This year marked the end of the TV series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, based on the semi-popular early 90’s film staring Kristy Swanson. Although there were many that hated Buffy the Vampire Slayer, whether it was to see Sarah Michelle Gellar jump around in hot pants, criticize the acting, or just surfing channels, almost everyone with a TV has seen an episode of Buffy. But with ol’hot pants gone, devoted fans were left with nothing but a bad series finale. But the videogame industry is here to change that. Say hi to Chaos Bleeds. Developed by Eurocom for publisher Vivendi Universal Games, Chaos Bleeds is a third-person action game that plays out based on a lost episode of season 5 - set between episode 17 (Forever) and episode 18 (Intervention). The basic storyline is that a new dimensional bleed has been opened by Pure Evil in the real world. Before chaos reigns supreme, Buffy and her friends (including hottie vamp slayer, Faith) must battle the vampires, ghouls, and demons straight back to hell using a variety of general violence, weapons, and magic powers.
Action is the main draw in Buffy, and beat’em up fans won't be disappointed, Chaos Bleeds has a smooth control interface that makes juggling multiple combatants a joy. The interaction with the environment is not just some gimmick. Weaponry in Chaos Bleeds is also more advanced than the previous Buffy game. Sure ,there is the requisite selection of crossbows, axes, swords and the like in Chaos Bleeds, but just like the show, stakes are the most important piece of weaponry. Just about any object that can be picked up can be used as a weapon, is a weapon. Buffy is all about taking out vampires, so stakes are a necessity, but when the fights get rough just about any pointy object will do. Grab a shovel and whoop the blood sucker. Break the shovel for a fresh stake, or just take his head off with the metal top end. Pick up a vamp and throw him into a wooden table, which will shatter, providing you with more of an arsenal. Or get creative tossing a vampire into a ray of sunlight can be just as effective. Just about every move you can pull off in a fighting game is available here: throws, holds, jump attacks, blocks, you name it, with a couple of variations on each. Puzzles are also more of a factor this time out. It’s more Resident Evil than Tomb Raider this time around, and that can be a good or bad thing.

Rounding out Chaos Bleeds will be several multiplayer modes. There's Survival, a kill as many enemies as you can game; Bunny Catcher, a nice nod to the absent Anya where you try to catch as many bunnies as you can; Slayer Challenge, your basic deathmatch; and Domination, a king of the hill type game. All of them are entertaining on a minor level but are still welcomed additions to the game.