Genre: Action
Developer: Terminal Reality
Publisher: Majesco Inc.
# of Players: 1
Memory: 1 block
ERSB: Mature
Also On: Playstation, Xbox
Features: No Progressive Scan or Dolby Pro Logic II support

Introduction:

BloodRayne is the newest addition to the GameCube’s growing Mature rated game library, and it’s a welcomed one. Developed by Terminal Reality, BloodRayne puts gamers in the shoes of a half human-half-vampire of the same name whose duty is to put an end to an evil Nazi conspiracy of raising the evilest of all evils. While attempting to put an end to this evil conspiracy, BloodRayne armed with her vast assortment of weapons and skills goes on one nasty killing spree leaving limbs and guts all over the place.

Presentation:

Terminal Reality’s BloodRayne is a multi-platform game title, thus the developer didn’t get much of a chance to utilize the GameCube’s hardware. The end results are noticeable load times and a jumpy framerate. Menus are nicely designed and have this stuttering effect that help present the game’s B-movie like feel. The intro FMV is excellently done and lengthy; providing a cool little cinema that you wouldn’t mind watching more than once, I mean c’mon… who wouldn’t want watch to a man get his head chopped off, we at GamersMark all love violence and gore.

Gameplay:

BloodRayne is a game which requires little time to get used to. The game features an FPS-like control scheme using both Analog sticks for movement of the character and both L & R triggers for attacks (L for Blade attack, R for using firearms). To perform one of BloodRayne’s inhuman house scaling jumps press the A button, press the A button again while in air and you’ll perform a drill kick which is used to propel BloodRayne further in distance as well as to break through walls and doors. BloodRayne just like any other vampire has the ability to replenish her health by sucking her victim’s blood; this is done by pressing the B button at close range and later on BloodRayne receives and upgrade that launches a spear-like chain pulling people towards her making it easier to restore her health. The Y button is used when BloodRayne goes into her destructive Blood Rage mode which can be executed after she has killed a certain amount of enemies, giving her a lust for blood and by going into Blood Rage mode you can attempt to satisfy this lust for blood by killing more baddies. Some devastating attacks can be performed in Blood Rage mode and this is done by pressing the combination of the trigger buttons and the Y button. As mentioned before BloodRayne’s default weapons are her dual blades which are attached to her arms, these blades are used to hack enemies to pieces and provide some cool looking results, it’s just so damn funny to see a Nazi running around in circles since he lost his left arm. BloodRayne’s secondary weapons are as I mentioned above issued to the R trigger, these weapons are picked up throughout each level and are lost once you deplete their ammo. Secondary weapons range from various amounts of small firearms, to larger more powerful weapons such as double barreled shotguns, and to even small explosives. BloodRayne also steals some gameplay elements from some of today’s more successful Mature rated titles such as the bullet time feature found in Max Payne, these type of actions are assigned to the D-Pad and along with the bullet time feature this Predator-like heat detection view can also be used.

The gameplay itself in BloodRayne is nothing more than hacking, slashing, and shooting. The game is very linear and basically all you do is going from point A to point B and to make that even easier you have a compass-like map which tells you where to go next leaving little room for any type of exploration. On top of that the puzzles in the game are so easy a 7 year old child would have no trouble solving them… Boss fights are difficult though and that somewhat redeems the game’s easiness factor.

Even though the game sounds dull and monotonous it really isn’t and does provide a fun and gory experience that you will without a doubt enjoy.

Visuals:

Visually, BloodRayne doesn’t offer anything spectacular and one shouldn’t expect it to since the game IS a multi-platform title not specifically designed to utilize the GameCube’s hardware. Character designs are average, but BloodRayne herself doesn’t look too bad, her hair moves life-like and she also has the “bounce” we always find in Mature rated titles these days. The monster’s you encounter in the game, especially the larger ones are also nicely designed and detailed but human enemies on the other hand look as if they need lots of work, it doesn’t help that they all look the same either. The levels in BloodRayne when first playing the game are very un-impressive, especially the swamp area in the beginning which is lacking impressive geometric structures and on top of has poor texture work giving the area a dull look, but later on as things progress you enter Nazi bases and Gothic cathedrals where everything starts to become pleasing to the eye. Unfortunately, BloodRayne does suffer from framerate instability, dropping every so often here and there, luckily it does not hinder the gameplay experience much but the fact that it’s there is just a pain in the arse. Lot’s of clipping is also found in the game and that’s something I haven’t witnesses on the GameCube till now. But if there’s one thing that BloodRayne does exceptionally well visually is that the game is one gory mess, slash someone and a limb comes off with blood splattering everywhere…Yummy!

Audio:

Most horror games use silence to enhance the game’s dark and gloomy atmosphere; BloodRayne may be using it a bit too much. The game is too quiet and it makes one wonder if the game has any music at all. Voice acting in the game is a bit over exaggerated but in a twisted way fits the title in a way that it won’t bother you, plus it’s always funny to witness a videogame character mutter “What the F**k?!”. Sound effects such as gunshots, explosions are adequately done but the moans and groans of the monsters and zombies do manage to send a chill down your spine.

Lasting Appeal:

BloodRayne is an ideal rental. It won’t last you too long and you probably won’t find yourself ever going back to it after going through it once. Maybe some unlockable goodies could have fixed things a bit, but anything of that sort is absent from the game.

Final Thoughts:

BloodRayne is one fun and bloody game, and a decent addition to the GameCube’s ever growing Mature rated game library. But the game disappoints a bit in terms of length and is hindered by camera problems. I do not suggest a purchase of this title but the game is an ideal rental.

The Good
- Easy to learn controls
- Fast paced gameplay
- Early on in the game, if you look hard enough you can find a Nazi storage box that contains the Ark of the Covenant (Raiders of The Lost Ark anyone?)

The Bad:
- Too linear for its own good
- Doesn’t last long enough
- Camera is somewhat frustrating