- Bloodless, the isometric brawler with a non-violent twist, is out now on Android
- Dodge and counter, but don’t kill, as your goal is to disarm your enemies
- Fight the evil shogun and defeat his army without ever drawing a blade
Bloodless, the isometric, samurai-themed brawler, is now available to buy on Google Play. Combining monocolour retro graphics with fast-paced Souls-like combat, it offers an interesting twist on the classic samurai revenge story. Because in this game, you take swords, not lives.
In Bloodless, you play as Tomoe, a rogue samurai in a Japanese-inspired fantasy world. Having sworn vengeance against the evil shogun and his army, Tomoe chooses not to kill, but instead to use her fists to disarm and defeat her opponents. To do so requires both perfect timing and the use of ki skills to wear down much better-armed and dangerous warriors.
Bloodlessly red
As Stephen observed in his Bloodless review, the non-violent (sort of) approach to combat in this retro brawler makes for an interesting twist on an otherwise well-trodden genre. But, as he points out, this can also get a little bit grating when fights go from one or two manageable opponents to all-out brawls.
Fortunately, you’ll have access to skills other than dodges and counters to help wear down your opponents. And once you’ve made your way through the story, you can also jump into the roguelike Namazu’s Wrath mode and take on an endless series of foes.
Bloodless offers an interesting story setup, and gameplay that goes beyond simply mashing buttons. So if you’re looking for a sort-of-Soulslike experience, with retro charm and plenty of replay value, then it could well be worth dropping some of your cash on for this Android gem.
In the meantime, if you want to see what else has caught our eye this year on mobile, then you won’t need to go far. Take a look at our list of the best mobile games of 2026 (so far) for a constantly updated list of new releases to watch!
Iwan is a Cardiff-based freelance writer, who joined the Pocket Gamer Biz site fresh-faced from University before moving to the Pocketgamer.com editorial team in November of 2023.
