Developer: Grayfax Software
Publisher: PLAYISM
Platform: PC, Switch, Xbox One, PS4
Tested on: Switch
Orangeblood (Switch) – Review
At the beginning of the year, we started the Hip-Hop adventure of Vanilla and Machiko on the PC. Back then the game got received really well for being handsomely crafted and it played really well. When a game first comes out on PC, you often wonder how it will play once it gets ported over to console, especially in the case of the Switch. The title feels and plays exactly the same, except for some longer load sequences in some places.
Story
In a separate timeline where humanity has evolved rather quickly, just like Back to the Future has predicted, we start our journey. In the year 199x your character has been captured by the FBI and you will have to work with them to gather some dirt on a powerful enemy namely, North American Oil. When you finally get released to start on your job, you will meet with an old partner that has seen the hood degrade with her own eyes. The Russians have taken over your place and you are forced to another place to stay. The story slowly evolves but as the game is really hard and grindy, it will take you a lot of time getting through the game.
Graphics
Orangeblood belongs perfectly on the Switch, especially because the graphics remind us of the 16-Bit era of Nintendo. Made in a retro pixel graphical style it will trick some viewers into thinking that you are playing something old. The overall atmosphere of Orangeblood is a mix of dark colors and Neon Tokyo vibes. Characters are clearly inspired by Japanese artwork with stereotypical nudges to many enemies in the game. An important fix is that the original game on the PC had issues with upscaling, this has been completely fixed in the console release.
Sound
Who remembers the late eighties and early nineties? Those were the best days of Hip-Hop. The classic East Coast vs West Coast beats playing in the background will have you throwing up gang signs and searching for your old Tupac CDs. The music in the game is great and will keep you in the atmosphere of gunning down mobsters. Weapons still sound great like their real-life counterpart, the only thing that is missing is a drive-by mission while blasting Ice Cube through the speakers of your lowrider.
Gameplay
Orangeblood is a turn-based RPG that closely reminds us of the old Final Fantasy games. The clunky controls of some menus will make you wonder if the game has been made in an RPG Maker, yet the overall quality is pretty high. The game starts with you moving through a short prologue, starting the story and having your first battle. You grab a bunch of old rusty guns and get your ass handed to you by the powerful Russians that you first encounter. Luckily your friend Machiko took the time that you were knocked out to fix up the guns and you continue on your quest. You get explained how the combat works and what the special skills do.
At its core it’s an RPG game like any other; you can collect better gear such as weapons, trainers and tactical vests. These items can have special effects and will alter statuses so you will have to invest some time comparing them to see what fits your needs the best. One of the most important features is keeping an eye out on your ammunition. If you forget to replenish your magazine in time, you will get caught off guard and enemies will have a free hit on you. Some weapons have large magazines but will shoot multiple bullets, so count your shots and don’t run out of bullets.
Now on with the story, you will have to invade a high-security building. This place is closely guarded and you will have to help out the right people to gain access to the lower levels. To get there it won’t be easy, you will have to grind a lot of enemies to score better gear to have a chance against the powerful enemies that guard the rooms. Older RPGs were also really grindy, so it is more of a tradition than a design flaw in Orangeblood.
Controlling the game on the Switch goes pretty well and because the game is pretty light you will be able to play for a long time while in handheld mode. This is really good as you will sink a lot of time into playing the game and the only place you can save is your main hideout.
Conclusion
Orangeblood was already great on the PC, now on the Switch, it performs really well. The game is exactly the same and the only small difference is that the game sometimes stutters, but the upscaling is fixed. The gameplay is still solid, the graphics are lovely and the music will take you back thirty years to the good old days of old-school Hip-Hop.
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