Written by Joel Philip, October 28, 2016
Blast Brawl 2: Bloody Boogaloo Game Review
[Editor’s note] A while back we caught us with game developer Chris over at Mind’s Eye Games for a quick interview about Blast Brawl 2. We were led to this awesome game by the amazing Latino guitarist, Meteor, who helped score the trailer. Now that the game is finally out and available, staff writer, Joel Philip, got his extremely talented hands and lighting fast thumbs on the D-Pad to test it out. Read on dudes.
At first glance, Blast Brawl 2: Bloody Boogaloo might seem like a 16-bit 80’s action movie on steroids. Because it is. This game is going out of it’s way to fool into assuming it’s a cliche, but in fact… Nay, nay, my friend. This interesting little gem here is not a button masher for the faint at heart.
Only the worthiest of gamers can test their might here. If you will, think a combination of Contra & Smash TV meets Left 4 Dead & Gears of War. Afterwards, let the insanity ensue.
Characters
The game starts off with the two characters from the cinematic opening, Warrior & Brawler. Warrior is slow and powerful, with a huge sword and a rockstar taunt, while Brawler comes off like an 80’s kung-fu master with fast fists but a shotgun for those “close to call” moments.
Play long enough and you can unlock the other characters like Ninja, Viking, & Sniper for a total of eight. Each have a main attack, deflection attack, and alternative attack that creates new scenarios each time you play. No two characters are the same, keeping gameplay fresh.
Gameplay
This game above all is BRUTAL. The action is fast and frantic with a 16-bit design, but an extremely smooth frame rate Versus Mode allows for couch-coop, pitting up to four players rival each other at the same time. This is clearly built to provide the best Smash Bros moments possible, and will definitely provide enough moments for you to grab the controller out of your friend’s hands.
Wave Mode, on the other hand, can be played solo or co-op, and is reminiscent of Horde Mode in Gears of War. Each round starts off with easy at first, and ramps up the difficulty the further you go.
Defeat five enemies in one go, and you’ll earn a power boost that lets you move faster to dodge and perfect your hits better (and literally uses the sound of a Super Sayjin from DBZ, it’s really cool). The enemies vary depending on what level you’re on but it never changes the fact that you will be dead in moments if you don’t pay attention, time your hits, and move often.
Music
There are five levels playable thus far, ranging from a courtyard in a city to an outpost in a desert where you will be bombed randomly, and each has it’s own soundtrack that blends smoothly with the frantic action. The developer, Mind’s Eye Games, boasts the full game will have over 40 synthwave producers & artists such as Protector 101 & Dynatron, so it’s almost a guarantee the music will not get stale.
Final Thoughts
If you’re into fast, frantic combat against exploding zombies, laser shooting robots, and giant insects trying to impale you with stingers, Blast Brawl 2: Bloody Boogaloo might be up your alley. The game is still in progress and I would say there are some balancing issues that may be tweaked over time. Each character will definitely take time to master, which will definitely test the trigger fingers of the most dedicated.
In short, it’s the perfect way to pretend you’re in an 80’s action movie and let the craziness take over. Me personally? Definitely had a Robocop moment after a I shot three zombies at the same time. Totally worth it.
Look for Blast Brawl 2: Bloody Boogaloo on Steam Early Access & X-Box Game Preview on X-Box One for $14.99.