Gravelord Review (PC)

Scratch the urge to innovate and expand what doesn’t necessarily need expanding, and you’ll eventually come to the bitter realization that video games don’t need lavish visuals or convoluted mechanics to be fun. Take boomer shooters, for example; the genre isn’t instinctively complex, but its ability to get the blood pumping and the itchy trigger finger tapping is partly the reason why so many of us continue to succumb to their fixation on primordial violence and simple pleasures. In the case of Gravelord, yet another IP that willingly pledges its allegiance to the basic principles of boomer shooter culture, these features naturally shine through in the most imaginative ways possible. But, more on that later.

To cut to the chase, if you are hunkering down for a good old-fashioned first-person shooter to play this weekend, then allow us to take the initiative to lead you down the rabbit hole that is Fatbot Games’ love letter to classic boomer shooter culture. Ready to shovel through, both figuratively and literally speaking? Then let’s jump straight into the Early Access review, folks.

A Love Letter to DOOM

Gravelord doesn’t exactly beat around the bush with its “balls out” approach to formulating hand-crafted levels that are equally teeming with gnarly creatures as they are outlandish weapons and abilities. Its story, while hardly worth mentioning alongside its rough-and-ready combat system and raw gameplay mechanics, spins the yarn around a crass narrative; a numskull protagonist sets out to avenge his father. And honestly, that’s about as much as you need to know about it. But, like I said — this isn’t the sort of game you’d unwind to; it’s a game that allows you the creative freedom to wreak havoc on a battlefield and experiment with crude yet inventive ways to both obliterate and humiliate your opponents. It’s all rather Duke Nukem in that regard; its plot is about as barebones as they come — but it’s overshadowed by a quality combat system that’s both gripping and oddly rewarding all the same.

The bulk of the campaign sees you shoveling through a series of hordes as the titular protagonist—a disrespectful numskull who, although vastly superior to his adversaries, relies heavily upon brash tactics and crude one-liners to project his raw talent and strength. Equipped with his trusty Total Uber Shovel, you begin your journey with the sole purpose of bringing about misery to your enemies and those who stand before you. The primary objective, in a nutshell, is to plunge deeper into a tapestry of bullet-riddled battlefields and collect Tarot Cards, which essentially possess the power to enhance your skills and conjure extraordinary configurations. A neat touch, that, but let’s not forget what the focal point is here: creative control over the fight.

Bullet Heaven

Gravelord takes pride in its role as a typical boomer shooter; it doesn’t take your feelings into account, nor does it make an attempt to hold your hand and guide you through the motions. No, what the game does, really, is staple a weapon into your hands, and then scoot you into a horde of devilishly dangerous foes, almost as if to make you feel unprepared and a little, shall we say, exposed. And it’s because of this that, although the combat itself isn’t demandingly complex by design, a good old-fashioned training montage is required in order to take full advantage of its potential. But, once you successfully manage to master said skills, the game suddenly becomes pandemonium on a silver platter — and it a hoot.

As I mentioned a little earlier, the game tasks you with finding Tarot Cards throughout your journey. These cards, while being compressed into a deck of three at any given time, grant you the chance to experiment with several distinctive synergies and play styles. For example, if you select the Gunslinger card, then you’ll automatically accrue the power to deal more damage with your ranged weapons, whereas a Skinner card will allow you to boost your melee attacks and other associated abilities. To that effect, it’s almost as if there’s a strategical element to the game. Granted, the act of choosing which cards to deploy isn’t necessarily a difficult task, but it certainly provides enough food for thought for those who might be in favor of switching styles and battlefield tactics.

Shoveling Through

I have absolutely no problem with the combat aspect of the game; it flows seamlessly and, thankfully, it handles the absolute carnage of dozens of on-screen foes without losing frames. From a mechanical point, sure, there are one or two things that could do with a slight tweak; the fact that your character glides, or that there isn’t a weapon wheel, or any form of controller support, for that matter. Aside from these minor issues, though, there isn’t a huge amount to lodge a complaint about, because at the end of the day — it’s still an Early Access title. And on that note, I’m just in awe at how much the game has managed to do right in the relatively short time since it’s red carpet unveiling. Take notes, Ubisoft — this is how you bring about next-level entertainment without breaking the bank.

In addition to the bullet heaven locale that the game coughs up, there is also a nifty Level Editor feature that allows users to design and embellish their own stages. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to access this section of the game, mainly due to the fact that I played the Early Access version. However, the devs have been ever so kind as to tease the outlines of the aforementioned add-on, which, according to the team, will support an in-house toolbox featuring “automatic texture hotspotting, intuitive geometry tweaking & cutting, and more.” Of course, I can’t quite comment on any of these things, what with all of it being tied to the full version of the game. Still, knowing that there’s more in the pipeline is a good sign that the developers have plenty of gas left in the tank, so to speak.

Verdict

Gravelord takes immediate comfort in the weary arms of an old-school boomer shooter; it looks like a boomer shooter, and more importantly, it plays like a boomer shooter. With slick combat and a devilishly temperamental sandcastle locale to boot, Fatbot Games’ natural infatuation for explosive first-person shooters shines through in the best way possible. On that basis, I’m with the lion’s share of the panel; Gravelord is, despite its one or two technical flaws, a fantastic piece of art with plenty to compensate for.

Of course, Gravelord still has some ways to go before it reaches the final hurdle, what with it still being in Early Access and what have you. However, with the promises of a level editor and several fresh expansions and in-game maps on the horizon, it seems that there’s a lot more left in the pipeline. And even with all of this content coming out in future months, the fact still remains: Gravelord is a brilliant boomer shooter, and one that, while still being in receipt of a couple of basic design faults, has the fundamentals of a signature first-person shooter. Yes, it’s crude, and yes, it’s teeming with questionable tropes and an unshakable bias towards violence. But let’s be honest here — that’s a boomer shooter, in a nutshell, and such worlds exist because we adore ‘em, warts and all.

It’s giving DOOM-meets-Bulletstorm vibes, is the consensus that we’re chalking up here. That, as well as a slight pinch of Borderlands, are what generate the basic infrastructure for Gravelord. If that’s the sort of melting pot of bullet-heavy components that turns your gears, then boy — you’re in for one monster of a ride with Fatbot Games’ carnivorous creation. Can’t wait for the full version? Don’t sweat it; the Early Access will tide you over.