Developer: Frozen District
Publisher: No Gravity Games
Platform: PC, Switch
Tested on: PC
Warlocks 2: God Slayers (PC) – Review
In 2019, we are seeing one returning trend, and that is retro-inspired games. Last month, we already reviewed the highly anticipated Ion Fury and after that we did the mixed graphical adventure game Anodyne 2: Return to Dust. Now with Warlocks 2: God Slayers comes number three in the retro summer of ’19. The thing about this game is that although at first it seems like your classical side-scrolling adventure, it’s actually way more modern and in-depth than initially thought.
Story
The game starts with choosing one of five different characters. Each one has the same storyline so there are no differences other than the skills and abilities used. You are a recruit that wants to join the Order of Warlocks but are met with an unfortunate fate as you get captured early on in the campaign. With the help from a friendly shaman, you get freed and are taken to a bar somewhere in an unknown location. This place functions as a hub for all your adventures to come. While going out and helping the many inhabitants of the planet, you will score favor points with the council, becoming a fully pledged member of the Order. This legion has been called upon to remove one of the most devious Gods: the Faun. For that reason, your character needs to break the grip of its reign and defeat its minions for good. There are many levels to explore so the game takes a while to get started. However, the story picks up very swiftly and there is a real sense of progress. After each mission you are met with a short story update, telling you what is currently going on and what’s coming up next, these interactions will also let the personal relations between characters grow and gives more depth to the whole story.
Graphics
As said in the intro, the game is inspired by the older days with pixilated graphics. What is immediately noticeable is the insane amount of depth that has been put into the visuals. Characters are fluently animated while staying simple in their movements. Blood and spells fly around and enemies get shredded into little pieces, leaving only their guts on the floor. Maps are truly colorful and the whole ordeal is so pleasant to look at. From dark forests to frozen mountain tops, you will always see what is happening and battles are more heroic than your last League World Cup match.
A missed opportunity is, since it’s an RPG inspired game, that other items don’t alter the appearance of characters. It’s a small shortcoming but it would have been so cool to see your characters grow and wear cooler outfits with those newly found items.
Sound
The music in the game is amazing. It creates this mood-inducing atmosphere, sometimes you feel comfortable, yet you feel sad when passing the dead body of a friend. The music is very nice to listen to, but for some who rather turn it down or completely mute it there is also good news as the Sound effects used in-game are so well made with deep feedback in every action that after a while you will adjust the music on a lower pitch to enjoy all the sounds better.
A strange combination for sure, but this shows that both soundtrack and effects are well-engineered. The only shortcoming is that there seem to be random Discord message pings going off left and right from time to time, not sure whether it’s the music, the character (during testing we played as the EWITCH) or the hard weekend that just passed.
Gameplay
Warlocks 2: God Slayers is a side-scrolling adventure game that uses many RPG elements to create very active gameplay. You can compare it with a large fully built RPG, take all the good elements out of it and just use those in an action game. Overall gameplay is simple, you move across the map in a two-dimensional world and have to complete various quests for the many inhabitants. You want to become a member of the Order and this is only possible when the right person sees that you are one of the best. Your start is very bumpy with your character being trapped by a bunch of drunks, but you quickly get the chance to retaliate and show how much you can do. The game offers many modifiers from permadeath to glass cannon builds and more. Slowly but surely, your hero will grow and will get to save the world at the same time.
After the introduction, you are dropped into the hub world, where there are various traders with randomized goods and where you can travel and heal. You get to choose your areas where to land but only one is available at the beginning. By completing quests, you get further and deeper into the storyline and will notice what is truly going on in the world. Defeating enemies is not as easy as you’d initially think, all characters differ greatly from each other and it can be a bit hard to find a character that fits you. Don’t be scared to test them all out since the intro doesn’t last that long and a good hero will take you far! Typical in these types of games you get to select which skills to use albeit in a simple jacket. Not having to pick from twenty skills makes the game that more clear and since it’s a smaller title, it only favors quick leveling and good grinding. Equipment is also important and thanks to the information presented, you will always know which items are the best for your build.
Controlling the game is quite decent, but as this is a high-paced action game, you will miss a physical dodge button. Most of the time, you have to kite and cheese enemies, otherwise, they will end your life very swiftly. The combination of spells and knowledge of what your character can do is the best remedy for success. Of course, you will die a few times due to a new enemy or the many types of damage they can do, but it never gets to a point where it’s frustratingly difficult. Enemy A.I. is very simple and can be taken down with a few dirty but easy tricks. Another good feature is that if you have friends to play with, you can go on a local or online co-op adventure and enjoy the story as a group.
Conclusion
Warlocks 2: God Slayers is an interesting game that can be played alone or with friends. The game is packed with an interesting story that follows your hero as he/she climbs into the ranks of the Order while defeating the evil Faun God in high-octane magical battles. Sadly there is no variation between characters’ storylines but this can be dismissed thanks to the sheer fun you will be having mowing down hordes of enemies and helping the local population. The simple yet effective RPG elements are implemented nicely and thanks to the great graphics and amazing sound, this experience is one to enjoy.
No Comments