illWill

About

"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

+15

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 217 reviews

music60 positive mentions

grinding3 negative mentions

The game features satisfying combat with a variety of well-designed weapons and enemies, each presenting a unique challenge.
Visually stunning with excellent level design and a surreal art style that enhances the gameplay experience.
The soundtrack is outstanding, perfectly complementing the fast-paced action and unique atmosphere of the game.

The game is relatively short, with some players feeling it lacks depth and replayability.
There are occasional bugs and issues with enemy spawning that can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
Some players found the weapon switching system clunky and noted a lack of enemy variety as the game progresses.

music
90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
29%
4%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its outstanding quality and ability to complement the fast-paced gameplay and surreal environments. Many players appreciate the unique soundtrack, which features distinct themes for each level, enhancing the overall atmosphere and engagement. However, a few critiques mention that some tracks feel out of place or lack the intensity needed during combat, suggesting room for improvement in certain areas.
- “The gameplay is addictive, the art style is fantastic, the levels are well thought-out, and the music is outstanding.”
- “The music perfectly complements the spooky and downright terrifying environments.”
- “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, and to me it felt out of place and disconnected from the game; 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
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
37%
4%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning visuals, excellent lighting, and unique art style that complements the comedic dark setting. Players appreciate the variety of environments and the distinct design of enemies, which evoke a surreal and engaging atmosphere reminiscent of titles like "Little Nightmares." Overall, the graphics are considered a standout feature, enhancing the fast-paced gameplay and contributing to a visually captivating experience.
- “Graphically, this game is top notch.”
- “The graphics are beautiful with excellent lighting.”
- “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.”
- “The art style is so unique, and every level is different, with so many varied environments that have tons of artistry put into them.”
gameplay
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
50%
7%
The gameplay is characterized by its addictive, straightforward mechanics reminiscent of classic FPS titles like Doom, Quake, and Serious Sam, featuring imaginative level design and a satisfying core loop. While the combat is engaging and the art style is praised, some players note a lack of variety in enemy types and mechanics as the game progresses. Overall, it offers a fun and challenging experience, enhanced by a strong soundtrack and creative weaponry, despite its simplicity and short length.
- “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 where 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
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
17%
17%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its unique and surreal design, characterized by impeccable level layouts and a distinct art style that varies across levels, each complemented by fitting music tracks. Reviewers highlight the dynamic and immersive experience, likening it to a Tim Burton-inspired vision, and note that while the campaign lacks depth in storytelling, the overall ambiance and audio significantly enhance enjoyment.
- “Movement is smooth, the guns are serviceable with a few standouts, surreal maps and atmosphere, and the music is awesome.”
- “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 developed a first-person shooter, 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
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
67%
17%
The game features minimal storytelling, focusing instead on atmospheric level design and visual narratives, which some players appreciate for creating a connected experience. While there is no traditional plot, the unique aesthetics and music of each level contribute to the overall immersion. Players generally prefer this approach over a forced narrative, valuing the game's emphasis on gameplay and visual storytelling.
- “I do like that what little story there is, is told entirely visually.”
- “With that said, the little setpieces and environmental storytelling does 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
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The optimization of the game is highly praised, with users reporting smooth performance and no stuttering or shader issues. The graphics are well-suited to the game's comedic dark aesthetic, and the overall design, including movement and weapon mechanics, contributes to an enjoyable 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, enemies are well-designed.”
- “It's a UE4 game and I have perfect performance with no stutters whatsoever or shader issues, so that is pretty cool.”
- “Performance is quite good.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
Overall, the game offers good replay value, making it enjoyable for players seeking a fun shooter experience. However, some users caution that it lacks depth, which may limit long-term engagement.
- “+ good replay value.”
- “+ 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.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as simple yet effective, providing an engaging and often hilarious experience that showcases the creativity of indie developers in contrast to the AAA market. Reviewers appreciate the game's ability to deliver laughs while maintaining a compelling gameplay experience.
- “This game is a compelling, engaging, and at times, hilarious look at how an indie developer can put the AAA market to shame.”
- “Simple but funny game.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game demonstrates excellent stability, particularly on the Steam Deck, where users report smooth performance.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck for those who are interested.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews do not provide any insights into the emotional aspect of the game, focusing instead on technical performance issues related to CPU bottlenecking and frame rate optimization.
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
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 grinding feels repetitive and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
- “I found myself spending too much time grinding instead of enjoying the story and gameplay.”
- “The grind is overwhelming and detracts from the overall experience, leaving little room for exploration.”