GAME REVIEW: 'BloodRayne: Betrayal' returns to sanguine roots
"BloodRayne" made a name for itself by combining action game play with vampires, long before they sparkled, and Rayne, a female star to rival Lara Croft.
Sadly, the series’ reputation was marred by two low-quality films in 2005 and 2007. Since then, Rayne seemed to fall out of existence. "BloodRayne: Betrayal" is a return to form for Rayne, proving that the female Dhampir still has what it takes.
The title may be a step back to the original story, but it’s a step away from the original's game play.
Betrayal is more reminiscent of the "Castlevania" series. Intense side scrolling combat is seamlessly merged with equally challenging plat-forming segments.
Style isn’t the only thing borrowed from the classic side-scrollers; "Betrayal" is brutally challenging as well.
Rayne is equipped with her signature blades, guns, and acrobatics, but also has access to a few new tricks, such as a sunlight cannon and the ability to turn into a raven.
Just because Rayne has the tools to destroy her foes does not mean it will be easy. She is extremely agile, but enemies deal massive damage.
Luckily, mid-level check points are very well-placed. Dying will take you back far enough to make it unappealing, but never so far that it becomes frustrating.
Combat is a blast. Rayne is often swinging both blades while somersaulting and dashing through the air.
If you find yourself in trouble, Rayne’s pistol can clear a group of enemies with only a few shots, but extremely limited ammo forces you to use it wisely.
Rayne can still drain her enemies for health, but now she can also infect them, turning them into powerful remote mines.
The platforming segments are appropriately challenging and require precise timing to complete. Rayne can sometimes be a little floaty, drifting too far for a jump, but for the most part she controls well.
The raven segments are equally challenging and manage to divide up the pacing while not losing the atmosphere of the game.
While "Betrayal" is hard, it does provide a great sense of accomplishment for finally killing a boss or making it through a particularly difficult platform section after several tries.
"BloodRayne: Betrayal" will only take eight or so hours to complete, but the game never lets up on the action or gets stale.
Even still, Betrayal’s biggest issue is its length. The game is well worth the $15 price tag, but by the end will still leave you wanting more.
"Castlevania" and "BloodRayne" fans alike will find a lot to love here. The steep difficulty may been a turn off for some, but for the most part, the challenge only makes the game more enjoyable and engrossing.
"BloodRayne: Betrayal" is available for 1200 points on Xbox Live, or $15 on Playstation Network.
