The issue is not really the bloodstain itself, the original Doom had it and it was fine, the issue is how much it lingers and how it fits into gameplay.
It's that you have to run behind a wall and stand still for ten seconds because a sniper took a peek and hit you once, or three dudes popped out at the same time and shot you without you being able to take them all out. Getting blinded while being on the defensive is bad, but being forced on the defensive in the first place because of dumb stuff like that, which is going to happen again and again regardless of your skill, that's the real problem right there. It's also the least informative system out there: without a health bar you have no idea what your max HP is, how much damage you're receiving, or the speed at which you heal back up. That's all basic stuff.
Lacking information and being forced to run away is fine for something like a horror game, it's to be expected, but in an action game a mechanic that deprives you of the info you need be able to
act and forces you to back off with no other choice is just boring. Look at all the praise Ultrakill and Bloodborne get for letting you heal through
more action by going on the offensive, there's skill in dealing damage while avoiding getting hit again. Even having to run around in search of a health item is preferrable to me because at least I can choose whether go to advance or retreat. Sometimes you can run past the enemy and snatch an item that's out in the open, then resume the fight from there.
Pure bloodstain is the most boring, samey healing system out there, and it should stay dead alongside every cover shooter that used it. I'm glad most current FPSs (both single- and multi-player) have left it behind.
>>113219The penalty of getting hit is the threat of death itself, and how you must play around it. Good players who don't feel the need to recover from chip damage shouldn't have to deal with a constant filter like the bloodstain (or annoying SFX, as it sometimes happens).
>>113225They're not insufficient at all, they're there because they work. Playing with your UI off is considered to be a
challenge, and being aware of your current resources is always important. A more immersive UI is good, b
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