved out a real niche for themselves in the FMV market and they are fast becoming a publisher that I feel I can rely on for a good solid experience. Fun, campy and over the top with just enough twists and turns to keep you hooked throughout. When you factor in the excellent price of £12,99 and the great replay value, this is an easy recommendation.
-Craig 🧐
