BlackDeath Demo

Pandemics are deadly and unpredictable, especially if the pathogen involved is capable of killing the ones infected. This idea has been used countless times in video games and movies, especially in those that feature zombie infections and post-apocalyptic scenarios, since it basically explains the entire plot in a few short sentences and no additional work involved.

BlackDeath is a survival-horror that features the same approach, although it does come with some fresh new additions to the genre and some very intriguing gameplay mechanics to make it more interesting. To start off with, you are informed about a mysterious contamination with something called “black death”, which apparently transforms everyone who inhales it into a mindless husk bent on violence.

To avoid becoming infected yourself, most of the time you wear a gas mask on your face, although you need to avoid getting direct hits from the zombies, since they can quickly rip off your mask and expose you to the virus. Other than that, the city is pretty much desolated, except for the corpses that riddle the streets, the infected people who attack you on sight and the strange black smoke that seems to explore the town.

Unlike in other titles of this type, the game is not at all forgiving when it comes to withstanding attacks from the zombies. Thus, in case you are hit more than two or three times, you end up dead pretty quickly, especially if the gas mask has been taken off as well. There are multiple types of enemies out there, all of which have different attacks and abilities to make life harder for you.

One interesting gameplay gimmick that was introduced is the chemical mixing, which basically allows you to mix up various ingredients you pick up along the way, such as motor oil, and create a number of substances to use with a special weapon. This way, you can obtain effects like freezing rays, which turn the enemies into blocks of ice that can be easily shattered to pieces.

Although BlackDeath can get pretty repetitive when it comes to the combat aspect, the dense atmosphere and incredible level design truly make up for it, giving you plenty of jump scares and a continuous sense of unease as you explore the desolated city.