3D Realms has unveiled Wrath: Aeon of Ruin, a gore-streaked new FPS for PC, Xbox One, PS4, and Switch, that’s so old-school, it even uses the original Quake Engine.
Wrath: Aeon of Ruin is the work of developer KillPixel, a collective of veteran Quake modders and mappers, and is described as a “dark fantasy horror FPS” that pays homage “to the classic era of shooters”.
“The Old World has passed away”, explains 3D Realms in a burst of portentous scene-setting, “Amidst the ruins lurks an ageless fear. Outlander, once adrift upon the Ageless Sea, finds himself on the shores of a dying world. From the consuming gloom emerges a figure cloaked in white, the Shepherd of Wayward Souls, who burdens Outlander with hunting down the remaining Guardians of the Old World.” Dramatic pause.
And that’s where you come in, armed with ten mighty artefacts and nine “devastatingly powerful” weapons – the latter of which include genre classics such as the double-barrelled shotgun, plus more fanciful organic weapons like the Retcher and Fangspitter.
According to KillPixel, Wrath: Aeon of Ruin is designed around a hub-word that encourages exploration and non-linear progression. There are five worlds in total, taking players on a bullet-spraying dance of death through the likes of sunken ruins, ancient crypts, and corrupted temples, and new areas can be reached by uncovering keys hidden in shadowy corners. More judicious searching might even reveal lore and “desperately-needed armaments”.
Additionally, Wrath: Aeon of Ruin’s save system makes use of items known as Soul Tethers. These enable players to save anywhere but are a finite resource, forcing at least some degree of strategic planning alongside all the unfettered carnage.
Wrath: Aeon is Ruin is scheduled to arrive on PC this “summer”, with Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Switch versions expected to release early next year.
Notably, Wrath isn’t the only modern retro-powered FPS on 3D Realms’ slate right now. It’s also publishing developer Voidpoint’s Ion Maiden, a prequel to 2016 shooter Bombshell that’s being made using Duke Nukem 3D’s classic Build Engine. While Bombshell wasn’t exactly well-received, Ion Maiden (which is currently in Steam Early Access) has gone down a storm.
