LogFAQs > #972532818

Dread Templar (PC)

This game is weird and I can't quite put my finger on whether its good. I don't know if I like it enough to recommend it to people. I want to say you play this first on hard because the game at times can be too easy especially if you find the secrets, but even that advice is terrible because the fact is the game is very imbalanced and part of that reason is that the design is flawed in some parts.

Enemies, while deadly af, are dumb as flying homing bricks and about 70% of them don't fight close range so they can very well snipe you while slowly approaching you which would be fine if you didn't have shit sniping tools and some of them even have a limited range even if they feel like they don't. Enemies also lack tells and reactions so that zombie sniper you meet on the very first map will immediately shoot at you at the flick of a wrist as if it has an aimbot while taking more than enough pistol bullets to effectively finish off. This actually gets better later when accuracy isn't so important because your guns are pretty much overpowered but consume a ton of ammo.

I also found this weird thing with homing projectiles. They're not as intuitive to do sharp turns and so you can actually trick them. They also just disappear the moment you can't see them. Like literally turn into a sharp corner and they're gone. But turn into a sharp angle and they'll hit you. So weird. Mercifully there aren't alot of enemies in this game that can do that so it's not as annoying as say the final act of Forgive Me Father.

I like the maps. Thinking of it as a slight improvement over Forgive Me Father's and both games have very similar thematic progression but both games also have the same flaw in that it often tends to outstay its welcome. 5-levelled 5 episodes (not including secret levels) is just too much and its clear that some could just be combined into one. In fact the same metal soundtrack runs for at least 2 of each level and the music while repetitive tends to grate if you don't feel it. But for me I had no problems mostly.

A great amount of effort has been spent on secrets, specifically "Super Secrets" of which there is one per level. Was surprised as the breadth of references being tossed around. Who wouldn't love to see Leon Kennedy, De_Dust2, Sub-Zero, 007 Goldeneye, and the House of Harkonnen? But the biggest surprise is this campaign wide mega secret all leading up to a secret boss fight with Dopefish and upon beating them would grant you a game-breaking weapons modification. Honestly why hasn't anyone ever thought of making that a secret boss is beyond me it seems so obvious. Unfortunately or Fortunately though most of these Super Secrets are impossible to find unless you have a guide or are just really keen in observation but half the time spent humping walls for an off-texture wall in an already retrograde looking environment can be taxing at best. The game does its best to clue you in on what walls are hidden at least, and sometimes there are just dead ends for the sake of dead ends. So its a toss-up.

Story is edgy af. Though credit where credit is due, apart from the cutscenes you unlock (like there isn't even an introductory one, you have to beat level 1 for it), there is actually some lore but you have to go out of your way to find it. Very briefly, in a single level lies some stuff you can examine for a greater context. But don't expect anything revelatory if anything it's just an homage to Blood.

Notice how I'm avoiding talking about the gameplay I mean usually with these things its just your typical retro boomer shooter with modern sensibilities. I would say the combat is like Dusk if the enemies were dumber and less cleverly placed. I do like the variety though and for 5 episodes you have to be entertained. There are some weird choices in an attempt to be unique like a slow down bar which acts like an afterthought unless you play in Nightmare. There's also Runes which you can find to unlock to give you more passive bullshit like increased ammo capacity or modifying your gun to make it OP. But the thing is half of these runes don't purport what they say they do probably lost in translation or poor design idk.

One last thing I guess are the bosses. They're good. But they're a tad too spongy and idk how you're expected to beat them on harder difficulties because the game refuses to provide regular ammo drops a legitimate way so often I'd die because I didn't ration less ammo to take the more ammo from the mook flying around while the boss is kicking my ass. This pairs in with my on and off decision to recommend hard mode first; its great---up until you get stonewalled by a boss because you had poor resource management. In fact, one of the runes you find powers up the final weapon significantly that the rune description says "this makes the weapon cheese bosses". And its true, I took out the final boss in four hits. And its also true, that if I had fought that boss the normal way I would've had a very hard time very well done boss I haven't seen a boss that frantic in a boomer shooter since the Magician from House of the Dead 2.

I've tried my best not to compare this game with the greats like Cultic, Dusk, and Amid Evil. I think the game is solid but those games are definitely better. I'd chalk this one up to inexperience though it does have its merits. All in all, a nice filler boomer shooter while I wait for HROT or Phantom Fury.