Common Sense Media Review
By David Chapman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Viking board game is pillaged by bad design and glitches.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Blood Rage: Digital Edition
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's It About?
BLOOD RAGE: DIGITAL EDITION takes the apocalyptic action and strategy of the Blood Rage board game and brings it to computers in this official digital adaptation. Ragnarok, the mythical Norse end of days, is coming, and its up to you to lead your Viking clan to eternal glory. You'll curry the favor of the gods by invading Midgard's territories, plundering the villages, summoning great monsters to do your bidding, and conquering your foes in epic combat. You'll further boost your glory by completing grand quests, proving your worth to the pantheon. Players will face the fury of Ragnarok alone in single-player gameplay or challenge up to five other tribes in both local and online multiplayer matches. With the end of the world looming on the horizon, do you have what it takes to earn your place within the halls of Valhalla?
Is It Any Good?
If there's one thing that can be said about this board game's switch from physical to digital, it's that the game looks good. The visuals of Blood Rage are crisp and colorful, and the virtual miniatures are exceptionally detailed. Unfortunately, that's about the only thing good that can be said about the game in its current form. Plagued by various bug, glitches, and just plain poor design, the most challenging thing Blood Rage has to offer is actually completing a match. Right from the opening tutorial, things start to fall apart. The tutorial barely explains the mechanics, taking for granted that players should already be somewhat familiar with the board game. Also, the in-game camera can be unwieldy, often blocking game pieces and hiding options.
Those are just a few of the design problems. Things get even worse on the technical side. Sometimes gameplay elements can pop up awkwardly and won't leave, with the rest of the game taking place on top of or under that layer. Players can frequently get trapped in odd loops, where the game prompts players to make a move when they can't, while not allowing them to pass or move forward. Sometimes the "Exit Game" option even disappears, requiring players to force close the program from the desktop. While these technical hiccups might not occur in every game, the fact that they happen more frequently than not leaves the overall game little more than an unplayable mess.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about taking board games to the digital realm. What are some of the advantages and disadvantages that digital versions of physical games bring to the proverbial table? How faithful should digital versions be to their physical counterparts?
How can families use games to come together? What are some of the best games to play as part of a family game night?
Game Details
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate