Darkenstein 3-D Preview
Hear me out: the plot of John Wick, but you are just a drifter and not the Baba Yaga. Also, Nazis kidnap your dog. Your reaction is either “huh?” or “damn, I wish I thought of that idea.”
Hobo Guy kind of sort of looks like Hagrid…
Developed by Rowye, Darkenstein 3-D is a homage to the original Doom and Wolfenstein games (the ones that ran from an MS-DOS prompt). You play as Hobo Guy (it’s like Doom Guy but not). You are just a drifter roaming 1940s Germany (an American in Nazi Germany is a bit odd but this is also an alternate universe so go with it) when your dog (ironically a German Shepherd), Gunther, is kidnapped during a Nazi raid. Things just got personal.
Through and through, this is a boomer shooter. For those new to the genre, this means fast-paced and no cover. Kill or be killed. I mean, you could duck around a corner for a brief respite, but enemies eventually follow, and they usually bring friends. Per the Steam page, “…Every fight is a deadly dance of strafes, corners, and timing. No cover mechanics, no aim assist - just raw gunplay.” The ‘no aim assist’ is key. You will not be sneaking around lining up headshots on every Nazi you see. Sure, you may tag a few if you enter a room unnoticed, but most of the time, everything gets FUBAR…
When this happens, shoot anything and everything that moves and hope you are still standing when the dust clears.
Hobo Guy has quite the arsenal at his disposal as you explore dungeons, castles, and the German countryside. Shotguns work wonders at close range, but sometimes you just need to blindfire, and assault rifles and miniguns will aid in that. If you need a bit more oomph, RPGs can be fired, but make sure you give yourself some distance. In addition to the firearms, there are grenades and land mines to be thrown. Alternate universes also mean unconventional weapons like a skull that shoots lightning or a sentient rat that can be thrown at your enemies. When all else fails, kick it. But this is no ordinary kick. ‘Tis a SUPER KICK. Mere mortals (Nazis included) tremble when the might booty comes a knockin’. There is a short cooldown (think of it like a reload), but one cannot argue the fun of punting things around, sometimes even into a fine red mist.
If you need a boomer shooter in your life, look no further than Darkenstein 3-D. Planned for release this year, you can experience 13 handcrafted levels that get progressively more difficult. A challenge mode allows for the replay of levels where you try to beat your completion times. Plus, you get to hear one-liners like “You’re as tough as a piece of pissed soaked pie.” Do yourself a favor and wishlist the game now, and try out the demo on Steam
