Blood: Refreshed Supply — Nightdive’s second stab at a cult classic, with crossplay and curated mods

Why this caught my attention

Nightdive is taking a second swing at Blood. Yes, really. After 2019’s Blood: Fresh Supply, the studio is back with Blood: Refreshed Supply, launching Thursday, September 4. The headline upgrades aren’t flashy new textures or a total rebuild; it’s a smarter package: console debut with crossplay, the official expansions, and curated community juggernauts like Marrow at launch and Death Wish a little later. As someone who still boots up Build engine shooters for that crunchy movement and chaotic hitscan mayhem, a second remaster raises two questions: do we actually get a better experience, and is there a reason to double-dip?

Key Takeaways

• Console debut with crossplay is the real new feature; co-op and deathmatch just got way more accessible.
• Includes Plasma Pak and Cryptic Passage plus huge, fan-favorite mods (Marrow at launch; Death Wish via free update).
• PC feature set remains: 4K, uncapped framerates, local split-screen, and online multiplayer.
• Open questions: input feel vs. the DOS/port purist standard, netcode quality, price, and upgrade path for Fresh Supply owners.

The real story behind a second remaster

Blood’s original 1997 build-Monolith’s gnarly, cult-soaked cousin to Doom and Duke-lives and dies by feel. Fresh Supply did a lot right on PC, but purists gravitated to community ports like NBlood/BuildGDX for closer 1:1 behavior. The KEX-powered remaster added modern amenities, yet small differences in movement, weapon timing, and sound mix split the fanbase. That’s why a second attempt matters: not because we’re hungry for prettier sprites, but because the version you can actually play with friends on modern systems needs to nail the fundamentals.

Nightdive’s track record has been strong across the 90s shooter revival-System Shock’s remake was thoughtful, and the studio’s recent work curating classics like Heretic and Hexen shows they understand preservation. Refreshed Supply feels like a course correction and expansion: take what worked in 2019, fix friction points, and bring the party to consoles without losing what makes Blood… well, Blood.

What you’re actually getting on day one

On PC, the baseline is familiar: 4K support, uncapped framerates, local split-screen, and online multiplayer. The big step is platform reach—Refreshed Supply lands on Steam, Epic, GOG, plus PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo’s console lineup—with crossplay so your squad isn’t gated by hardware. That’s a huge quality-of-life win for a game defined by chaotic co-op and mean-spirited deathmatch.

Content-wise, this is a complete tour. The official expansions—Plasma Pak and Cryptic Passage—are included, and Nightdive is doing something I wish more remasters would: shipping with curated, beloved mods. Marrow, a ten-map expansion set right after the base campaign, is available at launch. Death Wish, one of the most acclaimed community episodes ever made for Blood, arrives as a free update post-launch. If you’ve never touched the mod scene, these aren’t throwaway bonus levels; they’re meaty, cleverly designed campaigns that push Blood’s combat sandboxes in new directions.

Mod support is the sleeper feature

Bundling Marrow and Death Wish isn’t just fan service—it’s a statement. Blood has always thrived on community content, but that’s been gatekept by fiddly installs and PC-only ecosystems. Curated mod inclusion signals that Nightdive wants this version to be the definitive, accessible Blood. If those mods are available across platforms with intact difficulty tuning and scripting, console players are about to discover why veterans won’t shut up about custom episodes. It also raises a tantalizing question: will Refreshed Supply become a living hub for more curated addons over time?

Where I’m skeptical

Nightdive promises additional performance and quality-of-life tweaks, but specifics matter. Raw mouse input, FOV range, proper analog movement on controllers, and audio parity (the shotgun and dynamite “feel” are half this game’s soul) will determine whether this becomes the default version on PC. For multiplayer, give me details: tickrate, lag compensation, server browser and filters, custom map support, and whether crossplay lobbies can disable aim assist or segregate input types. If this is the party version, the netcode and lobby tools need to be rock solid.

Pricing and upgrade paths also loom large. Fresh Supply owners will ask if there’s a discount or upgrade. And if mod packaging is locked to the curated picks, PC diehards will still keep NBlood around for the wild west of user content. That’s fine—but be clear about what “official mod support” actually means for the long tail.

The gamer’s perspective: should you care?

If you’ve never played Blood, this is the best on-ramp we’ve seen: full campaign and expansions, crossplay co-op, local split-screen, and two legendary community episodes. For console players specifically, it’s a no-brainer—classic 90s FPS chaos without emulator headaches. If you already own Fresh Supply on PC and you care deeply about original input timing and physics, wait for hands-on impressions to see if the feel is closer to DOS/NBlood fidelity. But for anyone looking to squad up and gib cultists on the couch or across platforms, Refreshed Supply looks like the definitive social version.

TL;DR

Blood: Refreshed Supply isn’t a glow-up; it’s a smarter, more complete package. Console debut with crossplay, bundled expansions, and marquee mods make this the easiest way to dive into Blood’s cult horror slaughterfest. I’m excited—cautiously—pending answers on input feel, netcode, and pricing when it launches September 4.