Disclamer: When finishing off this review the My Little Blood Cult came out with update 1.5.1 that introduced new mechanics as well as some big fixes. As a result my review may have reflect issues no longer present in the game. Thank you.
Nostalgic Flash Gaming Vibes
When I was younger, some of my most cherished gaming memories were hopping onto cool maths games when I wasn’t supposed to in class and playing bangers like Balloon Tower Defence 3, Run 2, Duck Life 1-3, Raft Wars, and many more. ‘My Little Blood Cult’ effortlessly transports me back to those days of innocent fun. It takes the essence of those flash fishing games I used to enjoy and adds a wicked twist – now you’re tasked with capturing demons, creatures, and all sorts of oddities to fill up your cabinet and ascend to cult supremacy. It’s got the simple graphics, straightforward mechanics, and that unmistakable indie game charm. However, it pains me to say that despite all these promising elements, the game ultimately falls flat due to its underwhelming and unfinished state.
Development Background and Promise
Crafted by “Dillo Interactive,” a studio that proudly touts its founding by industry veterans in 2019, the game displays flashes of brilliance, particularly in animation, motion design, and art style. However, it’s worth noting that Dillo Interactive has only one other published game to its name – a farming mobile game that’s still in its alpha stage. Unfortunately, My Little Blood Cult seems to find itself in a similar developmental state, crying out for more time in the oven before it can reach its full potential, even in a beta release.
Subjective Evaluation and Affection
Before I delve into what’s ‘Good,’ the ‘Okay,’ and what desperately ‘Needs Improvement,’ let me be clear – I don’t dislike this game, nor do I consider it bad. In fact, I’m quite fond of the concept and story and genuinely excited to see where it can go. My point is simply that it needs a little more time in the oven before it’s ready to hit the gaming scene, even as a beta version.
Visual Appeal and Atmosphere
Now, let’s talk about what sets this game apart – its animations, motion design, and art style. These elements shine right from the moment you enter the home menu and continue to captivate you as you journey into the weird, wonderful, and devilishly cool hellish dimension that the game offers. It’s these visual elements that first drew me into the game’s concept. Adding to that immersive experience is the eerie and atmospheric music, which adapts depending on the room or location you find yourself in.
Audio Enhancement Suggestions
But I can’t help but think that the game could take things up a notch by incorporating more sound effects (SFX). For instance, when you’re fishing in the hellish dimension, the experience could be greatly enhanced with the addition of the clacking sound of chains as your hook descends into the unknown abyss. Similarly, when using the fishing mechanics, the inclusion of a tapping sound as you rapidly click to capture a demon would contribute to the overall immersion. These are just a couple of examples, but there are countless other subtle sounds and noises that could be woven into the game’s fabric. As it stands, the game feels somewhat lifeless and lacks that crucial depth. The introduction of these SFX would make the game feel more tangible and engaging.
Mechanics and Gameplay Experience
Another aspect of the game I quite enjoy is the mechanics. Before you cast your hook into the dark abyss, you must choose one of four grimoires, each containing its own unique creature. Following that, you’re presented with the blood altar. To summon, you expend a ‘blood vial,’ which is acquired by sacrificing followers. While the game theoretically allows you to restock on blood vials by visiting ‘Human Resources,’ I rarely found myself needing to make that trip.
Issues with Game Mechanics and Quests
So, when you capture demons, you get these ingredients and the idea is that you use these ingredients to snag higher-level demons. Sounds interesting on paper, but in reality, it just didn’t get me all that pumped. Whenever you catch something new it is added to the library and over time you are meant to fill out the library with all the ingredients and demon types. But personally I’m not excited by this. I mean, theoretically, it should be a fun process, encouraging you to explore and experiment, but it didn’t quite hit the mark.
Criticisms and Glitches
The main issues I had with this game are as follows. The fishing (which is the main part of the whole game) just takes a bit too long and can honestly get pretty dull. Now, don’t get me wrong, it looks visually cool with the whole art and music and animations, but the fun factor seemed to be missing. Next up, the shop. This is where things started to get a bit wonky. Some of the quests had some glitches, and a few were even doubled up. But there’s a bigger problem here – some of the quests were just impossible to complete. Like the weekly task that told me to “Buy Gold,” but Bloody gold shop was “Closed for renovations.” Yeah, talk about bad timing, right?
Conclusion
In the realm of nostalgia, “My Little Blood Cult” attempts to recapture the thrill of flash gaming’s glory days blending simple graphics, quirky mechanics, and an indie charm. While its animations, motion design, music, and art style shine brightly the game’s unfinished state casts a shadow. Adding more SFX would breathe life into the experience. The mechanics show promise but lack excitement, and fishing the game’s core can be tedious. Shop quests have their quirks, with glitches and it seems it’s magic is still a work in progress. “My Little Blood Cult” isn’t quite ready to join the cult classics, but it’s not a lost cause.
