#BLUD Review - Becky And The Vampires of Carpentersville

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Sometimes, I find it wild how one game can take me to the past. When I was young, my parents would nag at me for watching too many cartoons and spending hours in front of my favorite console. The shows and games I always liked were those that featured the new-kid-on-the-block style. You know—that underdog who arrives at a new neighborhood and becomes the hero. #BLUD is, in many ways, this and more. It is a cartoonish video game that pays homage to ’90s and 2000s animated shows with a wacky story, fantastic visuals, and fast-paced combat.

A War On Two Teenage Fronts

As someone obsessed with shows like Gravity Falls, Steven Universe, or The Owl House, I knew #BLUD would be up my alley. The first reason was its visuals, which I’ll discuss further. However, the actual reason behind my excitement was its premise. How many of us wanted to become a hero as a kid and meet eclectic friends who’d go on a grand adventure with us? The reality is a bit grim as our biggest adventure nowadays is paying taxes or saving money to visit the dentist. But that doesn’t mean games can’t let us experience that, which is what #BLUD precisely offers. A protagonist who faces two adventures: overcoming her fear of being the new kid at school and saving the world from a vampiric apocalypse.

You read that right. All great stories need a villain; in this case, we have a vampire who wants to take over the world with technology. Picture the Bram Stoker version of Steve Jobs—that’s who you’re facing. To combat this foe, Becky, our protagonist, has many tools up her sleeve. Her never-seen mother left her a Grimoire, which is basically a “How to kick bloodsucking butts” guide. With vampire-killing skills in hand, Becky lives every 90s kid’s life from TV shows and movies: defeating an otherwordly foe while keeping her grades up.

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Frankly, I felt this is where #BLUD‘s story shines the most. The plot of having a teenager juggling their teenage life with saving the world is something that never goes out of fashion. And oddly enough, this translates to the gameplay perfectly. Heading to a language class to decypher your Grimoire is impressive. Even the most mundane task of helping your neighbor can lead to a hellish encounter. Ultimately, one thing I applaud is the story’s pacing. I never felt bored during quiet moments, which rarely happened. It’s a thrilling and fun adventure from start to finish that everyone will love.

School Life Meets Vampire Hunting

If you thought combat wasn’t relevant in #BLUD, that’s not the case. #BLUD has action-packed fights with a simple combo style. At first, it reminded me of Cult of the Lamb in its presentation. There are small areas with a few vampires, rats, and more that will charge at you before moving to a new location. You will face small enemies you can beat easily with a few combos. Then, you also have a few horde stages where you must defeat the last foe before moving on. But the true challenges rely on boss fights. Each of these encounters has its own gimmicks, and you must use more than the standard moves to take them down.

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For example, one of your friends can modify your weapon to serve as an umbrella-shaped shield. This allows you to protect yourself from specific attacks. In addition, you can also find magic runes throughout Carpentersville, each one giving you a particular ability. For instance, one empowers the last hit of your combo and turns it into a bigger attack. Also, you can find throwable items, such as pencils that hit distant enemies. While you can stick to button mashing, the true reward comes from fully utilizing your arsenal. Defeating a bat with a high-speed pencil or smashing creatures with a hockey stick never felt so satisfying.

While the combat is great, I also enjoyed the references in every mundane task #BLUD throws at you. Becky often talks about classic vampire novels, such as ones by Bram Stoker. Her phone is reminiscent of an iPhone but cranked up to its Pro Max 20 version. The latter has an actual gameplay function, though. Taking pictures of monsters helps you fill your Grimoire’s bestiary. It also allows you to check your map and upgrade weapons. I found its targeting system difficult to get the hang of, though. I often struggled more with the controls than with the actual fights. However, it only happened in a few encounters, and most of the game was as smooth as butter.

Straight Out of a 90s Cartoon

#BLUD‘s visuals are clearly an homage to the animated shows of the 90s and 2000s. It’s like watching Cartoon Network when shows like The Powerpuff Girls or Cow and Chicken aired. #BLUD brought me a strong hit of nostalgia with that neat 2D animation; it felt like transporting my favorite show into a video game. Furthermore, Becky’s exaggerated punches and action effects made me feel like when Buttercup smashed Mojo Jojo. Also, the inhabitants of Carpentersville are clear references to legendary cartoon characters. Take Corey, for example. Your kid genius with a secret lab in an average neighborhood. Sounds familiar?

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Another aspect I fell in love with was the use of older cartoon animation effects. For example, birds fly around one’s head when someone is dizzy, and a smoke effect whiffs out freshly brewed potions. Everything is a love letter to the classic 2D animated shows of decades past. The effects also apply to combat. The weight and exaggeration behind every move are incredibly flashy. Needless to say, those in charge of the art design of #BLUD are incredibly talented, as creating animation that is so expressive and smooth for a 2D game is a titanic achievement.

Moving on to audio, I couldn’t help but remember the foley-like sounds from shows like Looney Tunes. It was so satisfying for me to make a mega combo with a hockey stick that went in unison with a Wack! Boom! Pow! Or the not-so-satisfying Buzz! from when I accidentally got Becky electrocuted. However, the game also has its parts of tension when needed. Like when you walk through the forest and only hear the sound of the wind moving the branches or the tension of hearing a bunch of voices in the cafeteria during your first day of school.

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It’s such a joy and a breath of fresh air to see studios still pouring their passion into a 2D gameplay experience. I’m not saying I oppose 3D; each style has pros and cons. However, 2D games allow for more exploration in expressive design and crazier art directions. And yet, the gameplay and narrative never take a backseat. #BLUD is one of the most memorable games I’ve played this year, and it shows just how much love the developers put into it. Whether you are a lover of 90s nostalgia or are looking for a zany cartoon-esque game, #BLUD is the perfect choice. It is a great adventure you can play casually and remember later as one full of love, humor, and wackiness.