Gravelord

About

Gravelord is a single player action game. It was developed by Fatbot Games, s. r. o. and was released on January 22, 2025. It received very positive reviews from players.

Gravelord is a single-player action-packed boomer shooter blending classic run-and-gun gameplay with modern graphics and audio. Players blast through abstract, engaging levels using powerful weapons, a unique Spectral Shovel, and collectible Tarot Cards that enhance combat abilities. With a sassy protagonist and upgradeable fire modes, it delivers nostalgic fun with fresh, dynamic features.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 84 reviews

gameplay13 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

The game captures the fast-paced, chaotic gameplay reminiscent of late 90s/early 2000s shooters like Quake, providing a nostalgic experience for fans of the genre.
The level design is well-crafted, featuring engaging environments and secrets that encourage exploration, along with a unique card system that allows for varied gameplay styles.
The humor and character design, particularly the protagonist's one-liners and comic-style storytelling, add a fun and lighthearted touch to the overall experience.

Enemy balance can be frustrating, especially on harder difficulties, with some enemies being overly spongy and ambush mechanics that feel cheap and unfair.
The card system, while interesting, can lead to non-choice situations where players may feel compelled to stick with the same cards, limiting variety in gameplay.
Some levels feel monotonous and lack distinctiveness, with certain mechanics, like the shovel and power-ups, not being utilized effectively throughout the game.

gameplay
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
59%
8%
The gameplay is a nostalgic homage to late 90s and early 2000s shooters, blending mechanics reminiscent of Doom and Quake with unique features like a teleporting shovel and card modifiers that allow for tactical experimentation. While the shooting mechanics and level design are praised for their fluidity and interactivity, some players feel that the card system is underutilized and limits player progression. Overall, the game offers a fun and engaging experience, though improvements in combat rhythm and card variety could enhance its potential further.
- “The gameplay feels like a cross between Doom and Quake.”
- “Tight run n' gun gameplay and a nice variety in pacing throughout the levels!”
- “Interesting spin on boomer shooters, very fluid movement mechanics and interesting vertical level design, love the gun design and smooth animations, the comics are a nice addition.”
- “Only complaint was a moment where I got stuck in the sewer level owing to a button shooting mechanic that was introduced with zero fanfare, explanation, or precedent in the game.”
- “So there's no real player progression and your gameplay modifiers from the card don't really affect the gameplay much at all.”
- “The combat portion of the said mechanic seems to be kind of underutilized currently.”
graphics
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
59%
11%
The graphics of the game have received praise for their modern, stylish aesthetic that blends cartoonish elements with darker themes, reminiscent of titles like Quake and Bloodborne. Reviewers highlight the impressive art style, character designs, and level visuals, noting that they effectively enhance the game's atmosphere and gameplay experience. However, some players feel that the graphics can occasionally lean too cartoonish and suggest improvements in hit feedback and enemy reactions to enhance immersion.
- “From its cartoonish yet dark art style to its fast and punchy gunplay, Gravelord is a masterclass on doing things better.”
- “The art style, graphics, and vibes are awesome, from environments to comic-style story bits you get as collectibles.”
- “In a world of retro-stylized pixelated boomer shooters, this game features modern, high graphical fidelity with a Borderlands-esque cartoonish outline type of visuals.”
- “Maybe it's the graphics, but the game felt too cartoony.”
- “In a world of retro-stylized pixelated boomer shooters, this is more of a modern, high graphical fidelity yet at the same time borderlands-esque cartoonish outline type of visuals.”
- “Hoping to see some different visuals outside of episodes 2 and 3, as 16 more maps of this same vibe can possibly feel fatiguing.”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
43%
19%
The game's story is presented through a unique comic book style, offering humor and satire that resonates well with gamers. While the level design is abstract and doesn't deeply immerse players in a narrative, collectible comics provide lore and character development, enhancing the overall experience. The lighthearted and quirky storytelling, combined with engaging gameplay elements, sets it apart in the indie boomer shooter genre.
- “There are not a lot of indie boomer shooters out there with a significant effort made on the storytelling; Gravelord does it and does it well.”
- “Love the way the story is told via the comics and the obvious memes to the real world.”
- “On top of that, there is a cool storyline with really neat comic book style artworks giving the game some solid character.”
- “Level design is 'abstract', so no real narrative storytelling.”
- “Btw: it has a story!”
- “I don't know why but the overall goofiness and tongue-in-cheek nature of the plot with Queedo's father is a very welcome change of pace in a genre where almost every title is nothing but adrenaline and thick, drab atmosphere.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by quick one-liners and comic-style storytelling that appeals to "gamer" types, though some players may find it hit-or-miss due to personal taste or language barriers. While the overall comedic elements are solid, with some jokes landing well, others may not resonate with everyone, leaving a mixed impression on the humor aspect.
- “At least the one-liners are funny.”
- “Some jokes are still funny though.”
- “The story presented in the comics is kind of funny at times with a decent but not overdone degree of humor and satire that 'gamer' types will find amusing.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with a metal-inspired soundtrack that enhances the atmosphere and complements tense moments, despite being somewhat repetitive. While the sound design, particularly for weapons, is praised for its punchiness, some players feel that the overall music could be improved to elevate the experience further.
- “There's a really solid foundation—good humor from the protagonist, nice levels and clever secrets (the yellow key), exploration with great rewards, awesome unique guns with two fire modes, nice comics with the story (for those who want it), good ultrawide support, really awesome soundtrack.”
- “Music is neat and sounds do their job, especially weapons feel great thanks to very punchy sound design.”
- “Metal-diablo-ish soundtrack fits nicely to the overall atmosphere.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback; while some players report smooth performance with low GPU usage and stable frame rates, others experience random freezes, significant FPS drops, and input issues that require restarting the game. Overall, there are indications that optimization may improve with future updates.
- “Performance is nice!”
- “The game is already very well optimized; on RTX 3050 at 1080p and 60 fps, it runs so well that my GPU is used at just 40%, and (at least in my case) the fans stay still for most of the time.”
- “An issue I have is that the optimization is a little messy. I experience random freezes that last 1-2 seconds, and this happens multiple times. The FPS would drop into the 30s sometimes, and the controller would just stop responding for no reason. I have to restart the game for the controls to work again, and this has happened a few times.”
- “There was some slowdown when there were many enemies on screen, but I imagine I could fix this in the game's settings or it may be optimized over time.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its engaging and fun environment, combining fast-paced movement and enjoyable combat with well-designed levels and artistic elements. The soundtrack complements the overall vibe, evoking a nostalgic blend reminiscent of classic titles like Quake and Diablo, while the lighthearted and goofy narrative adds a refreshing contrast to the typical intensity found in the genre.
- “The game has a great atmosphere, great movement of the player (fast-paced), very nice combat feeling, nice level design, enemies, and artistic design in general.”
- “The metal-diablo-ish soundtrack fits nicely with the overall atmosphere.”
- “What I especially like about Gavelord is the atmosphere; it's like Quake 1 and Diablo 1 had a child.”
- “I don't know why, but the overall goofiness and tongue-in-cheek nature of the plot with Queedo's father is a very welcome change of pace in a genre where almost every title is nothing but adrenaline and a thick, drab atmosphere.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Users report mixed experiences with stability; while some find the game generally stable and nearly bug-free, others encounter issues such as random freezes, significant FPS drops, and controller input failures that require restarting the game. Additionally, sound glitches have been noted, indicating optimization concerns.
- “It's stable and almost bug-free.”
- “An issue I have is that the optimization is a little messy. I experience random freezes that last 1-2 seconds, and this happens multiple times. FPS would drop into the 30s sometimes, and the controller would just stop responding for no reason. I have to restart the game for the support to work again, and this has happened a few times.”
- “The main issue I have been having is that the sound sometimes flickers or glitches.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game's replayability, noting that the variety of weapons, enemies, and unlockable upgrades encourages multiple playthroughs.
- “The overall game feels nice to play, and there is a significant amount of replay value with the weapons, enemies, and upgrades you unlock.”
- “Each playthrough offers new challenges and experiences, making it hard to put down.”
- “The variety of choices and paths you can take ensures that no two runs feel the same.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight that while the game excels in level design, art style, and gameplay, the character development is less emphasized, suggesting that characters may not undergo significant growth or change throughout the experience.
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game's characters, with some feeling sympathy for even the antagonistic figures, highlighting the complexity and depth of the narrative and its impact on their experience.
- “Gravelord almost made me feel sorry for such vicious harm done to the varied, worthwhile enemies.”