BloodRayne
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Critic Reviews 70% add missing review
GameZone (8.8 out of 10)
There's so much that I have to say about this game that I honestly didn't know when to quit! I urge every gamer to go out and buy/rent this game as soon as possible. It is so incredibly entertaining that you will definitely not want to put it down. You're guaranteed to love BloodRayne if you like Onimusha, Devil May Cry and/or Max Payne. But even if you don't like those games, I still recommend that you play this BloodRayne. It is the perfect example of what a third-person action game should be.
Oct 20th, 2002 · GameCube · read reviewPGNx Media (8 out of 10)
Overall "Bloodrayne" is not a bad game. This game definitely deserves a rental because of it's visual effects. This is definitely a better game than "Blood Omen 2".
Nov 6th, 2002 · GameCube · read reviewGamePro (US) (4 out of 5)
BloodRayne brings its violent tale of a one-woman army to the GameCube. Blending elements of Max Payne, Castle Wolfenstein, and the most vile World War II exploitation movies, BloodRayneâs one of the sickest and most disturbing adventures youâre likely to find. Itâs also very fun to play in a guilty sort of way once you get past the weak opening levels and discover you can stomach its content.
Oct 14th, 2002 · GameCube · read reviewKombo.com (8 out of 10)
Add one part sexy vixen, one half vampire, five parts whoop-ass, and mix. For flavor, throw in some mutated people, freaky bugs, and some nazis and youâll wind up with BloodRayne, Majesco and Terminal Reality's new action-packed third-person shooter. This is a must-play game that gives the modern gamer a new chance to stomp on the third Reich. If you are a vampire fan to any degree, you will love the story and style of Bloodrayne.
Nov 14th, 2003 · GameCube · read reviewIGN (7.8 out of 10)
BloodRayne is not going to change the videogame industry, It has its problems -- some technical shortcomings here and there, some camera oversights and the occasional level layout difficulty, but I have to admit that I enjoyed playing through the 3D action title; that it delivered a fun little ride while it lasted.
Oct 14th, 2002 · GameCube · read review64 Power / big.N / N Games (78 out of 100)
Wenn Rayne in Zeitlupe acht Soldaten ins Gras beiĂen lĂ€sst, flieĂt eine Menge Blut. Stumpfsinniges Kanonenfutter ist die okkulte Bagage aber nicht. Da wird nach Hilfe gerufen, Deckung gesucht und probiert, die Waffen der ĂŒbernatĂŒrlichen Gegnerin gegen sie selbst einzusetzen. Die Grafik ist fĂŒr einen Multiplattformtitel durchaus gelungen. SchwĂ€chen zeigen sich allerdings im Detail. Der Kompass streikt gelegentlich und auch die KamerafĂŒhrung. Zudem ist BloodRayne recht kurz.
Nov 2002 · GameCubeBloodRayne is has style to burn and enough originality to suck in casual gamers with an appetite for blood. It's a good time, but definitely for mature gamers only.
May 16th, 2003 · GameCube · read reviewGamersMark (7.4 out of 10)
BloodRayne is one fun and bloody game, and a decent addition to the GameCubeâs ever growing Mature rated game library. But the game disappoints a bit in terms of length and is hindered by camera problems. I do not suggest a purchase of this title but the game is an ideal rental. The Good - Easy to learn controls - Fast paced gameplay - Early on in the game, if you look hard enough you can find a Nazi storage box that contains the Ark of the Covenant (Raiders of The Lost Ark anyone?) The Bad: - Too linear for its own good - Doesnât last long enough - Camera is somewhat frustrating
Oct 30th, 2002 · GameCube · read reviewGameSpy (73 out of 100)
In the end, BloodRayne is a mid-level action game that chooses style over substance. Despite some nice features, the overly repetitive gameplay will probably wear thin after a bit. If you don't want to rent it, wait until after the holidays to swoop in for the kill.
Nov 16th, 2002 · GameCube · read reviewRetroage (7.3 out of 10)
BloodRayne to udana gra akcji i kaĆŒdy kto ma ochotÄ postrzelaÄ i pociachaÄ przy tym trochÄ korpusikĂłw powinien byÄ zadowolony z zakupu tej pozycji. TytuĆ z tych powaĆŒniejszych i krwistych, ktĂłrych za wiele na GameCubie nie znajdziemy, wiec tym bardziej warto siÄ nim zainteresowaÄ. JeĆli do tego dodaÄ przeuroczÄ i seksownÄ gĆĂłwnÄ bohaterkÄ, ktĂłrej nie da siÄ nie lubiÄ, to mamy z tego caĆkiem udanÄ grÄ godnÄ polecenia kaĆŒdemu domorosĆemu sadyĆcie.
Aug 12th, 2012 · GameCube · read reviewGameSpot (7.2 out of 10)
BloodRayne, a third-person action game featuring a red-haired, scantily clad female vampire as the main character, may seem like just another generic action game with a provocative box. But there's a great deal more to the game than you might think. Even if you do give it a chance, it's possible to miss all that's good about BloodRayne since the first hour or so of gameplay is actually pretty bland--most of the really interesting stuff doesn't show up until later in the game. The slow start can make BloodRayne a tough game to stick with, but those who do will most likely find BloodRayne to be a surprisingly fun action game for the GameCube.
Oct 28th, 2002 · GameCube · read reviewGame Informer Magazine (7 out of 10)
It's just another average third-person hack n' slasher, augmented with some cool blood-sucking animations and a ton of gore. If you love this kind of thing, it might be worth your $50, but I couldn't get over the amateurish production values, camera bugs, and shallow combat control. It's not a horrible way to kill a few hours, but I think your time is more valuable than this.
Dec 2002 · GameCube · read reviewConsoles Plus (65 out of 100)
La trame de fond est sympa, mais, autant le dire tout de suite, ce jeu est une horreur. Le graphisme est terne et surtout trÚs moche, l'animation des persos est presque risible tant elle est médiocre, et la jouabilité est tout simplement exécrable.
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NintendoWorldReport (6 out of 10)
All in all, Blood Rayne could have been something really great, given the proper time, but in essence this is really a tribute to the game that isn't exactly average, but a little bit less than good.
Nov 6th, 2002 · GameCube · read reviewChrist Centered Gamer / Christ Centered Game Reviews ( )
Bleh. Bloodrayne is extremely gory and has many flying body parts. It also involves a battle against a former Satan, and Bloodrayne herself is half vampire. There is a lot of blood sucking in this game. And a lot of cussing. Rayne herself is the main perpetrator, sayin' every word in the book at times. This game is not for kids. Rayne and her mentor Mynce both wear revealing clothing, and Rayne often moves in a suggestive manner during cutscenes. Rayne also tends to use her mdiddle finger alot. Overall, Bloodrayne is an fun, if short lived action game, with many-a christian downfalls.
Jun 1st, 2005 · GameCube · read reviewOfficiel Nintendo Magazine (5.5 out of 10)
Enfin, faute d'un manque cruel de caractĂšre, BR n'arrive pas Ă convaincre. L'hĂ©roĂŻne paraĂźt trĂšs artificielle, le scĂ©nario est au ras des pĂąquerettes, les cinĂ©matiques sans vie et les voix peu impliquĂ©es. Bref, l'ambiance est pour le moins insipide. Si vous aimez casser du mĂ©chant sans vous prendre la tĂȘte, ce jeu peut nĂ©anmoins vous plaire, sinon, passez votre chemin.
Feb 2003 · GameCube · read review.jpg){kind=link}
Just Adventure (D)
What grates me the most though is not the immaturity of the developers because, after all, theyâre just trying to make a buck by appealing to the lowest common denominator. No, the bigger whores are the professional reviewers who are more than willing to overlook the gratuitous violence and rampant sexism that is prevalent in too many of todayâs games as long as they have an enjoyable gaming experience and donât have to struggle with the controls. But by doing so, they continue to perpetuate the stereotype that most gamers are drooling, addle-brained teenagers content to luxuriate in a sea of sex and violence.
Mar 18th, 2003 · GameCube · read reviewPlayer Reviews
Maximum Cleavage
by Terrence Bosky (5446)
The Good
There are two things that stand out about Rayne, mostly because they tend to jiggle when she moves. If sheâs standing still, you might also notice her fetishistic outfit and your attention may be drawn towards the long blades strapped to her arms (or the multitude of guns that appear when needed). If sheâs smiling, youâll notice fangs. Or rather, youâll feel fangs as she launches herself at your neck.
Rayne, a half-vampire (Dhampir), is recruited by the Brimstone Society to fight evil based on some killer moves she executes in the gameâs opening cinematic. As a half-vampire, sheâs a best of both worlds scenario, combining vampiric strength, speed, and senses with resistance to things that would kill a regular vampire outright, like water. Sheâs not immortal, suffering damage from attacks true vampires could shrug off, but she can replenish her health by drinking blood. While sheâs not a clichĂ©d âlast, best hope,â sheâs definitely the type of thing youâd want to throw at the Nazi war machine.
Ah yes, Nazis. If our grandparents knew what we know now, one wonders if they would have so bravely faced the Third Reich. Hitler, it seems, was close to resurrecting various demons, creating superweapons, raising the dead, and obtaining the Lost Ark of the Covenant. BloodRayne covers all of the above after a dismal opening set in 1930s Louisiana.
BloodRayne, a game that feels like itâs interviewing for a job it really doesnât want, certainly doesnât care about first impressions. This third-person, action adventure game shuffles the player off to a flooded Louisiana bayou, teaming Rayne up with Mynce, a more experienced Dhampir, who shows Rayne the ropes. Here, among the various tutorial elements, are irritating jumping puzzles forcing the player to avoid life-draining water by leaping from roof to roof or using telephone lines as tightropes. In this bleak landscape, Rayne fights off mutated humans and fleshy spidersâthe results of a voodoo ritual gone wrong.
After the end of the Louisiana levels, the first of BloodRayneâs three acts, the game picks up five years later with Rayne infiltrating a Nazi compound in Argentina. The game really does pick up. Rayne is now a supernatural assassin, tracking down Nazi officers and killing them while mutilating any opposition in her way.
Rayne is a killing machine. Players can make a good deal of progress simply by pressing one button which causes Rayne to leap onto an enemy and drain their blood. In case of heavier resistance, Rayne is also armed with the aforementioned arm blades, which scythe through the air cutting off arms and slicing off heads. Like Mortal Kombatâs Scorpion, Rayne can harpoon enemies at a distance and bring them in for the kill (this is very useful against Nazi jetpack troops). Rayne also uses guns she finds along the way (and the game has one of the smartest auto-targeting systems Iâve seen), including antitank rockets and grenades. Last but not least, when Rayneâs blood meter (charged during combat) is full, she can unleash devastating high-speed attacks making minced meat of all but the toughest opponents.
In terms of vampire skills, BloodRayne can leap like a Jedi, fall almost any distance, and move much faster than most opponents. Her strongest abilities deal with the way she perceives the world. Thereâs a standard view, a vampiric night vision mode which reveals enemy biosigns and the location of mission objectives, and a slow motion modeâBloodRayneâs version of the ubiquitous âBullet Timeââwhich is almost dreamlike. As Rayne moves through the game she gains other abilities, resulting in game play that gets better as it goes along.
Fighting endless Nazi hordes might sound repetitious, but BloodRayne finds a balance between basic puzzle solving and combat. Sure there are many Nazi grunts, but they are easily dispatched. Soon enough, Rayne encounters Nazis trained to fight vampires and the Nazi officers Rayne targets often lead to challenging boss battles. One brute trapped me in an engine room and could destroy most of the level trying to get me. Other noteworthy villains include a Klan-themed Nazi armed with a Gatling gun and a descendant of the vampire queen Erzebet Batory. Every âbossâ has a unique fighting style with weaknesses the player must discover and exploit. Of course there are plenty of supernatural villains, too.
Level design is top notch. While Louisiana is visually bleak, it is well laid out and has an undeniable atmosphere. The Nazi compound in Argentina feels like a massive fortress and includes diverse areas which donât recycle the same design themes. With a game that climaxes in an ancient castle pulled from Nocturne, BloodRayne has many surprises for the player in terms of missions, opponents, and plot. This is enhanced by a save system which would normally frustrate me. While you canât save anywhere, the game is broken down into over forty levels with save points at the levelsâ end. Thankfully, most save points are available before boss battles rather than after. There were very few levels which I needed to try and retry and their completion (usually) was quite rewarding.
The Bad
I donât think I can express how much the Louisiana levels hurt this game. Itâs almost along the lines of Daikatanaâs swamp levels, acting as a spoiler. These levels set a bad tone, indicating that the game is full of jumping puzzlesâwhich it isnât. One skill in this section: tightrope walking along telephone lines, barely surfaces during the rest of the game. Itâs amazingly unfocusedâhuman spider zombie thingies created by voodoo? Bah. Poorly voiced Cajuns begging for help? Double bah. Massive amounts of health stealing water? Thatâs just dumb.
Rayneâs default attack is a mixture of blade attacks and kicking. Repeatedly pressing attack performs a pseudo-combination move, incorporating both types of attacks, but kicking is so ineffective it ends up being a waste of time. Since one button performs all the melee attacks, itâs really just an exercise in button pressing (not mashing, since you really canât mash a shoulder button).
I found large portions of the game to be playable only in the gameâs slow motion mode. Slow motion allows for strategy while real time play relies on twitch reflexes. When you are up against a boss or a flock of feral vampires, slow motion often provides a much needed balance. Of course this artificially extends the gameâs length while making playing less edge-of-the-seat.
The Bottom Line
BloodRayne was a strange experience for me. I absolutely hated the beginning, grew very interested during the middle portion, and was let down by the gameâs end. Rayne, herself, is part of the problem. Nocturne featured a similar character, Svetlana Lupescu, but used her more effectively. There is no insight into Rayneâs character or origin, other than the fact that she follows some moral compass.
Rayne feels like she was designed by a committee for fourteen year old boys. I cringed every time she flicked off a monster. Also cringe worthy is the fact that right bastard and incompetent director Uwe Boll is wrapping up a film based on this game set faithfully in eighteenth century Romania and costarring Meat Loaf.
Apr 11th, 2005 · GameCube
Contributors to this Entry
Critic reviews added by nyccrg, Jacob Gens, Patrick Bregger, Big John WV, Alsy, RhYnoECfnW, Wizo, Jeanne.