BloodRayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites Reviews
All in all, BloodRayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites is a solid title for anyone who’s into hack ‘n slash.
As a fan of the original two BloodRayne games I am excited to see one of my favorite dhampirs back in the gaming spotlight. On the other hand, I wish that Ziggurat would have brought those remastered games from PC to console. Betrayal: Fresh Bites isn’t a bad game at all, its just not a great example of BloodRayne at it’s best; even with the new HD bells and whistles. My hope is that this game will give Rayne some attention and make the developers see that she is a character worthy of not only a remaster but a brand-new adventure.
The customer is always right, so the saying goes, and as customers of this game, players can have some legitimate complaints about the service. The platforming is not fun: sadistic design choices are realised with lacklustre materials. But BloodRayne doesn't care. The combat, when you're allowed to play it, is unique and raucous and deliciously convoluted, with a skill ceiling as high as a gothic cathedral. BloodRayne isn't here to take your order; it's here to suck your blood.
Don't get me wrong - I had a fun time with BloodRayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites. The rebalanced difficulty is great, and there's even an option for sadists that enjoy the original. Combat has some strategy I appreciated, especially with figuring out when and where to detonate infected enemies for maximum effect. (I still received many C grades for my time and life scores at the end of levels, though.) It's just that I wish some of the platforming were better and the characters were given more personality. Hopefully, this re-release will garner interest in BloodRayne, and a fleshed-out sequel will head our way one day.
The simplistic combat, lack of enemy variety and clunky platforming make it hard to recommend for anyone aside from nostalgic fans of the series.
The action and gameplay are a bloody feast for fans in Bloodrayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites, but the difficult nature of the game can cut out a lot of its audience. Breathtaking visuals and intense gameplay packaged in a low price make this game at least a must-try for most gamers.
BloodRayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites is a barebones remaster of a middling action experience that does not hold up by today's standards.
BloodRayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites features great-looking animation and creative level designs, but is hindered less-than-stellar game mechanics.
Revived and reanimated, BloodRayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites returns for the modern generation with bloody bliss! Developer WayForward is tasked with reworking their 2011 hack n' slash title to greater effect. Whether or not it succeeds may depend solely on one's tolerance for archaic touch-ups.
More often than not, though, it feels like work. Tedious, exhausting work. And 38-year-old Zach doesn't have the patience for that anymore.
Elsewhere on DigitallyDownloaded.net, I'm doing a series on games that I'm still playing ten years later. In that series, I highlight games that I don't necessarily think are the greatest works of art of all time, but I'm still coming back to them for having a rare quality that makes them endure. BloodRayne Betrayal is in some ways the opposite. While it was never one of the greatest games of all time, back when it was new it was a standout example of what would become the future; the ability for mid-tier and independent video games to flourish, free of the absolute reliance on the retail system. Ten years on, however, the game is no longer a standout, and while it is still absolutely beautiful, there are now dozens of games vying for the same headspace as BloodRayne, and it's not going to win over anyone. There's still a game in there that can delight, but it is a lot of work to align yourself with the vision now.
BloodRayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites allows us to remember the classic game released 10 years ago completely renovated, updating its visual and sound aspect. Offering a more polished gameplay than the original but at the same time maintaining the same level of challenge.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
BloodRayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites is vastly the same good and challenging game released years ago. Laura Bailey returning as Rayne is a welcome addition, and so are the new balance changes to difficulty which make the game more accessible but not less challenging.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Personally, I liked Bloodrayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites: the visuals are great, the mix of hack and slash and platform combat is fun, and the sound work is competent. Unfortunately, the remaster would need a major transfusion of improvements, as it has significant problems. The biggest ones are the small amount of content and some inadequate original elements. In the end, the game is a suggestion for those who enjoy the genre and can extract only the best it has to offer.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Am I missing something? I have always been told that BloodRayne Betrayal was a really bad game, one of the worst titles made by WayForward. But I’ll be honest with you, despite being a bit janky and a bit unfair at times, I really enjoyed it. Either this is a case of a underrated gem or the remaster fixed a ton of the original game’s issues.
Bloodrayne Betrayal Fresh Bites is a title that deserved this re-release to get it in front of new players. Combat is initially fun and easy to grasp, and the gorgeous art is enough to get anyone into the door. However, once you are there, the slightly inconsistent art style of the protagonist and easy trivialization of the combat; makes this title hard for me to recommend outside of players looking to give themselves a challenge intentionally.
BloodRayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites gives the player the painful and pleasurable experiences that classics like Castlevania, The Prince of Persia and The Lion King still guarantee today. The frenetic action got even better with the audiovisual improvements — although the art style might not suit everyone — but the game remains an excellent example of take it or leave it, such is its difficulty. Fans of gratuitous violence can certainly feel the appeal of BloodRayne, but only platformer lovers of the 80s and 90s will be able to take full advantage of the dhampir adventure.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Bloodrayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites features fast, bloody battles that are unfortunately hamstrung by some annoying design elements.
If you’re thirsting for a difficult slash-’em-up platformer, Bloodrayne Betrayal: Fresh Bites will most definitely satisfy. With increasingly difficult stages and combat, this is a game meant for hardcore fans of the genre. Combine that formidable challenge with eye-popping 2D visuals, quality sound, and fast-paced, addicting gameplay, and this 8-hour slashfest is a blast to play. It just lacks a truly engaging story.
Having roughly followed the long and usually pretty torturous movie and gaming "career" of this leather-clad vamp I'll admit I was intrigued to see if she could finally turn things around this time...