Blood and gore has always existed and will continue to exist in different forms and mediums, whether it’s historical paintings or modern TV shows, and yes especially games; there’s just something inherently primal about seeing a clean canvas (A.K.A the walls/floors or even the ceilings?) having red brushstrokes or splatters that paint an abstract image of sensational gratification that’s difficult to comprehend why it looks mesmerizing.
Here are 9 blood effects in games, that I’ve personally felt were done right. I am in no way a Dexter-esque blood-splatter analyst working for the forensics department, but I sure have played a lot of games over the years. You see, I’ve always felt that it was at times, a copout on how developers implemented blood in games, sometimes even borderline lazy—a red mist here, a generic looking splat there, no variations; it’s really just used as an indicator that you’ve done damage, rather than it being a kinetic flow of visual spectacle or a subtle touch on a clean scene.
The list is not about how much blood you can cram into a scene, or how ridiculous the violence is, but rather something that’ll catch your attention and will make you appreciate the work that went through it. It’s all about the variations of smudges and splatters, the interactivity such as bloody footprints, if there’s physics, or even character model decals such as entry/exit wounds. Safe to say you won’t see Mortal Kombat or MadWorld, it’s all about the style and idiosyncrasy, and I felt that too much of something at times can be an eyesore. Anyway, here’s the list, prepare to see a lot of red.
F.E.A.R (2005)
The Darkness (2007)
Half-Life 2 (2004)
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (2001)
Max Payne 3 (2012)
Dead Rising (2006)
Hotline Miami (2012)
Tenchu 2: Birth of the Assassins (2000)
The Evil Within 2 (2017)
Hope you enjoyed the list, whether it was due to your bloodlust or genuine empathy towards on how I feel about the subject matter. Rest assure you’re probably not a psycho, after all, there should always be a safe space on where you can discuss or express anything you find unorthodox or even unsettling.
