REVIEW: ‘WRATH: Aeon of Ruin’ Brings 90s FPS Carnage To The Present (PC)

The wait has finally come to an end. After years of being in early access, the blood, sweat, and tears of WRATH: Aeon of Ruin are ready for players to soak in. KillPixel developers alongside publishers 3D Realms and Fulqrum Publishing have long been at work fine-tuning this gruesome retro action first-person shooter since November 2019. The result: a hellish blood-slicked experience that stands worthy next to its classic first-person shooter inspirations.

Drifting along the Ageless Sea you, an Outlander, shore up to the Isle of the Dead. Gnarled, ancient trees root themselves against ruins of stone architecture. The world is cold and grim. Another lone being, the Sheperd of Wayward Souls, adorn in column white robes greets you and tells of the dying world. The Sheperd then appoints you with the burden of hunting down the Guardians of the Old World. Journey low and high through realms with an arsenal of various weapons at your disposal to slice and blast the horrors that await. You will need them all to survive.

KillPixel draws various inspirations from notable and classic first-person shooters like Doom, Quake, and Duke Nukem 3D. Additionally, it utilizes the Quake-1 engine and lathers in the distinguishable boomer shooter feel. Reminiscent of past titles in its genre, journey through its polygon 3D visual environment. In WRATH: Aeon of Ruin movements are fast and slippery. This means quick, responsive controls experienced in arena shooters. Jumps and swift camera adjustments allow players to navigate any hostile situation effortlessly. Facing an ambush of collective agile Widows teamed with other formidable creatures becomes more manageable.

At the start of your blood-soaked journey, players acquire the Ruination Blade. This blade is your old reliable. Your right-hand man, which is actually strapped to your right hand. The blade, etched with runic markings, gets the job done with simple slashes that hack off limbs and heads. The markings glow a bright red when charged up for its secondary function, a dagger thrust. The thrust also helps close the gap between you and seemingly unreachable areas. After all, what is a boomer shooter without exploration and finding secrets? Whether you’re utilizing the dagger thurst or momentum built up by jumping and strafing, the environment in WRATH: Aeon of Ruin taunts players to uncover secrets and new points of interest.

There are three worlds in WRATH: Aeon of Ruin that act as hubs for five explorable areas. Players can choose to venture into them in any order and can revisit them later. Within each explorable area, you must retrieve its unique relic held behind towering glowing red doors engraved with similar runic symbols like the ones on your blade. In every level, players will come guts to guts with bestiaries that wail, howl, and grumble at the sight of you. Once players retrieve the unique relic, a swirling, indigo portal spawns signaling your escape to the main hub of the area. Acquiring all relics in each level gives players access to meet the boss or Guardian overseeing its world.

Orifices spewing blood and exploding chunks of bodily debris result from the weapons you acquire along the way. Each weapon uniquely helps lay the trail of carnage brought by your own doing. All weapons operate in two firing modes: primary and secondary. Primary fires standard rounds, while secondary outputs heavier impact rounds with added flair. With 9 weapons in total, players will surely have a favorite they fall back to.

The movement and sound behind each weapon are distinct, a key feature of the genre and a focus executed well. The Shotgun is classic in how it rips through almost anything while firing two slugs at a time. Its secondary is a wind-up that slightly jolts the player back with the heavier rounds that ricochet on surfaces. Meanwhile, the Fang Splitter is a Gatling gun that spits out bloody, pointed fangs. Able to work at long ranges with quick speed, it punctures the air with an equally mechanical quick, sharp sound. Its secondary, however, pummels a thunderous echo as it fires two powerful stabbing fangs at a time. On impact, the Fang Splitter splinters enemies like confetti and mows down a crowd of enemies.

WRATH: Aeon of Ruin is filled with the chaotic fun of shredding enemies while testing yourself to uncover its secrets. Armored large enemies will charge through broken structures prompting a frantic response. A curious, jagged floor crumbles on impact, plunging you into murky waters inhabited by toothy, swimming fiends. Safety and confidence are always in question. You won’t know what to expect from the environment or enemy encounters. While health vials are usually within reach, don’t rely on them for survival. 

With three modes of difficulty, WRATH: Aeon of Ruin welcomes new players without holding your hand all the way through. It is truly impressive with its tight and fast gameplay. Players will roam worlds that are challenging and brutally fun. WRATH: Aeon of Ruin successfully finds a place worthy of standing on its own alongside its 90s first-person shooter inspirations.

WRATH: Aeon of Ruin is available now on Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.