Blindfire Early Access Review – Shot in the Dark

As a seasoned gamer who has spent countless hours immersed in various shooter games, I must admit that I was intrigued by the concept of Blindfire when I first heard about it. The idea of navigating dark, graffiti-covered environments while relying on audio cues to pinpoint my enemies sounded like a fresh take on the genre.

As a gaming enthusiast, I’ve often found myself struck by an ingenious game concept that leaves me wondering, “Why hasn’t this been thought of before?” Many innovative ideas are given the green light daily, maturing into unique games offering offbeat narratives or gameplay mechanics. Some of these ideas work wonderfully, while others spark trends. In the early access stage, Double Eleven’s Blindfire falls into the former category – the concept of a competitive first-person shooter in the dark is as intriguing as it gets. However, prolonged playtime underscores how certain seemingly brilliant ideas might be best left unrealized.

Currently, the game titled “Blindfire” is available in an early access stage. To play the PS5 version, you’ll need to link your account to the Epic Games Store. Be aware of this before downloading. The game revolves around anonymous combatants engaging in lethal gunfights. While the backstory isn’t crucial (it’s merely a concept of a death game), it’s based on the idea that the super-rich wager on illegal blood sports. As the marketing suggests, “the rich gamble on underground violence” and for participants drawn by the prospect of immense wealth and unparalleled fame, it’s either kill or be killed. However, this theme doesn’t significantly impact gameplay beyond a boastful announcer and virtual money showering after each match.

If you find this playing style slower and less frenzied compared to the usual fast-paced arcade military shooters, that’s precisely what it aims to be.

The surprise is that these games take place in pitch-dark surroundings. The players wear suits decorated with colorful graffiti that glows under blacklight, which can be found in various areas of the warehouses. However, aside from these light sources, you’re navigating an equal mix of darkness and danger.

During matches, sound plays an important role, and Double Eleven has effectively utilized it to create a realistic gaming experience. You have the option to quickly reload your weapon or perform a slower reload, with the latter producing less noise that could alert nearby enemies. A noise meter is located on the lower right corner of the screen to help you gauge the volume of your movements. Walking at a normal pace and footsteps are audible within a moderate range, while sprinting can be heard from greater distances (and realistically, it gradually increases and decreases in volume).

At present, there are two main game modes: “Kill Race” and “Bodycount.” The former is a standard deathmatch where the winner is the player who scores the most points before the timer runs out or reaches the score limit, whichever comes first. Alternatively, the “Bodycount” mode follows a round-based structure, with the player accumulating the most round victories over five rounds emerging as the overall match winner. Players can choose to compete individually or in teams; let’s delve further into that aspect soon.

As a gamer, if you’re seeking a more strategic and less frenetic gaming experience compared to the usual fast-paced military shooters, this game delivers just that. To prevent matches from becoming dull, camping is discouraged, and echolocation helps in identifying someone’s general location. Moreover, certain parts of the levels are either already illuminated or light up when you step on them. The mannequins scattered around the game can be quite deceptive – I was fooled into thinking they were real players at least once. To top it off, the muzzle flash from your weapons serves as a clear indication of your position, so firing indiscriminately might lead to someone pinpointing you based on the shots alone.

Blindfire Early Access Review – Shot in the Dark

While Blindfire is priced at just $8.99 and Double Eleven plans to add more content soon, currently, it seems that the value isn’t commensurate with the price paid. In simpler terms, given the low cost, one might expect a more substantial initial offering.

If you get knocked out of the game, you can make use of security cameras and set off various traps to reveal your adversaries. Set up a dummy and observe as it lights up a fake gun to signal an enemy or activate one of the vehicles on the ground floor. When a match goes into overtime, similar to Bodycount, the arena’s lighting system will switch on searchlights that casually light up the level, which might expose your hiding spot.

The experience is unlike pretty much any other competitive shooter I’ve played. When you’re carefully navigating paths, listening for footsteps or watching your opponent casually walk past a light, narrowing down their position while tapping Echo like your life depends on it, there is some genuine tension. And whether you take down an enemy by casually blowing up an explosive barrel that you didn’t even see (and getting blown up in kind) or know that you’re both separated by just a few feet, it can be enjoyable. The overall responsiveness of the controls and the feel of each weapon is also on point.

Unfortunately, there’s a lack of depth at times. The success in matches sometimes seems reliant on luck rather than strategy. The camping locations don’t always feel restrictive enough – I frequently find myself lingering near areas where enemies were defeated, casually moving around and grabbing some easy kills simply because they tended to return to the same spot. To be fair, other variables like dead opponents setting off traps do factor in, but it seems like a more engaging experience could be created by adding more strategic elements. It’s quite simple to rely on Echo and wait for an error from your opponent, especially when playing solo, which happens more than it should.

The problem lies with the content available, which is quite limited even after the initial upgrade. You’re given two game modes, a few maps, and just four weapons – a pair of pistols and a pair of shotguns. There’s no sense of advancement, and although the current selection of cosmetics looks good (and they are free), your options are quite limited. It’s true that Blindfire costs $8.99, and Double Eleven has plans to add more content in the future, but for now, you get what you pay for, and it doesn’t feel like enough.

Blindfire Early Access Review – Shot in the Dark

If Double Eleven continues on their path, I’m eagerly looking forward to observing the progress of Blindfire in the upcoming months, as it currently seems like an entertaining but easily forgettable idea.

It seems that the current player base for Blindfire on PS5 is quite small, to put it mildly. After enduring lengthy queues recently, I found myself playing against the same individual in both Kill Race and Bodycount, despite having selected the option to play with non-PS5 players. Steam doesn’t appear to be faring much better, with a 24-hour peak player count of only four individuals at this moment. This could be due to the gameplay being too specialized for most to appreciate or because of insufficient marketing efforts. Regardless of the reason, even if you find the concept enticing and enjoy the gameplay, Blindfire appears to have already lost its chance on PS5.

If you find any comfort, it’s because the game operates smoothly and has a distinct style with all the street art and graffiti scattered around. It might not offer the best resolution for a high-performance shooter, but it gets the job done. The Performance Mode on PS5 provided acceptable visual quality along with consistent performance (however, there were moments where it seemed like the screen was tearing). For a sharper image and to truly appreciate the neon-painted suits, Quality Mode seems to be the preferred choice.

Regarding the shooter game Blindfire, it’s still in its infancy and may need additional content quickly to build a substantial player base. Although the idea is unique and appealing, I have doubts about its ability to compete effectively in the already crowded competitive shooter market, even if it becomes free-to-play. Despite its potential, breaking into this competitive space is difficult, and success is never guaranteed. However, given its current state as a fun yet forgettable concept, I’m curious to see how Blindfire evolves over time under Double Eleven’s guidance.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

2024-12-02 19:11

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