Gravelord Review Summary

Last updated: 2026-05-22
  • Enjoyable and fluid gameplay
  • Excellent art direction and aesthetics
  • Smooth performance on various systems
  • Annoying and gimmicky card system
  • Weak and ineffective weapons
  • Generic and repetitive levels
Gravelord header

Emotions

Archetypes

What players like:

Common complaints:

Gameplay feedback:

Performance notes:

Recommendations:

Other player notes:

Review evidence

Why players say this

What players like

Enjoyable and fluid gameplay: Players consistently praise the gameplay as fun, engaging, and smooth. The gunplay is highlighted as fantastic, contributing to an overall positive experience.

Excellent art direction and aesthetics: The game's art direction and aesthetics are frequently commended. Players appreciate the beautiful art style, good graphics, and top-notch art design.

Appeals to fans of classic shooters: The game is often compared to classic shooters like Doom and Quake. Players who enjoy these types of games find this title to be a good choice.

Fun and compelling protagonist: The protagonist is noted for being fun and humorous. Players find the main character compelling and enjoyable.

High movement speed and fast-paced gameplay: The game features a very mobile hero and crazy fast movements. This contributes to a fast-paced and engaging gameplay experience.

Common complaints

Annoying and gimmicky card system: The card system is seen as annoying and gimmicky, with many cards being worthless. Players also feel that the card system forces progression and lacks depth.

Weak and ineffective weapons: Players have reported that weapons, particularly the shotgun, feel weak and ineffective. This includes issues with weapon recoil and impact.

Generic and repetitive levels: The levels in the game are described as generic and repetitive, lacking unique landmarks and becoming visually chaotic.

Underutilized shovel mechanics: The shovel mechanics, including the combat portion and spectral shovel, feel underutilized and inconsistently available.

Unbalanced enemy difficulty: The game features unbalanced enemy difficulty, with high difficulty spikes and balance issues with too many shooting mobs.

Gameplay and performance

Classic FPS with retro mechanics: The game is frequently compared to classic FPS games like Quake and Doom, emphasizing its retro mechanics and fast-paced action.

Keyhunt level design: The level design is inspired by old-school shooters and includes keyhunt mechanics, providing a nostalgic yet challenging experience.

Level editor feature: Players appreciate the inclusion of a level editor system, which allows for custom level creation and enhances replayability.

Variety in enemies: The game offers a variety of enemies with different mechanics, adding depth and challenge to the gameplay.

Emphasis on movement and shooting: The game focuses on fluid movement and precise shooting mechanics, which are central to the gameplay experience.

Smooth performance on various systems: The game runs smoothly on a variety of systems, including Linux, garbage PCs, and high-end setups like RTX 4070. It also performs well on Steam Deck and Apple Silicon Macs via Crossover emulator.

Stable and bug-free experience: The game is described as stable and almost bug-free, with some reviews mentioning it as technically flawless.

Camera issues: There are reports of camera issues, which could affect the gameplay experience for some players.

Slowdown with many enemies: Some players have experienced slowdowns when there are many enemies on screen, which could impact the game's performance in certain scenarios.

Recommendations

Recommended for old-school shooter fans: The game is highly recommended for fans of classic FPS games, particularly those who enjoy 90s style fast shooters and satisfying gunplay. It is also suggested for players who enjoyed games like Doom, Quake, and Duke Nukem.

More content needed: Players are requesting more levels and texture packs to enhance the gaming experience and provide more variety.

Anticipation for full release: Players are looking forward to the complete game, indicating excitement and anticipation for its full release.

Difficulty suggestion: There is a suggestion to play the game on medium difficulty for a balanced experience.

Early access for passionate fans: The game is suggested for purchase during early access, particularly for passionate fans who want to support and experience the game's development.

Buying context

Game completion: 4.5h.

Story completion: 3.0h.

The game starts fun with fast-paced action and variety but becomes tedious and boring in later levels.

Friction: Repetitive gameplay; Poorly balanced horde mode; Dull gameplay experience in later levels.

Unlock drivers: Fast and frantic action; Variety in pacing; Fresh combat elements.

Player profiles

Nostalgic Quake Purist: Prefers fast-paced, skill-based movement and combat reminiscent of Quake. Motivation: Nostalgia and appreciation for classic FPS mechanics. Stance: buy.

Adaptive Combat Specialist: Adapts playstyle based on situational perks and combat scenarios. Motivation: Enjoyment of dynamic and adaptable combat mechanics. Stance: buy.

Critical Content Seeker: Prefers games with a wide range of weapons, enemies, and gameplay mechanics. Motivation: Seeking depth and variety in gameplay content. Stance: sale.

Platform notes

Steam Deck: The game generally runs well on the Steam Deck with good performance and positive feedback on gameplay. However, there are notable issues with the requirement to use Proton Experimental and some control and UI problems that affect the user experience.

Linux and Proton: The game runs well on Linux and Steam Deck with minimal tweaking required. Users report high performance and stability, indicating good compatibility with Proton.

Other review notes

Game's Slovakian origin: This point highlights the geographical origin of the game, which is Slovakia. This information might be relevant to players interested in the background or cultural context of the game.