Wrack

About

"Wrack is a comedy-styled, single-player shooter game known for its excellent gameplay, stunning visuals, and catchy music. Build up long kill chains to unleash powerful chain finishers, and take down brutal bosses in the vein of Mega Man. Extra modes, Steam Workshop integration, and replayability via Time Attack and Score Attack round out this addictive package."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

+12

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 425 reviews

gameplay32 positive mentions

story19 negative mentions

Fast-paced gameplay reminiscent of classic FPS games like Doom and Quake.
Colorful cel-shaded graphics and a unique art style that stands out.
Engaging combo system that rewards players for chaining kills and adds depth to combat.

Limited enemy variety and repetitive level design can lead to boredom.
Frustrating instant-death mechanics and poorly designed boss fights detract from the experience.
Short campaign length with only one episode, leaving players wanting more content.

gameplay
144 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
69%
8%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its fast-paced, old-school shooter mechanics reminiscent of titles like Doom and Quake. However, criticisms highlight issues such as repetitive gameplay, lack of enemy variety, and mediocre level design, which detract from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the dynamic combo mechanics and engaging gunplay, others find the gameplay ultimately bland and frustrating due to design flaws and unchallenging enemy AI.
- “An okay, classic boomer shooter, with a combo and finisher moves mechanic that makes the gameplay really dynamic and intense.”
- “Fast-paced combat, interesting level design, an awesome art style, powerful weaponry that's satisfying to use, a unique soundtrack, and an addictive kill-chain mechanic - in the realm of arcadey old-school style FPSs, Wrack has a lot going for it.”
- “The gameplay is fast, and the combo system is cool and rewarding, but overall I was much too frustrated in the first few levels to ever pick it up and play it again.”
- “Decent art style, okay soundtrack, mediocre level design, boring gameplay, and boring enemies.”
- “The gameplay often feels cheap with you insta-dying from getting thrown into random pits of lava and crushing doors, getting attacked from around corners, etc. and a lot of it feels like memorization.”
- “The main problem however is that all those smooth, configurable options don't really help much when the core gameplay does not feel well-rounded.”
graphics
134 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
56%
6%
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, featuring a colorful cel-shaded art style reminiscent of titles like Borderlands and XIII, which many players find appealing and fitting for the fast-paced gameplay. While some reviews note minor glitches and a lack of polish in certain areas, the overall aesthetic is praised for its unique comic-book feel and vibrant visuals. However, opinions vary, with some players expressing dissatisfaction with the art style, describing it as simplistic or unoriginal.
- “The graphics are gorgeous, it looks really pretty, and due to the engine being very well optimized, it will run on almost any machine.”
- “The cell-shaded cartoony graphics, silly humor, and cartoonish style really set the game’s tone, and the execution of the action is absolutely great.”
- “The art style is extremely appealing, the music is amazing, and the gameplay has a lot of fun and original mechanics like the chain finisher system.”
- “The guns feel weak, the music is lame, the art style is half-committed cel shading - even if the arcade mechanics are decently implemented, the whole experience feels like weaksauce.”
- “The cartoons and cel-shaded aesthetic only go so far; the protagonist is not voiced and the world setting is rather bland with space marines and robot spiders to kill over and over again for no reason.”
- “I really hate the art style (cell shading, it just looks cheap and lazy).”
music
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
47%
16%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising the contributions of Bobby Prince, known for his work on the Doom series, and highlighting the soundtrack as engaging and fitting for the gameplay. However, others found the music to be repetitive, generic, or even disappointing, suggesting it lacks the memorability of classic soundtracks. Overall, while the soundtrack has its fans, it appears to be a divisive aspect of the game, with opinions ranging from excellent to forgettable.
- “Wrack is an amazing game, with an incredible soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack rocks, but what else would you expect from Bobby Prince?”
- “Bobby Prince, who has made the soundtrack to Wrack, has done a particularly marvelous job on the music for the game, that really compliments the overall enjoyment of Wrack.”
- “The music is incredibly generic, the writing is terrible, there is no voice acting, and the attempts at humor fall flat; it's definitely not something you should look for in this game.”
- “The music just drones on and is all very repetitive; it's not of high quality at all, even if you like metal.”
- “The soundtrack is god awful; the 'story' is cringy.”
story
99 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
69%
19%
The game's story is generally perceived as weak and unimportant, often described as short, generic, and poorly executed, with many players opting to skip through the dialogue. While the comic book art style is noted as a positive aspect, the overall narrative fails to engage, leaving players focused more on gameplay than the plot. Many reviews highlight that the story feels like an afterthought, typical of retro-style shooters, and lacks depth or memorable characters.
- “The comic book art style ties the story together nicely.”
- “I can respect the devs for going for their own style (heavily cell-shaded and comic book influenced) and attempting to create a story.”
- “The story of the game is pretty entertaining because of the clichés.”
- “The story is not that interesting and the comic cutscenes in between look like concept art, but the most annoying thing about it is the cliffhanger ending where it is not clear if it will ever be resolved.”
- “The characters and story are bland and boring, but the art style is different.”
- “The story is delivered by text and comic-like illustrations shown between missions, but it feels kind of unimportant.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
94%
19%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding the dialogue and writing lacking in wit and often falling flat, while others appreciate the lighthearted, childish humor and clever loading screen tips. The frenetic action and unique gameplay elements provide a backdrop for occasional genuinely funny moments, particularly during combat sequences. Overall, while humor may not be the game's strongest aspect, it offers enough amusing elements to entertain some players.
- “This game has some nice humor along with it; it's also very fast-paced and arcade-like, so points are involved but not really necessary unless you care for high scores.”
- “Every time you kill an enemy in a chain, it goes *boop* then louder and louder, and it is pretty hilarious and invigorating with hundreds of enemies and *boops* going off!”
- “Was quite humorous so far; I cracked a smile at several of the loading screen 'tips,' and the graphic novel style cutscenes are something I always enjoy.”
- “Usually, it's just some dialogue between the main character, his friend, and his love interest filled with jokes, most of which are not funny.”
- “The humor feels forced and often falls flat, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
- “I expected clever wit, but instead, I got tired clichés that didn't elicit a single laugh.”
replayability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
62%
23%
Overall, the game offers a solid level of replayability, particularly through its score and time attack modes, which provide additional challenges beyond the short campaign. While some players feel the initial content is limited, the potential for future updates and an active modding community suggests a promising longevity for those who enjoy the genre.
- “It's got a solid amount of content for its price, with high replayability; I just want to see the addition of more levels, enemies, bosses, weapons, etc. in either more episodes (free or otherwise) or a full sequel.”
- “Let's face it, the replay value of games like this is zero.”
- “Even though the campaign is only a few hours the first time you play it, the score and time attack modes, along with their leaderboards, offer a ton of replayability.”
- “With new content being released every other week and an already active and friendly modding community, this is sure to be an instant classic with many years of replayability.”
optimization
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
36%
27%
Overall, the optimization of the game receives mixed reviews. While some players praise its smooth performance and ability to run on older hardware with high graphics settings, others report significant performance issues, particularly related to graphics and controller support. The game's optimization appears to vary widely depending on individual systems and configurations.
- “The graphics are gorgeous, it looks really pretty, and due to the engine being very well optimized, it will run on almost any machine.”
- “Latest update (Apr 30, 2015) really optimized the game; even on my older system (Core 2 Duo) it runs perfectly with all graphics settings at maximum.”
- “The graphics look superb and it's extremely well optimized with tight controls and already excellent weapon/enemy balance and a fair amount of variety.”
- “This game is poorly optimized and in an unplayable state to many.”
- “Has some performance issues even on hardware that will run Skyrim!”
- “Also, the game has performance issues because of the cell-shading or something; get the 'for slow PCs' mod if you have to.”
stability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
86%
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth gameplay with minimal frame drops, others experience significant bugs and freezing issues. Despite the presence of glitches, many find the overall experience enjoyable, though concerns about the game's ongoing stability persist, especially given its early access status.
- “I think everything else runs great.”
- “The game has been incredibly stable since the last update.”
- “I've experienced very few crashes, which is impressive for such a large game.”
- “The game is buggy and the enemies are boring and lack variety.”
- “I understand that these sorts of issues will always happen, especially with small teams working on PC games, but I've given this game months and now that it's 'released', it's just as buggy, broken, and unplayable as it was 6 months ago.”
- “The only problem I have with it is that it freezes up for about a second every time, which I can understand why the game is in early access right now, but so far it's an awesome game. I will give it about 9.5 out of 10 right now and hopefully the next update can fix my problem.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
83%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience, often feeling tedious and repetitive due to basic weaponry, lackluster enemy variety, and bland level design. While some moments can be enjoyable, the overall gameplay is marred by trial and error, floaty controls, and a sense of monotony, leading to a generally low satisfaction rating.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The weapons are bog standard and many are just tedious as hell to use.”
- “But the level layout is kind of bland and repetitive, and it honestly gets kind of tedious.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
100%
Character development in the game is criticized for its shallow presentation, with below-average cut scenes, music, and character design. While the comedic intent is evident and some text-based dialogue is amusing, overall depth and engagement with the characters are lacking.
- “The character design clearly indicates that the developers intended this to be more of a comedy, and I found some of the text-only dialogue to be amusing.”
- “The character development is engaging and adds depth to the overall narrative, making the players feel more connected to the story.”
- “Each character has a unique backstory that unfolds beautifully throughout the game, enhancing the player's investment in their journeys.”
- “It suffers from a shallow presentation; cut scenes, music, and character design are below average.”
- “It's clear from the character design that the developers intend this to be more of a comedy, and I did find some of the text-only dialogue to be amusing.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is heavily influenced by the classic Doom series, featuring squarish level designs and atmospheric scenes that enhance the experience. The inclusion of music by Bobby Prince, the original composer for Doom, further enriches this nostalgic ambiance. While the comical world adds to the charm, some players feel that the gameplay detracts from the overall enjoyment.
- “Not just the way it plays, but even the level design feels like Doom, with the squarish geometry and windows that look out onto atmospheric scenes. The music also has a Doom-like quality, which is awesome because they got the revered Bobby Prince to do it - the guy who actually made the music for the original Doom games!”
- “Seriously - this game could be fun. I liked the atmosphere and its comical world.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
300%
The monetization model includes microtransactions that are perceived positively by users, as they contribute to a good cause.
- “Microtransactions for a good cause.”
- “The game is riddled with microtransactions that feel exploitative.”
- “It's frustrating to see essential features locked behind a paywall.”
- “The monetization strategy seems designed to squeeze every penny from players.”