By BLACKWOOD is one of the few games that I was looking forward to since it was first announced.
I got even more excited after seeing the gameplay at Gamescom 2026.
As a huge fan of the John Wick franchise, this game seemingly had everything I was hoping for to role-play as a badass assassin.
Now that the game is finally out, I had a chance to experience the John Wick simulator firsthand.
And if you ask me if BLACKWOOD is worth it? I would have to say no. Unfortunately, I can’t recommend the game in its current state.
Here’s why.
What Is BLACKWOOD?
BLACKWOOD is a third-person action-adventure game that heavily focuses on stylistic melee combat. It centers around a lone assassin who runs a DVD store by day and does contracts by night.
The game is heavily inspired by the tone and characters from the John Wick movies. The story, combat, weapon handling, takedowns, and almost all the characters have heavy resemblances to John Wick. It’s fair to simply call BLACKWOOD a “John Wick simulator”.
At release, BLACKWOOD only has Act 1 of the story, which you can complete in about two hours. Acts 2 and 3 are slated to be released in 2027.
BLACKWOOD is developed by a small studio based in Bangladesh. It’s the same studio behind the tactical shooter Zero Hour. However, this game lacks the same polish and stability as their previous title.
John Wick Simulator Gameplay
The core gameplay loop of BLACKWOOD is very basic. You wake up in your apartment, get dressed, and go downstairs to manage your DVD store.
You are tasked with restocking the shelves, cleaning up the store, and feeding the cat. And recommending movies to customers from time to time.
Once the day is over, you can close the shop and go down to the basement to your other job.
This is where you manage your contracts, weapons, and customize gear. Using the computer, you can access currently available contracts.
Some contracts require a buy-in to access, like tournaments, while others are just regular work, like movie stunts. It’s almost always about either melee combat or shootouts. There’s very little variety.
BLACKWOOD ACT 1 only consists of four main missions, which can be completed in about two hours. These main missions try to create a story campaign feel with a few short cutscenes, but it feels rushed and awkward.
You can do side contracts in between the main missions, which can extend the gameplay time to about eight hours.
2000s Graphics & Uninspired Story
BLACKWOOD has an unusual style of graphics that makes the game look like it’s from the early 2000s.
The character models, especially the faces, look very stiff and unusual to the point that they look a bit scary sometimes.
I’m not sure if the developers were going for an old-school look, but it somehow looks outdated. Some players, however, seem to find that charming.
The same can be said about the story, which is actually very bare-bones and cut short before it gets to a point that makes sense.
Unpolished Combat
The game starts with a shootout scene, which acts as somewhat of a tutorial.
Even during this tutorial section, I felt the jankiness of the weapon controls. I kept pressing the get-to-cover button, but the character kept turning away from it.
Melee combat especially feels extremely rough. This one contract where you have to perform stunts in a bathroom made me smash buttons out of frustration because I couldn’t control the character to perform the specific stunts. And the enemies kept rushing me from all angles at once, so I couldn’t focus on one at a time.
I experienced at least one or two issues with every contract mission, whether it’s weird camera angles or enemies attacking from all sides.
The DVD store management simulator part of the game is also a bit too simple and lacks engagement. After doing all the chores of cleaning and stocking the shelves, all you do is wait until it’s time to close shop. And it doesn’t really serve a purpose since you get to earn money from the contracts anyway.
I like the concept and the approach of this game. The gunplay and takedowns look quite cool and fun, but they need a lot of work to make it feel more engaging and polished.
A Diamond In The Rough
BLACKWOOD has a solid framework for a great game. If handled correctly, the developers have a chance to turn this into a Hitman-like game where they release contracts as DLCs or expansions.
But the core gameplay and mechanics of the game are not there yet. It needs to be polished and improved a lot more before the devs can deliver a worthy experience to players.
It feels almost as if the game was rushed to release. If the developers spent a few more months working on the game, do a few playtests, or at least released it in early access, the game would have been in a much better state and received much higher praise.
Is BLACKWOOD Worth Playing?
As I mentioned several times, I really wanted to like this game. I don’t even care if the game copied John Wick entirely; I just wanted to experience those awesome takedowns and shootouts.
But BLACKWOOD is not there yet. It needs a lot of work to be done before it can be considered a solid John Wick simulator.
The developers have shared an update saying they are listening to player feedback and working on updates to make the game better. So my recommendation for you is to wait a couple of months and then try this game.
BLACKWOOD has the potential to be the next Max Payne if the developers continue to fix the game.
