Blud (video game)

Lore & Background

#BLUD was originally conceived as a pitch for an animated television series by Exit 73 Studios co-founders Chris Burns and Bob Fox, who developed concept art and a short trailer during downtime between client projects, with the idea dating back to at least 2018. The concept shifted to a video game when programmer Cody Greenhalge saw the pitch materials and suggested the format. The team formed Exit 73 Games as a separate entity, bringing on Greenhalge, fellow programmer Andrew Tavis, and writer Greg Lane. Development spanned roughly seven years from that early trailer to release.

Reader's Guide

#BLUD received mixed to positive reviews upon release, with critics praising its art direction and writing but finding the combat mechanics lacking in depth. The visual presentation drew widespread praise, with Push Square calling the aesthetic "superbly realized" and Siliconera likening the tone to a fun Saturday morning adventure. Kotaku's Zack Zwiezen noted that the game's "impressive style makes up for some annoying jank and boss fights" and that it perfectly recreates a "late '90s animated look." The game's central feature is Perch, a fictional social media application that serves as both a quest tracker and narrative device. A content update titled "Claws for Alarm" was released after launch, and Super Rare Games later produced a limited physical release for the Nintendo Switch version.

Did You Know?

• Becky Brewster fights primarily with a field hockey stick that can be upgraded.
• The game features a fictional social media app called Perch that tracks quests.
• Development spanned roughly seven years from the early trailer to release.

Gameplay & The Perch System

#BLUD casts players as Becky Brewster, a teenage vampire hunter juggling the mundane pressures of high school against the very real threat of an undead invasion sweeping through Carpentersville. The action unfolds from a top-down perspective across interconnected environments—a school campus, the wider town, and subterranean dungeons—giving the world a sense of organic connectivity rather than isolated levels. Combat centers on a field hockey stick that grows in power as Becky progresses, paired with a dodge roll for evasion. Enemy variety and weapon upgrades are staggered throughout the campaign to keep encounters fresh. Perhaps the most inventive design choice is Perch, a fictional social media app woven into the game's structure. It doubles as a quest board and a storytelling tool: missions arrive as feed posts, and players can snap selfies at designated spots to reveal enemy weaknesses. Those same photos spark commentary from the supporting cast, turning a simple mechanic into a window on the characters' personalities and relationships.

From Animation Pitch to Interactive Game

What eventually became #BLUD began life as a pitch for an animated television series. Co-founders Chris Burns and Bob Fox, whose studio had already delivered animation work for Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Disney XD, sketched out concept art and even produced a short trailer during the lulls between client contracts. The idea traces back to at least 2018. The pivot to interactive media came when programmer Cody Greenhalge reviewed the pitch materials and argued the concept had more potential as a video game. That suggestion led to the formation of Exit 73 Games as a distinct entity, with Greenhalge and fellow programmer Andrew Tavis joining the team alongside writer Greg Lane. From that early trailer to the final release stretched roughly seven years. Burns has pointed to The Powerpuff Girls and animator Craig McCracken's body of work as the primary visual touchstones guiding the project's look. Humble Games stepped in as publisher in May 2023, and the game shipped on 18 June 2024 across PC and major consoles.

Hand-Drawn Animation & Visual Identity

Rather than relying on the skeletal rigging systems standard in most 2D games, #BLUD's animation was produced using traditional hand-drawn techniques, a decision that gives every frame a tactile, organic quality. The visual language deliberately channels the aesthetic of late-1990s and early-2000s Cartoon Network programming, an era defined by bold character silhouettes, expressive squash-and-stretch, and a playful irreverence. This influence is not merely cosmetic; it shapes the game's tonal identity, lending Becky's vampire-hunting exploits the feel of a Saturday morning cartoon come to life. Critics recognized the commitment to this style. Push Square described the aesthetic as "superbly realized," suggesting it could sustain the entire experience independently. Zack Zwiezen of Kotaku noted the game "perfectly recreates a late '90s animated look," while Siliconera compared the overall tone to a fun Saturday morning adventure punctuated by genuine laughs. The hand-drawn approach also extends to the character work, where non-player characters react to Becky's selfies with distinct voices and personalities, reinforcing the sense of a living, animated world.

Critical Reception & Post-Launch Momentum

Upon its 18 June 2024 release, #BLUD landed in the mixed-to-positive range of critical reception. Metacritic aggregates show scores of 73 on PC, 75 on Xbox One, and 72 on PlayStation 4, while OpenCritic reports a top critic average of 73 out of 100 across 31 reviews, with 43 percent of critics issuing a recommendation. The consensus highlights are clear: the art direction and writing earned widespread acclaim, with reviewers consistently singling out the script's humor and the visual presentation as standout elements. The principal area of criticism was combat depth. Push Square acknowledged that boss encounters were a genuine highlight but felt the regular melee combat was slow to develop and that objectives sometimes felt vague, with side content leaning heavily on fetch-style tasks. Zack Zwiezen conceded the game suffered from "some annoying jank and boss fights" but argued the impressive style compensated. Post-launch, Exit 73 Studios shipped a content update called "Claws for Alarm," and Super Rare Games produced a limited physical edition for the Nintendo Switch, extending the game's presence beyond digital storefronts.