In ‘Darkenstein 3D’, a WW2-Era Boomer Shooter, the Nazis Took Your Dog. Now, You’ll Take Their Lives. As a Hobo (Demo Impressions)

Heavy metal is pounding in my ears. The deafening roar of a machine gun laying waste to a room full of zombified Nazis sounds like heaven. The main character, affectionately referred to as “Hobo Guy”, speaks in a grizzled tone. He hurls taunts at his enemies while blasting them to smithereens, gibs filling the screen like snowflakes on Christmas. Darkenstein 3D takes all of the gory glory of shooters past, and melds them into a package that is easily accessible on modern hardware. Blending the gunplay and vibes of classic id Software products like Wolfenstein and DOOM into a new package, this solo-developed project has some serious juice behind it. It’s fast, but not brainless, and had me grinning like a gremlin the whole time I played.

Rip and Tear Through Nazi Scum Until It’s Done. ‘Darkenstein 3D’ Wears Its ‘Wolfenstein’ and ‘Doom’ Inspirations Well

Darkenstein 3D resembles shooters from the late 1990s. I mean that in the most complimentary way possible. It’s fast, furious, and not afraid to let you turn enemies into mincemeat by loading them full of bullets. While the retro visuals may look suitably old-school, newer technologies like ragdolls and some of the best gibs I’ve seen in recent gaming give it just enough new-school flair. It almost feels more Quake than anything, especially with the speed that Hobo Guy can fly through these maps.

An FPS can live or die by how its gunplay feels, and that’s why I’m very excited about Darkenstein 3D. Every weapon I held in my hands felt incredibly powerful, exactly as I would want to feel if I were in the boots of Hobo Guy himself. This grizzled drifter knows his way around all types of weaponry, and he’s not afraid to deliver justice. Level design is challenging, yet not overly complicated. Interesting enough to keep my attention in a genre that’s been overloaded with new games over the past few decades. From your typical bunkers to far more sinister locations, there are plenty of hidden collectibles that would make the Doom Slayer cry tears of joy.

Darkenstein 3D takes plenty of inspiration from shooters of the past. But it’s not afraid to try a few things differently. Rather than feeling like just a cover band, Darkenstein 3D has all the means to become a headlining act. While we’re still a way out from its release, I’ll be keeping a very close eye on the final product.