SULFUR
- October 28, 2024
- Perfect Random
- 13h median play time
Get on Steam"SULFUR" is a single-player game that offers splendid gameplay and ingenious visuals. Players must plan ahead, outsmart enemies, and adapt their approach in a world of dark creatures and cunning evil. Experience intense FPS combat with powerful firearms, dynamic enemy AI, and modifications for weapons and gear. Survive the dangers of Sulfur by managing risk, collecting loot, and making strategic decisions with your equipment.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The gameplay is engaging and addictive, with a satisfying loop of shooting, looting, crafting, and upgrading guns.
- The art style is unique and charming, contributing to the overall atmosphere of the game.
- The weapon customization and crafting systems are deep and allow for creative builds and strategies.
- There are significant performance issues, including frame rate drops and stuttering, especially in areas with many corpses.
- The death penalty is harsh, as players lose all their gear upon dying, which can feel frustrating and unfair.
- Some mechanics, such as the cooking system and oil effects, lack clarity and can lead to confusion during gameplay.
- gameplay129 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 49 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Sulfur is generally praised for its engaging and addictive loop, combining solid gunplay, crafting, and looting mechanics within a charming art style. Players appreciate the variety of weapons and upgrades, though some express concerns about enemy AI and the punishing death mechanics that can detract from the experience. Overall, while the game shows great potential, it still requires optimization and balance improvements as it progresses through early access.
“The gameplay loop is simple but satisfying, difficult without feeling overly punishing, and typically rewarding.”
“The gunplay feels really good for the most part, and the attachment and upgrade mechanics are a blast.”
“The gameplay loop is engaging, fun, and incredibly addictive.”
“The gameplay is rough, feels empty, and the mechanics are brutal in a bad way.”
“The enemy AI is trash that rushes or runs, aimbots in melee if you are in range, and it's a cop-out bullet sponge mechanic for difficulty on top of that.”
“In the later areas, the loot is garbage and the difficulty is extreme; there is no gameplay reason besides progressing the story to go beyond the first level, especially with all your items that you worked so hard for being gone after you do.”
- graphics80 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 41 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique and charming art style that blends cartoonish aesthetics with engaging gameplay mechanics, reminiscent of shows like "Adventure Time" and "South Park." While many players appreciate the vibrant visuals and distinct character designs, some have noted issues such as clipping and basic graphical elements that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the art style is praised for its creativity and appeal, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment.
“The art style looks like Adventure Time with the moment-to-moment mechanics of OG Doom, a soundtrack of chill, somewhat lo-fi beats with a spooky vibe ties the atmosphere together.”
“Sulfur oozes with style - from the design of the caves, the actual handling of the guns, the characters, the world, the art style - everything is just so very well fitting together.”
“This game has one of the most unique art styles I've seen and has some really charming enemy and NPC designs.”
“I don't know what is happening there but the graphics are so basic and the systems at hand don't seem that complex to warrant such a massive drop.”
“Currently, there aren't many graphics settings that help improve performance, aside from lowering my resolution, but that just makes the screen fuzzy and doesn’t feel quite right.”
“Don't let the simple art style fool you.”
- music70 mentions
- 66 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many users praising its catchy, groovy, and relaxing qualities that enhance the overall gameplay experience. The soundtrack is described as a standout feature, often referred to as "bangers" or "slaps," and complements the game's unique art style and engaging gunplay. While some players noted a few inconsistencies in specific tracks, the general consensus is that the music significantly contributes to the game's charm and atmosphere.
“The soundtrack slaps and it has my head bobbing the entire time I'm playing.”
“The music is fantastic.”
“The music is so good, words won't do it justice, I'll never get bored of it.”
“Also the level 1 music doesn't fit the level's theme and just sucks compared to the rest.”
“Highly recommend turning down the music to roughly 60-70%.”
“Really though, it's the music.”
- optimization66 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is currently a significant concern, with players reporting frequent frame rate drops, stuttering, and performance issues, particularly in areas with numerous corpses. While some users acknowledge the game's potential and express hope for future improvements, many emphasize that the current state is frustrating and detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the consensus is that while the game is enjoyable, it requires substantial optimization to enhance performance and stability.
“The progress from the demo build is actually astounding, and I do look forward to the performance improvements and overall fixes that are sure to come.”
“Gunplay is solid, mechanics are solid, has very minor FPS drops which will probably be fixed here very soon, but the game is super optimized (I get about 240 FPS without touching any of the graphics in-game).”
“While optimization might be a suffering point, the game continues to get better the further I get, and the more I tinker with weapons, the better it gets to play.”
“The absolute biggest reason not to play this game is the honestly horrible optimization.”
“Performance tanks when you look back the way you came, because the game doesn't seem to cull corpses at any point.”
“I am gonna be honest, I really like this game but the performance for me is so bad when it comes to the later levels it is impossible to play; I'm talking below 10 fps in the middle of gun fights.”
- story22 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The story in the game is characterized by interesting characters and a quirky, mysterious narrative that engages players, despite being incomplete at this stage. While some players appreciate the environmental storytelling and the intriguing premise, others note that the progression can feel slow and mechanics are poorly explained. Overall, there is a sense of potential for the story to develop further as the game evolves, with many players expressing eagerness to see how it unfolds.
“The story is quirky and I like the mystery to it.”
“The story and gameplay are immediately compelling, and don't let up.”
“From the first moments, it's clear that Sulfur is made with passion for quirky FPS gun design, music, and a love of food - all wrapped into a literal fever dream of an original story and setting to explore.”
“Currently, the story (adventure part) is incomplete, only part of the full story and levels, but there are plenty of hints and dialogues here and there to understand what is going on even at this stage.”
“And finally, some of the mechanics and story elements are explained poorly.”
“I didn't really see much story or otherwise have a reason to keep going except loot.”
- stability16 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The game is currently plagued by numerous stability issues, including frequent bugs, glitches, and performance drops, which significantly detract from the overall experience. Players report problems such as invisible weapons, game freezes, and lag caused by corpses, leading to frustrating gameplay moments. While some users have had minimal issues, the consensus is that the game is too unstable for a full release at this time.
“Runs great, plays great.”
“Very buggy in its current form, extremely punishing with little to no meta progression.”
“The game has permadeath where you lose everything you're carrying when you die, which in theory is great and a defining feature of the genre, but with how unstable, unbalanced, and buggy the game is, it is a serious liability.”
“Way too buggy to be sold right now.”
- humor14 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by quirky dialogue, darkly comedic elements, and absurd weapon modifications, creating a unique and entertaining experience. Players appreciate the strange NPCs, funny writing reminiscent of classic games, and the overall wackiness that enhances the gameplay. The combination of inventive humor and engaging environments contributes to a fun and addictive atmosphere, making it a standout feature of the game.
“The quirky dialogue, the tongue-in-cheek humor, the silly depictions of loot.”
“The game itself maintains a darkly humorous tone throughout that is fitting for a priest gunning his way through the lands of limbo.”
“Great feeling FPS roguelite with good humor, excellent environments and enemy variety, and a wide cast of NPCs that give a great sense of worldbuilding.”
- replayability13 mentions
- 69 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game offers exceptional replayability due to its extensive weapon customization, diverse NPCs, and procedurally generated levels, encouraging players to revisit old zones and experiment with different strategies. Players appreciate the unique art style and engaging mechanics, which contribute to a fun and varied experience each time they play. Overall, the combination of creative designs and gameplay elements ensures that players will find plenty of reasons to return.
“Weapon customization and the cooking system give this game absolutely endless replayability even in early access.”
“Sulfur is an excellent first-person shoot 'em up, slice and dice role-playing game that features a ton of different NPCs, mobs, weapons, enchantments, recipes, clothing, and accessories in order to farm your way through well-designed and procedurally generated levels that offer endless replayability.”
“Sulfur is a quirky, fast-paced roguelike shooter that combines inventive weapon mods, a vibrant art style, and a humorous, goblin-infested world with tons of replayability.”
“Good challenge and lots of gameplay reasons to go back to old zones for solid replayability.”
“Sulfur is an excellent first-person shooter, slice and dice role-playing game that features a ton of different NPCs, mobs, weapons, enchantments, recipes, clothing, and accessories in order to farm your way through well-designed and procedurally generated levels that offer endless replayability.”
- grinding12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, with some noting that while the economy of gold feels fair, the grind for rare resources and gear can be tedious and frustrating, especially when bugs lead to losing hard-earned items. The game offers a challenging experience, but the repetitive nature of grinding, particularly in later stages, detracts from overall enjoyment, leading to concerns about balance and pacing. Despite these issues, many still see potential in the game if improvements are made.
“Until they fix it, I can't recommend it. Grinding for hours and losing it all due to a bug each time is just too painful. I will update it to positive if they fix it since the game itself is fun.”
“I lost a gun that I spent two hours grinding to obtain because the game broke and wouldn't let me craft any healing items.”
“The sweet spot of difficulty and experimentation was somewhere in the early caves and city zones, but from the sewers onwards, it became a grindy inventory management simulator.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its unique blend of art style reminiscent of "Adventure Time" and the intense, nostalgic mechanics of classic shooters like "Doom." Players appreciate the immersive sound design, including atmospheric sounds and authentic NPC lines, which contribute to a tense and engaging experience. Despite some minor bugs, the overall ambiance, combined with fun gameplay and weapon customization, creates a captivating environment that players find enjoyable and memorable.
“Gunplay and atmosphere is perfection.”
“It is a very nice game that oozes atmosphere and a deeper lore.”
“You die quickly, and the atmosphere is tense.”
“The art style looks like Adventure Time with the moment-to-moment mechanics of OG Doom, and a soundtrack of chill, somewhat lo-fi beats with a spooky vibe ties the atmosphere together.”
“A really unique game with regards to art, gameplay, music, as well as atmosphere.”
- monetization7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for feeling like a cash grab, with players expressing frustration over intrusive ads and poor hit detection. Additionally, the game's settings for aim down sights (ADS) sensitivity are inconsistent and do not align with standard expectations, leading to a subpar gameplay experience.
“Ads feel terrible.”
“You currently cannot have 1:1 ads and hipfire sensitivity.”
“There is even a setting for ads modifier, but the default setting of '100%' actually enforces a value much lower, and it does not even go high enough for 1:1.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the emotional impact of experiencing heartbreaking defeats, which adds depth to the gameplay. While the gunplay and mechanics are praised for their quality and optimization, the emotional weight of the game stands out as a significant aspect of the overall experience.
“Heartbreaking defeats.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the art style and character designs, indicating that the visual representation of characters enhances their overall appeal and engagement in the game.
