BloodRayne is an PlayStation 2 game released in 2002 by Terminal Reality studios. It’s a third-person action game that is centered around the character Rayne who is an avid vampire hunter. It’s also among the very few games that are available on players with PlayStation 2 on the PSN store. The main question is, after more than a decade it’s still worth it? Does it stand the tests of time?
Sound, Graphics and Setting
BloodRayne takes place in the past specifically around 1930, in the world where vampires are prevalent. The story in the game centers around an individual named Rayne that is known as a Dhampir or an enslaved vampire. She is part of the Brimstone Society which combats the vampire cult and pursues them. The story and the setting are distinctive and distinct when compared to similar games. This is one of the aspects that makes BloodRayne so interesting. The graphics are quite bad even for the PlayStation 2 game. I’m not sure if this was due to the fact that this was one of the very first PlayStation 2 games, but the graphics are sloppy while the graphics are dull. The game is filled with a lot of grey and the environment are often boring and repetitive. Lip synching can also be out of sync. The cutscenes are nicely made, however they are smooth and fluid. Rayne is well-modeled, while the enemy models are scary and terrifying. The music is decent in the majority of cases as are the sounds. They’re excellent for a game that’s sort of old.
Graphics: 4/10
Sound/Music: 7/10
Story/Setting: 6/10
Gameplay and Controls:
BloodRayne is an online 3rd person hack and slash-type game for third person. You control Rayne who is a half-human vampire who is half human. She has all the attributes of vampires (strength and speed, as well as agility) however, she has there are no weaknesses, aside from bloodlust. You are in charge of Rayne through many different levels that range between Louisiana up to cold castles of Germany. As you advance through the game you will gain new skills such as Dilated Vision (basically bullet time) and Extruded Vision (zoom into the actions). These abilities can be useful. Rayne is equipped with two blades on her arms which are able to cut and slice enemies. The physics engine of BloodRayne is an important part of the game. When you inflict damage on adversaries, their body parts explode and it’s quite thrilling to see the chaos unfold. Additionally, the environment is fully destroyed, and bullets can break glass trees and even destroy them and there’s the possibility of unleashing chaos.
The design of the levels in BloodRayne is quite bad and it would be great to have more variety. The levels are all set in military-themed locations and the goals usually involve killing a high-ranking official. The game’s goals can get monotonous quickly. The controls are good However, Rayne’s movements and animations are very unstable and require some work. The blades of Rayne’s also move too fast and aren’t realistic.
Controls: 5/10
Gameplay: 5/10
Do you think this game is worth purchasing? Final thoughts:
BloodRayne was a great game when it was released in 2002. However, the game hasn’t held up to the tests of time. The graphics, animations, and the levels are quite shoddy. If you’re looking for a horror game that includes plenty of gore or blood, then this game is great, but if looking for a game that offers an engaging, deep storyline and lots in replayability BloodRayne isn’t going to fit that requirements. Overall, I don’t suggest buying this game. I’m rating it a 5/10.
Breakdown:
Graphics: 4/10
Sound/Music: 7/10
Story/Setting: 6/10
Controls: 5/10
Gameplay: 5/10
Overall: 5/10.
