Blood Message wasn't on my radar at the start of Summer Game Fest earlier this month, but by the time I left, it was one of the few games that left a major impression on me.

As a lifelong fan of Assassin's Creed's iconic stealth kills, the brutal realism of Blood Message felt immediately familiar and satisfying – scratching an itch that only one property has before. While Blood Message definitely appealed thanks to my existing love for Ubisoft’s series, it sets itself apart by emphasizing cinematic set pieces and gruesome combat above all else.

I sat down for a 30-minute hands-on preview of 24Entertainment's Blood Message at Summer Game Fest. In that short time, Blood Message showcased the beginning of a gritty tale about war, survival, and revenge in the Tang Dynasty.

A Presentation Perfect For Cinephiles

During Blood Message's opening moments, it's abundantly clear that a very dark and very painful story is about to unfold, as a town is attacked and ransacked by dozens of soldiers. As I take control of the protagonist, an unnamed messenger, the world around me starts to crumble and burn. Luckily, I have my brother to keep me company – until we're unceremoniously separated when a massive wooden structure collapses between us.

As I weave through the remains of burning homes and make my way through the village under siege, I duck out of sight of soldiers on the hunt for fellow survivors – and me. Aside from a slab of stone splashed with yellow paint à la Resident Evil, most of the environment feels completely natural. Despite being a linear experience with set routes, it took me a hot minute to discover where the intended path was.

While Blood Message isn't shy about being a linear experience, it presents you with enough freedom to explore and carve your way through the village without holding your hand. Some of the small crevices initially seemed blocked off, but I was satisfied once I discovered that I could shimmy through them with a single button press.

These carefully placed interactions often seamlessly weave in cinematic set pieces that blur the lines between cutscenes and gameplay. At times, it can be intrusive when you lose control as a scene plays out, but the opening of the game necessitates these moments of fierce exposition. Hopefully, the split between cinematic narrative touchstones and those in your control balances out over the course of the game's story.

The Nuance Of Brutality

As the demo progresses into an open space, I finally get a taste of combat. While my Assassin's Creed-coded brain jumped in swinging, ready to chain kills from one enemy to the next, I was suddenly stopped cold as my sword remained firmly embedded in an enemy's chest. I struggle to free it by spamming the block button in panic, as another enemy closes in with their sword raised. It's here that I take my first hit, staggering backwards as the screen is blemished with blood.

"Did I do something wrong there?" I ask the PR guide sitting beside me. "Nope, you were just stuck," she replies. I nod my head, feeling somewhat ambivalent at first, but despite the unusual mishap, it felt fair.

When Blood Message was introduced as a game rooted in realism and brutally visceral combat, I didn't quite expect the level of detail that this moment encapsulated. My initial reaction was frustration at being utterly helpless to defend myself, but slowly, it became part of my strategy.

And that was the point. Blood Message wants to steer you toward stealth instead of facing every single enemy head-on.

This was abundantly clear toward the end of the preview, as I approached a courtyard crawling with soldiers. As I crouch around the edges, I try – and fail – to maintain a low profile and sneak past half a dozen guards. Each time, despite incredible effort and trickery, I'm eventually overwhelmed by the brutal sword slashes and left to retry the section. The enemies don't politely wait for you to finish killing their compatriot before they attack – they keep coming, even when you're still busy with a final blow.

After a few failures, I hand the controller back to the PR guide for the sake of time and watch as she effortlessly evades detection using a route I hadn't considered in my attempts. It was this moment that made it obvious that sometimes violence isn't the answer in Blood Message.

As I finish the demo and barely step away from the final encounter alive, I'm left with a sense of accomplishment. Blood Message isn’t shaping up to be an easy game – it’s challenging, brutal, but most of all, thought-provoking. The combat is far from smooth, but there’s a weight and significance to each swing that makes you consider the possible consequences of every action.

My small taste of the story and mechanics feels like little more than an appetizer for what's to come, and I'm left wanting more. If you're looking to kick back and relax with a straightforward interactive story, then Blood Message might not be for you. But if the rest of the game reflects my brief experience, then Blood Message will offer a gritty, immersive, and compelling cinematic tale when it releases.

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Posts By  Andrew Scariati