illWill

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"IllWill is a highly anticipated old-school shooter game, built on Unreal Engine 4, bringing the classic styles of Doom, Quake, Blood, and Serious Sam. Prepare for a bloody, comedically brutal experience, battling hordes of monsters with a variety of weapons, across breathtaking locations. Look forward to striking visuals, polished gameplay, and a stellar soundtrack that gets into your very soul."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 108 reviews

music positive mentions

grinding negative mentions

Satisfying combat with a variety of well-designed weapons and enemies that provide unique challenges.
Visually stunning with excellent art style, lighting, and a fantastic soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience.
Simple yet engaging gameplay reminiscent of classic boomer shooters, making it a fun and enjoyable experience overall.

The game is relatively short, with some players feeling it lacks depth and replayability.
Enemy variety can feel limited, and some encounters may become repetitive as the game progresses.
There are occasional technical issues, such as Vsync problems and minor bugs that can disrupt gameplay.

music
45 mentions
67 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its excellent sound design, fitting seamlessly with the fast-paced combat and surreal environments. Many players describe the soundtrack as outstanding, with unique themes for each level that enhance the overall atmosphere, although a few noted moments where the music felt out of place or lacked intensity during battles. Overall, the combination of creative compositions and high-quality electro tracks contributes significantly to the game's immersive experience.
- “Sound design is excellent, with satisfying sound effects and a solid soundtrack that fits the fast-paced combat and surreal levels.”
- “The soundtrack is so good that I listen to some of the tracks while I'm working.”
- “Some of the best music period, it is just that freaking good, and when paired with the colorful dream-like visuals, whew, this is just an incredibly true work of art.”
- “The only thing that I didn't like was the music; to me, it felt out of place and disconnected from the game, so I had to reduce the music volume.”
- “I think music and boss fights are probably two aspects of it that I wish were better, but other than those, the game is fun. If you are looking to just shoot enemies for a couple of hours, I suggest playing it.”
- “The 3D sound positioning seemed weak, making it hard to tell where monsters were from sound alone, and the music seemed bland in places, desperately needing to up the tempo when in battle to get the blood pumping.”
graphics
34 mentions
59 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their unique and surreal art style, which complements the comedic dark setting and enhances the overall atmosphere. Players appreciate the vibrant environments, excellent lighting, and well-designed enemies, all rendered in a modern Unreal Engine 5 aesthetic. The visuals are described as top-notch, with a variety of distinct levels that evoke strong emotions and maintain player engagement through their creativity and appeal.
- “The graphics are beautiful with excellent lighting.”
- “Graphically, this game is top notch.”
- “The art style is so unique, and every level is different, with so many varied environments that have tons of artistry put into them.”
- “Only other thing I can complain about is there is a severe lack of graphical options.”
- “The art style reminded me of this game Nightmare Ned from way back in the day, mixed with Disney's Mr. Toad's Wild Ride while tripping on mushrooms.”
- “Simple campaign with next to nothing in the way of story, but high in atmosphere, and a unique art style and a different aesthetic to each level with a different music track to match the tone.”
gameplay
21 mentions
43 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its addictive and straightforward mechanics, drawing inspiration from classic FPS titles like Doom, Quake, and Serious Sam. Players enjoy imaginative level design, a satisfying core loop, and a strong emphasis on combat, though some note a lack of variety in enemy types and mechanics as the game progresses. Overall, the combination of engaging shooting mechanics, creative weapons, and a stellar soundtrack contributes to a fun and challenging experience, despite its brevity and simplicity.
- “The gameplay is addictive, the art style is fantastic, the levels are well thought-out, and the music is outstanding.”
- “Amazing soundtrack, simple yet challenging and satisfying core gameplay loop, and a beautiful art style all in one package.”
- “The developer set out and accomplished everything they wanted to do with this game, which is to make a really fun FPS; in fact, they exceeded my expectations, as Illwill ended up among my favorite indie boomer shooters because it has such a strong identity in its weirdness on top of its stellar gameplay.”
- “Shooting is very basic and turning enemies into gore is always fun, but the gunplay and enemy variety is probably the weakest part of the game, especially since by the halfway point you've seen everything and the game never throws new mechanics at you.”
- “The gameplay is pretty simple.”
- “Very simple game mechanics, but waves of enemies sometimes feel extremely hard.”
atmosphere
9 mentions
67 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique and immersive qualities, featuring surreal maps, impeccable level design, and a distinct art style that varies across levels. The dynamic audio, including a fitting soundtrack, enhances the overall experience, making it both captivating and enjoyable. Users liken its aesthetic to a Tim Burton-esque vision, combining elements from classic shooters while establishing its own standout atmosphere.
- “This is one of the most atmospheric and badass games I've ever played.”
- “Simple campaign with next to nothing in the way of story, but high in atmosphere, a unique art style, and a different aesthetic to each level with a different music track to match the tone.”
- “The level design is impeccable, the atmosphere oozes character, and if I could summarize crudely, if Tim Burton smoked a bunch of crack and decided to develop a FPS, Illwill is what that game would look like.”
- “The level design is impeccable, the atmosphere oozes character, and if I could summarize crudely, if Tim Burton smoked a bunch of crack and decided to develop a FPS, Illwill is what that game would look like.”
- “Crazy atmosphere and dynamic.”
- “The atmosphere and audio accompaniment deserve a separate kudos.”
story
9 mentions
11 % positive mentions
78 % neutral mentions
11 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal, with players noting that it lacks a traditional narrative and instead relies on visual storytelling and atmospheric design to create a connected experience. While some appreciate the absence of a forced story, others feel that the simplicity detracts from the overall depth. The unique art style and distinct music for each level contribute to the game's immersive environment, despite the limited narrative content.
- “I do like that what little story there is, is told entirely visually.”
- “With that said, the little set pieces and environmental storytelling do create this sense of a connected experience I quite enjoy.”
- “Simple campaign with next to nothing in the way of story, but high in atmosphere, and a unique art style and a different aesthetic to each level with a different music track to match the tone.”
- “There is no real story to this game.”
- “There is no story; you just progress through different levels, each with a very unique design.”
- “I...kinda hate that John Carmack's quote 'story in video games is like story in porn,' but I do like how little is elaborated on here.”
optimization
3 mentions
67 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is highly praised, with users reporting smooth performance and no stuttering or shader issues. The graphics effectively complement the comedic dark setting, and the distinct weapon mechanics enhance the overall experience.
- “Movement is fun, weapons are punchy and distinct, the graphics are perfect for the setting (kind of comedic dark, but you can see everything), performance is buttery, and enemies are well-designed.”
- “Performance is quite good.”
- “It's a UE4 game, and I have perfect performance with no stutters whatsoever or shader issues, so that is pretty cool.”
replayability
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it enjoyable enough to revisit, others feel it lacks depth, limiting its long-term appeal.
- “I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fun shooter to play, just don't expect too much depth or replayability.”
- “It has good replay value.”
- “I'd definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fun shooter to play, just don't expect too much depth or replayability.”
- “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
- “The lack of varied content makes replaying the game feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
humor
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized as simple yet effective, providing an engaging and often hilarious experience that showcases the creativity of indie developers in contrast to the AAA market.
- “A simple but funny game.”
- “This game is a compelling, engaging, and at times, hilarious look at how an indie developer can put the AAA market to shame.”
stability
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game runs smoothly on the Steam Deck, indicating strong stability and performance on that platform.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck for those who are interested.”
- “The game maintains a steady frame rate, ensuring a smooth experience.”
- “I haven't encountered any crashes or bugs, which speaks volumes about its stability.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is not directly addressed in the review, which primarily focuses on technical performance issues and solutions related to frame rates. As such, there is no significant emotional commentary provided.
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate that the game incorporates jumping mechanics, puzzles, and secrets, which help to alleviate the monotony of grinding and keep the gameplay engaging.
- “The game has a jumping mechanic and puzzles, which can keep you busy, but it often feels like you're just grinding for the sake of grinding.”
- “Grinding becomes tedious and repetitive, overshadowing the more engaging aspects of the game.”
- “While there are interesting mechanics, the constant need to grind detracts from the overall enjoyment.”