Wrath: Aeon of Ruin is an upcoming FPS powered by the Quake 1 engine and published by 3D Realms and 1C Entertainment. In Early Access on the PC, Wrath proves that decades-old technology can still have a life today, powering a frantic shooter with a nostalgic feel and modern updates.
Unlike retro-inspired games that use modern game engines to create a retro look and feel, Wrath: Aeon of Ruin is designed to deliver fresh experience using a retro game engine. The game began as a hobby project by Lead Developer Jeremiah 'KillPixel' Fox, who eventually was noticed by 3D Realms and pulled on board to finish the game with a full developer behind him. His goal was to take the Quake 1 engine and make a great game, exceeding and expanding the technology to deliver a completely new experience.
All The Benefits of Quake
Rather than just wrapping a new skin around Quake 1, Wrath adds light role-playing additions that upgrade the player's abilities throughout the game. The abilities can help in combat situations and aid in exploring the large, open maps players find themselves in, while Wrath also pits gamers against hordes of nightmarish foes with many staples such as a shotgun to please veteran FPS fans.
Developed with love with its foundations in the Quake modding community, Wrath: Aeon of Ruin is fully moddable, and current Quake modders will feel right at home creating content for the game. The game even uses the classic QuakeWorld netcode, allowing for 4 player co-op play online or LAN. Players also will not have to worry if their video cards can handle Wrath, as even an old Voodoo 2 can handle the game.
How Does It Play?
Wrath: Aeon of Ruin plays just like FPS games of old. The running speed of the Outlander, the main character, is fast and feels great. There are tons of enemies to kill, weapons to use, armor shard to pick up, and wide-open spaces to explore. While players can save their game wherever they want like they could in Quake, saving now requires a consumable resource, Soul Tethers, to perform. This gives Wrath a much more dangerous feel than some older games; collectible artifacts enhance the Outlander's abilities, though often at a cost.
Wrath: Aeon of Ruin shows real promise already, truly delivering its promise of a modern gaming experience, even though the technology behind the game is over twenty years old. It just proves that the best-looking graphics and most advanced game engines do not make a game fun. Clever mechanics, well-thought-out level design, an interesting theme, and solid controls are all players arguably need to have a good time with an FPS.
Wrath: Aeon of Ruin is currently in Early Access and will be available on the Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One in late 2021.