Laika: Aged through Blood Review

Describing itself as the first ever Motorvania, Laika: Aged through Blood is undeniably an intriguing game. With a motorbike as its primary means of traversal and a pivotal aspect of combat, this action-packed and unique experience offers a fresh perspective within the flourishing metroidvania genre.

The game opens with a beautifully drawn cutscene, which are regrettably sparse throughout the game. It plunges players into the heart of the narrative with a gut-wrenching scene, setting the tone for the journey ahead. Inhabiting a post-apocalyptic world populated by anthropomorphic animals, players assume the role of Laika, a female coyote and the central protagonist, always accompanied by her trusty motorbike. After a brief exchange with her daughter, Puppy, Laika hops onto her motorbike, and players get the chance to familiarize themselves with the riding mechanics on this short initial trip. Upon arriving at her destination, Laika witnesses firsthand the truth she just learned from her daughter: Puppy’s best friend, Poochie, hanging with his bleeding belly open, has been crucified with his own guts.
This initial sequence pretty much encapsulates the essence of Laika: Aged through Blood, foreshadowing a story filled with emotion and brutality, a promise the game undoubtedly fulfills.

The desolation of the world and the sprawling wasteland are direct consequences of historical events. Long ago, The Birds declared themselves the superior species, exploiting the planet’s natural resources and eventually plunging the world into war. It was The Birds who gutted Poochie, and it is them that drove Laika and her tribe into exile and hiding.

Fleeing their previous settlement, Laika and her tribe seek refuge in “Where We Live”, a secluded and well-concealed sanctuary nestled within the surrounding landscape. As a member of the cursed family, Laika assumes the role of guardian within her tribe, burdened with the curse of immortality and the ability to speak with the deceased. Passed down through generations as the next bearer bleeds for the first time, the curse exclusively affects female descendants. However, not all survive the transfer of the curse, succumbing to the pain and fever.

Laika herself endured the tragic loss of eight daughters, after which she refused to get pregnant again. Despite her reluctance, she was coerced by her own mother into giving birth to a ninth child, whom she refers to as Puppy to avoid becoming too attached. This piece of lore sheds light on the intricate dynamics of Laika’s relationship with her mother, a bond that undergoes further exploration throughout the game. Such relationships, along with those among Laika, her daughter, and other tribe members, serve as pivotal components of the narrative, providing context and illustrating the challenges and solidarity within the tribe. As the only member permitted to venture beyond the settlement’s confines, Laika frequently undertakes tasks and errands on behalf of her fellow tribe members.

The game’s narrative, despite its brutality and despair, is masterfully crafted, engaging players and making them care about the world they find themselves in, and its inhabitants. It is a heartfelt story that hits close to home, about oppression, survival, solidarity, and freedom. The visual presentation is a testament to the game’s artistic direction, featuring beautifully animated cartoon-style cutscenes, hand-drawn backgrounds, and intricately detailed characters brimming with personality. Laika: Aged through Blood is indeed a visual feast.

However, where the visuals excel, the audio truly shines. The soundtrack, composed by Beicoli, who also makes a cameo appearance in the game, stands out as one of its defining features. Loaded with melancholic and emotional melodies, the music perfectly complements the sense of solitude and desperation evoked while riding the vast, desolate wasteland. Discovering new tapes scattered throughout the world extends the list of available songs, seamlessly integrating the soundtrack into the narrative, especially considering Beicoli’s in-game role as the singer of the tribe’s music band.

Laika: Aged through Blood distinguishes itself with its signature feature: the motorcycle. Laika is inseparable from her trusty bike, which serves as a versatile tool and takes center stage in both in combat and exploration. The game’s landscape is designed for motorcycle traversal, with frequent ramps and slopes offering ample opportunities for gaining air time and performing stunts. And these stunts aren’t just for show, either! They play a crucial role in combat strategy. The bullet-proof bike can shield against enemy gunfire, and executing backflips is the only means of reloading the active weapon. Engaging in aerial combat becomes an efficient tactic, as it allows players to adjust their bike midair to adapt to the situation. Additionally, there’s the option to deflect enemy bullets, and this ability is replenished by performing frontflips.

While mastering the combat mechanics eventually proves rewarding, it can feel overwhelmingly complex initially, particularly in the first few hours of gameplay. Balancing airborne bike control, anticipating landings to align with terrain, and aiming precisely to conserve limited ammo requires some getting used to. This experience may vary on PC with keyboard and mouse controls, but on PlayStation, aiming can feel somewhat cumbersome, especially when simultaneous rotation of the bike is necessary to evade enemy fire. Fortunately, time is briefly slowed down while holding down the trigger, offering a short window for precise aiming.
Despite the initial complexity, the concept is both unique and engaging, with the bike mechanics offering a great deal of enjoyment. Simply cruising around feels satisfying, and players can quickly become adept at combat, transforming into an unstoppable badass.

However, relying solely on stunts for reloading weapons and abilities can lead to precarious situations, particularly if aiming accuracy is slightly off. Players may find themselves overwhelmed in chaotic encounters, especially when facing groups of enemies for the first time, leaving little room for strategic assessment and requiring split-second combat decisions. This challenge is exacerbated by the constant need to maintain momentum on the motorcycle, making cautious progression through stages difficult, instead having to charge in guns blazing. The frequent checkpoints help mitigate the trial-and-error nature of gameplay, making inevitable failure more tolerable.
Initially equipped with only a two-shot pistol, Laika can gradually expand her arsenal by collecting blueprints, special materials, and crafting new weapons. It’s also possible to craft additional weapon holsters. The shotgun is the only essential weapon for progressing through certain stages, opening shortcuts and utilizing its recoil to reach high platforms, and the standard pistol proves more than sufficient for completing all the game’s battles, especially when upgraded. 

Furthermore, players can acquire additional upgrades and engage with a recipe system, which involves gathering ingredients while traversing the world and preparing meals at larger checkpoints. Consuming these meals grants various perks, such as earning more Viscera from kills, which is the in-game currency, or gaining an extra life.

Despite these systems, they feel somewhat superfluous, as Laika: Aged through Blood fails to provide sufficient incentive to engage with them. Personally, I managed to achieve 100% completion using only the fully upgraded pistol and shotgun, without ever delving into the recipe system whatsoever.

In regard to game progression, Laika offers a handful of main quests alongside smaller tasks, often assigned by fellow tribe members. While the main quests contribute to the narrative richness of the game, they typically feel drawn-out and repetitive, featuring extended segments with minimal dialogue or interaction. For instance, the boat sequence in “Radio Silence” sees Laika embarking on a lengthy journey with little action or engagement, taking almost eight minutes of passive travel. Upon reaching the destination, players are required to retrace their steps, exploring previously passed caves and islands. Another main quest, “The Big Tree”, entails multiple rounds of traversing the same area, involving tedious back-and-forth movements between the catacombs and the top of the stage. These instances, among others, needlessly prolong the quests without adding significant depth or substance.

One aspect of exploration that I found personally engaging was the introduction of the Cartographer. Laika’s map is initially blank, and players can gradually unveil sections by locating the Cartographer in each area and paying a nominal fee to update the map.

However, one in-game system that left me puzzled was the day and night cycle, exclusive to the “Where We Live” area. Certain tribe members are only accessible during specific settlement states, which in theory adds depth to the game’s immersion. Yet, I struggled to find a reliable method to trigger the transition to nighttime intentionally, aside from repeatedly teleporting in and out of the settlement. This arbitrary obstacle felt unnecessary, especially when attempting to talk to specific tribe members just to complete side quests.

While my experience with Laika: Aged through Blood on PlayStation was generally smooth, I encountered several bugs, albeit mostly minor. However, one particular bug, if you’re aiming for 100% completion, could pose a significant hurdle. In a sidequest where Laika must prove her immortality to a large iguana named Borden, I encountered a persistent issue. The intended solution involves Laika dying in front of Borden and respawning at a nearby checkpoint, convincing Borden of her immortality and concluding the quest. Unfortunately, despite numerous attempts, I was unable to trigger the quest’s conclusion. The quest is thus still open in my journal, and it appears I’m not alone in experiencing this issue.

Despite these technical hiccups and gameplay mechanics that are not on par with some other aspects of the game, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Laika: Aged through Blood. Its innovative concepts breathe new life into the genre, and while it may not appeal to everyone, its narrative is certainly compelling and worth experiencing.