BloodNet: A Cyberpunk Gothic (PC) review "Bloodnet is not a good game. It feels static and almost non-interactive. It is, however, a good experience. So good that it ended up as one of the very few games from the early 90's that I actively revisit from time to time. The ultimate praise I can give the game, I think, is that it is a spiritual and atmospheric precursor to the Deus Ex series and VTM: Bloodlines."

This game was never really a fan favourite. I can see why, but it's also clear to me why it was one of my cherished games as a late teen. The collective of writers, graphic artists and composer(s) in Bloodnet are nothing short of brilliant when it comes to setting a particular mood. I would label this unique mood as urban-dystopian-futuristic-cyberpunk-gothic-mystic that ends up being both oppressive and enchanting at the same time, quite a feat. It's amazing what Microprose can bring out of the dedicated player with little more than a mixture of pre-rendered and handdrawn futuristic stills and peculiar midi music to match. Especially back as a teen, Bloodnet's distinctive atmosphere engulfed my very spirits and managed to linger around me even when I was not actually playing it. Few games (or movies, or books) are capable of this as it takes a certain kind of giftedness, one that this staff happened to possess. VTM: Bloodlines comes to mind, and a couple of others.

I also like the fact that Bloodnet is a game of alloys: alloying classic adventure with RPG, distant future with Medieval vampire myths, a bright and loud metropolis with a dark and silent mystery, a detailed and possible future with implausible supernatural goings-on. This aspect was accomplished well.


As for the flipside, the game feels like it is not interested in letting us actually play it, but only showing off its great graphics, ambient music and, above all, writing. At the same time, it has high ambitions of attempting to merge the genres of point-and-click adventure and strictly stat-based RPG. The end result is a weird mishmash of endless conversations, heavy turn-based combat, and wandering about on motionless landscapes. Weirdness can be a good and a bad thing, and in this case it's both. Part of the appeal, I think (at least for me).

My biggest beef with the overall experience is the pre-scripted, absolutely non-interactive dialogs. Again, the sprawling, gritty conversations in this game are masterfully written and are more memorable than the ones in most big-time movies I've seen, but leaving them non-interactive is the biggest deal-breaker, a missed chance for an additional layer of depth and player involvement.


Bloodnet is not a good game. It feels static and almost non-interactive. It is, however, a good experience. So good that it ended up as one of the very few games from the early 90's that I actively revisit from time to time. The ultimate praise I can give the game, I think, is that it is a spiritual and atmospheric precursor to the Deus Ex series and VTM: Bloodlines, which are of course much better games, but Bloodnet holds its own against them in terms of mood, writing and originality. No small feat for a 1993 DOS game.

Community review by andgregorik (February 29, 2012) A bio for this contributor is currently unavailable, but check back soon to see if that changes. If you are the author of this review, you can update your bio from the Settings page.