Blood of the Werewolf by Scientifically Proven evokes so many emotions that it’s difficult to pinpoint them all. It could be that its protagonist, Selena, is a woman scorned by the recent death of her husband and the kidnapping of her son, Nickoli. Selena’s family comes from a thinning line of werewolves who have managed to somehow integrate themselves into society, while keeping their full moon curse a secret.
While a simple platformer on the surface, BotW is a heroic tale of a mother’s journey to recover her lost son and defeat the evil forces that kidnapped him. The experience is bathed in blood-soaked carnage as you claw, maim and kill your way through 10 challengingly difficult levels that can (at times) test your patience as a gamer.
The gameplay borrows its inspiration from a variety of classic platformers, but most of the in-game elements were clearly inspired by two of gaming’s most prolific series – Castlevania and Ghost ‘N Goblins. As you control Selena, she is subjected to her human form until she is exposed to the full moon. Her abilities are limited to using a crossbow and jumping on platforms, but the mechanics feel very much like Castlevania as Fishmen spring from their murky pools of water to attack; bats fly randomly through vertical tunnels to hinder your progression; and platforms crumble as you traverse them. BotW takes on a different form entirely (no pun intended) when Selena steps into the moonlight. Her transformation into a werewolf is a seamless affair that doesn’t interrupt the action one bit.
Combat as a werewolf is ultra violent, as Selena’s jowls drip with the blood of her slain adversaries. Rapidly tapping the right-mouse button will unleash a barrage of quick attacks, but they inflict a minimal amount of damage. By refraining from combat long enough, Selena’s werewolf will become ‘Focused’. This ‘Focus’ attack kills enemies in a single blow, but there are limitations to how often it can be used. Early on, you will acquire a ‘Dash’ ability that can be used to destroy obstacles and slam the ground to kill any enemies that are within striking distance.
The game also uses a Skill Tree that keeps track of the skills and special items earned while playing. The Skill Tree system is relatively simple – and it doesn’t contain the benefits of a role-playing game, per say – but it serves its purpose. Werewolf claw enhancements (for inflicting more damage) and other combat-related items appear in this menu and can be viewed by pressing the ESC key.
BotW exceeds the fundamental concept of being ‘hard’. Like the classic platform games it mimics, enemies and traps work on patterns that must be learned rather quickly if you plan on surviving. As mentioned earlier, bats and other flying creatures will knock you off platforms; werewolves inflicted by the mange pace up and down hallways (and only attack when you approach them); and Fishmen will sit on platforms and fire goo balls in rhythmic patterns.
The game becomes increasingly difficult when you reach a section called ‘Sector 5’. After timing jumps on to giant, red girders that rhythmically crash together, you must free-fall through a massive pit and survive without being crushed. This all translates into a nail-biting experience that will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
It’s also worth mentioning that BotW includes controller support. A disclaimer appears at the beginning of the game that states BotW plays better with a controller, but the default keyboard / mouse combination worked perfectly fine during this evaluation.
Blood of the Werewolf invokes childhood memories of sitting in front of the family television with your NES, playing Castlevania for the first time. Developer Scientifically Proven should not only be commended for producing a great platformer, but for capturing the spirit that made them so entertaining in the first place.
Mike Pittaro
Platform: PC
Developer: Scientifically Proven
Publisher: Midnight-City
ESRB: T (Teen)
Price: $9.99
Blood of the Werewolf’s Official Website
| Review Score | |
|---|---|
| Graphics |  |
| Stylishly colorful 2D graphics and animation. | |
| Sound | |
| A rockin' soundtrack that compliments the carnage. | |
| Gameplay | |
| The gameplay is as challenging as it is frustrating. | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Blood of the Werewolf succeeds in embodying the games that inspired it. | |
