Blindfire shoots its shots in the Dark

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As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen my fair share of first-person shooters. But Blindfire, oh boy, this one’s a breath of fresh air! It’s like playing hide and seek in the dark, where the only sound that matters is the enemy’s heart pounding against their chest – or so I assume, as I can’t actually see them.

It’s impressive when a first-person shooter game attempts to break away from the traditional approach of just aiming at opponents’ heads. This can be achieved through various means such as incorporating resource management, offering unique movement mechanics for an added layer of complexity, or even challenging the conventional idea of killing each other by focusing on different aspects of gameplay.

Hey there fellow gamer! Let me tell ya, Blindfire isn’t about spinning the gameplay wheel but flipping a switch on convention. In this pitch-black game, your ears become your eyes, and an Echo helps you locate enemies by pinging them. The stage is set with traps and hazards that keep things interesting. It’s all about figuring out where the opposition lies and deciding if it’s worth taking a shot, even when it feels like stumbling around in the dead of night searching for a light switch! Firefights are brief but tense, and knowing the map is crucial because moving and positioning yourself in the dark favors the more knowledgeable player over the one with swift aim. However, it’s that initial enemy detection that gets the adrenaline pumping more than the ensuing battle itself.

The system functions, yet there are minor issues that need addressing. You can opt to begin each round with either a pistol or a shotgun. The pistol seems ideal for this type of game as its low firing rate and limited ammo prevent you from aimlessly spraying bullets. On the other hand, the shotgun isn’t as enjoyable due to its high rate of fire and wide bullet spread, making it too easy to hit and pursue your target. In my opinion, the game plays more like Paintball than Airsoft, although I find the time-to-kill a bit short for strategic movement and positioning to truly shine. This might be because the game isn’t yet balanced for low player counts.

In their present condition, the stage dangers seem somewhat disorganized. You can always locate some of them, such as police cars or gates that emit sound and light when someone collides with them, while barrels can be detonated by gunfire which can obliterate entire teams. The barrels are particularly useful due to their explosions, whereas the others function primarily as diversions or warnings. When playing in teams and you’ve already been knocked out, you have the ability to set off those hazards from afar. I wish there was a way to activate them during active play to make exploring in the dark a more strategic endeavor.

I’m hopeful that developer Double Eleven can transform Blindfire’s pledges into something genuinely exceptional. It’s an affordably priced game that offers an unique gaming experience unlike any other. After polishing out the kinks and adding a bit more complexity in how players locate each other, we could be looking at a shooter that values skills beyond just accurate aiming.

A pre-release version of the game, Blindfire, has been given to us by the publisher for this review. Currently, you can get early access to Blindfire on Xbox Series X/S and PC platforms.

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2024-10-31 02:27