Slasher Thrills and Washing Machines — A “Bloodwash” Spooky Game Recommendation

Alone, at this time of night? May not be the best idea.

There’s something great about going back to basics. A simple thrill, a concrete idea put in sharp focus. Years of additive development and baggage left behind for a core concept.

Sometimes, a very well-trodden formula is more than enough for anyone’s needs. A comfortable and familiar ritual that nevertheless enthuses us with visceral enthusiasm. The simplest stories are the ones that affect us the most, after all. Love, passion, anger… and, above all, fear.

I’d argue that there is no more well-understood and nevertheless thrilling formula than the slasher. Silent Hill might unnerve you, leave you thinking. But sometimes, you just want to run for your life.

A killer maniac is more than enough for most. Primal anger and violent instinct channeled through a malevolent avatar. A tortured soul in search of release.

Escape. Survive. Maybe kill them and find out how they ended up like this, in the process. What more could you ask for?

Similarly, back-to-basics is a focus on recognizable, engaging aesthetics. Realistic graphics are great, but there’s something to the basic shapes and lo-fi textures of the PSX look that clicks so well with people’s minds.

Nostalgic appearances combined with the disconcerting disconnection of low-fidelity recordings make for a wonderful package. It’s familiar… but it isn’t quite right. Bonus points if your story is set a few decades back.

So here we have Bloodwash. A first-person horror game, drenched in slasher ethos and dressed in wonderful PSX nostalgia. With a 2021 release date, it’s hard not to see it as part of the greater trend of retro-style 3D horror games. Hell, the Haunted PS1 Demo Discs started almost a year earlier.

It’s easy to attribute this trend to nostalgia and trend-chasing. Same as TV and cinema rehashing old stories to appeal to the nostalgia of a certain demographic. But I wouldn’t be so sure.

What wonderfully surprised me about Bloodwash was its willingness to make me wait. Its ability to just let the ambience sit and leave me waiting for a scare that sometimes didn’t even come.

It may be a natural part of a slasher, but I don’t find it that common in a game. Particularly a horror game. You sometimes have to wait around in horror games, sure, but usually there’s an action you’re taking. Hiding, avoiding attention, escaping something. Here’s just… pause.

Seems reasonable, given the subject. You’re a regular woman who’s been afflicted with one of the biggest plights of mankind: doing laundry late at night. Your apartment’s washer is broken. Luckily, there’s a laundromat out of town. Seems like there’s a killer on the loose, too.

The game cleverly combines the calmer, tone-setting part of a slasher with an exploration phase. You get to meet a few weirdos and show them different things. All while waiting on your god damned laundry.

It’d be easy for a game inspired by exploitation films to focus on jumping straight to violence and debauchery. Instead, the tone is set via conversations and weird interactions. It’s a slimy, seedy tone, but with considerate care for making memorable interactions.

Needless to say, eventually it all devolves into blood and madness, and I’m very fond of that part too. It’s a grim story with some outrageous twists and visual choices. I think it does justice to the influences on its sleeve.

It’s a short story too, perfect for a quick thrill. Maybe get a few friends ready to laugh at your jumpy reactions. Be warned, though, there’s quite a bit of loud sounds. I’m not that fond of that part, but it comes with the humor and tone, I guess.

Coming out of the other side of Bloodwash, I just strongly feel that the PSX horror movement is more than just a trend. There’s a spark there, a wonderful combination of liminality, nostalgia, visceral feelings, and solid storytelling.

It’s an inspiring piece of art. A sometimes blunt and vulgar piece of art. It’s not the highest quality. It might appeal to your lower instincts. But it’s very well made. And made by people who care.

Sometimes it’s good to go back to basics. The simplest things are the ones that we remember the most.

And there’s nothing more elemental than the absolute horror of running for your life, with a sadistic killer right behind you.

You can buy Bloodwash on Steam here.

And you read more of our games coverage here.

Author: Claribel M

Writer, narrative designer, journalist. Perpetually doing too much.

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