Bloodshot (Sega CD)

I like First Person Shooter game. I love Sega Genesis. But is there FPS on Sega Genesis? I know two of them. One is Zero Tolerance that’s said to be tedious. The other one is Domark’s Bloodshot (1994) or Battle Frenzy in US version. But I will play the Sega CD version of it. 

That’s some hideous face. So, we’re off with good start. Or bad ones, depends on your perspective. I did play the Sega Genesis version and I had unpleasant experience with it. But when I watch this Youtube video (at 15:24) which mention the game is the first FPS with splitscreen multiplayer and the author says it’s pretty good game. So, I dare myself to play this game again but I play the Sega CD version this time. The improvements over the Sega Genesis version are: 1) Smoother move 2) Better sound and music. Whereas in Sega Genesis version there are only 2 music: the intro and main menu. Both of them sound weak 3) Slightly better graphic 4) Enemies are less aggressive, from my experience.

What’s Bloodshot is all about? Here’s the backstory: Some alien battleship destroys a moon base. Obviously, us earthling don’t like our base in moon destroyed so we neutralize the battleship with laser beam and success.         

 

Unsurprisingly, the battleship carries lethal alien robots. The first boarding party learn this in hard way as they are completely wiped out. These dead marines are sent to their grieving family with holes on their torso like Swiss cheese or gold sieve. I feel sorry for their family.    

 

The battleship is successfully towed to Earth after the lethal robots are deactivated presumably by the second boarding party who are more prepared than the previous unfortunate ones. Another shocking fact discovered! We learn from the computer of the boarded battleship that the aliens already dispatch more of these lethal robots to attack earth!

I realize something. That marine pointing out the monitor predates “two Soyjaks pointing” meme by 26 years!

 

The leader of this invading fleet is the main starship which is powered by 16 plasma nodes. If we destroy them all, we can cancel the invasion.

 

We play as Starfleet elite human marines who successfully board on the main starship and tasked to destroy those 16 plasma nodes. You probably ask what thing that make these marines elite compared to the dead one in boarding party? Besides know or remember how to operate gun.

 

These elite marines have their brains planted with battle frenzy ‘bloodshot’ chip that hopefully useful against these killer robots. If not, government just wasted lots of money and marine’s life for nothing. What these chip does exactly? No idea! There’s no detail info about it in this prologue. The procedure of planting the chip on my brain like that, can’t be comfortable. You probably notice both of this game’s titles mentioned in narration. I underline those words. I don’t make those sentence up. It’s on the prologue texts.   

 

Here's the main menu. I have no idea what’s the image on this screen supposed to be. It’s just mosaic of jumbled green pixels. Perhaps this is the vision in your brain once implanted with Bloodshot chip. There’s start game, multiplayer with splitscreen that I mentioned, and option menu. Once again, I’m baffled with the absence of controller setting. So, I can’t see the controller’s scheme, let alone change it. I think this game need Sega controller 3 buttons and not the 6 buttons ones. 3 buttons scheme is definitely easier to figure. The options contain: language setting, sound test, credit roll, and hi-score table.

Choosing start game will immediately start the game in single player. However, I see the demonstration and apparently second player can join in the middle of mission with splitscreen! Perhaps the second player must press Start button to join.

 

I start at some kind of docking chamber. The only door out of this chamber is this door with skull symbol. By pressing ‘A’ button, I open the door. As for D-Pad control: up to walk forward, down to walk backward, left and right to rotate my view.

 

That thing looks like useful item to pick up. BOOM! It is mine! But it looks like useful item in any futuristic platformer game! Heavy_jeers03.wav

 

The only weapon I have is this weak peashooter. I use it to destroy those containers that I don’t know what they’re. They just explode when I destroyed it. Perhaps it’s explosive barrel. Then there’s a block with hazard stripe pattern over there. I can pick it up and it fills on my top left inventory. No idea what it is. To fire my gun, I press ‘B’ button.  

 

Heavy_specialweapon03.wav. I found this Tri-bolt gun before first enemy and killed him. I also murder this second enemy with this awesome 3-way gun. The starter section’s structure kind of strange if compared to classic Doom. In Classic doom on first level on first episode, you get lots of room along with, explosive barrels, stairs and armor item. Once you open the first door, you encounter the weakling zombie at considerable range. Meanwhile, in this game: I have to go through 3 rooms with relatively monotonous walls before I encounter the first enemy and there’s Tri-Bolt gun before meeting the enemy. Kind of like you get shotgun before meeting that first zombie. But I don’t complaint having new gun right away.

Naturally, the 3-way gun excellent against multiple enemies. I got another 3-way gun and I can switch between them (for ammo management) by pressing ‘C’ button.  

Next gun that I obtained is rapid gun. As the name suggested, I can fire this gun rapidly by holding shoot button! Heavy_specialweapon06.wav

 

Suddenly, I get new gun: Piercer. I see that I have filled special bar on the top right up to 3 slots and it rewards me with Piercer gun. Previously, I’m rewarded with some health refill from the special bar. I assume the special bar is the Bloodshot chip. I fill the Bloodshot chip bar by killing enemies however the weakest grunt isn’t included in the kill count.

 

Not far from the previous spot, I find the items. The one with yellow bars is ammo refill for your entire arsenal, not for just currently equipped gun! That’s crazily generous! Meanwhile the drinking containers over there is health refill item. It replenishes your health by 20% or so. 

There’s bigger and tougher enemy than the android type. I can’t see him clearly because he’s stuck on the wall and I don’t want to move from this safe spot.

Here’s the plasma node, guarded by circling drones. Clearly, they are against my mission to destroy the node so the drones shoot at me. After I destroy all of them, the node starts firing projectile at me. So, I fight back both for self defense and fulfilling my mission.  

 

With the plasma node destroyed, self-destruct mechanism triggered and whole area flashes red. I have to go back to the starting point before the timer runs out.

It’s quite long way but the map layout is pretty linear so it’s doable especially for someone who hate “emergency escape within limited time” section like me. Remember that the starting room has door with skeleton symbol like over there. The skeleton symbol fairly stands out among these homogeneous spaceship wall. Not wholly prominent, but just distinctive enough as exit mark.   

 

After some milliseconds inside the starting room, the game decides that I beat the level. There’s enemy destroyed calculation but not as detail as Classic Doom with percentage. Bloodshot uses exact number of enemies destroyed. As simple as that. But there’s also bloodshot chip’s bonus achieved. It’s interesting scoring system.

Level 2...

 

At the start of level 2, there’s cannon (which is basically Classic Doom’s rocket launcher) for me to pick up, right away! Soldier_mvm_loot_rare03.wav

 

The game really generous with weapon. I had 3 in my Bloodshot backpack then there’s rapid gun in front of my eyes. My current weapon is Lock-On gun. Crosshair only appears when I equip this gun. The crosshair will automatically lock into enemy and projectile will travel to the target. The damage and fire rate are the same as the initial peashooter’s but pretty accurate thanks to the auto targeting feature.

Later…

 

I have 4 cannons at my Bloodshot’s pocket. I wasted them all to this plasma node but I realize too late that it’s invincible unless the circling drones defeated first.

 

I forgot to tell you that the plasma node can shoot projectile after I destroy all the drones. Also, there are 2 doors before this plasma node’s room. Kind of like transition room before boss fight in Megaman game but you can freely open/close these 2 doors. What I always do is fight the plasma node along with the drones on the transition room. I have limited to dodge bullets but I can close the door for temporary cover. The plasma node room is certainly more spacious and better for dodging but I think I will more likely get hit if I’m closer to the plasma node.

Level 3…

 

I regret I wasted those cannons but at least I get spray gun. I reckon this is the first gun in FPS that has bullet spread. Even though the bullet spread just spreads across horizontal range and within relatively minimum coverage. If the spray gun had bit of vertical spread, it could destroy the mine. I wish.

 

Suddenly there’s “Get key” message even though I’m pretty far from that door. Apparently, that because I press open/close door button too often and I can actually open door from feet/meters away. Maybe I operate every door in this game using remote control. You may ask “Why you press operate door button too often, Werdito?” That’s because the button also has function as strafe/face-locking button if you hold it. You have to strafe pretty often for more tactical move than just walk then stop to turn. Strafing is key to success in this game. Trust me on this one.

 

Oh, what’s this? One block with hazard stripe is removed when I open this previously locked door. So, the thing that occupy slot in top-left inventory is apparently a key! I can understand keycard from Classic Doom is key. But I can hardly believe this strange block is. It more resembles Ghost Trap from Ghostbusters.

 

I can fill the Bloodshot bar by defeating this enemy with piercer gun. The thing is, he has same sprite as the basic grunt that won’t fill my Bloodshot bar when defeated. The only difference is what projectile that they fire. Not only, Piercer does more damage than the basic peashooter but also has faster projectile.

 

The bullet spread on spray gun is not actually bad. It can make my attack more accurate. Spray gun also has autofire feature like rapid. I think I like spray gun better because it’s more accurate than the rapid gun with straight fire pattern. 

 

Demoman_specialcompleted12.wav. Then I pick up a grenade gun. It has more tactical use than other guns. The grenade travel in limited range but create explosion. It can be useful to pick enemy who hide in the corner.

 

Apparently, enemy can be killed by their own mine! Demoman_specialcompleted01.wav

I feel sorry for the previous dead space marines, murdered by these robots that is as smart as lobotomized squig.

 

I learn my lesson. I use the Lock-On gun to dispatch the drones and switch to cannon to destroy the plasma node that is stationary. Naturally, I don’t need smart targeting gun to hit stationary target. I wish this Lock-On gun also had autofire feature. It’s kind of tiring to mash the button to use the gun rapidly. I just realize that the Auto-Lock gun is inspired by smart gun from Alien movie!

Level 4…

 

This level is rough at the start. It doesn’t give me any stronger gun. Fortunately, the enemies are the basic grunt so far. Remember about the unknown container thing in first level? Turns out, it is explosive device that you can use to kill enemies around it. So, you can utilize it in this occasion.

I just realize that the Bloodshot bar is drained each time I get hit! No wonder why I don’t always get the bonus even though I have killed dozens of enemies. Moreover killing these basic grunt won’t fill the Bloodshot quota.

I got Ricochet Gun. While it's not impressive in power, it fires bouncing projectile that potentially hit enemy hide in corner. However with enemy in plain sight like this, Ricochet gun is not special for this encounter

Finally, I get the bonus. Knowing how the Bloodshot chip works, I have to be more coward than ever. More often than not I don’t get the chance to see my enemies in detail when playing the game. I can only see them through captured screenshot. That’s some nice sprite you got, buddy. But I’m not risking my life and Bloodshot bonus to see you more than a split second.

 

I want to conserve the ammo refill but I need that key. The corridor is too narrow to move around the ammo refill item. This is probably my main problem with this game, the corridor is too narrow. Even Wolfenstein 3D has thrice wider corridor than in this game.

 

Oh Sog! You look terrible on closer distance!

 

I like the dead robot on the right. His decapitated head act as censor on his groin region. But his stare looks accusatory.

 

I find this Breaker gun that looks like ocarina, in this plasma node room. For once, my panic over countdown doesn’t get the best of me. Instead, my greed for new gun takes control me in this moment.

Level 5…

One thing that I love in this game that I can carry weapons that I got from previous level, to the next level. This may seem trivial in Classic Doom or any DOS FPS in 90s. However, it feels different and nice in here because ammo refill item is very rare. Picking up same weapon will fill the inventory instead of replenishing the ammo. Then you’re forced to use the non-initial weapon until empty because you can’t switch to the basic peashooter in order to conserve the ammo. On the other hand, the game really wants you to feel more powerful with gun that you immediately obtained which is not bad feeling.

Conserving the non-initial weapon to next level is quite tall order but doable. The first and most simple way to do that is to use the gun sparingly and accurately. Second, obtain Bloodshot bonus as many as you can. Third, find secret rooms which often contain plenty of weapon. If you are experienced Classic Doom player, you know what to do to search for secret room: indiscriminately open any wall you see. It’s easier to do with the remote door operation within the game. If you can’t open some wall, small bleep sound can be heard. Unfortunately, there’s no distinctive visual feature on secret door. So, you have to check the wall indiscriminately. For real. The secret room isn’t mapped in the small automap because it’s really secret.

 

Oh Gork (or MorK)! It’s you from the title screen. You look very hideous especially in very close range like this.

 

Apparently, his parts fall apart as I give him some serious damage. He has 3 phases before completely destroyed. Maybe this is the first boss in FPS that has multiple phases before defeated. The corridor is pretty short, making hard for me to take potshot at him safely.

 

With the boss’ fall, doesn’t mean I win yet. I have to destroy plasma nodes, remember? This enemy is slightly tougher than the basic grunt so I assume this is this game’s equivalent of Doom’s imp? I obliterate him with the breaker gun. It’s pretty weird gun. It shoots 6 bullets in wide pattern, like almost cover entire screen. But it fires bullets in tighter pattern if the enemy is close. Nonetheless it’s powerful gun as the name suggested.  

 

If you wonder how the gameplay looks in motion. Here it is. I’m brave enough to capture video in this moment because the enemy stuck on that pillar. However, I can’t hit him from here. Stalemate! Sniper_autodejectedtie02.wav

 

I find some plenty provision here! The skull item on the left is new to me. But when I see at the corner of top right on my HUD which have same skull symbol, I realize that the item is extra life. By default, I have 3 lives. I got another from Bloodshot bonus and I can only have up to 4 of them. Because they have skull symbol, calling them live reserves probably inaccurate. Perhaps they should be called the die counts that you are allowed to.

I think I show you enough on campaign mode. I finish 5 out of 16 levels which is 31.25% of campaign. Let’s check the proclaimed first split-screen multiplayer.

 

The multiplayer mode has 3 maps to choose from. I choose the 3rd and it has same wall texture as level 5 in Campaign mode. There’s a change on HUD which is the removal of Bloodshot bar. That’s sensible design because it takes lots of space in the HUD. While the life reserves allowable death count is in digit to save space. What baffles me is: I need key to explore the map and eventually meet my opponent.

 

Finally, I meet my (uncontrolled) opponent at his starting chamber. I kind of disappointed that we look like Atomic Runner Chelnov instead of awesome looking Space Marine from Warhammer 40K. I take this opportunity to test some weapon. Although Breaker gun looks like harmless ocarina, it’s insanely powerful. As you can see the opponent’s health bar. It’s depleted by almost 90% from me fire the gun once in short distance. Perhaps Breaker gun is the equivalent of shotgun.

Other guns don’t have obliterating power as Breaker gun. It’s funny that opponent’s body isn’t replaced as he dies. So, we have 3 dead bodies here. I think we’re done.

Domark’s Bloodshot (1994) is pretty unique case of a game. Although it came out after Classic Doom in 1993, it has worse graphic than the Legendary ID’s FPS. That’s because Bloodshot works on Sega Genesis. I have to hand it to them for making FPS on Sega Genesis while Doom released on Sega 32X in 1994 and on SNES in 1995. Also, for enriching the library of my most favorite 16-bit console. The visual surrounding kind of bland and monotonous. Even the secret door is barely different than other walls. But the developer put some appropriate flair on those walls to make it futuristic or alien spaceship like. I feel like the game need some temporary power up akin to Quake or Doom. For example: double damage, double speed, invincibility, or infinite ammo. Developer can put those power up as Bloodshot bonus. I think the weakest enemy type should be melee fighter so the game has lower level of entry. In current state, the game can be considerably hard because map consists of majorly narrow corridor with barely enough room to dodge freely plus all of enemy fire projectile. Classic Doom mixes up enemy type with melee type, hitscan shooter, and shooter with visible projectile. The key mark on locked door is not good. It’s just hazard stripes with either yellow or red color. The automap and selected weapon take the same box but it’s not so detrimental. The box automatically become indicator for weapon that you select only when you switch weapon.

On to positive review. I love the gameplay. It’s like Wolfenstein 3D with narrow corridors and use Contra-style gun instead of more historic accurate gun like MP40 or Luger. Piercer is most likely gun that you will get most often. However, it’s the least powerful gun. It hits twice on target so I assume it has twice power of the initial peashooter. It seems Piercer can penetrate [No Giggling there!] more than 1 enemy in single line but it doesn’t happen frequently. Rapid gun feels better to use than Piercer and it helps you prevent cramp on your finger because of autofire. Same thing goes to Spray gun. If you want heavy gun, cannon is your best bet. Breaker gun insanely stronger but very rare to get. Lock-On gun is good for conserving ammo due to high accuracy. There’s also Ricochet gun that fire bouncing bullet that can provide you with more tactical attack. But Grenade gun is easier and stronger for gun with more tactical approach. By tactical approach, I mean you can attack enemy that hides in a corner or you can attack enemy while you’re in a corner. The 3-way gun is good for either single enemy or more of them. When using against single enemy, you don't have to aim more accurately but drain 3-Way gun's ammo quite unnecessarily. The Bloodshot bonus is interesting risk-and-reward feature. You can’t just run and gun enemies because getting hit will drain the Bloodshot bar. So, you’re forced to take cover and engage enemies within safe distance and timing. Besides your controlled marine is pretty stiff to control because you use D-pad to move forward/backward and turn left/right with ‘A’ button to face lock/strafe as extra control. I think enemies do get flinched everytime they get hit. So, theoretically you can defeat enemy safely if you manage to lock them in flinch animation but that requires very precise shooting. Not only you get extra gun from Bloodshot bonus, but also health refill and allowable death count. You can also get extra key but it’s the least useful. It opens secondary door that may contains provisions but the secondary room kind of rare in this game. I have to admit that the game's goal is fairly more interesting than Classic Doom's which is just press final switch that's pretty boring and monotonous. Even I hate/fear of critical countdown in every video game. The sound effect is okay. The music is quite good but only for Sega CD version.

Bloodshot (1994) is pretty cool obsolete FPS game with pretty intense gameplay. The arsenal and Bloodshot feature win me over instantly. They’re very unique. I reckon no other game has this arsenal with simple and novel feeling, except Contra mod on Doom. Other every FPS are settled with usual shotgun, handgun, rocket launcher, laser rifle, etc. One thing that I like to add. Because Bloodshot has so many narrow corridors, flamethrower will be perfect weapon in this game. Just simple chain of fireballs on medium range will be do fine as flamethrower. Mine also potentially good weapon for the player because the AI is really stupid. Then there’s 2-player mode! Either co-op or deathmatch. I think both are fine as they are although in co-op mode both player most likely fight over weapons. If you want to try the game, I strongly recommend the Sega CD version. It has more bearable sound and graphic than the Sega Genesis version. Then there’s the hideous face on game title. He’s ugly but also magnificent at the same time. Although in gameplay he’s slow and less intimidating than Iron Lich in Heretic.