Blues and Bullets - Episode 1 Reviews
Blues and Bullets is without a doubt the most true, and also most effective, crime noir game we have to date, with a masterful understanding of the themes and visual motifs that comprise a noir tale, and an understanding on how to work within those without being clichéd or trite.
Blues and Bullets is a showcase in how to open the story of an episodic videogame.
Despite the aforementioned flaws of the game, A Crowd of Monsters has created a strong starting point for this episodic series. I for one am quite eager to see where Eliot's story ends up leading and if you're a fan of Noir fiction, or have a taste for the gritty, Blues and Bullets will definitely scratch that itch for you.
Story elements in episode one don't miss a beat, and things get much darker and twisted then I ever expected. Before I knew it, I had already played and finished the game in 100 minutes, and it left me wanting more. Blues and Bullets was a title I had very little expectations of, and it blew me away with a fantastic first episode. Now I wait with baited breath, a glass of whiskey, and the hope that each episode here on out is only more of the same quality or better.
Technical hiccups aside, Blues and Bullets is a raucous and relentlessly entertaining inaugural entry into the episodic adventure genre. The deft melding of historical characters and neo-noir stylings, together with a hefty dose of artistic license and appealing sleuthing gameplay mechanics all accrue to make Blues and Bullets one of the best surprises of the year so far.
An engrossing Noir tale that uses colour effectively to drive home its enveloping crime drama.
If the game's accolades are of any indication, Blues and Bullets seems to have plans to build something incredible.
Impactful decisions, great creative and stylish choices, and some truly memorable moments make this episode one to check out, and a bargain at that.
Blues and Bullets gives you the rawness of the emotion that has parallels to L.A. Noire
Although it does have its limitations, the game is great overall. The artwork and the story are some of the strongest I've seen from a game in a while.
There's no word on when the next episode will hit, but for those willing to take a chance, Blues and Bullets is worth checking out.
Venture to an alternate history full of secret societies and gumshoe detectives in Blues & Bullets.
The first episode of Blues and Bullets has built up enough interest to keep players curious in a second installment. The game's story, confident art style, and engaging crime scene investigation puzzles give the game enough intrigue to stay around. Unfortunately, in its current state, hiccups such as long load times, empty environments, and weak shooting sections hold it back from being something great.
A strong start for A Crowd of Monsters' Noir adventure. Stylish, dripping in atmosphere, and compelling enough to keep you on the hook for the next episode. It has its faults, not all of which may turn out to be a problem when the series is finished, but for now they are outshone by the things this first episode does right.
Blues and Bullets makes its debut with a stylish first episode that sets a striking—if slightly uneven and glitchy—crime noir tone.
[I]ts well-crafted film noir atmosphere—along with some honest-to-god puzzles—make this adventure more than just another copycat.
Blues & Bullets has a lot of potential and The End Of Peace is a glimpse of that. There is a foundation for a very good mystery thriller, as well as a basis for well thought out characters. The first episode comes across as being too eager to show you everything all at once, instead of taking things slower and allowing you to absorb what just happened. The script is good but has moments that don't seem that logical, but in spite of this The End Of Peace is a decent start to the series.
A few bizarre twists and noted historical mutations left me equally confused and intrigued.
Blues and Bullets isn't perfect, but Episode 1 definitely left a positive impression on us. The visual style is infectious and atmospheric, and while it takes more than a few cues from Sin City, it adds a surprising amount of immersion to the storytelling. The first episode is also nicely balanced between casual exploring, action scenes, and a lengthy but satisfying crime scene investigation. There certainly seems to be a lot of adventure games around these days, and we're happy to state that Blues and Bullets is yet another one you should keep your eyes on.
Only time will tell if the story manages to cash in on its intriguing premise, but right now this is an entertaining way to spend a few hours.