LogFAQs > #968707127

Prodeus (PC)

Closest I can think of is retro DOOM 2016. But. It's got the same problems I think as that Postal shooter in that it doesn't know what it wants to be. It has amazing setpieces if not uneven in some parts (the penultimate level is something out of Quake while the rest feel more modern and bizarre in style...and it was actually better than those levels), but it doesn't encourage the run and gun franticness that modern Doom wants. Instead it deals more on variability and bloodshed. You can easily paint the walls red and blue with any of the 21 different weapons (however 4 are not in the "main campaign" and would require someone to include them in a created map or level editor). Annoyingly there are collectible Ores that give you passive skills like double jump and dash as well as increase your arsenal, but such a mechanic requires you to backtrack and you can't exit mid level when you do so.

Now to address the elephant in the room. Prodeus has one glaring flaw: Its checkpoint system. There is none. Prodeus' levels for 100% completion require that you do not die finishing a stage. However, the checkpoints in this game are called a Nexus and all they do is teleport you back here whenever you die AND refill your health. It doesn't turn back time either; enemies are already dead and you have to spend 10 seconds getting back to where you were. This is a feature that the devs stuck to their guns with all the way from development to deploy and it seems their aim is to make things more arcadey. But it doesn't inspire confidence in the hardcore FPS gamers who feel like you're basically playing on god mode. Moreover, some levels take upwards of 20-30 minutes, more if you're secret hunting (which is also required for 100%). Dying in the 25 minute mark is just unfair and taxing on your part.

Now I've played this on Medium and it was fair and I've only died once. I think Hard or the difficulty above it is what's actually suppose to be for us gamers. The devs actually give you the ability to change difficulties on the fly as well as teleport to a Nexus anytime even if you dont die. So theoretically you can cheese Prodeus by exploiting these 2 settings. It's just a dumb design decision.

Finally, for what it is, it is a solid retro shooter. However, it was a bit dragging and that's fine but the game gives you 26 levels but stops giving you monster variety around map 15, only adding 1 more in certain intervals. And they weren't even in every map. So you'll be gunning down mooks ALOT. As I mentioned, it has the same symptoms as that Postal game but unlike that game, I don't think placement and tweaking can save it from being mundane. This game is in serious need of monsters and honestly, the ending was lackluster as well and unlike other shooters this one doesn't have episodes. That was it. I have a feeling the devs just don't want to invest in a new episode and is putting all their resources on the mapmaking community which is their biggest strength. Same goes for the music. Great heavy stuff; but then it starts getting repetitive later on.

As it is, I give it a 6 out of 10.