Blackwood

Blackwood PC is a cinematic third-person action shooter developed by AttritoM7 Productions and published by IZilla Games alongside the developer. Set in 2012 New York, it casts you as Anton Blackwood, a DVD-store owner by day and contract killer by night. The current Steam product is BLACKWOOD; Act 1 is the currently available first story arc, not a separate rebranded game.

One Day, Two Lives

The double-life loop moves through a daily schedule: wake in Anton's apartment, prepare for the day, open the DVD shop, take a contract after dark, return home, and sleep. The sleep-save cycle makes routine matter, because the day is not simply a sequence of disconnected missions.

By day, ReelTime is a physical DVD-store system, not a decorative hub. You order stock, organise cases, set rental prices, clean the floor, recommend films, and decide whether to work the counter yourself or leave it to Amelie.

By night, the basement becomes Anton's operations room. You read contracts on the mission computer, review targets and optional challenges, build a contract loadout, then buy, repair, strip, or collect weapons before entering the city.

The game is a linear third-person campaign, not an open-world sandbox. Locations range from Brooklyn streets to subway spaces and other authored combat areas, so the appeal is controlled pacing, environmental storytelling, and carefully staged encounters rather than free-roaming map coverage.

Gunplay, Melee, and Choreography

BLACKWOOD's action model combines grounded melee combat with responsive gunplay. Sprinting, diving, rolling, and sliding keep you moving while you fire, while cover-to-cover movement is meant as a temporary reset instead of a permanent hiding place.

The signature flourish is the contextual takedown. Anton's move changes according to his position, enemy placement, and nearby props such as a wall, counter, car door, or train pole. Every successful takedown also restores part of his health, rewarding close-range risk.

Choreography Mode lets you arrange unlocked takedowns in sequence. The developer lists four slots, with more becoming available as you progress. This changes the animation order and presentation, not the difficulty or enemy behaviour, so it is a style and planning tool rather than a hidden combat modifier.

The arsenal is advertised at 30-plus weapons across pistols, SMGs, shotguns, and rifles. Semi-destructible scenery matters too: glass, crates, cars, and cover can break down under pressure, forcing you to move when a safe angle stops being safe.

Clean Cash, Dirty Cash

The economic design is built around Clean Cash and Dirty Cash. They are deliberately separate wallets: daylight work supports the cover life, while contract work funds the dangerous side. Earning more money is not enough if it is the wrong kind.

Clean Cash pays for rent and recurring expenses, store improvements, outfits, personal purchases, civilian weapons, and selected relationship spending. Dirty Cash is reserved for rare weapons, ammunition, black-market parts, damaged guns, professional upgrades, and gear that unlocks unique takedowns.

Store management is hands-on when you want it to be. Restocking, shelving, pricing, cleaning, recommendations, and checkout all affect the business, while autopilot keeps it running at a lower level. The trade-off is time: every extra shop task competes with preparation for the next contract.

The financial pressure is concrete. Monthly bills and hush money must be covered, missing one payment triggers trouble, and missing a second ends the run through the game's two-strike game-over rule. That makes the shop a survival system, not a side activity you can ignore.

Anton’s apartment and ReelTime also carry the social layer. You can change outfits, customise spaces, interact with the home, and spend time with Amelie, whose role at the counter and later opportunities connect the quiet daytime routine to the story.

Acts, Content, and Editions

The current commercial model is a paid base game sold as one product. Buying BLACKWOOD gives access to Act 1 and the two later acts as free title updates for existing owners; the developer explicitly presents it as a complete game released in three acts, not Early Access.

Act 1 is more than its headline mission count. The listed package includes four main story missions, multiple side missions, side-mission updates, DVD-store management, 29 achievements, and four leaderboards. Each act is designed as a complete arc while advancing the wider narrative.

The named add-on is the optional Supporter Edition DLC. It requires the base game and adds an exclusive outfit, a handgun, and starter Clean Cash and Dirty Cash. It supports the game commercially, but it is not required to access the main campaign or later acts.

For search clarity, use BLACKWOOD for the current storefront product. Act 1 is a content label inside that purchase, and no separate replacement edition or official rebrand is indicated in the current store information.

PC Features and Localization

The verified PC route is Steam. The storefront lists Steam Achievements, Steam Cloud, statistics, leaderboards, and Family Sharing, giving the game a connected platform layer without turning it into a multiplayer title.

Input is unusually clear for a new PC action game: full controller support is listed, including Xbox controller support and DualSense support. Keyboard and mouse remain natural PC options, but a gamepad is not an afterthought on the storefront.

Accessibility options include adjustable difficulty, camera comfort, subtitle options, custom volume controls, and stereo or surround sound. Language coverage is narrow: English is the only language listed for interface, full audio, and subtitles.

Steam is the only verified PC storefront identified in the checked official materials. No separate launcher, anti-cheat requirement, Steam Workshop, or mod kit is advertised, and Steam Deck compatibility is not confirmed in the current metadata, so those features should not be promised.

Who Blackwood Suits

BLACKWOOD suits players who want a single-player campaign with authored levels, action-movie staging, and a mechanical reason to care about money between firefights. The strongest audience is comfortable switching from shop administration to close-quarters combat without treating either half as filler.

It is a good fit for fans of assassin fiction, third-person shooters, contextual melee, and light role-playing systems built around clothing, spaces, equipment, and daily choices. The game asks for attention to preparation more than a sprawling build-crafting grind.

Skip it if your priority is co-op, competitive multiplayer, a huge open world, or a broad localisation menu. BLACKWOOD's identity comes from its focused structure, English-only presentation, and the pressure of maintaining Anton's cover while improving his night work.

Similar Games on PC

If the draw is stylish third-person shooting with a strong cinematic rhythm, the movie-driven third-person gunplay in Stranglehold is a useful comparison. It shares movement-heavy firefights and environmental spectacle, but it is far more overtly arcade-like and lacks BLACKWOOD's shop economy and double-life scheduling.

For a more focused cover-shooter comparison, the bullet-bending action of Wanted: Weapons of Fate shows another route to cinematic assassination combat. Wanted centres on curved shots and cover transitions, whereas BLACKWOOD puts more weight on physical takedowns, weapon preparation, and the business front.

Neither comparison should flatten BLACKWOOD into a movie tie-in shooter. Its differentiator is the link between daytime business management and night-time contract combat, with the same calendar and finances governing both.

Blackwood FAQ

These answers cover the main storefront, gameplay, control, and purchase questions surrounding the current PC edition.

Is Blackwood the same game as Blackwood: Act 1?

BLACKWOOD is the current product name. Act 1 is the first arc in a three-act structure, not a separate game or Early Access branch. One purchase is intended to cover the full planned story as later acts become available.

Is Blackwood open world or multiplayer?

No. It is a single-player, linear action game. The official description explicitly separates it from open-world design, and the current storefront does not list co-op, split-screen, PvP, or other multiplayer modes.

What does the Blackwood purchase include?

The paid base game includes Act 1, its side missions and store-management content, plus future acts as free updates for owners. The optional Supporter Edition DLC adds a bonus outfit, handgun, and starter currency rather than replacing the base game.

Does Blackwood support controllers on PC?

Yes. The store lists full controller support, with Xbox and DualSense controller categories. The same metadata also lists camera comfort, adjustable difficulty, subtitle options, and volume controls. A Steam Deck rating is not confirmed.

What languages does Blackwood support?

English is listed for the interface, full audio, and subtitles. No additional language localization is shown in the current storefront data, so English should be treated as the confirmed PC language option.

How does the DVD store affect gameplay?

You restock and shelve DVDs, set prices, clean, recommend films, and work the counter or delegate it to Amelie. The store generates Clean Cash for bills and upgrades, while contract rewards use the separate Dirty Cash economy, making daytime management essential to long-term survival.