8Bit/Digi

By His Mighty Shovel

There are many dirty jobs in the world, but not all of them allow us to shoot at demons and whack the undead with a shovel. I’m not a fan of the term “boomer shooter,” but it looks like it’s a designation that is sticking around and I’m just glad we are receiving more first-person shooters with this classic flare. If more of them are as enjoyable as Gravelord, I demand this genre continue thriving.

Let’s all head to a place called Starham, rich in that gothic Victorian aesthetic, where an evil force is hard at work convincing the dead to rise again and cause problems. We play as Queedo, the son of a High Gravedigger and Grand Sorceress, who has decided to take up the family business. He’s being well-compensated for keeping the local cemeteries in check, but he’s also out to get revenge for his father’s death. Our hero is the gruff type, giving off (Dr. Jekyl and) Mr. Hyde vibes, complete with the fine hat and cigar. He’s funny, nails his one-liners, understands pop-culture references, and has a little charm thanks to the accent. There’s an opening cutscene done in a comic panel style that explains some things, and collectible pages that expand the story, adding to the narrative, but I found myself wanting more woven into the gameplay. With that out of the way, however, we can get to the slaughter.

Undead Chaos

Longtime FPS fans will feel at home in these dusty catacombs, because the developers of this grim-dark adventure, Fatbot Games, totally went to the id Software school of design. The visuals are compared to Darkest Dungeon and Borderlands, but the gameplay has nearly undeniable DOOM and Quake DNA deep in its makeup. The controls feel solid with the movement and shooting being responsive, even if not ideal for precise play.

Queedo does feel slightly stiff when evading. He lumbers like a large sack of Idaho potatoes while jumping, which leads to him overshooting, sliding off, or coming up just short of platforms while a couple of these jumps require precision. Thankfully, the player can acquire boots for a double jump and has a sick Spectral Shovel that allows for a nifty teleport or to zip across the room, strategically getting out of trouble when surrounded and adding a sense of verticality to the gameplay. The only annoyance is that players are forced to re-acquire some items in each level.

Crypt-O-Currency

We have an upgrade system through Tarot Cards, different bonuses, and passive abilities divided into tiers, with up to three cards active once unlocked. Most of these augment Queedo’s damage and resilience, but he has a few parlor tricks like summoning minions or turning foes against each other. Unfortunately, I kept seeing the same cards early on and often went back to my perfect trio. 

The fun doesn’t end until the sick metal music stops. The tunes could use more variety, but work for shooting up kill rooms. Most of the weapons feel efficient, though some rebalancing may be needed for the late game. These firearms have creative alternate shots, but share a global cooldown and can easily be wasted in chaotic situations.

Light a Cigar and Kick Some Ass

I like the challenge in Gravelord, making me work while not punishing. Usually, it’s about changing up the approach, weapon choice, or enemy priority, but if someone isn’t pressing F5 to quick-save after every tough hallway, are they really playing? Some serviceable enemy varieties, a few who look inspired by Hellraiser, or—well, by, other classic FPS games. There are issues with their AI, getting stuck or letting me sneak up and catch them with their pants down. I would love some bigger boss encounters, as most are simply used to introduce new monsters.

Gravelord’s greatest strength is the excellent level design. They’re exciting to move through, using the structures to get around or to help block incoming fire before rounding up behind a big behemoth. The layouts are wonderful, with many open areas for frantic shootouts, while most stages focus on a primary theme, like water, platforming, or unlocking a maze. The mechanics are on point, but I could use more variety in the visual presentation. I like the style, but everything is dark and with recycled elements and textures, making it easy to get lost. I imagine later episodes will provide more.

I’m usually hesitant to recommend Early Access titles that don’t provide an amazing showing, especially when we aren’t sure when they’re going to be out fully,  but this game was made by people who love the classics and want to see their project reach its potential. The game promises to put the ‘fun’ back in funeral and I’ll allow these puns if they keep delivering gameplay like this.

I have more graves to dig.

Disclaimer: The publisher through a PR representative provided the game used for this preview.

8Bit/Digi is an independent media outlet that provides insight into the gamer community of the San Francisco Bay Area.