In 2008, Luminy Studios released a short game called Bloodwood. It was free.

Bloodwood Reload represents a complete re-tooling of that game. The new version will also be free. What follows is a preview consisting of a very small portion of the current Beta version.

The game has full 360-degree range of motion; movement is accomplished using either the WASD keys or directional arrows.

The suitably creepy story involves a village trapped in time and surrounded by trees that have unique, blood-red wood. As the game’s protagonist, you’re sent to the village by a logging company to acquire rights to the forest.

You learn from a local farmer that there’s a legend concerning the color of the trees. It involves some pretty nasty activities. This is where the Beta ended.

Bloodwood Reload has great atmosphere. You arrive at the village at what appears to be dusk to the accompaniment of crickets, the buzz of flying insects, fog, an occasional wolf howl and foreboding piano music. Dark clouds hang overhead.

Other ambient sounds include footsteps and crackling fires.

The game’s graphics are well-done in a variety of textures. They convey the feeling of an earlier time nicely.

There are no voiceovers in the game; all dialog is text-based. Some of the wording is a little awkward, as when the innkeeper says, “Let me working please.”

This being a Beta version, bugs are to be expected. I came across a couple of major ones.

Wandering around the village after I first arrived, I encountered a priest. I found him lying face down on the ground. When I saw him a little later, he was embedded in the ground with only his upper half showing. He wouldn’t talk to me except to tell me he was busy.

I tried saving the game in a couple of spots. But when I loaded the saves, both deposited me at the front door of the town’s inn.

Bloodwood Reload has the potential to be an excellent mystery/horror adventure. I’m hoping that Luminy Studios will be able to iron out the bugs before releasing the game this summer.