Blood Reaver: COD Zombies With a Hellish Twist

Horde games have increasingly become popular since the early naughties. It all started with Left for Dead, and then it was pushed more mainstream with the release of Call of Duty: Zombies back in 2008. So, when it comes to reviewing Horde games like Blood Reaver, it’s hard not to liken them to the Nazi zombie days of old.

Speaking of CoD Zombies, Blood Reaver doesn’t make it easy not to think of Zombies when playing. Yes, there are some differences. In Blood Reaver, you’re taking on hordes of demonic creatures, not zombies, but with the outline of guns on the wall, perks to be picked up, and gaps that need boarding up, the similarities are too hard to ignore.

There are a lot of games where similarities to other games make it start to feel like a carbon copy of the game it’s taken its inspiration from. And yes, that is the case with Blood Reaver, apart from the obvious difference, demons. But, unlike most of the horde games I’ve played, especially those similar to Zombies, it’s clear that the developers have made this a passion project, and one that has potential to become more than just another clone.

To start with, Blood Reaver offers up an impressive arsenal off the bat. While the game only has one map currently, and a lot of locked features which are coming in future updates, it’s clear that the developers have big plans for the game, hoping to push it to Zombies fans looking for an experience that will evolve and keep them coming back for more.

One of the biggest issues with Zombies clones is the poor gunplay. But that’s one area where Blood Reaver already shines. The guns feel accurate, there’s an increasing number of weapons being added to the game, offering new and exciting ways to dismember demons, and there’s even the odd melee weapon that can be used to rip demons apart.

Where Blood Reaver’s Early Access Status Shows

So far, Blood Reaver has managed to impress me, but it’s not all rainbows and unicorns (or demons and hellfire, in this case). I’m hoping the few flaws I did find with the game are merely teething problems in a game that is still in active development. But my biggest issue with Blood Reaver is the sound.

When it comes to horror games, the sound is one of the most important aspects to help players feel immersed on the edge of their seats. Blood Reaver lacks music. It’s not just that the music isn’t great or doesn’t pull you in; there literally isn’t any. Call me weird, but when I’m playing a horror game, I want to feel so much adrenaline that I actually think I’m being chased by a horde of demons, and some impactful music goes a long way towards achieving that.

Sadly, that’s not the only area where the sound in Blood Reaver is a let-down. The sound of gunfire is extremely poor as well. While there are some weapons in the game that sound better than others, unfortunately, most of them sound like you’re taking on massive demons with a potato gun.

There are multiple perks spread out around the game to collect, which is great. But what’s not so great is the lack of any explanation of what these perks do and why I should spend so much on them. OK, some of them, such as rebirth, are self-explanatory, but I shouldn’t have to pause mid-game to Google what a perk I have passed is, in hopes that it might help me; that is yet another issue that breaks the game’s ability to be immersive.

A Familiar But Impressive Take on Horde Games

As it stands, there isn’t much separating Blood Reaver from a CoD Zombies game, but considering the game still has a lot of content yet to come, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It means that the game has potential; it’s managed to capture what made Zombies so special, but we’re yet to see how it takes that to the next level and improves upon the source material.

From upgrades to puzzles to unlock new areas, Blood Reaver has every chance to become one of the most impressive horde games in recent history, but its fate has yet to be sealed. Whether it can push past the shadows and break from being yet another clone all hangs on the devs and how they push the game forward with future updates.

At the moment, as much as I enjoyed Blood Reaver, it’s yet to break new ground. Technically, it’s got the foundations for something great, but it doesn’t improve on Zombies enough, or offer enough new content to make me feel like I’m playing something I haven’t played before. While I probably won’t be spending too much time on Blood Reaver at the moment, it’s certainly one that I will be checking in on from time to time to see if that has changed, and I’ve got no doubt it will.

I can’t stress enough how much respect I have for a small team taking a passion project and pushing it as far as they have. But now they’ve done that, the real work starts, making it their own; making it unique.

Our Verdict

Blood Reaver

Blood Reaver is a CoD: Zombies style horde game that offers the potential to become a replacement to the source material in which its ideas have come from. Face of against increasingly difficult waves of demonic enemies, while figuring out how to push through a hellish labyrinth.

• Graphics6.5
• Gameplay7
• Audio4
• Longevity5

The Good

• Has lots of potential to become a great game
• Fun choice of weapons

The Bad (& Ugly)

• Uninspiring audio
• Has yet to separate itself in the genre
• Guns sound terrible
• Perks aren't explained at all

5.6/ 10

Unboxed Reviews Score

Reviewed byKegan Mooney