Supplice
- April 6, 2023
- Mekworx
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Supplice is a single-player Science Fiction Shooter game with an intriguing story, delightful mechanics, and awesome visuals. Inspired by '90s classics, it offers fast-paced action, big guns, and impressive pixel art. If you're a fan of games like DOOM, you'll appreciate Supplice's stylish take on the genre."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Gorgeous graphics and level design that showcase the capabilities of the GZDoom engine.
- Satisfying gunplay with a diverse arsenal, including unique weapons like the drill and tri-barrel shotgun.
- Engaging story told through terminals, with humor and interesting character interactions.
- Complex level design can lead to confusion and getting lost, making navigation challenging.
- Some enemies blend into the environment, making them hard to see and identify during combat.
- The reliance on terminal reading for story progression can disrupt the flow of gameplay.
- music228 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in "Supplice" has received widespread acclaim for its superb composition and unique blend of genres, often described as a mix of jazzy synth-rock that enhances the game's retro aesthetic. Many players highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the overall atmosphere and enjoyment of the gameplay, although some express that certain tracks may feel out of place or repetitive. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a major highlight, with calls for a standalone release due to its quality and appeal.
“The music is unbelievably well composed; it's been a bombastic OST to blast alien scum to.”
“The soundtrack is one of the best.”
“The music is notable for being quite unusual compared to the typical soundtrack for a boomer shooter; on paper it doesn't seem like it would fit this style of game, but every time that sax kicks in, it feels perfect somehow.”
“What made me refund this is the horrible sounding music in the first mission.”
“The terrible music doesn't fit at all, sounding like it was made for a budget JRPG's battle theme and killing any atmosphere the game would have otherwise had.”
“+ the music is very underwhelming, where's the hard soundtrack this game deserves instead of the elevator ambient one?”
- story198 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story in the game is primarily delivered through computer terminals, offering a surprisingly engaging narrative that includes themes of alien invasion and corporate conflict, though it requires players to invest time in reading to fully appreciate it. While some players find the storytelling method tedious and the initial plot unremarkable, many appreciate the depth and quality of the writing, which adds significant context and flavor to the gameplay. Overall, the story is optional and can be skipped, allowing players to focus on the action if they choose, but those who engage with it often find it compelling and well-crafted.
“Additionally, there's some pretty extensive world-building and a fairly gripping and well-written story that I found myself enjoying a lot more than I was expecting.”
“The story is incredibly interesting as well, as you're not only helping an AI try to regain control of the failing facility as it's assaulted by aliens, you're also following the stories of the survivors, all of which have twists and turns, all told through terminals.”
“The weapons are fantastic, the enemies are charismatic, the story is much more complex than I expected, the ambience is very fascinating, and the level design is superb, with plenty of shortcuts and secrets.”
“The game kind of dumps you in the middle of the story with no explanation.”
“There is story, but it is told completely through 'press E to interact' terminals.”
“At about halfway through episode 2, I lost interest in the story.”
- gameplay118 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Supplice" is generally well-received, characterized by its tight mechanics and classic Doom-like feel, though it lacks jumping and crouching, which some players find limiting. While the game features impressive level design and a solid arsenal of weapons, it doesn't introduce many novel gameplay systems, sticking closely to established retro shooter conventions. Overall, it offers an engaging experience with a strong emphasis on combat and exploration, though some players feel it could benefit from more variety and environmental storytelling.
“The levels look great and immersive; it doesn't look like there's just corridors, rooms, and arenas for gameplay's sake - everything looks like it is legit the facility that you are visiting.”
“This is a retro shooter packed to the brim with clever level design, immaculate attention to detail, and generally wonderful gameplay.”
“It's one of those games where I said I was just going to play a little bit to get a taste of it and ended up spending three hours in my first sitting just because the core gameplay loop had me hooked.”
“It didn't manage to grab me and it seemed quite disconnected from the gameplay.”
“There is substantially less variety in terms of gameplay/maps/enemies in this game than Ion Fury.”
“Having to constantly pause gameplay to read the overly long terminal logs just ruins the entire flow of the game.”
- graphics104 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their striking visuals and coherent aesthetic, reminiscent of classic retro shooters like Doom, with beautifully crafted pixel art and impressive level design. Players appreciate the vibrant colors, detailed textures, and unique enemy designs, although some note that certain elements, like enemy visibility against backgrounds, could be improved. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's nostalgic charm and immersive experience, making it a standout in the boomer shooter genre.
“The graphics are beautiful, the guns are unique, the levels are layered and dense.”
“This is probably one of the top 4 best visuals I've ever seen achieved on the GZDoom engine; what the developer managed to achieve with it while limited to the engine's constraints was really impressive.”
“I cannot overstate how beautiful the artwork here is and how well-crafted.”
“The gameplay and graphics are pretty standard retro/boomer shooter, more like Doom than Quake, not bad, but not great either.”
“If I had to see anything improved, maybe slightly easier to read story terminals, some cutscenes, and slightly more legible graphics with a more detailed skybox and lighting.”
“The most puzzling graphics decision is that the Supplice equivalent of zombieman and shotgunner are practically identical.”
- optimization22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players experiencing frame drops and stuttering, particularly in large battles and expansive outdoor areas. The developer, Mekworx, has acknowledged their limitations due to a lack of funding for engine improvements, which has resulted in poor performance on the GZDoom engine that struggles to utilize modern hardware effectively. While some users report that switching to Vulkan can enhance performance, many still find the overall experience hindered by these technical issues.
“It understands that modern hardware should be used to put hundreds of enemies on a map, run smoothly, and make some battles feel like a small war.”
“Performance-wise, some frame drops are to be expected during huge fights, but most of the time the game runs pretty well for me.”
“Note to those who have performance issues: if you have a graphics card that can run Vulkan, you can go into the options to set the game to that API, allowing you to get better performance.”
“It's a damn shame enough people didn't/haven't purchased the game so we can get those optimizations.”
“Although it's greatly held back by using the source-port turned game engine: GZDoom, which has notoriously bad performance that doesn't scale well with modern hardware and a myriad of other oversights and technical issues. I really wish I could enjoy these games because I typically love fast-moving arena shooters, but ultimately I'm just done purchasing GZDoom titles due to an engine that prevents the end user from having a solid experience.”
“I can't comment about anything else; the game might be great (or bad), but the initial impressions regarding performance weren't worth the effort for further investigation/playtime.”
- atmosphere18 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its nostalgic old-school shooter vibe, excellent level design, and immersive ambience, effectively reimagining its core inspirations. However, opinions are divided on the music, with some finding it detrimental to the overall experience due to its mismatch with the game's tone. Overall, the atmosphere is highlighted as a strong point, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
“Not quite the backend marvel as something like Total Chaos or Selaco, but it beautifully re-imagines the setting, atmosphere, and combat of its core inspiration and refines it to a razor sheen.”
“Real old-school shooter in Doom graphics with excellent level design and atmospheric ambience.”
“Overall atmosphere is amazing.”
“The terrible music doesn't fit at all, sounding like it was made for a budget JRPG's battle theme and killing any atmosphere the game would have otherwise had.”
“Not for me even if I love the atmosphere and the guns.”
“Atmosphere, guns, music, and design all rule.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is described as darkly hilarious, with clever writing that stands out in the boomer shooter genre. Players appreciate the amusing design elements, such as the rotary shotgun, which cleverly combines functionality with comedic flair. Overall, the humor enhances the engaging art design and level exploration, contributing to a compelling gaming experience.
“It's darkly hilarious.”
“Having a blast so far; really good, funny writing (in all the messages you read at the terminals) which is rare for a boomer shooter; great art design and color palettes, much more compelling than your average boomer shooter, with labyrinthine level designs that are fun to explore, with lots of environmental storytelling.”
“Humor aside, this game is off to a great start.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers a compelling narrative that enhances the emotional experience, allowing players to uncover the backstory behind the chaos while still enjoying fast-paced gameplay. This balance caters to both those seeking a deeper connection to the story and players focused on action, resulting in unexpected emotional engagement in a genre typically centered on combat.
“Amidst completing your actual missions per level, you can also trail behind breadcrumb insights into what actually happened to cause this sudden influx of xeno life exterminating the human race. This gives the game a narrative edge (if you care enough to engage with it emotionally) but it also doesn't get in the way of the gameplay, which is great for players who just want to set biomechanical freaks on fire.”
“Not me getting emotional playing a boomer shooter.”
“And this is not even touching the main story beats relating to AIs, teleporters, and strange worlds.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the absence of jumping mechanics, which eliminates frustrating puzzles and secret hunting, but they find the extensive reading required to engage with the story tedious and forgettable. Overall, while the grinding aspect is less about repetitive gameplay, it leans towards excessive text that detracts from the experience.
“Too much reading of lots of monitors that were meant to flesh out the story, but honestly, it's a bit tedious and forgettable.”
- stability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its stability, with users reporting no bugs and smooth performance, contributing to an overall great visual experience.
“No bugs, runs great and looks fantastic.”
