I admit I mostly took the time to demo Bloodroots on a whim. I didn’t feel I was covering enough indies at PAX West 2018, and saw a game with a unique style and visceral combat style. So I gambled on it, and ended up with a jackpot. Developed by Paper Cult, Bloodroots is a Western tale of revenge, featuring a very angry Mr. Wolf. He’s betrayed and left for dead, and so he does what any sane man would do – goes on a bloodthirsty mission of vengeance!
Okay, so maybe not the most stable hero, but this premise sets up the ridiculously entertaining combat in Bloodroots. Everything in the game can be used as a weapon, and I do mean everything. Better yet, each weapon can have unique interactions, such as charging on a wheelbarrow or firing yourself out of a cannon. The sky is the limit, and the only limiting factor is your reflexes and imagination. It’s a good thing you have such diverse options though, since a single hit will instantly kill the good Mr. Wolf.
Besides the impressive combat system, there’s one more delightful twist – everything in the game is destructible. So if you have a bunch of foes in a building, you can set it on fire and smoke them out. See a tree? Chop it down and use it to scale a rooftop. There’s tons of possibilities, and paired with the violent Kill Bill-styled cut scenes and great tunes, Bloodroots is shaping up to be a really impressive game when it releases on Steam and consoles in 2019. I’ve played very few games with this much freedom, and can’t wait to try my hand at the final product. Though if you’re still not convinced, just check out this sweet and violent little trailer.
