Review: Project Warlock 2 (Early Access)

Boomer shooter gibbing magic!

The retro FPS genre is as overcrowded as hell these days, so it’s hard to find something well made, let alone exceptional. So does Project Warlock II, the boomer-shooter sequel from Buckshot Software, deliver or wither away with the rest of them?

Fuck the story, let me at ‘em!

Project Warlock II does not appear to have any kind of a story, and I’m fine with that. If anything, a story would distract from all the ultra-violence, which would be bad. No story? Okay. 

Lovin’ this hostile world

Unlike the story, the devs crafted the world of Project Warlock II with lots of care and attention. With several varied biomes to explore, the world is fun to traverse and feels old-school and hostile, but beautifully crafted by people who know what they are doing regarding world-building. 

2D enemies as just as fun to kill

Similarly, with the visuals, the team at Buckshot is talented at working within the confines of such an old graphics engine to get the best out of it. 

Although reminiscent of much older FPSs such as Doom, Quake, and Powerslave, Buckshot Software presents Project Warlock II in a vibrant and unique way to have a distinctive visual style. This style gives the game a modern feel but with a retro charm. 

The lighting is beautiful, as are many basic effects used to impact the game dramatically. 

Cannon go BOOM!

‘What are fun, blocky visuals without solid, hardcore gameplay?’ We hear you cry? Not much is our answer. But worry not. If the hard-as-nails difficulty is what you crave, Project Warlock II has you covered. 

PWII combines the old and the new effortlessly. Old school difficulty and claustrophobic arena-like environments will prove familiar to boomers looking to this title, which, after all, is a boomer shooter. But for younger players, there are more modern dynamics. 

There is a map, for instance. Imagine! Maps were never something that I remember in Doom or Unreal. But for PWII, the team tried to soften the retro edges a little to give it a little accessibility gleam. And speaking of maps, the levels involve lots of fun platform jumping.

There is even a cute little arrow to show you where to go next and a million tutorial boxes on every corner (okay, they are a bit unnecessary).

Weapons are a massive part of FPS games, and PWII delivers in spades. From traditional weapons like assault rifles and the eponymous variety of shotguns to less conventional weapons like the cannon, which looks like it’s been ripped straight from a pirate ship, PWII caters to every appetite for destruction. 

And if that wasn’t enough, there are special abilities, like ice blast, to blow the enemies away a dozen at a time while you cackle in maniacal glee. 

The enemies are perhaps one of the strongest elements of PWII and cut to the game’s core. From pig beasts to naked female imps 

The gameplay loop of killing smaller, medium, then a boss until the level ends never gets played-out. What you see is what you get; this is a boomer shooter. If you don’t know what that is, you’re far from home, Dorothy. Get your sorry ass back to the cozy comforts of Destiny 2.

B movie Doom Eternal score FTW

The musical score of PWII is excellent. It’s like a budget Doom Eternal score but in the most impressive small-team retro style. Your blood will be pumping, and you won’t stop fragging ‘till your wife/ girlfriend/ boyfriend scream at you to turn out the light so they can sleep. 

Emotive response (Duration, Replay-ability, Performance)

Replayability for a game this challenging is a huge draw for players. Being number one or in the top twenty for any level of PWII is a real achievement and a big reason to revisit the game again and again. 

I wasn’t expecting much from PWII, but having had my time with it, I was impressed by the unified vision for the visual style, the high fun-factor gameplay and the hard-as-nails challenge and diversity of the gameplay. Players should not miss out on this title. Whether you’re old or young, pig beast or imp, because PWII has something for everyone. 

Thanks to Buckshot Software for a review copy of the game. Project Warlock II is available on Steam for £13.49