Project Warlock

Project Warlock is a real delight; impeccably put together, looks fantastic, and feels great to play. Some niggles over high difficulty at the beginning and a clunky radial menu but retro fans will be delighted.

73%Game Brain Score

music, gameplay

optimization, stability

88% User Score Based on 4,480 reviews

Critic Score 80%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $1.20

Buy NowGet on Steam$12

Buy NowGet on itch.io Store$5

About

"Project Warlock" is a classic-style first-person shooter that puts you in the role of a mysterious Warlock on a mission to eradicate evil. With 60 vast levels across five settings and a variety of weapons to discover, the game offers a fast-paced and action-packed experience. Explore to find keys, secret caches, and hidden areas to progress through the levels.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 4,482 reviews

music600 positive mentions

optimization42 negative mentions

Project Warlock is a fun throwback to classic FPS games like Doom and Wolfenstein 3D, with engaging gameplay and a variety of weapons and spells.
The art style and soundtrack are excellent, creating a nostalgic atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
The game features a solid leveling and upgrade system, allowing players to customize their playstyle and keep the gameplay fresh.

The lives system can be frustrating, as losing all lives results in a game over and loss of progress, which can be discouraging for players.
Some levels have confusing layouts and can feel repetitive, leading to moments of frustration while trying to find the exit or secrets.
The final boss fight is often criticized for being unbalanced, with many players finding it overly difficult compared to the rest of the game.

music
1,110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
42%
4%
The music in "Project Warlock" has received widespread acclaim for its variety and ability to enhance gameplay, with each level featuring a unique track that often resonates with the retro FPS aesthetic. While many players praise the soundtrack as phenomenal and fitting for the game's fast-paced action, some note that certain tracks can become repetitive over time. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a significant highlight, contributing to the game's engaging atmosphere and nostalgic feel.
- “The music probably held up my interest the most throughout the game, and there's a ton of good stuff in there.”
- “The soundtrack is nice and takes from a wide variety of influences, while still staying grounded to that often midi-sounding 'old-school video game soundtrack' vibe.”
- “The soundtrack is awesome and does a great job of pumping you into demon-slaying mode.”
- “The music is also very forgettable for the majority of the game.”
- “Don't be fooled by that trailer, plays a lot slower than it would suggest and man that soundtrack is comically bad.”
- “Levels have no ambient sound to speak of, or if they do it's completely drowned out by the absolutely horrendous music.”
gameplay
826 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
57%
4%
The gameplay of Project Warlock is a nostalgic throwback to classic 90s first-person shooters, featuring fast-paced action, a variety of weapons, and RPG elements that allow for character and weapon upgrades. While many players appreciate the engaging combat and level design, some criticize the simplistic mechanics, repetitive gameplay, and issues with enemy variety and level navigation. Overall, the game offers a fun experience for fans of retro shooters, though it may not satisfy those seeking deeper gameplay complexity.
- “Great shooter, awesome throwback to 90's FPS games in both feel and gameplay, unique and challenging episodes.”
- “Fast-paced gameplay, an engaging roster of giblet fodder, classic visuals, great sound design, and an arsenal fit for a warlock.”
- “The gameplay is awesome, all weapons are fun to use, the enemies are diverse so you have to make use of your weapons wisely.”
- “The combat is generic and dull with boring weapons and enemies, muddy environments and tedious, overdone mechanics like enemies spawning behind you or collecting keys just to walk around in a circle to where you started rather than having a true feeling of progression.”
- “It's never a good sign when I start playing a game and start to feel drowsy due to the lack of uniqueness or inventive mechanics or even just being in a dingy uninteresting map over and over.”
- “The gameplay loop is really basic: kill enemies, spam use on every wall / attacking broken looking wall tiles to look for secrets, pick up keys / keycards, and unlock doors.”
graphics
823 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
53%
2%
The graphics of "Project Warlock" are characterized by a retro pixel art style that pays homage to classic first-person shooters like Doom and Wolfenstein 3D, featuring vibrant colors and distinct environments across its five episodes. While many players appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and the variety of graphical options available, some have noted performance issues and a lack of optimization, leading to frame rate drops even on high-end systems. Overall, the visuals are generally well-received for their charm and creativity, though they may not appeal to everyone due to their simplistic and sometimes cluttered design.
- “The graphics were good, a nice old school pixel texture style to everything and a new look with each new world.”
- “The gorgeous visual aesthetic combined with deeply satisfying and rewarding gunplay lead to a hell of a time, and while level design could be fleshed out more, it brings enough to the table to keep you hooked for its 7-9 hour runtime.”
- “The pixel artwork is top notch!”
- “I have a top-of-the-line rig with a 4090; I shouldn't have to turn down my graphics to the lowest setting to play this caliber of game at 60+ fps.”
- “The graphics are a pure mess.”
- “The aggravating visuals were a big no-no, comparing to the other sections of the game it looks rushed and the colors at times just made the eyes strain.”
story
264 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
83%
8%
The story in "Project Warlock" is minimal and largely serves as a backdrop to the gameplay, with many players noting its simplicity and lack of depth. It follows a classic "kill everything" narrative reminiscent of old-school FPS games, featuring text screens at the end of each chapter rather than a developed plot. While some appreciate the nostalgic approach, many reviewers express a desire for more backstory and character development to enhance the experience.
- “I even like the story, though simple and easy to follow, really embodies the boomer shooters of old.”
- “Project Warlock is a love story that summarizes the love for the old first-person shooters from the 1990s.”
- “It manages to pay reverence to the past while showing the best of the present while kicking the story to the curb (which is where it belongs - c'mon, you're a warlock trying to kill hell!)”
- “The story is almost non-existent and that is fine as a story has never been important to these types of games.”
- “While these games often don't have much of a story, Project Warlock doesn't set one up at all at its beginning, but then has a long string of text after each episode, making the story feel like an afterthought that was included to check a box.”
- “The plot is almost non-existent and is even more paper thin than other games... but, that's not what Project Warlock is about!”
optimization
166 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
66%
25%
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many players experiencing severe performance issues, including frequent stuttering and frame rate drops, even on high-end systems. While some users noted that reducing graphical settings could alleviate these problems, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized for its visual style, leading to a frustrating experience for many. Despite its fun gameplay, the optimization issues significantly detract from the enjoyment, prompting recommendations to wait for potential patches before playing.
- “There are some performance issues which is strange for a boomer shooter, but they are not deal breakers and the game is a lot of fun.”
- “When performance is good, the game shines.”
- “It does have minor performance issues; the FPS tends to drop a little in open areas, but it was never game-breaking or anything.”
- “Game has severe performance issues.”
- “It's just dismally optimized.”
- “Constantly downdated with questionable choices and performance is awful on anything but the lowest settings, one of the most horribly optimized games, the kind that really make you glad you got that 3000 dollar computer to brute force a somewhat simple looking game.”
replayability
133 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
61%
3%
The game offers significant replayability through its diverse upgrade paths, character builds, and difficulty levels, allowing players to experiment with different play styles and strategies. While some reviews note a lack of replay value after the initial playthrough, many highlight the enjoyment derived from secret hunting and the variety of weapons and spells available. Overall, it is considered a solid choice for those seeking a game with engaging mechanics and replay potential, especially for fans of retro shooters.
- “This is a game that one can pick up for a reasonable price with high replayability without sinking massive amounts of hours, which is a plus.”
- “The upgrade and perk system along with the magic system makes for great replayability: maybe next time a magic-focused run?”
- “The game has great replayability thanks to the variety of upgrades that you can take - each weapon has two potential upgrades, and the points you spend on those upgrades are also your currency for new spells, meaning that you need to pick and choose what you want to take for the rest of your run.”
- “My biggest problem is it doesn't have replay value.”
- “If you want something with replay value, this isn't.”
- “On top of that, the game is short and does not really offer any challenges after the first playthrough, nor much other replay value.”
atmosphere
88 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
28%
3%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its unique themes, strong sound design, and effective use of music that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the varied settings and retro-inspired art style, which together create an engaging and immersive environment. However, some critiques mention inconsistencies in music quality and level design that detract from the otherwise solid atmospheric experience.
- “The themes for each area are unique, and along with the soundtracks, it creates an incredible atmosphere.”
- “The art, sound design, and music together create a great atmosphere of hyper-violent fun — the game feels like playing an Iron Maiden album cover.”
- “The locations are varied, and the atmosphere is excellent.”
- “- the faux fog effects and other 'details' to add atmosphere actually make the game unplayable in some spots.”
- “- music is totally off and adds nothing to the atmosphere.”
- “Over all worth a play through for those who still like the original doom games, but it doesn't bring enough innovation to be up there like strafe or enough atmosphere like dusk.”
stability
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
97%
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with players reporting a variety of bugs and glitches, including input lag, visual issues, and occasional level restarts due to falling through the floor. While some users find these issues manageable and not game-breaking, others express significant disappointment, suggesting that the game's fun is often overshadowed by its technical problems. Overall, the consensus indicates that while the game has potential, its stability issues detract from the overall experience.
- “It has modern controls, no frustrating 'rogue-like' mechanics, optional retro graphics, runs smoothly, and plays excellently.”
- “The game runs great and offers a stable experience with no annoying gameplay issues.”
- “With its modern controls and stable performance, the game provides a seamless gaming experience.”
- “The controls of the game just feel buggy and it's such a disappointment that I cannot recommend this game until this issue is fixed.”
- “Input lag, overlapping textures, sound glitches, freezing enemies, that one time I fell through the floor and had to restart the level, etc. Nothing game-breaking, but bugs are ever-present and they spoil the experience a bit.”
- “Screen freezes while the game is obviously still running (restart needed); you'll also be getting fall-through-the-floor tricks (yeah, restart needed as well), weird architecture hitboxes (good luck with throwables).”
grinding
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
90%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often due to repetitive level design and mechanics that lack innovation. While some appreciate the absence of traditional grinding for experience points, many feel that the backtracking and key-collecting tasks detract from the gameplay experience, leading to a sense of monotony. Despite some enjoyable elements, the game is frequently described as a mix of fun and tedium, particularly in its boss encounters and level navigation.
- “The upgrades and the point system are an amazing addition; it makes the game so much more fun and not boring. There is no grinding for experience or points, and it has a nice balance between giving you more powerful upgrades and weapons, but also more powerful monsters to fight against.”
- “These mechanics have been around for decades now, and every other good modern boomer shooter has found ways to innovate these mechanics to make them more interesting and not tedious.”
- “The combat is generic and dull with boring weapons and enemies, muddy environments and tedious, overdone mechanics like enemies spawning behind you or collecting keys just to walk around in a circle to where you started rather than having a true feeling of progression.”
- “The maps are tedious and repetitive; each one is essentially the same maze involving a lot of backtracking as you try to figure out what all of these keys and switches open.”
- “The RPG mechanics seem to be added mostly to mitigate this out-of-the-blue difficulty spike, but all I see is a grinding mechanic that adds little to the mechanic and fun of these encounters.”
humor
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as a delightful blend of nostalgia and absurdity, with players appreciating its hilarious unbalance and clever Easter eggs referencing classic shooters. The mix of easy and frustrating bosses adds to the comedic experience, while the Lovecraftian style enhances the overall charm. Overall, it’s seen as a fun throwback that successfully captures the essence of retro gaming humor.
- “A worthy, fun, and funny throwback to the classics.”
- “Great game with funny easter eggs to other (older) shooters.”
- “Just finished the game, loved it, just the perfect fit of retro goodness and funny little callbacks.”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed, with some players expressing annoyance and frustration during gameplay, particularly regarding the spell system, which they found unnecessary for completing the game. Others appreciate the lack of a convoluted story, suggesting that the focus on gameplay over narrative contributes to a more enjoyable experience. Overall, while some players find moments of engagement, the emotional impact seems limited and varies widely among users.
character development
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
The game features impressive character development that blends old-school FPS charm with RPG elements, offering players customization options for weapons, magic, and character traits. Reviewers appreciate the depth and addictiveness of the gameplay, highlighting the appealing character designs and engaging levels that enhance the overall experience.
- “You want a retro shooter with near immersive-sim levels of character development without all the sneaky-sneak?”
- “Has a surprising amount of depth, that would have been otherwise vacant; in terms of customization for weapons, magic, and character development.”
- “This takes old-school FPS charm and tosses it with some RPG character development choices for a quick point-n-shoot romp through pixelated goodness.”
- “Wolf 3D on steroids, with magic and character development.”
- “Has a surprising amount of depth that would have been otherwise vacant, in terms of customization for weapons, magic, and character development.”
- “This takes old-school FPS charm and combines it with some RPG character development choices for a quick point-and-shoot romp through pixelated goodness.”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy in Project Warlock has been criticized for relying heavily on aggressive and infinite ad spawns during boss fights, detracting from gameplay quality. Reviewers describe the game as a low-effort cash grab that exploits nostalgia without delivering the engaging experience of classic titles. Overall, the monetization approach is seen as detrimental to the game's design and enjoyment.
- “The problem is that they committed the cardinal sin of any boss fight and made ads spawn infinitely and aggressively.”
- “Rather than make the bosses better, they just spawn ads right next to you after an amount of time and they will instantly melt you in later levels.”
- “Low effort cash grab aimed at our nostalgia.”