Bloodwash (PC) review "You should definitely give this one a spin."

Somewhere in Hell, demons worked tirelessly to build a connective stream between two burning lakes of fire. One sweltering crater contained “low-poly video games,” and the other held a personal favorite of mine, “VHS aesthetic.” At last, the fallen ones completed their infernal project, with thick lava flowing from either burning body until they collided and created a new crater: “lo-fi, VHS-style horror games.”

A generous helping of video games resembling both first-gen PlayStation and PS2 games bled onto the scene, bringing with them tracking imperfections and grainy filters associated with horror fare seen in the '80s and '90s. Developers like Puppet Combo and Black Eyed Priest programmed adventure and survival-horror pieces inspired by older (occasionally Italian) scary works, starring the likes of masked killers and a monstrous nun.

As someone who cut his horror teeth on video rentals and basically lived at the horror section of the local video store as a kid, I feel like someone pointed to me one day and said, “That's the guy! Make games specifically tailored to him!” It's no surprise that I'm drawn to titles like Bloodwash, whose marketing images depict a laundromat washing machine filled with severed heads while a ragged, undead hand drops a quarter into it. The cover art harks back to old VHS boxes I remembered seeing as a kid, especially “The Stuff” and “Microwave Massacre.” Obviously, I swooned in my computer chair the first time I saw it and found a new sense of direction in life: to play these frightening marriages of video tape and PlayStation aesthetic.



Bloodwash's first order of business is to make a visit to the laundromat terrifying. It first establishes the premise of a college student needing to do her laundry late at night, as the duty had been neglected by her drunk, lazy boyfriend. Straight away, the game depicts the struggles of working class life and creates tension based on the irrational fears some of us have while walking through old apartment buildings or taking care of late-night chores. You amble down your complex's hallways, heading for the classic ominous basement where the shared laundering machines are kept. You can't help but feel all this time that someone is watching you, and why not? A carelessly dropped newspaper on the way to the lower quarters reveals a serial killer called the Womb Ripper, who has racked up a few confirmed victims.

Think about that now: Womb Ripper. Sounds ghastly, right? Oh, and the protagonist is pregnant, by the way. Congrats, my condolences...

A few jump scares later, you find out the building's appliances aren't in working order. Thankfully/unfortunately, there is a last resort in the form of a 24-hour laundromat near the outskirts of town, where you travel to finish your clothing so you don't smell like you've just stepped out of the gym when you dress tomorrow morning. Think about that now: a 24-hour destination in a seedy corner of the city, a repeated murderer who targets the unborn, and an expecting protagonist. What could go wrong?

Upon arriving at the laundromat, Bloodwash takes a slight step back to build its lore. You give your garments a spin, then head off to check neighboring stores. While wandering around, you come across some interesting pieces of info, including words that the previous laundromat next door burned down and that someone remained trapped inside while it caught fire. From there, you notice strange occurrences around the strip mall. Someone leaves a hideous mannequin in the most frightening place imaginable, and trip to washroom reveals a sinister pair of legs attached to someone drawing unnaturally heavy breaths.

And that's when it all goes down...



From here, perspective switches between the protagonist and law enforcement. Cutscenes play out, blood flies, and bodies pile up, and all you can do is ensure you aren't one of them. You snoop through areas, both well-lit and pitch black, knowing full well you're totally exposed and at the mercy of the Womb Ripper. You nab event items that grant you access to further areas, eventually leading to tight corridors and hidden chambers that serve as the lair of the antagonist.

Here's the thing: you're never truly in danger during these scenes. The pounding you hear on doors and the apparent closeness of your opponent merely serve as effects of drama. Nonetheless, you feel the pressure as you try to rush through these hallways and crawlspaces, looking for keys or tools that will allow you to mosey through the next exit. You're never fully convinced the game isn't going to unleash the Ripper on you. You don't know if there's a time limit or if another “effect of drama” doesn't include the killer finally getting through the barrier you created for them, forcing you into a chase segment.

Despite being a VHS-driven title with obvious inspirations, it stays thoroughly unpredictable. This quality in itself keeps the experience tense, as you see the Ripper occasionally shove sharp objects through ventilation shafts or snatch up unlucky bystanders and slip a blade into their backs and chests. You keep thinking, “Is my turn coming?” And perhaps it is...



Developer Black Eyed Priest knew their target audience and knew what we expect from works of horror. Our heroine is just as likely to croak in some horrible, blood-soaked fashion as she is to survive. We know this because we've played our share of games with multiple endings and seen and read more than a few pieces that offer bleak endings for their leads. For every final girl that outwits the likes of Freddy Kruger or Leatherface, there are one or two others who end up cut open with a pair of scissors, eaten by a demon summoned via comic book art, or dragged away by malevolent forces. Because of the genre's track record for dishing out dark conclusions, you don't immediately trust that you're getting out of this one alive, and Bloodwash leans hard into that expectation.

The overall experience isn't very long—roughly the same length as something you might rent on video tape. Yet, you end the matter fulfilled and thankful you embarked on it. Granted, it might hit you with some slow segments early on while the storyline brews, but you eventually see the rewards bleeding through in both shocking and freaky fashion. Bloodwash is an effective horror treat for folks like myself who recall haunting the scary film section of Blockbuster, Hollywood, and Premier back in the day, daring ourselves to slap down part of our allowances on a night of (sometimes campy) terror.

Staff review by Joseph Shaffer (October 11, 2023) Rumor has it that Joe is not actually a man, but a machine that likes video games, horror movies, and long walks on the beach. His/Its first contribution to HonestGamers was a review of Breath of Fire III.