Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond (XBLA) Review

• Game: Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond
• Developer: Vicious Cycle Software, Inc.
• Price: 1200MS Points ($15.00)
• Release Date: 1/6/2010

Matt Hazard: Blood Bath and Beyond is the game we wanted from Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard. Eat Lead was not a terrible game – the writing could be quite funny – but it never lived up to its potential [it had Doogie Howser, Doogie!]. Blood Bath and Beyond tops the first game on all levels with its consistently funny writing and the fact it is actually fun to play.

Blood Bath and Beyond is a side-scrolling shooter in the same vein as games like Contra and Metal Slug. The gameplay is fun and controls well, but you won’t see anything you haven’t seen before, i.e. 4-D gaming or smell-o-vision. It can be just as frustrating and challenging, but rewarding and fun at the same time. This has a lot to do with the three difficultly levels: Wussy, Damn This is Hard, and Fuck This Shit!. Anyone can beat the game on Wussy, but those looking for personal castration; Fuck This Shit! [rated M for Mature] will be right up your alley.

The real charm of Blood Bath and Beyond comes from the writing and referential humor. “Right. Well, former-me. I guess this is where we part ways. Take care. Oh…one thing. When you make your next-gen debut, get a few extra months of development time. Those reviews are gonna be harsh.” Quotes like this make Blood Bath and Beyond an absolute delight and the game design matches the writing; levels and characters will openly make reference to such games as BioShock, Team Fortress 2, Super Mario Bros., and Pokémon [yes, Pokémon].

There are points that can be frustrating even on Wussy, but those few moments never take away from the experience and you can always bring a friend along if you need some extra help; the game features offline co-op, but sadly no online play. Fans of side-scrolling shooters will have a blast with Blood Bath and Beyond and the game is easily worth the $15 price tag; there is plenty of fun [and collectibles] to be found in replaying levels. I will end on a very important note: the demo level is by far the worst level in the entire game, so don’t judge the game solely on that level.

P.S. The ending is awesome. In the words of bowtie-wearing pig, “That’s all folks!”

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