Shrine

About

"Shrine" is a first-person shooter game built in the Doom engine, where you play as Tusk, a skinless monstrosity, fighting against a nightmarish eldritch horde. The game features 8 unique weapons and 13 enemies to blast, with 16 challenging levels that put your skills to the test. To support similar projects, consider donating at the developer's Patreon page.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 606 reviews

graphics38 positive mentions

grinding7 negative mentions

Well designed maps with unique and trippy environments.
A decent variety of weapons with surprisingly great sounds.
Wicked looking enemies, lots of them.

Enemies aren't very smart with some problems tracking.
The machine or chain gun has an inconsistent warm up.
The final boss is incredibly unfair with high damage and hard to dodge attacks.

graphics
79 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
48%
4%
The graphics of Shrine are a standout feature, showcasing a unique and unsettling art style that evokes nostalgia for classic FPS games, particularly the retro aesthetics of the Doom engine. While many players appreciate the detailed pixelated visuals and eerie ambiance, some criticize the outdated graphics and lack of modern effects, which may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the visuals are generally well-received, with a strong emphasis on atmosphere and artistic design, despite some technical limitations.
- “The pixelated graphics and eerie ambiance evoke nostalgia for classic FPS games.”
- “The art style and the atmosphere are the best part of the game in my opinion, with the eerie level design and alien-like enemies defining the tone of the game.”
- “Clearly a lot of effort has gone into the art style, which is alien and organic and uncomfortable; I love it.”
- “While intentionally retro, some players might find the pixelated graphics and lack of modern effects off-putting.”
- “The visuals are still, for a 2019 game, massively underwhelming.”
- “A choice was made to use obsolete retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
music
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
45%
9%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric qualities and ability to enhance the overall mood, particularly in intense moments. However, several players find the soundtrack to be forgettable or lacking in depth, with some expressing disappointment over the absence of more engaging tracks. Overall, while the sound design and ambient music contribute positively to the game's eerie aesthetic, there are notable criticisms regarding the variety and impact of the music.
- “The music plays well with the mood.”
- “Loved the soundtrack; gameplay was pretty spot-on as well.”
- “The music and sounds create a nice atmosphere, which solidifies the core experience of Shrine, that of a condensed, fast, and interesting-looking 2.5D shooter.”
- “Music is painful and just not engaging.”
- “However, I found the music to be really forgettable and nothing really special, which was really disappointing. There's not much of it, but what's there is pretty weak.”
- “The lack of music is a shame; I understand why it had to go, but 95% of it has been replaced with ambience, which doesn't fit anywhere near as well with the weird bio-mechanical look of the game.”
gameplay
51 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
45%
6%
The gameplay is heavily inspired by classic titles like Doom, featuring fast-paced run-and-gun mechanics, memorable enemies, and a variety of weapons. While some players appreciate the nostalgic feel and solid level design, others criticize it for being too simplistic or derivative, with a lack of innovative mechanics. Overall, the gameplay is generally regarded as enjoyable, though opinions vary on its depth and originality.
- “Loved the soundtrack, gameplay was pretty spot-on as well.”
- “The gameplay is a lot like Doom, but in my opinion surpasses the original game with better art and level design. Each of the distinct levels after the beginning portion are memorable, from the icy landscapes to the barren wastelands, and the enemies are also well designed and memorable.”
- “The gameplay is also great, and there is a good variety of weapons to use to decimate your opponents.”
- “There's no redeeming qualities about its gameplay.”
- “And while the levels and visuals are fine, the gameplay isn't.”
- “The best I can say is that the gameplay, weapons, and enemies felt mediocre.”
atmosphere
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
26%
11%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and eerie qualities, effectively capturing a Lovecraftian vibe through its dark, gothic art style and unsettling sound design. Players appreciate the combination of atmospheric music, detailed environments, and unique enemy designs that contribute to a sense of unease and otherworldliness. Overall, the game successfully sets a haunting tone that enhances the gameplay experience.
- “I love this kind of atmosphere; it really sets the tone for the game. It's just eldritch spooks everywhere, and I'm all for it.”
- “The art style and the atmosphere are the best part of the game in my opinion, with the eerie level design and alien-like enemies defining the tone of the game.”
- “The subtle visual and sound effects, eerie music, and large open spaces all add to the feeling of unease, turning it into more of an atmospheric shooter.”
- “This is a rather weird and unnerving game, which the music and atmosphere in the levels brought out.”
- “Its ominous, dark and lends itself to the atmosphere attempted by the developers.”
- “While the enemies and weapons are easily traced to their original counterparts, they create a very different otherworldly twisted and fleshy atmosphere.”
story
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
67%
17%
The story in the game is generally considered simplistic and underdeveloped, often only becoming apparent late in the gameplay, with many players noting that it serves primarily as a backdrop for the action rather than a focal point. While some appreciate the retro feel reminiscent of classic titles like Doom, the narrative is often described as secondary to the gameplay, with minimal depth and a straightforward plot involving the defeat of demonic forces. Overall, the consensus is that players should not expect a rich storyline, as the emphasis lies more on combat and gameplay mechanics.
- “It has a simple story, but the game itself supports it well.”
- “The story involves a devil who wants to defeat all the eldritch gods and their minions to keep the world safe (surprising, I know).”
- “I've only played a few Doom wads, but found them uninteresting because they generally boil down to 'have some guns and kill some stuff'. This game, however, has the courtesy to take you to dinner first and invest you in the story before railing you with some nail-biting bosses.”
- “The story is only mentioned for the first time about 75% into the game and then again only after defeating the final boss.”
- “The story is kinda lost in translation; something about you destroying an old god to save your world, whatever.”
- “The story is just there to give an explanation for the setting.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, with some battle sequences feeling unfair and tedious due to inflated enemy health and damage, particularly in boss fights. While the level design improves after a slow start, certain areas remain frustratingly challenging, especially on higher difficulty settings, leading to a sense of monotony in combat. Overall, while the game has its enjoyable moments, the grinding can detract from the overall experience.
- “Some battle sequences were a bit grindy and unfair, the music was decent (even though some of them were a bit too loud), the weapons unique and the level design was bland most of the time.”
- “Its a good game in general even if at times it makes the cheap way of raising difficulty by pumping up enemies' health and gives them partially unreasonable damage which makes some areas more tedious than dangerous.”
- “They are manageable on the first 3 difficulty levels but can prove tedious and broken at higher levels.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its lighthearted and absurd elements, featuring visually striking weaponry and comically designed creatures. Players enjoy the playful atmosphere, highlighted by quirky accessories like funny hats and whimsical references such as shamrock shakes. Overall, the game delivers a fun and entertaining experience through its comedic approach.
- “Haha, this funny shooter game goes brrrr!”
- “Emptying simple, but visually striking weaponry into a mass of funny-looking creatures until they stop moving.”
- “This character loves funny hats and shamrock shakes.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features appealing graphics and aesthetics, but users have reported occasional glitches that detract from the overall stability.
- “The game offers some nice graphics and a nice aesthetic, although there are some ugly glitches here and there; it is pleasant all the same.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game features no microtransactions, which has been positively received by users, contributing to a high satisfaction rating of 9/10.
- “There are no microtransactions, which is a huge plus for the overall experience. 9/10.”
- “The monetization model is fair and doesn't pressure players to spend money.”
- “I appreciate that the game offers plenty of content without requiring additional purchases.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the game is enjoyable, many users feel that it lacks significant replayability, suggesting that once completed, there isn't much incentive to play again.