# BloodNet

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1993 video game

1993 video game

BloodNet Developer MicroProse Publisher MicroProse Producer Mark E. Seremet Designers John Antinori Laura Kambo Programmers Rick Hall Frank Kern Christopher Short Artist Quinno Martin Composer Michael Bross Platforms MS-DOS, Amiga Release 1993: MS-DOS 1994: Amiga Genre Role-playing Mode Single-player

***BloodNet*** is a [cyberpunk](/source/Cyberpunk)-themed [role-playing video game](/source/Role-playing_video_game) developed and published by [MicroProse](/source/MicroProse) for [MS-DOS](/source/MS-DOS) in 1993. An [Amiga](/source/Amiga) port was released in 1994 by Catfish and [Teeny Weeny Games](/source/Teeny_Weeny_Games). An emulated version for [Microsoft Windows](/source/Microsoft_Windows), [Mac OS X](/source/Mac_OS_X) and [Linux](/source/Linux) was released in 2014.[1][2]

## Gameplay

The interface in *BloodNet* is [point and click](/source/Point_and_click) with some icon-based commands available from a drop down menu.[3] The game features written dialog and puzzles, in addition to an [open-ended](/source/Nonlinear_gameplay) travel system and [random encounters](/source/Random_encounter). An alternate "cyberspace universe" is also part of the gameplay, where codewords are required to travel to different "wells" (cyberspace locations). Role-playing elements are also present in *Bloodnet*: the [player character](/source/Player_character) and other recruitable characters have number-based stats (such as Perception, Hacking, etc.), and combat is centered around the player character's attributes and stats.[4]

## Plot

A mix of future tech and [gothic](/source/Gothic_subculture) [vampire](/source/Vampire) story, in the cyberpunk style, *BloodNet* puts the player into the role of a man named Ransom Stark, who must battle a vampire named [Abraham Van Helsing](/source/Abraham_Van_Helsing) that is attempting world domination and save both humanity and the cybernet. Ransom Stark was bitten by the aforementioned vampire, but is able to fight off the infection with the help of a computer grafted onto his brain stem. He must embark on a journey to defeat the head vampire, [Dracula](/source/Dracula), to stop the infection.[5]

## Reception

Reception

Review score Publication Score Hyper 70% (PC)[6]

*[Computer Gaming World](/source/Computer_Gaming_World)* in February 1994 approved of *BloodNet* combining vampires and cyberpunk, non-linear gameplay, "interesting" characters and storyline, and streamlined interface. However, the reviewer said that "the game as a whole left me vaguely dissatisfied", citing a lack of direction in the story and pacing, not enough detail in Cyberspace, "confusing and frustrating" combat, and an unavoidable repeating [random encounter](/source/Random_encounter). He concluded that *BloodNet* was "a gem without polish".[7] *[Dragon](/source/Dragon_(magazine))* gave the game 3 out of 5 stars.[8] [Pelit](/source/Pelit) rated *BloodNet* 82% in the February 1994 issue, with the summary of "beautiful graphics, great atmosphere, but almost everything could have done better".

*BloodNet* was a runner-up for *Computer Gaming World*'s Role-Playing Game of the Year award in June 1994, losing to *[Betrayal at Krondor](/source/Betrayal_at_Krondor)*. The editors wrote that *BloodNet*'s "script [...] is one of the most interesting to hit this genre, and the surrealistic aspects to the art style are definitely fascinating".[9] Richard Cobbett of *[PC Gamer](/source/PC_Gamer)*, retrospectively reviewing the game in 2013, gave it a negative review stating that it was confusing, dull, and tedious.[4]

*[The One](/source/The_One_(magazine))* gave the Amiga version of *BloodNet* an overall score of 84%, stating that "The AI system is great ... with party characters volunteering for jobs, offering opinions and reacting to your actions. It's the best implementation of this idea I've seen." *The One* praised the rendered 3D graphics, and also expressed their reliance on the manual for reference to items in the game, as they describe *BloodNet* as being "littered with objects that seem to serve no purpose ... lots of flipping back and forth between pages is necessary." *The One* also criticized the amount of disk swapping needed to play the game, frustrated that common actions such as examining objects and dialogue requires this. They concluded by saying "it's just not playable from floppy. Shame on you, Gametek, for suggesting, even if only by omission, that it is."[10]

James V. Trunzo reviewed *Bloodnet* in *[White Wolf](/source/White_Wolf_(magazine))* #41 (March, 1994), giving it a final evaluation of "Very Good" and stated that "*Bloodnet* is extremely ambitious in its overall scheme. Happily, it succeeds far more often than it fails. Oh, yeah, it loaded and played on my first attempt. Much better, Microprose!"[11]

[HardcoreGaming101](/source/Hardcore_Gaming_101) found the game great. *HardcoreGaming101* praised the game's style, noting that the clunky UI often interfered with the nice graphics. Petra Tsimberov noted the main character's progression, lauding his downfall as a fable for busted machinery -- "...this is accomplished chiefly due to the game's surreal, dreamlike slew of backgrounds and character portraits. There's never anything resembling a consistent visual style, and while at times this comes off as embarrassing, at others it's thoroughly engrossing and even lends a considerable amount of flavor."[12]

## Legacy

A company called "Megalo Music" claims to have written the music for a game titled *Bloodnet 2000*, which may or may not be a proposed sequel to *Bloodnet*.[13] The game designer for *Bloodnet*, John Antinori, has since stated that the sequel was "never meaningfully worked on", and he would not have agreed to the title "Bloodnet 2000" because "Bloodnet was set well in future past 2000".[14]

[Tommo](/source/Tommo) purchased the rights to *Bloodnet* and digitally published it through its [Retroism](/source/Retroism) brand in 2015.[15] *Bloodnet* was re-released digitally on [GOG.com](/source/GOG.com) on January 9, 2014[16] and on [Steam](/source/Steam_(service)) on October 17, 2014.[17]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Release: BloodNet"](https://www.gog.com/news/release_bloodnet). *[GOG.com](/source/GOG.com)*. [CD Projekt](/source/CD_Projekt). January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["GOG.com Now Supports Linux!"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140725204558/http://www.gog.com/news/gogcom_now_supports_linux). *[GOG.com](/source/GOG.com)*. [CD Projekt](/source/CD_Projekt). August 19, 2014. Archived from [the original](https://www.gog.com/news/gogcom_now_supports_linux) on July 25, 2014. Retrieved January 5, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** House, Michael L. ["BloodNet: A Cyberpunk Gothic"](http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=11941&tab=review). *[Allgame.com](/source/Allgame.com)*. Retrieved 1 October 2013.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-pcgamer_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-pcgamer_4-1) Cobbett, Richard (12 January 2013). ["Saturday Crapshoot: Bloodnet"](http://www.pcgamer.com/2013/01/12/saturday-crapshoot-bloodnet/). *[PC Gamer](/source/PC_Gamer)*. Retrieved 25 April 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Bloodnet Game Review"](http://www.immortalday.com/bloodnet.html). *Immortalday.com*. Retrieved 25 April 2013.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Schoffel, Julian (February 1994). ["Blood Net"](https://archive.org/details/hyper-003/page/58/mode/2up?q=%22james+pond+3%22). *[Hyper](/source/Hyper_(magazine))*. No. 3. p. 58. Retrieved July 2, 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-seacat199402_7-0)** Seacat, Douglas (February 1994). ["Nightside With A Cyber-Leech"](http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=115). *Computer Gaming World*. pp. 180–184.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Dragon204_8-0)** [Petersen, Sandy](/source/Sandy_Petersen) (April 1994). "Eye of the Monitor". *Dragon* (204): 59–62.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-cgw199406_9-0)** ["Announcing the New Premier Awards"](http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1994&pub=2&id=119). *[Computer Gaming World](/source/Computer_Gaming_World)*. No. 119. June 1994. pp. 51–54, 56–58.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["BloodNet Review"](https://archive.org/details/theone-magazine-76/page/n41). *The One*. No. 76. emap Images. February 1995. pp. 42–43.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-WW41_11-0)** Trunzo, James V. (March 1994). ["The Silicon Dungeon"](https://imgur.com/a/QigoKWo). *[White Wolf Magazine](/source/White_Wolf_Magazine)*. No. 41. p. 40-41.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Tsimberov, Petra. ["Bloodnet"](http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/bloodnet/). *HardcoreGaming101*.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Megalo Music Insites"](https://web.archive.org/web/20021011023344/http://home.earthlink.net/~megagood/insites/insites.htm). Megalo Music. Archived from [the original](https://home.earthlink.net/~megagood/insites/insites.htm) on October 11, 2002. Retrieved 11 Oct 2002.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Bloodnet - Part 2 (completed)"](http://mrbacklog.blogspot.com/2017/07/bloodnet-part-2-completed.html). *Mrbacklog.blogspot.com*. Retrieved 17 December 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** ["Purchase Agreement between Atari, Inc. and Rebellion Developments, Stardock & Tommo"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160303173012/http://docs.bmcgroup.com/Atari/nysb_1-13-bk-10176_313.pdf) (PDF). BMC Group. 2013-07-22. Archived from [the original](http://docs.bmcgroup.com/Atari/nysb_1-13-bk-10176_313.pdf) (PDF) on 2016-03-03.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** ["BloodNet emerges from the shadows onto GOG.com"](https://www.destructoid.com/bloodnet-emerges-from-the-shadows-onto-gog-com/). *Destructoid.com*. 9 January 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["BloodNet"](http://store.steampowered.com/sub/52673/). *Store.steampowered.com*. Retrieved 14 February 2016.

## External links

- [*BloodNet*](https://www.mobygames.com/game//bloodnet) at [MobyGames](/source/MobyGames)

- [*BloodNet*](https://amiga.abime.net/156) at Amiga Hall of Light

- [Walkthrough](https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/564671-bloodnet/faqs/1912) at [GameFAQs](/source/GameFAQs)

- [*Complete Game Guide*](https://web.archive.org/web/20120321184906/http://www.larkinweb.co.uk/miscellany/2006/files/bloodnet.htm) The Complete Unofficial Players Guide by Chris The Gronk

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [BloodNet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BloodNet) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BloodNet?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.