Bleed

I’m glad this has such a great portable conversion because it is absolutely worth playing if you enjoy those pickup and play experiences like Super Meat Boy. It even has video capture to share those epic moments.

Bleed mostly does a good job of making the most out of its relatively simple design, with the time slowing mechanic resulting in a unique feel that sets it apart from other run and gun games. The checkpoints and upgrades, as well as variable difficulty settings, make it very accessible in a way you don’t always see in this genre. Bleed is yet another compelling indie experience on the Switch eShop.

Bleed does a great job of providing a balance between brains and brawn, finesse and firepower.

Bleed is short, simple and effective, full of frantic actions and challenging enough to earn the right to have the players' attention. While its price tag might seem too steep for a game that has been around for a few years now, the action-packed nature of the game, along with its variety make it a piece of work that is definitely worth checking out.

In the end though, Bleed does what it sets out to do: it entertains and it offers fast, furious, and difficulty shooting and platforming. It’s a good game. It’s just too short for my tastes. Bring on Bleed 2, and let’s get nuts, Wryn. It’s not much to write home about visually, but in the world of Indies, it’s the gameplay that really counts and Bleed nails that part.

Bleed on Switch works fine and seems originally designed for this new console. After four years, the game is still engaging, but 15 euros for a game that can be bought at 99 cent on Steam is a very bad marketing choice.

All in all, it was a decent experience for the short 2-3 hours it lasted, but I wouldn’t be happy with it if I had to pay $15 for it.

Note: I played the "Bleed Complete Bundle", that includes "Bleed" and "Bleed 2". This review covers both games. The Bleed games are all about striking a balance. They're packed with action, but the levels are so short, that you have plenty of chances to put down your Switch and take a breath. They're hard enough to be fun, but easy enough to avoid frustrating you. And finally, you might argue that they lack substance–but they're both so short, that they'll be over way before they start feeling repetitive. And if you're looking for a steeper challenge, they offer many opportunities to replay through the levels, in search of a better score, or using the unlockable characters. The hardest difficulties and characters offer more than enough challenge even for the most hardcore action fans, and there is even a one-life mode for the masochists out there. Bleed is a one-hour long game with seven short levels, a whimsical storyline, and plenty of boss battles–usually two or more per level. Its core idea is a limited bullet-time mechanic, coupled with an air-dash move. The two mechanics together allow you to navigate bullet hellish situation in slow motion, while unleashing a decent diversity of weapons on a number of cartoonish foes. Bleed 2 takes the formula of the first game and pumps it up to eleven, especially when it comes to boss battles. The entire game borders on a boss rush–a sequence of boss fights interleaved by short non-boss sections. The fights are varied enough to hold your attention throughout, and in the last levels I had to take frequent breaks, because the action (in Hard mode) proved intense enough to make my hands cramp on a Switch Lite. If you like some light-hearted action, Bleed and Bleed 2 are a bundle of unassuming, straightforward fun. You could easily play both games to completion in a single sitting, but I tried to dose the fun through a few days, in between other games. I'll certainly pick up the games again for some couch co-op action when I get friends over.

I ended up playing the second one first, but now I see why this game got a sequel. While Bleed 2 is better in several ways, it was just an improvement. Bleed is what started it all and deserves a try just for that, as I would recommend it.

I was finally able to try this Bleed game on the Switch late last night. I was not sure if I would like that title at first as it is fast paced and the controls can be tricky, but once I got a hang of them it was pretty awsome to slow time and kill enemies with the PowerA Zelda Theme Pro Controller. I am usually not a type of gamer who likes plenty of bosses, but those ones were well designed and engaging. Unfortunately the game is short as I finished it in about 90 minutes, but it is quite fun and challenging. Please note I played on normal difficulty. I am giving it 6 out of 10 mostly because the game is very short and the platforming levels were ok, but not great and not long enough. I would recommend to pick it if it comes on sale as the game is quite fun and the controls are tight.