Blackwind Review (Xbox Series S)

by Jim Smale · Published January 24, 2022 · Updated January 24, 2022

This Blackwind Review shows off this top-down sci-fi action game that puts you in the shoes of a teenager trapped inside a prototype battle armor suit during an alien invasion. Face off against enemies, cut through their ranks, and fight back to stop a planetary invasion.

Blackwind Review Pros:

Decent graphics.
3.4GB download size.
1000 Gamerscore.
4 save slots.
Can configure the controls.
3 difficulties – Easy, normal, and hard.
Game settings – aim lock, subtitles, tutorials, and vibration.
Twin-stick shooter gameplay.
3D world.
Robust shooting and melee combat systems.
Terminations – another word for executions on downed enemies.
Combo counter.
Impressive explosions.
A lot of bright neo gunfire and explosions everywhere.
Collect health and power orbs from enemies.
Breakable objects and vehicles.
In-game cutscenes.
Can skip the cutscenes.
Agile Mech character where you can grab rails, dodge, and double jump around.
Fast loading times.
Local co-op drop in and out.
Blue orbs drop from enemies and are used to buy Mech upgrades.
Mech upgrade trees cover general, combat, and special.
Unlock fast travel points.
Skins can be earned.
Minimap showing points of interest.
You need to find particular pods to enable fast travel and upgrades.

Blackwind Review Cons:

No camera control.
Never sure when it saves.
No online co-op.
Voicework is a bit cheesy.
A lot of times with no map available, it’s a hard slog to find out what and where to go.
The camera is erratic and is evident when doing intricate or precise platforming.
The shooting is not that fun.
A lot of tight spaces that don’t suit the genre.
They insist on needless timed platforming sections.
Cannot just press jump as you leave an edge making platforming a pain.
Doesn’t do a see-through view so in layered or dense areas you are feeling around in the dark.
Annoying one-liners from your character that they say upon every enemy encounter.
General movement is clunky.
The auto-aim is vital for shooting but annoying when attacking the environment as it tries to lock onto something and you miss your target.

Related Post: Dyna Bomb Review (PlayStation 4)

Blackwind:

Official website.

Developer: Blowfish Studios

Publisher: Blowfish Studios

Store Links –

Xbox

7/10
Graphics - 7/10
6/10
Sound - 6/10
6/10
Accessibility - 6/10
7/10
Length - 7/10
6/10
Fun Factor - 6/10

6.4/10

Summary

Blackwind is going for twin-stick shooter gameplay with the addition of actions more akin to games in the action genre, by this I mean they have you doing platforming, wall climbing, slight puzzle mechanics to say but a few. With a lot of neon gunfire and big explosions, you could believe the game hits on something, but the thing is it did for the first hour or so then its flaws and shortcomings started to not only appear but frustrate and take over the whole experience. You have no camera control at all in Blackwind so that immediately puts you on the back foot, it does a bad job of tracking you and gives you many dense sections and layered floors that you are totally blind. The camera also makes platforming itself difficult as it either stays too close in on you, too far away, or just doesn’t move fast enough to help you. The twin-stick shooter parts are OK but again they give you tight spaces and uneven terrain that you never get I to a flow that twin-stick shooters need, alright they give you a melee but then that highlights how inconsistent the auto-aiming is and how much of a damage sponge the repetitive never changing enemies are. It’s just a game that never nails one thing and tries many things with none ever bonding you and the game, I gave it more time than I should but the frustration and caffeine-induced camera made Blackwind a game I didn’t enjoy or want to enjoy.