So there you were, minding your own half-vampire business, when an unreal, five-story-tall beastie walked by with the idea that you were dinner. And then there was that smoke-bomb-throwing sniper who gave you the old what’s what. Yup, the bosses in BloodRayne can be a bit challenging to say the least. But fret not: below is Part 1 of DailyGame.net’s strategy guide to help you defeat the undead, mutated and “normal” bosses on Agent BloodRayne’s first Target List.
The Louisiana Bayou
The levels of the Louisiana Bayou are essentially a training ground to familiarize you with the controls, attack methods and general tactics you’ll need to use to advance through BloodRayne. By the same token, the boss battle at the end of the bayou will prepare you for the amazingly mutated bosses throughout the game.
Generally speaking, the nests you need to destroy in the bayou can be defeated by a hack-and-slash, tantrum-like tirade. With that said, however, there’s one nest, one “time-sensitive” level and one nasty Queen of the Underworld that pose three opportunities for you to use some much-needed strategy in the swamps.
Colonial Power Nest
In the Colonial Power level, you’ll find yourself thrust into a bit of a zombie insurrection. When you begin the level, disrupt the battle of the undead to feed on the enemies (if necessary) or slice and dice them with your blades, then take their weapons. Now fully energized and armed, make your way to the power station and head for the control room on the top floor. After eliminating the guard, flip the switch to drain the water from the bottom of the station, which will reveal the nest.
Your best bet for defeating the nest is to stand on the middle (second-floor) platform opposite the nest and blast away with your guns. If you run out of ammo or your equipment isn’t powerful enough, hop down next to your soon-to-be-dead target and go into BloodRage. If you attack the nest with reckless abandon, you’ll be able to drain the nest of its energy before your own energy runs out because you’re standing in water. Now lick your blades clean; mission complete.
Old Town
Old Town doesn’t present any bosses or nests, but it’s equally difficult in its requirement that you stick with the spider to follow its trail. Fail to stay close enough, and the level will restart. To make matters even more difficult, the spider cruises in the water while you’re forced to keep the pace by jumping from roof to roof. It’s not an easy task, but it’s one that patience and a bit of strategy can solve.
Be prepared for your first few attempts at this level to be unsuccessful. Rather than get frustrated, use these attempts to learn the spider’s pattern so you can anticipate its movements in later attempts. Unlike other games, BloodRayne will not penalize you for getting too far ahead, so once you learn where the spider’s headed, it’s relatively easy to beat the level.
The most difficult part, aside from keeping up the pace, is resisting the temptation to kill the various enemies that populate the rooftops. But resist it you must. Don’t kill any enemies in Old Town; just run like hell. Keep moving forward, learn the spider’s pattern and don’t panic if a jump doesn’t make it to the next roof (just jump back up). Follow these three guidelines, and victory will be yours.
Queen of the Underworld
Taking place in a Southern boat junkyard that would make BubbaGump Shrimp Co. proud, this level is populated with a handful of zombies and one intense five-story boss. While searching for the goal, explore the various islands for weapons but avoid killing all of the zombies; you’ll need to feed on them during your battle with the Queen. Only kill enough – using your blades, mind you – to build up your Blood Rage.
When the Queen reveals herself from beneath your boat, run to the large island to your right and make sure to stay on dry land. The first order of business is to activate your Blood Rage and attack the Queen’s unprotected stomach, her primary weak spot. When the Queen rises up and makes her underside inaccessible, attack her two front legs, which will both eliminate two of her weapons and keep her from lifting her belly out of reach.
Invariably the Queen will drain some of your energy, so you’ll need to feed on some of the undead creatures you spared earlier in the level. As always, avoid the water while traveling to the various zombies, and use your blades whenever possible to conserve ammo for the Queen once your Blood Rage runs out.
Target List #1
Finally out of the Bayous, you will now encounter a new series of Nazi-killing missions that welcome you to the bloodbath that is BloodRayne. Your contact at the Brimstone Society will give you a list of targets that you must take out in an orderly and wonderfully gruesome fashion. For the most part, these high-ranking officers are easy to defeat and don’t put up much of a fight – presuming you have ammunition and can get past their blade-blocking defenses. If not, a good Blood Rage will generally make quick and messy work of a Nazi officer.
The key to defeating most of these targets is to avoid getting caught up in the surrounding Nazis and instead go straight for the jugular, er, officer, himself. Most of the levels will offer you a save point after defeating the target, so there’s no real use in defeating any of the other enemies around him. Unless, of course, they’re either beating the snot out of you or you need to feed.
Something would be amiss, however, if the game didn’t provide some signs of boss variety and at least a little necessary strategy, so you’ll encounter five officers who deserve special attention.
Thule High Priest
After seeing this boss in the opening press-start-already video, it was clear that this enemy would present some interesting challenges. Following a nice cutscene, you’ll be placed behind a pillar that serves as able protection from the High Priest’s (Von Blut’s) gunfire. Lesson Number One: pillars are your friend.
Don’t ever attempt to take the Priest head on unless you have a sadistic desire to see BloodRayne fall victim to a .50-caliber gun. Instead, make generous use of Dilated Perception (slow motion) and run behind the priest to unload ammo into his unshielded backside. After absorbing a few of your shots, the priest will turn around and begin firing while hightailing it to the other end of the chapel.
When the priest makes for the other end, click back to normal vision and scurry down the sides of the chapel toward him. All the while, make sure to stay behind the crumbling but amazingly defensive pillars. Once you reach the last pillar, switch back to Dilated Perception, dart for the area behind the priest and unload into his hind end until he turns around and returns to the original end of the chapel. Repeat this process until the priest meets his maker, then help yourself to his powerful gun.
Kommando
When you enter the multi-story room in which Kommando and his minions reside, it can be a bit disorienting trying to figure out who the heck your target truly is. Reason? Kommando looks like a cross between a Third Reich officer and Sub Zero from Mortal Kombat, and his sidekicks don’t look much different. Therefore, it’s essential that your first step is to activate your Aura Sense to seek out Kommando and know where you should focus your attacks.
Once you’ve targeted Kommando and are almost within striking distance, switch from Aura Sense to Dilated Perception to slow down time. Kommando is a crack shot with his German weaponry, and using this slow-motion effect is vital to staying out of his line of fire. At the same time, Dilated Perception will help you to unleash some good blade attacks and point-blank gunshots.
Similar to the Go-Run-Hide strategy of the Thule High Priest, Kommando will abandon his current location after a few shots. This time, though, you’ll be unaware of his location for about five seconds due to his use of a smoke grenade, which will even throw off your “radar.” Due to this delay, switch from Dilated Perception to normal view and head for high ground.
Once your radar clears and shows Kommando’s general location, switch to your Aura Sense to determine his precise location and then confront him, once again using Dilated Perception and Blood Rage (or your firearms). Rinse, lather and repeat this process until Kommando dies. Be aware that his post-grenade location varies from the top floor to the ground floor, which will have you making good use of your jump button. Also be aware that there are other Nazis in the room, which can be useful for feeding as needed.
The Butcheress
As “bouncy” as the Butcheress is, she’s got a mean helicopter kick that will quickly remind you she’s not on your side. She’s also the fastest enemy on your first Target List, so be prepared to run, jump and back up a lot against this boss.
When the level begins, avoid going in with your blades and instead jump backwards while firing your guns to avoid the Butcheress’ initial barrage of punches and kicks. Once the Butcheress catches up to you, activate your Blood Rage and beat on her like there’s no tomorrow. You’ll take some damage, but if you circle her while unleashing your attack, the damage you take will be sufficiently less. Once your Blood Rage wears off, back away and wait for her retaliatory attack to subside, then go in for more blood.
This stick-and-move strategy works wonders against the Butcheress, who is easily tricked into a premature attack that leaves her prone for a few seconds afterwards. As long as you can avoid her devastating helicopter kick, you should be sitting pretty in terms of fighting. But it’s not all fun and games. This lady knows how to drain your energy without a single hit.
Occasionally the Butcheress will approach a control panel that opens the entire floor like a trap door. Fall down the hole and you’re dead. End of story. Restart the battle. To avoid falling, you can either stand on the open platform that’s over the center pit, or, if the platform’s too far away, stand on the corner beams to which the floors are attached. Although the beams charge with electricity when the floors open, the energy it drains will be far less frustrating than having to restart the battle. Continue this stick-and-move beam-standing strategy until the Butcheress has been sufficiently filleted. Then carefully descend down the center pit along the walls.
Temple Guardians
Though not on your official Target List, the Temple Guardians are a nasty trio that can add insult to injury if you lose to them and have to restart the platforming hell that is the temple core. To defeat these mutated monsters, make sure your Blood Rage meter is filled, draw all three enemies close to you and unleash your Blood Rage against all of them simultaneously. If you hack away using this close-in strategy, you can defeat all three bosses with a single fully drained Blood Rage barrage.
Brigadier General Mauler
Imagine Arnold Schwartzenegger on steroids, and … oh wait. Well, you get the picture. Mauler is huge, muscular and hard to understand, but may the gaming gods help you if he throws the smack down on your cute, braided head. Fortunately what Mauler has in brawn, Bloodrayne has in special abilities, so once again you’ll use your various visions to affect the outcome of the fight. Say it together, class: Dilated Perception is your friend.
Believe it or not, the most effective way to attack Mauler is head-on, save for some creative dancing during his thunderous strikes. Once you get near Mauler, activate your slow-mo vision and unleash a Blood Rage on this Bavarian un-beauty. Swirl around the slow-as-molasses officer to ensure that his overhand smashes land to your left or right, and “quickly” move to his rear to beat on his muscle-bound back.
Don’t bother jumping on the platforms to avoid Mauler’s attacks. The level is called “The Walls of Jericho” for a reason, and the steroid-popping freak will just knock the platforms down. It’s this bravado, of course, that leads to a weakness of Mauler’s: he gloats. When the officer stands with his hands on his hips, take the opportunity to blast him with your most powerful weapons or unleash another Blood Rage, if you have the energy. If and when you run out of ammo, continue to dart around Mauler and strike with quick blows from your blades. Victory will be yours in due time.
Although a few maze-like levels remain after Mauler, he’s the last boss on your first target list. For strategies on defeating the second Target List, stay tuned to DailyGame.net for the next chapter of tips that will guide you to victory against the rest of BloodRayne’s bosses. Happy hunting.
