An absolute classic that I'll always go back to!
The weapons were also very different, as instead of a fist or a weak pistol as the starting weapon, BLOOD had a pitchfork! Other weapons included a shotgun, tommy-gun, dynamite, flare gun, Tesla cannon, napalm launcher, and even a voodoo doll! But the main thing unique about them all is the alternate fire that you can use for clever tactics to outsmart your enemies in the single player (or in the fantastic online BloodBath multiplayer mode). For example, the dynamite's primary fire is you light it, throw it and it will explode immediately, but with the alternate fire you can throw it to the ground to make it explode several seconds later, which is useful when you know when an enemy is approaching. Then there was the excellent level design. Levels nearly always contained other routes leading back to an earlier area after reaching a later part of the level, and there was also many hard-to-find secrets along the way too, making it actually enjoyable to explore. Most of the levels connected together, with the end of the level sometimes being the starting area of the next, i.e. the end of the level switch on the side of a train at a train station, and the next level you would start on that train only its moving now, and you have to explore it. Levels ranged from funeral homes to hotels to hospitals, stores, lumber mills, caves, mines, woods, various temples, ships, carnivals, villages etc. so it made the game very fun to play through them.
The game's plot(although its not really explained in the game) puts you in the role of Caleb, a Wild-West gunfighter who became the leader of a cult known as "The Cabal", in which you and your lover, Ophelia, rose to the highest circle of, called "The Chosen". You get killed by The Cabal's dark god, Tchernobog, who hunts down all four members of The Chosen(Caleb, Gabriella, Ishmael and Ophelia). But one day, several years later, you rise from the dead in your grave and head off to seek revenge on Tchernobog and all his minions, which is where BLOOD starts off. The creepy atmosphere and art design provided is usually not found in video games(even in todays games) and made the game very unique and original when compared to other Build Engine FPS games(Doom, Doom 2, Duke Nukem 3D, Shadow Warrior, Redneck Rampage etc.). It was mainly because it had great horror-themed music and it took many of its inspiration from cinema(horror movies in general), including The Evil Dead, Nightmare On Elm Street, Friday The 13th, The Shining, Return of the Living Dead, Phantasm, The Haunting, Dawn of the Dead, Jaws, Army of Darkness (among many others) and Poetry/Literacy (the writings of H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, Shakespeare)
The Good:
+Caleb's twisted humour (he also says things related to films or old songs).
+Brilliant, creepy atmosphere provided by weird surroundings and eerie music.
+Excellent level design.
+Enemies and Weapons are great.
+Varied gameplay and levels that are worth playing over and over again.
+Good art-ish style graphics that still make the game highly playable after all this time.
The Bad:
-The Harder difficulties might be a bit too hard for some people, with extra enemies in the levels that do alot more damage.
-No real storyline in between levels, although that was the case with most shooters of the time anyway.
Overall Opinion: An absolute classic that I'll always go back to. It truly was one game that really did live up to its name. If you already have the game, I'd recommend getting the "Plasma Pak" and "Cryptic Passage" addons too, as they are also essential.
Highly recommended to any F.P.S. fans out there.