Blackwind Switch Review: A Clunky Hack & Slash Shooter
Blackwind is a sci-fi hack and slash game developed by Drakkar Dev and published by Blowfish Studios. The combat and progression system in Blackwind are solid, but the game is let down by its constricting camera, confusing level design, and clunky platforming sections.
The story of Blackwind follows a teenager named James Hawkins, who is traveling with his father aboard a spaceship. James' father is delivering an incredibly powerful new battle suit that is meant to be used against an invading alien army. Their ship is shot down while James is wearing the battle suit, causing it to activate. James becomes trapped on an alien world, with the A.I. within the suit guiding him on a rescue mission to save his father. The world they are on is overrun by the insect-like Raknos race, forcing James to learn how to utilize the technology of the battle suit to overcome his foes.
The gameplay in Blackwind is a combination of a melee hack and slash game, with twin-stick shooter elements. The battle suit has energy blades that can cut through enemies, and instakill wounded foes that are flashing red. The suit also has guns and missiles that can deal with enemies from afar. The player earns health orbs and experience points from killing enemies, the latter of which can be used to buy upgrades at save points. The player gradually upgrades the suit over the course of the game, unlocking gadgets that let them explore new areas, such as a remote drone and the ability to double jump/glide. The gameplay loop in Blackwind is solid and the frantic combat can be both challenging and fun.
There are some key issues that let Blackwind down. By far the biggest is the camera, which is pulled in far too close. This means that the player can easily be shot down by gunfire from off-screen enemies, and run into mines when dashing. The battles can get extremely hectic, with foes using different types of weapons at the same time, and its frustrating to be killed by something just off the edge of the screen that dashes into view, giving the player no chance to react. The level design is also bad, switching between underground bases composed of tunnels and rooms, and wide-open areas. The problem with both of these stage types is that everything looks the same, making it easy to get lost. Blackwind would really benefit from an objective marker to show where the player needs to go next.
The other major issue in-game is platforming, which feels unresponsive, especially when trying to change direction after moving. There are lots of collision issues, where the game shunts the main character off a ledge if they didn't land on it correctly. Blackwind is also far too harsh on what constitutes a platform, as it's possible to jump on small items, like a desk, but it's a toss-up whether the game will let the player jump again. These issues combined lead to a lot of frustration, which is exacerbated by all of the platforming puzzles in the game.
The issues in Blackwind aren't insurmountable and it's possible to have some fun with the combat, but it's clear that it still needs some work. An update with camera options, a proper map system, and improved jumping would be worth checking out, but the current game is still too rough to recommend.
Blackwind is available now for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Screen Rant was provided with a digital copy of the Nintendo Switch version of the game for the purposes of this review.