Mother Russia Bleeds

Mother Russia Bleeds is a bloody and charming affair. It is Splatterhouse by way of David Fincher. I wanted more when it was done. Devolver Digital and Le Cartel studio have laid the groundwork for a stylish and brutal world. Whether you are a fan of beat em ups or just good old fashioned violence, this is sure to scratch that itch for you. I went into this thinking it would be like Hotline Miami but in a different genre. Then I beat a pig to death with my bare hands. What I came away with was an experience produced by a company that knows its strengths without being afraid to try something ne...

An exercise in brilliant simplicity, Mother Russia Bleeds takes you on a thrilling and depraved ride through the USSR.

Despite being a little over the top at times, violence-wise, Mother Russia Bleeds is a fantastic brawler at it's core. Addicting gameplay with a classic look, this one should keep you and your friends entertained time and time again, just like the classic beat'em ups of the past.

Mother Russia Bleeds is not a game unsure about its identity; it is completely confident and unapologetic in the violent, retro action it provides. Any cursory glimpse of Le Cartel Studios’ debut reveals muscular people beating each other to a bloody pulp in grotesque environments dripping with grime. That pretty much sums up the entirety of Mother Russia Bleeds: It’s a graphic, straightforward arcade-style brawler that’s also deeply satisfying – especially if you’ve got some pals along for the ride.

Overall, the game is far from perfect, but if you take it at face value as a standard beat ‘em up game, it will surprise you with its deep story and unique Nekro system. If you’re looking to kill some time, pop some skulls and have a spare $20 AUD, I’d definitely recommend giving it a playthrough.

Nothing beats an all out street fight. Digitally, I mean. Thunderous pixel on pixel contact and brutal digital beep-boops can really make one’s day, or ruin it. It’s amazing really, how simple button mashing mechanics can feel so different from game to game. Streets of Rage 2 and Guacamelee are the bomb, while Double Dragon Neon is kind of lame. Why is that? And where on the scale does Mother Russia Bleeds fall?

Despite its issues though, Mother Russia Bleeds still manages leave you with more happy thoughts than bad, especially when played with friends in local co-op. The violent action does a great job of holding your attention as the story unfolds, with each level book-ended by a memorable boss fight. And whilst you’ll encounter the odd unfair death along the way, you’ll jump right back in, eager to see things through to the very end. Mother Russia Bleeds doesn’t come anywhere near to toppling Streets of Rage 2 as the best scrolling beat’em up, but it has a decent stab at it, making it a recommended...

Ultraviolence doesn't pay in this grimly monotonous brawler.

Mother Russia Bleeds is a proficiently-made side-scrolling beat 'em up that ultimately fails to drag this already limited genre forwards with any great new ideas of its own. Add in a wearyingly mature aesthetic and you're left with an oddly downbeat button-mashing action game; fans of the genre should wait for the forthcoming Streets of Rage 4 or download Capcom's superb Beat 'Em Up Bundle.

But it isn’t the late-eighties. It's today. If you’re the kind of person who wishes it still was the eighties and likes the idea of revisiting a button-mashing romp, warts and all, you’ll find a lot to like about this one. But even so, you might find it wearing thin after a while. After all, even the Age of Nostalgia must come to an end.

When you feel the need to break skulls outside of a story environment you’ve got the survival mode to entertain yourself with but good luck getting much entertainment from it. Completing each story mission will unlock a relevant arena for you to fight waves of enemies in and upon reaching wave 10 you’ll unlock a new nekro ability to use in the story. The issue here is that each wave feels like a chore to work through with dozens of enemies being tossed at you with almost no end in sight. Items are barely included, at least in the earlier waves which would help spice up the immediate monotony t...