Retro-styled Bloodshed lands on Xbox with 40-plus foes

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Bloodshed, the retro-inspired survivors-like first-person shooter from com8com1, is available now on Xbox, arriving in the Halloween release window after debuting on PC earlier this year. The project began as an art prototype that converted 3D models into 2D sprites at runtime and evolved into a complete game shaped by early community feedback. The Xbox release brings the studio’s blend of 90s shooter aesthetics and contemporary rendering tech to consoles. com8com1 highlights a custom 256-color palette and classic sprite workflows enhanced by modern shaders to nail a distinctive look and feel.

The team originally tried real-time conversion for a survivors-like setup but shifted to pre-rendered sprites after performance bottlenecks with up to 100 simultaneous enemies. That pivot defined the game’s visual identity while accommodating the horde-heavy structure of the genre.

How the prototype became a full game

Developer Jessica from com8com1 describes the project’s origin as an art tool experiment that steadily expanded into a full roguelite FPS. The studio modeled every foe as a high-detail, high-poly 3D asset before rendering out animations into sprite sheets. This process preserved the retro look while allowing more nuanced lighting and motion than would have been feasible in the 90s.

The result is a hybrid approach: classic sprites for enemies and a modern engine underneath, giving Bloodshed a familiar silhouette with contemporary responsiveness and visual coherence.

What defines Bloodshed’s gameplay loop

Bloodshed is built around a fast-paced survivors-like loop viewed from a first-person perspective. It emphasizes crowd control, route management and build experimentation while staying faithful to old-school shooter vibes.

• Survivors-like FPS core – manage swarms, survive escalating waves and stack upgrades run to run.
• Classic-meets-modern presentation – sprite-based enemies inside a modern rendering pipeline.
• Community-shaped systems – features refined via Early Access feedback are present for console at launch.

Art pipeline and tech details

The team adopted a meticulous production workflow to fuse retro style with modern fidelity. That includes a fixed palette, sprite pre-rendering and contemporary shader work to sell lighting and effects without breaking the aesthetic.

• Custom 256-color palette across in-game assets for consistent retro cohesion.
• More than 40 enemy types, each sculpted and animated in high-poly before conversion.
• Over 5,700 individual sprites rendered frame by frame to capture movement with a stop-motion feel.

Production snapshot – key figures

Below is a concise look at the core production stats com8com1 shared, illustrating the scale of the art pass that underpins Bloodshed’s visuals.

Community-led additions for console launch

Feedback during Early Access informed new systems and options included from day one on Xbox. The standout is the Workbench System, intended to deepen variety and replayability across runs. com8com1 also incorporated fresh enemy types and additional modes in response to player requests.

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Accessibility and quality-of-life features expand control and comfort: adjustable screenshake and flash intensity, weapon holstering and quick switching, an expanded XP pickup range, and a one-button 180-degree turn.

Release status

Bloodshed launched on PC earlier this year and is out now on Xbox. The console version arrives with the most complete feature set to date, reflecting the studio’s art-first approach and a development cycle closely informed by its community.

Why this launch matters

For players who enjoy survivors-like design but prefer a shooter’s perspective, Bloodshed offers a retro-forward alternative that leans on sprite artistry without sacrificing modern responsiveness. The deep art pipeline, community-driven systems and accessibility options suggest a console release built for both nostalgia and iteration-friendly replay.