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Welcome Back to the SPRAWL

2000s first person shooters stand out among gamers as they were made during an era of creativity and innovation. Inspired by the likes of GoldenEye and Half-Life, developers aimed to create action packed but unique experiences. This was the era that saw the birth of titans like Halo, Call of Duty, and Battlefield while also giving us timeless classics like TimeSplitters, Black, F.E.A.R., The Operative: No One Lives Forever, and XIII (sorry for the flex, there are too many to name). It was a window that left a mark for generations and now it is seeing a resurgence thanks to indie devs and small studios. The latest game to be forged from this inspiration is SPRAWL zero.

SPRAWL zero is a cyberpunk themed first person shooter that combines the style of a 2000s game with modern innovation and lessons learned over the last 20 years. A prequel to MAETH’s 2023 hit game SPRAWL, the story casts players as a new super soldier fighting on behalf of the Junta against those who oppose them.

A Future in Shambles

In the distant future, humanity has been ravaged by generations of war, disease, and natural disasters brought on by its own greed. What remains lives in a city crumbling from decay and ruled by the iron fist of the Junta. However, their power is under threat from resistance movements and cults seeking to break their grip over the populace. Players take on the role of FIVE, a cybernetic super soldier deployed by the Junta, who is tasked with assassinating the leader of the radical techno-religious group IMAGO-DEI.

The story is what you would expect from a 2000s shooter: a clear understanding of what is happening with a sense that something is wrong. Players who experienced the first game know that the Junta are the villains and must be stopped, but that is not how it plays out yet. At the same time, it draws inspiration from other works of the era, with the cyberpunk dystopian world of Deus Ex and the sinister shadow government of Neon Genesis Evangelion serving as prime examples. I will also note that players do not need to have played SPRAWL to understand what is going on. I went into this with no idea the previous game existed, only to stumble upon it when looking more into the game’s background. It is a testament to the quality of the story that someone who has not played the previous game can easily jump in and still have a good idea of what is happening in this world.

An Army of Five

SPRAWL zero is a first person shooter that has players blast their way through IMAGO-DEI forces as they try to reach their objective. Foes range from standard foot soldiers to assassins, machines, and attack helicopters. Players will have access to an arsenal of over 40 weapons while also using their fists or the environment as a weapon. Unlike most shooters, players are limited to only one gun and must drop it the moment they run out of bullets. This forces players to constantly weigh whether to keep their current gun or toss it for a fully loaded one. Do not think too hard about it, as the combat is fast paced and leaves no time to fumble on a choice. Along the way, players will pick up power ups, like the Gravity Shield or Bullet Time, that enhance their fighting chances with new skills.

Going more into details about the combat, this is not a game where players just run and shoot. Players will need to develop multiple styles as they go and as the fight evolves. The beginning is an easy intro to the game, but after that players will need to hone in a technique that can interchange depending on the situation. For me personally, I prefer to rely on melee combat with a combination of pistols and automatic weapons given their abundance in the game. Shotguns are ideal for when players need to cripple multiple enemies at once before delivering the final blow with a punch. However, one might prefer other ways to fight, and that is okay because players should do what works best for their preferred style.

Unlike other shooters or games in general, SPRAWL zero incorporates elements that I am usually not a fan of, but it handles them so well that I am not upset about it. Learning the game is not that hard, nor is it a chore to go through the tutorial. I have to credit the game for having one of the best examples of how to integrate a tutorial into the intro. It does not feel boring or unnatural, but instead blends into the story while feeling like every other stage of the game. I am not a fan of first person melee combat because it lacks the elements of a good beat ’em up. However, SPRAWL zero proves me wrong, as melee is a strong aspect of the fighting mechanics and works solidly for a first person shooter. The lack of a complete sight of your surroundings does not hinder anything, and it feels so good smashing a foe into gooey piles of blood.

Lock and Load

I have enjoyed the shooters that have come out of the indie scene and smaller studios in the last few years, as they are a break from the usual batch. I have also enjoyed how more and more studios are stepping away from the boomer shooter style in favor of inspiration from the 2000s to early 2010s. SPRAWL zero fits perfectly into this trend. From the start, I sensed the influence that Project: Snowblind and Red Faction II have had on the game. This can be seen in its fast paced combat and use of enhancements, while players navigate a dystopian world with a bleak atmosphere. Chances are there are better games from this era to point to as an example. I admit this because I am limited based on what I have played. Yet that is also a testament to the diversity in the selection of shooters that were available during the Sixth Generation era.

When you take off the nostalgia goggles, is SPRAWL zero any good? The answer is no, because it is amazing! From a visual perspective, it really does capture the feeling of a shooter from the mid to late 2000s in regards to its aesthetics, but is still polished enough to be rich in detail. This comes through in the street levels and the destructible environment that opens new passages while also allowing players to use the world around them as a weapon. At the same time, it perfectly captures the essence of a grimy cyberpunk world in the grips of industrial decay.

Finally, one cannot overlook the soundtrack that perfectly encapsulates the world and sets the tone of the overall game. An original score, it has a familiar sound as it harkens back to the defining work that inspired a generation of cyberpunk media, Ghost in the Shell. The game’s soundtrack carries all the defining hallmarks drawn from the iconic musical score by Kenji Kawai.

DEATH

If there is one issue that gripes me about SPRAWL zero, it is that the lack of a waypoint can sometimes become frustrating. The absence of such an element makes sense in a linear shooter with small maps, but this is not the case here. The levels are vast with numerous pathways, and one can get lost easily. That is why having some sense of where to go for the next objective would be nice. Instead, on a number of occasions, I would end up going back the way I came as I looked for the path to the next objective or stage. At the same time, this would slow things down, which is not what players want from such a game. One could argue that not all games from this era had a waypoint or a direction marker, but part of learning from the past is knowing not to incorporate bad design techniques.

Another issue, but not as egregious, is some poor level design. Like many games trying to capture that old school feeling, it occasionally suffers from outdated design choices. Some sections lack clear direction, while others feel cluttered with unnecessary environmental objects, detracting from the overall flow. When compared to other games, SPRAWL zero is not the worst offender, as those poorly designed levels are few and far between, but they are still present.

Welcome to the Future

SPRAWL zero is a shooter that combines the creativity of a 2000s game with modern innovation. On the surface, it is a solid shooter with intense combat and a grimy world that welcomes players to tear it apart. Underneath is a callback to the good old days when there was variety among our shooters, as everyone wanted to do something different or unique instead of rehashing the same title each year. I am glad more smaller studios are stepping up to tap into their creativity while reminding us of a better time.

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

This review is the critique and thoughts of one writer. If you want to see how other critics felt, then check it out on OpenCritic.

8Bit/Digi is an independent news outlet that provides insightful reviews for Bay Area Gamers.

SPRAWL zero (PC)

9

Excellent

9.0/10

Pros

• Easy to learn gameplay and fast paced combat.
• Game that harkens back to shooters from the Sixth Gen era.
• Combat requires you to adapt and alter your style as you go.
• Soundtrack inspired by Kenji Kawai that perfectly encapsulates the world.

Cons

• Lack of a waypoint can sometimes become frustrating.
• Some levels use a dated design.