Only Lead Can Stop Them

About

Only Lead Can Stop Them is a single player shooter game with warfare and historical themes. It was developed by Warcry Interactive and was released on December 9, 2024. It received positive reviews from players.

In "Only Lead Can Stop Them," you play as a soldier defending the republic during the Spanish Civil War across 30 intense levels. Battle through castles, trenches, and forests using a diverse arsenal of ten weapons while uncovering secrets and freeing comrades. The game delivers fast-paced, pixel-art shooter action inspired by classic 90s titles.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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83%

Audience ScoreBased on 83 reviews

music19 positive mentions

stability10 negative mentions

The game offers a nostalgic boomer shooter experience with a unique setting in the Spanish Civil War, featuring a variety of enemies and weapons.
The soundtrack is highly praised, adding to the overall retro vibe and enjoyment of the gameplay.
Level design encourages exploration and includes interesting features like collectibles and a Conviction power-up mechanic.

The game is plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with enemy AI, hit detection, and level navigation.
Weapon sounds and impact feel lackluster, with some weapons, like the shotgun and flamethrower, being particularly criticized for their performance.
The overall game design feels unfinished, with some levels appearing bare-bones and lacking polish, leading to a frustrating experience at times.

music
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
29%
10%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its catchy, retro-inspired soundtrack that evokes classic titles like Wolfenstein and SNES games. While the tracks are generally considered excellent and fitting for the gameplay, some players noted that a few songs could benefit from extended mixes to avoid becoming repetitive. Overall, the soundtrack is highlighted as a standout feature, enhancing the game's enjoyable and nostalgic atmosphere.
- “The music sounds more like something that you would hear in a SNES title than a ’90s FPS, but that’s okay: the tracks are good, especially e2m2’s (I felt like Spain’s very future was tottering on my shoulders as I was listening to that).”
- “The music is another highlight, consistently catchy and well done.”
- “Not to mention having one of the best soundtracks I’ve heard in any indie game I’ve played in a long time (which I hope the devs upload to YouTube or somewhere at some point).”
- “The music sounds more like something that you would hear in a SNES title than a '90s FPS, but that’s okay: the tracks are good, especially E2M2’s (I felt like Spain’s very future was tottering on my shoulders as I was listening to that).”
- “That being said, there are also a few songs that would have benefited from extended mixes, because they can become mildly grating after looping so many times.”
- “The music lacks variety and atmosphere in some levels, and I'd also prefer a heavy metal version of the soundtrack.”
graphics
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
53%
18%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their unique art style and retro aesthetic, which effectively captures the vibe of classic shooters. However, some players note issues with enemy scaling, graphical glitches, and a lack of polish, including frame drops and floating objects. Overall, while the visuals are appealing and contribute to the game's charm, they are marred by technical inconsistencies.
- “The art style and look of the maps stands out pretty uniquely amongst the retro games and do get more complex and interesting as you go.”
- “The graphics and the sound design are superb, shooting is more skill-oriented than the run-and-shoot approach of the old-school boomer shooters.”
- “It's just great straightforward fun with lovely graphics and a soundtrack to boot.”
- “Like many modern titles, it’s plagued by bugs—stuck enemies, graphical glitches, and what feels like frame-pacing issues that cause nauseating jittering.”
- “However, the visuals are a letdown.”
- “- severely lacking polish, with the occasional graphical issue, floating objects and strange frame drops at times”
gameplay
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
64%
18%
The gameplay is generally straightforward and features a variety of enemies and handy weapons, with some innovative mechanics like headshots and cultural references. However, players have noted issues such as minor bugs, sluggish movement, and an awkward throwing mechanic that detracts from the experience. While the game attempts to offer a fresh take on classic shooter gameplay, its execution is marred by inconsistencies and a disappointing final boss encounter.
- “Overall, the music is awesome, the level designs are good, but there are minor bugs in some levels. The enemies come in a variety, the weapons are really handy, and the gameplay is straightforward except when you have to find secrets.”
- “The game has some nice little details, with the pickups being clear references to Spanish culture and cuisine and there being a headshot mechanic. Though in the very beginning I was unsure if the game was going to be too difficult (I was playing on extreme), after playing it for a couple of minutes I got used to the mechanics and have been dashing through the game (which is fortunately not so short).”
- “There aren't many modern boomer shooters out there attempting to expand upon the ideas of Wolfenstein 3D's style of gameplay and level design without leaning fully into being a Doom clone, so it absolutely gets praise for trying something different from most other shooters coming out today, and it has the charm and style to boot.”
- “The colour palette is harsh on the eyes, and the movement feels sluggish and unresponsive, making the gameplay feel numb.”
- “This is not helped by the very janky and awkward throwing mechanic.”
- “Secondly, certain basic game mechanics seem to crap out during playthrough.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is notably compromised by a plethora of glitches and bugs, including poor hit detection and various graphical issues, which detract from the overall experience. While some players find the nostalgic gameplay enjoyable despite these flaws, many express frustration over the frequency and annoyance of the glitches, suggesting a need for patches to improve stability. Overall, the game is described as "extremely buggy," with a mix of minor and major issues that impact gameplay.
- “Many glitches with the maps up until there.”
- “Hit detection might be the worst I've ever seen in any boomer shooter so far. There are so many glitches and bugs here and there—nothing game-breaking but annoying.”
- “- Extremely buggy, with a wide variety of extremely annoying and prevalent bugs, definitely the bad kind of jank.”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The story in Episode 2 is engaging, featuring interesting allies and a refreshing twist that contrasts with previous titles, allowing for character selection between male and female. However, while the narrative is decent, the level design suffers in later missions, detracting from the overall experience.
- “Episode 2 is interesting with having some allies on your side in the first missions.”
- “The whole twist in the story, as a polar opposite to the Germans in Wolfenstein 3D, is refreshing. Choosing male or female is nice, and I did learn a few new words.”
- “Character selection: male or female, always nice to see in story-light games.”
- “The guns feel weightless with zero impact, and after the first few missions, the level design becomes poor and confusing.”
- “Story: decent”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with players noting significant performance issues, particularly when using the automap feature, which can hinder gameplay. While the retro-shooter aesthetic and environments are praised, users have reported jankiness, such as enemies getting stuck and fluctuating mouse sensitivity, especially in certain episodes and on Linux systems. Overall, the experience can be marred by these technical shortcomings.
- “Now I will have to stress that I was playing the game via Proton on my main Linux PC, which can incur some performance issues for some games and certain circumstances, as well as bugs that Windows users may not experience.”
- “The automap is absolutely dreadful; while it can help, it kills performance and it's often better to rely on your memory.”
- “I was playing the game via Proton on my main Linux PC, which can incur some performance issues for some games and certain circumstances, as well as bugs that Windows users may not experience.”
- “I've experienced some jankiness in episode 2, with bad performance on some maps, enemies getting stuck in walls, and my mouse sensitivity going crazy while I get FPS drops when I use minimaps.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find that certain levels are overly large, leading to a tedious grinding experience as they search for secrets, which can become tiresome over time.
- “Some of the levels feel oversized, making them tedious to finish, so I often got tired of hunting for secrets.”
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I found myself doing the same tasks over and over again, which made the experience feel more like a chore than fun.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers indicate that the game's replayability is limited compared to other titles, suggesting that while it may be enjoyable to complete, it lacks the depth or variety that encourages multiple playthroughs.
- “I do plan to complete it, but I can't imagine there is much replay value compared to the other two titles I mentioned.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere in some levels is criticized for lacking variety, with some users expressing a desire for a more intense soundtrack, such as a heavy metal version, to enhance the overall experience.
- “Lacks variety and atmosphere in some levels; I'd also prefer a heavy metal version of the soundtrack.”