Blackwind
Release Date: January 20, 2022
Action, science fiction, isometric view, RPG elements, mechs, for 2 players, indie games, co-op, shooters, action adventure, splitscreen, multiplayer, singleplayer
OpenCritic
An action adventure game that lets us take on the role of a combat mecha operator and face whole hoards of monsters. In Blackwind we can play both solo and in local cooperative mode.
Videos and Screens
[0:48] Blackwind trailer #1
COGconnected: 59 / 100 by Mark Steighner
There aren’t enough hack-and-slash action games with a sci-fi setting, but Blackwind stumbles pretty hard and makes enjoying it consistently a challenge. The game’s camera is the worst offender, but issues with platforming, balance and combat are also parts of the problem. I didn’t care that the story could find a consistent tone as much as the game’s mechanics made me want to step away in frustration. I enjoy difficult games, but not unfair, busted or buggy ones.
Garage Band Gamers: 8 / 10
Much like a bag of your favorite salty snack food, there is a fair amount of dead air in Blackwind; but there is just enough to consume to keep you interested if action games are your thing. And much like your junk food, don’t share it with anyone else, or you may walk away feeling kind of cheated.
Niche Gamer: 6 / 10 by Jonathan White
All and all, it’s about what I’d expect from a game built in Unity. Blackwind feels like it was originally designed to be a mobile game and changed at the last minute when they realized there were too many commands for a touch screen. It’s not a great game, but it was kind of fun to play once I figured out how to work around the kinks. Adding some camera controls could easily bump this score up a solid point, but time will tell on any post-release support that Blackwind receives.
Blackwind Description
Blackwind is an action adventure game in which we take the helm of a powerful mecha and face hordes of enemies on an alien planet. Game was developed by Drakkar Dev studio and was published by Blowfish Studios and Gamera Game.
Plot
Blackwind takes us on a journey to the planet Medusa-42, which became a source of valuable resources for humans. But in the end monsters called Raknos decided to claim their own and started to attack the mining outposts. The main character of the game is James Hawkins - a teenager who landed here in an emergency after his spaceship was shot down. The protagonist must fight for survival and find his lost father. Fortunately, he is not doomed to travel alone, because he has at his disposal a prototype mech equipped with artificial intelligence - the titular Blackwind.
Mechanics
In Blackwind we observe the action from a top-down view. Moving through Medusa-42, where we can find, among others, sandy deserts, snow-covered mountain peaks or dense forests, we deal with facing the hordes of enemies. On our way are both regular enemies (among which you'll find aggressive two-legged Raknos and oversized spiders) and powerful bosses (led by giant beasts).
Battles are extremely dynamic, and we eliminate hordes of adversaries by fighting in close combat with energy blades, shooting with blasters and rocket launchers, as well as making use of mines and grenades. In addition, our mecha is equipped with a number of special combat abilities, the skillful use of which can change the fate of many a battle. Additional support for us is a special drone, which can be used in combat or during exploration (hovering in the air, it can get to places inaccessible in any other way).
A visit to the planet Medusa-42 does not end with fighting with enemies. In the game we have also implemented platform sections that require dexterity and uncomplicated puzzles. As we progress we develop our armor, unlocking new skills related to fighting and exploration, as well as gaining new special abilities. In addition, the game allows us to modify the color scheme of the mecha.
Game modes
In Blackwind you can play solo or in local cooperative mode, in which the second player takes control of the drone.
Technical aspects
Blackwind has a colorful and eye-pleasing graphics. The mecha and enemy models look good, as well as the particle effects with which the screen is flooded during skirmishes.
Blackwind Summary
Platforms:
PC / Windows
PlayStation 5
Xbox Series X/S
Switch
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Developer: Drakkar Dev
Publisher: Blowfish Studios
Blackwind System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5 GHz / AMD FX-8320 3.5 GHz, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 2 GB GeForce GTX 760 or better, 3 GB HDD, Windows 7
Recommended: Intel Core i7-3930K 3.2 GHz / AMD Ryzen 5 1600 3.2 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 6 GB GeForce GTX 1060 or better, 3 GB HDD, Windows 10