Blood of the Werewolf

It was advertised as a Metroidvania game. It is not. It is a speed runner platformer game that puts your scores on a leader board every level, but for that, it is just mediocre.

This is a great game but it's not for everyone. The artwork is gorgeous, the controls and level design are extremely tight and even the music and voice acting are very high quality. I also absolutely adore all of the nods to classic horror films, books and games. But this is "old school" gameplay as filtered through the very particular aughts/early teens lens of indie games like "I Wanna Be The Guy". And while nowhere near as difficult as that game, with unlimited lives/continues and very reasonable checkpoints throughout, if you don't enjoy repeating short sections again and again until you perfect them you're unlikely to finish this gem. Although I should point out that when you quit the game and come back it will start you at the exact checkpoint in the level you stopped at. So you can always stop playing if you feel yourself getting frustrated with a section and come back to conquer it later. Which is great! Comparisons to the original Castlevania games are both intentional (there is a cute reference to the Belmont family on a billboard at one point) and unavoidable. This game is easier than most classic pre-Symphony of the Night Castlevania titles, almost all of which I have also beaten on their original hardware. I'd say it's slightly harder than the easiest of those games, Super Castlevania 4. But it doesn't play like any of the classic Castlevanias either. The jumping and general movement are much more fluent and traditional, more akin to Mega Man than the "ClassicVanias". And particularly in the final stages of the game there is a much greater emphasis on platforming while avoiding projectiles than those games. Gameplay is split between sections where your protagonist is indoors away from the moonlight and therefore human, and outside in the light of the moon in their wolf form. Each form comes with different attacks and jumping abilities. Your human form has ranged attacks and the normal jump controls you expect in a platformer, with jumps that vary in height and distance based on how hard/long you press the button. While your werewolf form has (mostly) melee attacks and the ability to double-jump in addition to normal jump controls. These switch-ups help keep the gameplay feeling fresh and varied. This is not a Metroidvania, the game has a traditional level-and-boss based structure. But there are items to collect which increase your health and ammo pools as you hit thresholds of them collected in the game, as well as hidden upgrades you can find to power up your weapons in secret areas in each level. The game does allow you to replay levels to pick up items you missed. But the upgrades while helpful are not essential to beating the game. Indeed even though ammo drops are abundant and your ammo meter is fully filled upon a re-spawn from death I rarely used my powered up secondary fire outside of the final two levels and boss fights. Though the increased crossbow fire and werewolf healing ability did come in extremely handy in the final boss fight. In summation if you like the theme and old school action platformers this is an absolute must play. If you're not sure I recommend checking out some gameplay videos to see if this is for you. Just don't get hung up on the story which I found unnecessarily dark when contrasted with the overall camp of the game, and sadly ends on a cliffhanger promising a sequel that never came.

Tjis game is fun, but inredibly doficult with pixel perfect movement needed for some areas. I love it, but some will not.

Blood of the Werewolf is a challenging 2D action platformer that draws heavily from the design philosophy of classic 8-bit and 16-bit era games while wrapping its mechanics in a gothic horror aesthetic. Developed by Scientifically Proven and published on Steam by Ziggurat, the game places players in the role of Selena, a mother driven by vengeance and desperation after her husband is killed and her child is kidnapped by monstrous forces. The narrative framework is simple but emotionally direct, providing motivation for a relentless journey through dark forests, haunted villages, gothic castles, and nightmarish realms populated by creatures drawn from classic horror mythology. At its core, Blood of the Werewolf is built around precision platforming and demanding combat. The level design is unapologetically linear, pushing players forward through tightly constructed stages filled with environmental hazards, enemy ambushes, and reflex-testing sequences. Spikes, swinging blades, collapsing platforms, and narrow jumping windows demand consistent timing and careful positioning. Death often comes quickly and without mercy, but the frequent checkpoint system prevents frustration from spiraling into tedium. The difficulty curve is steep, especially in later levels, where enemy placement and platforming challenges combine to create tense, high-pressure segments that reward memorization and practice. One of the game’s defining features is its dual-form mechanic. Selena alternates between her human form and her werewolf transformation depending on environmental lighting conditions. In her human state, she relies primarily on a crossbow capable of aiming in multiple directions, allowing for ranged combat and environmental interaction. This form emphasizes tactical positioning and careful spacing when dealing with enemies. In contrast, her werewolf form activates in moonlit areas, granting enhanced mobility, stronger melee attacks, and increased survivability. This transformation shifts gameplay toward aggression and speed, creating a dynamic rhythm between cautious precision and feral momentum. The interplay between these two states adds variety to level design, forcing players to adapt their approach depending on lighting and terrain. Combat encounters reinforce the game’s old-school sensibilities. Enemies range from shambling undead and monstrous beasts to more formidable bosses inspired by classic horror archetypes. Boss fights serve as climactic tests of pattern recognition and reaction time, often requiring multiple attempts to fully understand attack sequences and vulnerabilities. Victory feels earned rather than handed out, echoing the design traditions of retro platformers where persistence is as important as skill. While the controls are generally responsive, certain sections can feel unforgiving if timing is even slightly off, contributing to both the sense of challenge and occasional frustration. Visually, Blood of the Werewolf embraces a stylized gothic look that complements its horror theme. The art direction features hand-drawn environments and character designs that evoke classic monster films and dark fairy tales. Backgrounds are atmospheric without becoming visually cluttered, and the contrast between shadow and moonlight reinforces both aesthetic and mechanical elements. Although the animation quality does not always reach the fluidity of modern high-budget platformers, the overall presentation succeeds in establishing a cohesive mood. The soundtrack supports this tone with dramatic compositions that heighten tension during platforming segments and intensify boss encounters. Narratively, the game keeps its storytelling concise. Short cutscenes and dialogue exchanges punctuate the action, gradually unfolding Selena’s quest and the forces opposing her. While the story does not venture into complex thematic territory, it provides emotional grounding for the relentless gameplay. The choice to center the narrative on a determined mother rather than a conventional hero adds a distinctive touch, giving the journey a personal edge that distinguishes it from more generic revenge plots. Ultimately, Blood of the Werewolf stands as a deliberate throwback to a demanding era of platform design. It prioritizes mechanical mastery over accessibility, offering a structured and punishing experience that rewards patience and dedication. Its blend of dual-form gameplay, atmospheric horror setting, and tightly tuned level challenges creates a cohesive package that will resonate strongly with players who appreciate retro-inspired difficulty. While it may not appeal to those seeking a more forgiving or exploratory platformer, it succeeds in delivering a focused, skill-driven adventure that captures the spirit of classic action games while carving out its own dark identity. Rating: 6/10

An overall positive experience. I wanted to love Blood of the Werewolf, and despite it's best efforts I still like it. Enjoyable enough to finish in two sittings, BotW does keep trying to push you away with projectile hell and sometimes boring levels. If you can push through it's ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ and don't suck at platforming, the game's a comfy 7/10 pretty good IGN

норм

Es un juegazo! si eres de los jugadores a los q les gusta hacer todos los logros, será todo un desafío, son bastante difíciles de hacer,

This is my first game of Steam!

O presente video game apresenta gráficos espetaculares pra um jogo 2D. Achei os desafios bastante peculiares e diferentes de outros exemplares do mesmo estilo plataforma. Pensava que era mais fácil vencer no jogo mas pelo visto será difícil visto que os controles são meio confusos. Mas apenas no início para quem não está acostumado, depois que você domina os controle a jogabilidade muda pra melhor. Há também um ponto no final da segunda fase(The Docks) deste jogo que achei extremamente difícil, em que você tem que descer rápido antes que os blocos de ferro colidam contra você. Fiquei 20 ou 25 minutos tentando acertar e morri várias ou dezenas de vezes para conseguir passar de nível. Deixando isso de lado, a idéia de monstros como lobisomem, frankenstein se reunirem num jogo só achei muito boa. Não me leve à mal mas achei o jogo desafiador e inovador. As animações são fluidas e a melhor parte é quando a protagonista se transforma na fera licantrópica. E parece-me que ela adquire vários poderes durante a jogatina que melhoram o jeito de você eliminar as várias criaturas que aparecem. Vale a pena conferir, porém creio que deveria ser um Game em 2,5D. Se fosse, BLOOD OF THE WEREWOLF seria uma obra-prima. O Game em questão erra nesse aspecto. Não precisava ser um jogo 2D pois entendi o que os desenvolvedores queriam passar, ou seja, apenas uma diversão descompromissada e não muito complicada como vários outros Games do estilo plataforma. Recomendo a todas as idades. Pois é muito melhor que muitos Games em 3D que estão por aí no mercado como BEAR ADVENTURES que é em 3D mas é uma bela de uma porcaria. BLOOD OF THE WEREWOLF cumpre sua função de divertir, até me lembrou um pouco de WOLF'S FURY que é um beat'n up no estilo STREETS OF RAGE onde você controla também um lobisomem. Confira!

It's fine. Good enough to play through once.