WRATH: Aeon of Ruin Game Cover
WRATH: Aeon of Ruin welcomes new players without holding your hand all the way through.
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"Wrath: Aeon of Ruin" is a retro-style first-person shooter where you play as Outlander, tasked by the Shepherd of Wayward Souls to hunt down the remaining Guardians of the Old World. Explore ancient ruins, battle dark creatures, and uncover forgotten secrets in a dying world. The game is still in active development with a roadmap that may change.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,257 reviews
gameplay72 positive mentions
grinding33 negative mentions
  • The game features stunning level design with intricate environments that evoke a strong sense of nostalgia for classic shooters.
  • Weapons feel satisfying to use, with unique mechanics and alternate fire modes that add depth to combat.
  • The atmosphere is immersive, with a dark gothic aesthetic and effective sound design that enhances the gameplay experience.
  • The save system is frustrating, relying on limited resources that can lead to significant loss of progress if players die.
  • Enemy variety is lacking, with many encounters feeling repetitive and predictable due to the limited roster of foes.
  • Levels can be excessively long and convoluted, making navigation difficult and sometimes tedious.
  • gameplay219 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its fast-paced, fluid mechanics and innovative movement options, such as the blade dash. However, criticisms include a lack of enemy variety, bloated level design, and a controversial save system that some find punishing. Overall, while the core gameplay is solid and reminiscent of classic shooters, it may feel unpolished and repetitive to some players.

    • “The item system adds a little extra flavor to the gameplay while keeping it simple.”
    • “The level design is incredible, looking amazing while being built around gameplay mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay feels modern retro.”
    • “But the levels from a gameplay standpoint lack variety and are needlessly bloated.”
    • “Enemy encounters are tedious as enemy variety is poor and the enemies have annoying mechanics that are difficult to avoid.”
    • “The gameplay is boring, the fights look like the game throws at you as many enemies as it can and it is extremely repetitive.”
  • graphics170 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and nostalgic retro aesthetic, effectively capturing the essence of 90s shooters while incorporating modern design elements. Players appreciate the detailed environments, impressive weapon designs, and atmospheric effects, which contribute to an immersive experience. However, some critiques mention occasional performance issues and a lack of variety in level design, which can detract from the overall visual enjoyment.

    • “The aesthetic of the game is fantastic, and I love some of the weapons (especially the bladed gauntlet, really fun to use for traversal and as a fallback weapon).”
    • “All around a fantastic experience with captivating gameplay, stunning visuals, and atmosphere.”
    • “The graphics are great but the levels so far are repetitive and somewhat bland.”
    • “Fyi: the minimum requirements for the graphics card are BS.”
    • “The art style of the enemies and guns don't look cohesive and feel like they exist for the sake of variety of colors as opposed to a unified enemy force.”
    • “It's just one of those 'lol remember old games haha look it has bad graphics xd' games.”
  • music168 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its ambient and atmospheric qualities, which align with the game's homage to classic titles like Quake. However, a significant number of reviewers expressed disappointment over the lack of dynamic or intense tracks during combat, feeling that the sparse soundtrack detracts from the overall experience. While some appreciate the atmospheric soundscapes created by Andrew Hulshult, others argue that the absence of more engaging music during key moments is a missed opportunity.

    • “The music is atmospheric, the guns are punchy, and your blade is a speedrunning tool that also has unique implementation.”
    • “Andrew Hulshult once again works his magic and comes out with an incredibly atmospheric and moody soundtrack which fits the feel of the game perfectly.”
    • “The music from the levels and the hub area are simply great; you know things can only get better when Andrew Hulshult is making the music.”
    • “The music is practically non-existent.”
    • “The worst part of the game is that it's lacking music.”
    • “One major flaw I saw was the lack of intense music during most of the fights; I really liked the ambient bits when I was exploring, but I felt like there was a waste of opportunity to include more tracks during the fights.”
  • atmosphere104 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning level design, captivating visuals, and effective use of ambient music, creating a dark, otherworldly experience reminiscent of classic titles like Quake. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a sense of dread and immersion through its gothic architecture and haunting soundscapes, although some express a desire for more dynamic music during intense gameplay moments. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal and nostalgic charm.

    • “The game builds up a really good atmosphere, especially when also considering the music and general ambiance in the levels.”
    • “Wrath's sheer atmosphere and sense of scale is unparalleled for a game in its genre.”
    • “The atmosphere is fantastic, the level design is awesome.”
    • “A few things come to mind: tedious, mundane, boring, excessively long 'slog', absolutely lacking in ambience and atmosphere and variety.”
    • “However, there is a distinct lack of atmosphere.”
    • “It's mostly atmospheric which is okay but it would be nice to sometimes have battle music in the big encounters.”
  • story67 mentions

    The story in the game is largely considered minimal and forgettable, with many reviewers noting that it feels like an afterthought compared to the gameplay. While some appreciate the world-building and lore elements, the overall narrative lacks depth and engagement, often described as merely background noise to the action. Players seeking a compelling story may be disappointed, as the focus remains heavily on shooting mechanics rather than storytelling.

    • “Narratively it's quite light but offers a lot of world building and lore, as well as an intriguing enough plot to keep the campaign moving along.”
    • “Worth noting is the 'story', which is quite light to the point of being background noise but told surprisingly well through an unnerving series of notes (one per level) along with brief dialogues from a mysterious 'shepherd' character who hangs around in the hub worlds.”
    • “To me it strikes that balance of story told by a bit of narrative and a lot of environmental stuff like Doom Eternal and the gameplay of Quake, a bit more slow but impactful and the potential for creativity.”
    • “The story is really nothing at all to be honest, and the soundtrack is also pretty bland and forgettable.”
    • “There is no real story or lore to get sucked into this game, which I think hurts the experience.”
    • “The plot in a shooter is like a plot in pornography; it exists, but it is not important.”
  • grinding34 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and repetitive, with long levels that often feel like a slog due to poor enemy variety and frustrating level design. Players report that encounters with numerous similar enemies in monotonous environments lead to a draining experience, compounded by an inadequate saving system and unfair enemy placements. Overall, the game struggles to maintain engagement, resulting in a frustrating and tedious gameplay experience.

    • “I don't want to fight endless hordes of the same monsters in samey-looking environments for 45 to 60 minutes, it just becomes tedious.”
    • “What starts up as a fun, quake-like boomer shooter slowly devolves into a tedious slog.”
    • “As it is now this game should be a case study of development hell, unfortunate circumstances, bad game design, misuse of a well-known game engine - all blended into one dreadful concoction of tedious and boring half-baked slog of a first-person shooter.”
  • optimization12 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while many players report no significant performance issues and commend the atmosphere and level design, others note that optimization has worsened over time, particularly with frame rate drops in larger levels. Some users express frustration with the inability to load old saves after updates and highlight that performance can be subpar on non-PC platforms. Despite being in early access, players hope for improvements in optimization through future patches.

    • “Firstly, there were no performance issues or crashes.”
    • “Turning them off doesn't make the game look bad (in fact, on my computer it didn't make a noticeable difference) and will make the game run smoothly on slower computers.”
    • “Maybe it's just some minor optimization needed, so I would expect this to be fixed with patches.”
    • “The only downside, however, is that the optimization isn't perfect since the game is still in early access.”
    • “One small nitpick is just the optimization; my specs are basically on recommended and I get less than 60 fps.”
    • “P to anyone playing this game not on PC, though; every other version's performance is so inexcusably abysmal it makes your average Nightdive port/remaster of an older FPS game look like the Mona Lisa in comparison.”
  • stability9 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while it runs well on certain systems, players report frustrating freezing issues during save moments that disrupt immersion. Additionally, as an early access title, it is expected to have bugs and inconsistencies, with hopes for future patches to improve performance.

    • “Runs great on the deck as well.”
    • “The developers at 3D Realms used the Quake 1 engine to make this game (I assume they added bone data for the models) and it runs great.”
    • “+ Runs great”
    • “The most annoying part for me though: whenever the game saves, it 'freezes' for like a second, which is just annoying and immersion-breaking.”
    • “I posted about this issue on their official troubleshooting page like 2 months ago, but alas nothing has been done to fix this minor issue.”
    • “Especially considering it's an 'early access' project right now, so you're essentially paying for a buggy and inconsistent feeling demo with a promise that it will be fully featured and patched out by a certain date.”
  • humor7 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with players finding amusement in its quirky elements, such as the absurdity of disabling gameplay limits and the comedic interactions with enemies. Many reviewers appreciate the old-school shooter vibe, noting that the fast-paced action and funny enemy behaviors contribute to an overall entertaining experience. However, some aspects, like the robotic precision of certain enemies, also elicit laughter, highlighting the game's blend of humor and challenge.

    • “I never stopped chuckling to myself when a widow would screech at me and I'd greet it with a blast of the double barrel shotgun.”
    • “Old school shooter, fast paced, hard as hell, very funny.”
    • “Can't decide which is more hilarious - Star Citizen or this.”
  • replayability7 mentions

    Overall, the game is criticized for its low replayability, primarily due to its lengthy gameplay filled with padding rather than engaging content. While some players appreciate the initial experience, they feel that the limited levels and lack of exploration options diminish the incentive to replay.

    • “All of that could add more replayability and longevity to a really good game.”
    • “- more open maps with more to explore to increase replay value.”
    • “So unfortunately, I'd say this game has little replay value.”
    • “Maybe it doesn't have a lot of replay value due to its length, but it's still one lengthy romp of boomer shooter action.”
    • “Maybe it's because currently only the first two levels are playable, but I just played through normal and hard mode without dying once.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is mixed, with some players expressing feelings of wrath but overall lacking engagement and emotional connection. While the visuals may appeal to some, the gameplay fails to evoke strong feelings or excitement, which is crucial for a first-person shooter experience.

    • “It definitely made me feel some wrath.”
    • “In fact, very few of the spaces have made me feel anything.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy is widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with users advising potential buyers to avoid the game unless a complete version is released, which seems highly unlikely in the foreseeable future.

    • “Cash grab of the highest order. Stay away from this game and only consider buying if they release a complete version, but that's unlikely to happen in the next thousand years.”
    • “The monetization system is incredibly aggressive, making it feel like the game is designed to squeeze money out of players rather than provide a fun experience.”
    • “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, turning what could be an enjoyable game into a constant reminder of how much more you need to spend.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

9hMedian play time
23hAverage play time
3-52hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 9 analyzed playthroughs

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