Blackwood is almost the John Wick-inspired third-person shooter I've been waiting for, and after 2 hours of playtime, I'm really excited for all of it — but it's rough around the edges right now

The indie action game Blackwood has people buzzing for its John Wick-inspired third-person shooter style. The developer AttritoM7 Productions has crafted a game set in 2012 New York, where players control Anton Blackwood, a man who moonlights as an assassin while running a DVD store. After just two hours of gameplay, it's clear that the developers are aiming for explosive, cinematic enemy takedowns and intense gun fights reminiscent of classic martial arts and action movies.

Blackwood offers players the choice to play aggressively or tactically, with headshots being the preferred method for a John Wick-style game. Blackwood's takedowns are a standout feature, immediately transporting players to iconic moments from the John Wick franchise. However, the game is still rough around the edges, with issues in combat, particularly during hand-to-hand encounters.

Anton's character control can be stiff and unresponsive, and enemies flanking the player can lead to frustrating deaths. While the weapon recoil is well-designed, the ultrawide field of view resolution needs some adjustment. Audio issues also detract from the immersion, especially during early mission sequences. Nonetheless, Blackwood shows great promise and has the potential to become one of the best indie games available.

With more content and patches in the pipeline, it's only a matter of time before Blackwood reaches its full potential.