Since I’ve grown up watching as games have evolved from simple squares moving around a screen through today, I’ll absolutely admit that I’ve tended to have a soft spot for many of the retro-oriented games that have been en vogue in this generation. The thing is, with so many to choose from, and so many that have either captured great authentic play, or found ways to somehow enhance it, there’s no question that not all retro games are made alike. In the case of Baron of Blood it feels like it lands somewhere in the middle, offering up some modern elements and variety, but perhaps eschewing too closely to some older mechanics and design at times.

In many ways reminding me of a Commodore 64-era title in both its appearance and general feel, I started out having pretty mixed feelings. This isn’t a game with much nuance overall, so no matter what character you’re controlling, or what weapon they’re using, it tends to feel like the simplest version of using that weapon. I suppose this isn’t a terrible thing, but it can also feel limiting at times when so many contemporaries, even retro-oriented ones, have a little more flavor to them. Your general movement and abilities are also stuck in this more simplistic style, so trying to creatively jump around is your primary means of evasion most of the time. This is workable, but not necessarily great.

Paired with this more back-to-basics style is level design that may be varied and quite vertical, but it also can feel meandering at times. A real problem is the implementation of transitions with regards to the overall map, since the screen remains statically in place, not keeping your character centered. Most of the time this shift is relatively smooth, but there are spots (especially when shifting vertically) where the placements are less than ideal and can be aggravating. While this may not be that unusual a problem for retro games, it represents another issue that drags the experience down just a little more. In terms of sizing the game up, while it’s absolutely playable, there’s no question that there’s a pretty long line of retro-styled indie titles already out there I’d consider more deserving of attention overall.