This influx of the boomer shooter? I’ll take it. As an older gamer, I can refer to these simply as ‘games’ rather than retro, yet there’s definitely a low poly/Doom-inspired aesthetic. FLESH CANCER is a prime example, and while Gravelord follows this structure, it has the visuals of something like Hellbound, with the pace of Project Warlock. In respect of that speed, this game is like driving a Ducati along a corridor without fear of death. Yet, you will die here. Quite a bit
Gravelord was actually quite the surprise, as it also featured a story with some very cool illustrations before the carnage kicked in. Some developers will play on the retro vibes and get away with some ropey textures or sound bites (looking at you, Duke), but Fatbot Games are very polished in their approach. Sure, our knucklehead hero is a bit cliché and like having a Frankenstein commentary with Arnie one-liners, but I liked that, and it fits the atmosphere perfectly.
As should be expected, this moves like lightning. Too fast, you might say. Quick bit of context, in the olden days of LAN parties and Quake, we would lower graphic settings to move like the wind. Speed-wise, this was essential, but the visuals were rubbish. Here, the visuals are crisp, AND it moves just as fast. I played exclusively on the Steam Deck and could not fault it. There were no technical issues such as slowdown or glitches. However, that speed really makes you apply the analogue sticks as there’s lots of platforming, and I don’t think it cuts it on a keyboard. Think Escape from Naraka.
Gravelord starts with a shovel as a weapon (later a teleporting tool!), and if it weren’t for the distance of enemies and the high risks involved, I’d happily stick with it. Fortunately for FPS fans, there’s obviously a great arsenal to select from, and they are available very quickly. The shotgun is naturally a go-to for crowd control. Aiming and secondary shooting modes are also great, and the speed does have a flip side, as you can dodge attacks better than that Neo bloke. I just struggled with the jumping as you blitz through a stairwell, only to fall off and repeat again and again, or take your time and miss a jump. Or more commonly, snipered by a sneaky enemy.
The auto-saves are just as quick, though they can be detrimental. Respawning into a hostile area is always going to be a challenge, but having an ounce of health and stubbornly repeating attempts in fear of losing progress is hard work that will be inevitable. You will master the save game, even if it takes you longer than it should. Predominantly, you’re going to be playing Gravelord from an FPS perspective – shoot to survive, as well as navigate some tricky platforming areas and activate switches- but unlike some of the older games, I found it refreshing in that it was rare to get lost, as the level design is decent and engaging. Not one of the supermarket experiences of heading down the same aisle again and again, looking for a key to get to the next area.
However, something not touched upon in this review yet is the bonus of deck-building. Yes, you’d be right in thinking that adding cards to an FPS wouldn’t work; it would slow the pace dramatically and ultimately would be a gimmick. Sure, the latter is somewhat true, and selecting a card pauses the action, resuming to an enemy spawning and blasting you in the face. Yet, I liked this feature. It genuinely didn’t disrupt the tempo as much as it should, plus it put a spin on how you level up. Skill trees would be boring. It’s much better to think about whether you want to do explosive damage, add piercing to your arsenal, or what I’d highly recommend: regeneration skills or armour.
The bottom line is that Gravelord is the best FPS experience I’ve had on the Steam Deck. I’m not saying it’s the best FPS, but it was flawless. It looked the part, and while it’s suggested you calm down a bit on thrusting the analogue sticks forward when platforming, it plays like a first-person experience should. I couldn’t tell you what the best FPS is. I have a penchant for Half-Life, or maybe the Borderlands series, but when it comes to boomer shooters, Gravelord is my new favourite. Come get some.
