How does bleedout work in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre? Victims in the horror game have the deck stacked against them right from the beginning. They’re trapped in an unfamiliar place, hunted by a trio of crazed killers, and time itself is against them too.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre can be confusing to new players as it may not be clear what exactly is happening with your character’s heads-up display and how you’re supposed to withstand the negative effects as you rush for one of the TCM exits. Arguably, the most important status effect you need to be aware of is bleedout. We’re address bleedout in our TCM beginner’s tips, but here’s a more detailed break down of bleedout in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre to help you avoid a trip to an early grave.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre bleedout overview
When you begin each match as a victim, you’re informed that your condition is deteriorating. It may not be clear to new players just what this message entails, but its effects can easily sink a match. There’s a red heart in the bottom-right corner of the HUD, featuring two bars to the left of it which represent your character’s health and stamina.
When you begin a match, your health is constantly draining. Even if you don’t take any damage, your condition will grow worse over time. As if that wasn’t bad enough, your heart has three colors: red, orange, and gray. Red means you’re mostly fine, though your health will tick down slowly. As the red empties out, the heart turns orange. Once this happens, the victim will lose health at an accelerated rate.
The most dangerous thing happens afterward when the heart grays out. If this is left unchecked, the victim collapses and will need some time to recuperate. During this time, a bar slowly fills where the victim will be completely at the mercy of any nearby family members. During this ordeal, the victim will eventually start leaving a blood trail that a family member can use to track them down. The longer it takes for a victim to escape, the harder it is to get away.
How to stop bleeding in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
The good news is that this health status can be mitigated, sort of. Health drinks can be found in various spots – using them heals a victim and temporarily stops the bleeding effect. This also stops you from leaving behind a blood trail, handy in the late game when you’re easy to track down.
After a certain amount of time has passed, the bleeding resumes and the victim will need to either use another healing drink or escape before they collapse. It’s important to note that all victims get a single free collapse, placing victims into the recuperation state. If this state occurs a second time, your victim drops dead on the spot. Better stock up on those healing drinks, huh?
That’s all you need to know about bleedout in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. If you’re quick, you might not always need to worry about it, but it can certainly make the difference between being five steps from freedom and five steps from death’s door. Looking for more ways to increase a victim’s survivability? Check out our guide on how to fight back as a victim or learn about Grandpa and how to stop him from spotting you with regularity.