Bad Blood may well have been Origin's first RPG that tried to appeal to the action crowd by offering action-based gameplay and minimal statistics. It didn't quite succeed on that count mainly because the action sequences are quite repetitive and the enemies too easy to dispatch (by simply lining them up in your line of sight and keep pressing the fire button as they make no attempt to dodge the bullets). However, the game also has plenty of charm on its own: the plot and NPCs are interesting enough to warrant a play-through. It's also worth a mention as one of the first games Wing Commander designer Chris Roberts designed for Origin, and his knack for creating cinematic moments is apparent even at this early stage. Thumbs up! Note: This download is the 1994 re-release version, which features updated 256-color VGA graphics and other cosmetic enhancements. Reviewed by: Underdogs |