Blood: Refreshed Supply | PS5 Review

The original Blood came out in 1997, and I never played it. I did not have a PC that could handle heavy gaming. My computer could not even run RollerCoaster Tycoon. Fast forward to 2019, when Blood Fresh Supply was released. Nope, did not play that one either. To be frank, I have not played a Doom-style shooter since, well, Doom, and that was on my Sega 32X.

So what better way to jump back in than with a remastered version of a game many consider a classic? As it turns out, I might need some recommendations from the community after all.

A Thin Story, Thick With Gore

There is not much of a story here. You play as Caleb, who is disavowed by a demon along with three teammates. Those teammates appear to be taken away, and you are killed. You awaken in a grave declaring, “I live again!” and begin your revenge armed with nothing but a pitchfork. Why I was buried with a pitchfork in my coffin is anyone’s guess.

From there, you move through a series of levels, destroying the undead and other creatures with a wide variety of weapons that make blood splatter absolutely everywhere. It almost feels like the game was named appropriately.

Each set of levels leads to a boss fight, and defeating that boss nudges the revenge story forward just a bit. As with the original versions, which I will touch on later, the handful of cutscenes do not add much depth. Still, they do just enough to justify the carnage.

We are here to destroy demons, undead enemies, rats, and anything else unfortunate enough to be in our path. For me, that thin layer of story was more than enough.

Doom Rules Apply

Beyond the blood, there is still a game here that needs reviewing. Like any Doom or Doom-inspired shooter, you move through corridors eliminating enemies while hunting for keys, secrets, weapons, health, and ammo. The goal is simple: clear the level and find the exit. Blood Refreshed Supply sticks closely to that formula.

Aiming and shooting feel fine. There is nothing revolutionary here, but there does not need to be. Buttons are used for weapon switching, item usage, detonations, and opening doors. This is familiar territory, and the controls do their job without getting in the way.

Difficulty is where things get interesting. If you have ever listened to me on the podcast or read my reviews, you know I gravitate toward the easiest setting. I am here to enjoy myself, not get so frustrated that I want to throw my controller across the room. The easiest difficulty felt just right for me.

Out of curiosity, I tried bumping the difficulty up. Even one step above easy felt punishing. Enemies took longer to kill, there were noticeably more of them, and things quickly became frustrating. I did not last long before switching back.

That said, I genuinely enjoyed the naming of the difficulty settings. Still Kicking is the easiest option, followed by Pink on the Inside, Lightly Broiled, Well Done, Extra Crispy, and Made to Order. Naming difficulty levels after how you might cook a burger or steak made me chuckle. The blood dripping down from the top of the screen during these selections felt like pure late-90s gaming charm.

One final positive note goes to explosives. TNT and other explosive weapons are deadly in the way they should be. If something detonates near you, you are dead. Even at full health. Restart the level. It sounds harsh, but I appreciated the consistency. If an explosion can destroy a cinder-block wall, the human body, undead or not, should not stand a chance. Thankfully, levels are reasonably sized and movement is quick, which keeps restarts from feeling too painful. 

Dated Looks, Proper Atmosphere

Even with its remaster, the visuals do the game no favors. Many enemies are still painfully 2D. After killing one, you can walk around it and watch its feet rotate to face you as a flat rectangular sprite. That may be faithful to the original, but it does not look good today, especially when the game leans so heavily into gore.

The small enemies, especially the rats or similar floor-level creatures, were particularly frustrating. They were hard to see, difficult to aim at, and often dealt more damage than larger, more threatening foes. Their colors blended into the dark browns and grays of the environment, leading to situations where I was taking damage before I even realized what was hitting me.

The music fits the tone of a late-90s horror shooter. It is underwhelming by modern standards, but it still sets the mood effectively. I also appreciated the layered ambient sounds, whether it was crickets outdoors or unsettling background noises inside buildings. One standout effect was the flare gun. Watching enemies ignite, scream, and run around before collapsing never stopped being satisfying. Well done.

As for comparisons, Blood Refreshed Supply does improve cutscene visuals over the original and over Blood Fresh Supply. Load times and performance also feel better. Still, the overall experience feels like playing a game straight out of the early 2000s. Even the improved cutscenes look closer to PS3 or Xbox 360 quality than anything truly modern.

Final Thoughts – Blood Refreshed Supply

I went in with low expectations. A late-90s game getting a fresh coat of paint is not something I would usually seek out. I wanted a Doom-style shooter with a heavy dose of gore, and in that respect, Blood Refreshed Supply delivered.

Is this a great game? No. But if I am in the mood to tear through evil-looking creatures and zombies while watching the screen fill with blood, I could certainly do worse. Boss fights can drag on a bit, but replaying levels and blasting through enemies before reaching them was genuinely fun. I also liked being able to jump back to the menu and select different levels freely.

At $30, though, I would recommend waiting for a sale.

To hear me talk more about Blood Refreshed Supply, be sure to listen to the December 11th, 2025 episode of The Gaming Outsider Podcast.

This review is based on a PS5 copy of Blood: Refreshed Supply provided by Uberstrategist for coverage purposes. It is also available on Xbox, Switch, and PC.