TL;DR
Blue Estate throws you back into the arcade era with a crude, violent rail shooter that's not for the faint of heart. Playing as a mobster's son or an ex-soldier, you'll blast through absurd enemies and bosses across wild locations. While its politically incorrect humor and over-the-top violence might offend some, others will appreciate its unapologetic nature and nods to 90s shooters. Despite clunky controls and inconsistent visuals, its solid frame rate and occasional clever gags offer a unique, albeit brief, experience. If you crave old-school shooting fun and can stomach the lowbrow humor, this might be worth a look, but be prepared for a bumpy ride. Ready to see if its chaotic charm hits the mark? Read our full review.
Blue Estate evokes a bygone era of gaming (for better and for worse). It’s a rail shooter, a genre popularized in arcades during the 90s, where players control a targeting reticle to eliminate enemies while the game progresses automatically along a predetermined path (exemplified by FMV games like Mad Dog McCree). Based on the “pulp”-style comic albums of the same name by Victor Kalvachev, the game’s politically incorrect nature and humor may both offend some and appeal to fans of titles like GTA.
Players initially assume the role of Tony Luciano, a caricature of American East Coast Italians and the son of a powerful mafia boss. Driven to rescue his kidnapped girlfriend, the curvaceous striptease dancer Cherry Popz, Tony is determined to retrieve her, dispatching rival gangsters and henchmen along the way. The narrative shifts to Clarence, an African-American ex-soldier and skilled combatant who finds himself plagued by a Chihuahua due to an unfortunate encounter with pheromones. Across eight diverse levels, ranging from tropical islands and strip clubs to (O)KFC restaurants and cemeteries, players must shoot their way through hordes of enemies and confront several challenging boss encounters (including a character resembling Kim Jong Un in drag). All the while, a private detective narrator, reminiscent of a jilted Jonah Hill, provides background information, punctuated by dry messages from the FBP (Federal Bureau of Procrastination).
Blue Estate is unapologetically crude and violent, making no attempt at subtlety. Sensitive players may find its gratuitous violence (with bonus points for head and groin shots), sexual allusions, and often lowbrow humor distasteful. However, the game acknowledges its nature through a disclaimer at the start: “all these people in this game should not be mistaken for being heroes, but should probably be arrested, the whole bunch.” This demonstrates a conscious decision to embrace a juvenile, macho style and push the boundaries of taste.
The visuals alternate between stylish drawings from the comic series (displayed before each level and during intermissions) and a somewhat inconsistent mix within the game’s environments. While not particularly impressive, the face models are simple and the animations are adequate. The detail in the backgrounds and the numerous discoverable bonuses that trigger extra points and events are more noteworthy. The audio primarily consists of Tony’s New York accent, enemy shouts, and weapon sound effects.
For those unfamiliar with titles like Mad Dog McCree, SEGA released similar games during the PS2 and Dreamcast era, including Virtua Cop, Time Crisis, and House of The Dead. While aiming for speed and precision is enjoyable, the PS4 controller’s gyroscope, though functional, lacks the tactile feedback of a light gun. A recurring issue is the game’s tendency to lose sight calibration, requiring frequent resets by pressing the up or L1 button with the controller in a neutral position. This is an unnecessary distraction that compounds the already frantic pace of movement, shooting, and reloading. Certain sequences require finger-dragging on the PS4’s touch plate, but the input is often unreliable. On a positive note, the game maintains a solid frame rate, rarely dropping below 60 fps, which contributes to an immersive experience (or potential motion sickness).
Despite its shortcomings, Blue Estate offers a degree of entertainment, especially for those nostalgic for classic on-rails FPS games. The humor, at times genuinely funny, includes references to geek and popular culture (e.g., Star Wars) that elicit a smile. However, the game can also feel clunky and frustrating, a fact seemingly acknowledged by the developers through meta-commentary.
Skilled players can complete the eight levels in approximately four hours. While a two-player mode and additional difficulty levels are available, the game’s replay value appears limited. Consequently, the price of 179 SEK may be excessive. As a relatively niche indie title with investments in branding, graphics, and voice acting, a price point of 99 SEK would be more appropriate, suggesting that many players will likely wait for a price reduction (or a potential appearance on PS Plus, though the likelihood of Sony offering such a violent and politically incorrect game is questionable).
However, if you are not averse to “dark” adult humor and yearn for the shooting experiences of classic SEGA games, Blue Estate is a reasonable choice within a rapidly dwindling genre. Its occasional cleverness helps to offset, to some extent, the abundance of tastelessness encountered along the way.
