CaptSpiffy
Best Moderator NA
They Bleed Pixels is a side-scrolling action platformer that doesn't give a single fuck about the skills you THINK you have. If I had to put it simply, the game plays like if Super Meatboy and Ninja Gaiden (NES) had a sadistic, bloodthirsty baby. One of the most interesting and innovative things about They Bleed Pixels is also one of the most infuriatingly difficult. The game employs a new style of checkpoint system, wherein you don't have automatic checkpoints, instead, you build up energy in a meter for each hit on an enemy and by picking up small blood orbs, and once the meter is full, you have to stand still for three seconds. This leads to several problems, mainly is the fact that there is a type of enemy that flies and darts very quickly to the side in whichever direction you happen to be in. If an enemy or a killing obstacle such as a saw blade enter the area of your checkpoint as you are casting it, the checkpoint will fail until you've cleared the area, or move to a safe place.
Everything about They Bleed Pixels is fantastically thought out and cohesive. The overall style of the game fits really well with the story, the enemies are grotesque, yet not overly complicated, and the soundtrack is incredible. A favorite of mine is the fact that when you take damage, the music fades and warps, becoming hopeless and muddy when you're on your last heart. Furthermore, don't take the fact that the game gives you multiple hitpoints trick you into thinking it's easier than a Super Meatboy, because one hit can quickly turn into a death thanks to the Megaman-like knockback you experience upon taking damage.
Final Thoughts:
They Bleed Pixels is a very stylized, very difficult, and very polished indie platformer that has deserved every single bit of praise afforded it. Though the game is technically short, only 11 levels long, each level takes a high amount of practice and memorization to clear. Though, that level of determination may be a turn-off to many, the sense of accomplishment from clearing a level is overwhelming.
I give They Bleed Pixels 4 arbitrary rating units out of 5.
They Bleed Pixels is available on Steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/211260/?snr=1_7_suggest__13 for $9.99.
The soundtrack is also available on Steam for $4.99.
At the time of this writing until November 27th, it's on sale for 66% off, only $3.39.
The soundtrack is also on sale for only $1.69.
