Info about Only Lead Can Stop Them:

Official game description:
In “Only Lead Can Stop Them” you take on the role as a soldier during the Spanish Civil war, fighting to defend the republic from being crushed by opposing fascist forces.  
Over the span of your adventure, you will explore three epic campaigns with a total of 30 levels packed full of dangers and secrets to be discovered. Explore ancient castles, catacombs, muddy trenches, dense forests and combat zones of a war torn battlefield, whilst earning medals along the way for your heroic deeds!  
Blast your way through fast-paced levels using your powerful arsenal of ten weapons, including machine guns, explosives, shotguns, pistols and rifles. Fight with purpose! Free your fellow comrades and unravel the fascists' path of destruction.  
Only Lead Can Stop Them” takes stylistic influence from classic 90s shooters , featuring detailed environments and enemies rendered in pixel art as well as an uncompromising, break neck, fast paced style of gameplay.  
The game features over a dozen distinct enemy types to fight. Whilst many of your enemies will be equipped with firearms, you will also battle strange supernatural occult forces capable of blasting you to pieces!

Release date: Dec 9, 2024

Categories: First-Person Shooter, Retro FPS, Boomer Shooter, Single-player Campaign, Pixel Art Style, Level Editor, Occult Gameplay, Spanish Civil War Setting

Feature scans:
- Proton/Linux: score 45; verdict: Moderate Linux/Proton Friction; summary: The available feedback is a Linux-focused warning that playing through Proton caused performance issues and that Linux users may want to avoid the game. There is no evidence of launch failure, anti-cheat blocking, or specific required tweaks, so the report indicates notable but not catastrophic Linux compatibility friction.
- Steam Deck: score 55; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The audit finds no launcher, anti-cheat, or crash blockers in the filtered feedback, but the Steam Deck/Linux experience is far from seamless. The most impactful problem is broken controller support, including missing Y-axis behavior and generally poor input implementation. Proton compatibility is also flagged for possible performance issues, and Linux users are warned they may want to pass on the game. The result is a playable but caveat-heavy Deck experience requiring lowered expectations or workarounds.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $5.00 - $10.00
  - Reasoning: The reviews show positive value sentiment toward the game as a boomer shooter, with one reviewer calling it absolutely worth the price of admission. However, multiple reviewers explicitly recommend buying on discount or waiting for a sale, indicating that the community sees the current $9.99 base price as acceptable but not an automatic full-price purchase. This supports a fair base-game range roughly from a discounted $5 to the current $10 ceiling.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 3.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: 0.3h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The most direct completion report says the game took just over 3 hours to get through, so gameCompletion is set to 3 hours. A reviewer explicitly mentions a quick 20 minute session, so sessionLength is set to about 0.33 hours. The 12-hour comment suggests broader optional or achievement playtime, but it does not clearly separate story completion or post-game endgame time, so storyCompletion and endgame remain null.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: Players report early enjoyment and liked map progression, but fun erodes by level 6 and episode 3 into a slog due to repetitive enemies, pacing issues, bugs, and underwhelming threats.
  - Stance: Fun then drops
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: Weapons feel like they're shooting pellets; weapon sounds are boring and flat; items could not be picked up; awkward pacing as all weapons are given too quickly; bugs, graphical glitches, and frame-pacing issues
  - Unlock drivers: N/A
  - Conditions: N/A
- Player Archetypes:
  - Wolfenstein 3D Nostalgic Veteran (buy)
    - Motivation: Relive classic Wolfenstein 3D and Doom-style old-school FPS action.
    - Playstyle: Explores levels at their own pace, toggles mouse look and FPS caps, and values secrets and old-school map design.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: fan of retro-styled FPS games
    - Reference games: Wolfenstein 3D; Wolfenstein franchise; Doom
  - Achievement Completionist (sale)
    - Motivation: Unlock all achievements and find every secret.
    - Playstyle: Replays episodes via level select, hunts secrets, and targets specific weapon or difficulty achievements.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Critical Boomer Shooter Veteran (no buy)
    - Motivation: Find a polished, original boomer shooter that stands out in a crowded genre.
    - Playstyle: Compares weapons, enemies, map design, and overall polish against established genre standards.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: no buy
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A
  - Bug-Tolerant Discount Seeker (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Enjoy old-school FPS action and setting at a low price despite bugs.
    - Playstyle: Troubleshoots settings, tolerates glitches, and waits for patches or deep discounts.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: N/A
    - Reference games: N/A


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Excellent soundtrack and music (weight 0.59): The soundtrack and music are repeatedly described as great, top-notch, and even rivaling classic tracks from Rise of the Triad. Many players consider the music a standout feature.
- Well-designed levels and secrets (weight 0.5): Level design is praised for being excellent, interesting, and mature, with many secrets and replayability. Players enjoy the variety and challenges offered by the levels.
- Wolfenstein 3D spiritual successor (weight 0.49): Many reviewers describe the game as a modern iteration or spiritual successor to classic shooters like Wolfenstein 3D and Rise of the Triad. It successfully captures the old-school feel while adding innovations.
- Weapon and enemy variety praised (weight 0.44): Players consistently highlight the wide and diverse selection of weapons and enemy types, noting they are fun to use and experiment with. The variety is considered a major strength of the game.
- Unique Spanish Civil War setting (weight 0.39): The Spanish Civil War setting is frequently praised as fascinating, intriguing, and unique, helping the game stand out from other shooters. It adds a distinct historical flavor that players appreciate.
- Solid boomer shooter experience (weight 0.36): Reviewers frequently call it a fun and dynamic boomer shooter that brings back the good old days of classic FPS games. It is often cited as a new favorite in the genre.
- Fun and brilliant game overall (weight 0.27): Many simply describe the game as very fun, brilliant, and really great. The overall experience is highly enjoyable for players.
- Great art direction and graphics (weight 0.17): The art direction and graphics are frequently praised as great, with levels looking amazing and wonderful. The visual style is a notable positive.
- Satisfying to kill fascists (weight 0.14): Players express great satisfaction in shooting and killing fascists, with some saying they rarely enjoyed it so much. This thematic element resonates strongly with the audience.
- Three episodes of content (weight 0.1): The game offers three episodes full of content, which players appreciate for its length and value. This provides a substantial amount of gameplay.
- Character selection appreciated (weight 0.09): The ability to choose between a male or female character is a nice feature that players enjoy. It adds a small but welcome customization option.
- Headshot mechanic adds satisfaction (weight 0.09): The presence of a headshot mechanic, marked with a cool sound, is noted as a positive gameplay element. It enhances the shooting feedback.

Common complaints:
- Flamethrower self-damage issues (weight 0.28): The flamethrower frequently damages or kills the player instead of enemies, especially when used near doors or with fast enemies around. Many consider it a failed weapon due to excessive self-damage.
- Enemies clip through walls (weight 0.25): Players report that enemies can pass through or become stuck in walls, sometimes even attacking through them. This breaks combat fairness and immersion.
- Weapon switching is janky (weight 0.21): Mouse wheel weapon swapping is delayed, inaccurate, and only works a fraction of the time. This leads to frustrating input registration issues.
- Mouse sensitivity inconsistencies (weight 0.18): Mouse sensitivity is reported as inconsistent across scenes, resetting or flicking unpredictably. This makes aiming and looking around unreliable.
- Poor level and map design (weight 0.18): Level design is mediocre with too many meaningless areas, empty rooms, and unfilled spaces. Maps feel bare bones and not well thought out.
- Unpolished episodes (weight 0.17): Episode 1 felt like it needed more polish, and Episode 2 feels half-baked. Overall, the game requires another layer of polish.
- Aiming and accuracy issues (weight 0.17): Players report bad aiming due to lack of vertical aim and guns lacking impact and proper velocity. Shooting feels inaccurate and unsatisfying.
- General bugs and glitches (weight 0.17): Various bugs and glitches exist that are annoying, though not game-breaking. They still need fixing.
- Weak weapon sound design (weight 0.14): Weapon sounds are described as extremely weak, sounding like knocking on wood. Poor shooting feedback and sound effects diminish combat satisfaction.
- Wolfenstein 3D derivative (weight 0.14): Players feel the game leans too heavily on Wolfenstein 3D's archetype, including splash art, and is essentially a worse version of it. This raises concerns about originality.
- Horrible final boss (weight 0.13): The final boss is widely disliked, with players expressing disappointment. It fails to provide a satisfying climax.
- Achievement unlock bugs (weight 0.1): Some achievements, particularly difficulty-related ones, do not unlock even after completing the game on Hard, Normal, and Easy. This requires patching.
- Inconsistent headshot mechanic (weight 0.09): The headshot mechanic works inconsistently, sometimes registering only with the handgun and then stopping. This makes combat unreliable.

Gameplay feedback:
- Retro Wolfenstein 3D style shooter (weight 0.69): Many reviewers describe the game as a retro first-person shooter inspired by Wolfenstein 3D and Rise of the Triad. It closely follows that classic formula with a 1990s-style presentation.
- Varied classic weapon arsenal (weight 0.54): The game offers a wide selection of weapons, including pistol, submachine gun, shotgun, rifle, flamethrower, machine gun, dynamite, and more. Reviewers note the weapons feel powerful and add to the classic shooter experience.
- Boomer shooter label common (weight 0.24): Reviewers often categorize it as a boomer shooter, throwback shooter, or classic FPS. The term highlights its intentional retro design and appeal to fans of 90s shooters.
- Three independent episodes (weight 0.2): The game is structured into three separate episodes, each with its own set of levels. This episodic format provides a sense of progression and variety.
- Shooter gameplay focus (weight 0.2): The core gameplay revolves around first-person shooting and gunplay. Reviewers emphasize the shooting mechanics as the main draw.
- Simple to sprawling levels (weight 0.17): Level design ranges from simple to sometimes huge, with a focus on exploration. Some players appreciate the open, massive layouts that encourage wandering.
- Secret levels per episode (weight 0.14): Each episode contains at least one secret level, rewarding exploration. This feature is reminiscent of classic shooters like Doom and Wolfenstein 3D.
- Kill fascists objective (weight 0.1): Players are tasked with killing fascists, tying into the Spanish Civil War setting. This straightforward objective aligns with the classic shooter premise.
- Pixel art graphics (weight 0.1): The visuals use pixel graphics, reinforcing the retro aesthetic. This style is consistent with the game's 90s-inspired design.
- Enemy variety includes quadrupeds (weight 0.1): Enemies consist of both two-legged and four-legged foes, adding diversity to combat. The game features a notable enemy roster.
- Multiple difficulty settings (weight 0.09): The game includes difficulty options such as easy, normal, and hard. This allows players to adjust the challenge to their preference.
- Themed healing items (weight 0.09): Healing items include culturally relevant foods like ham, paella, oranges, and chocolates. These items fit the Spanish Civil War setting and add flavor.
- Rifle one-shots most enemies (weight 0.09): On the highest difficulty, a single rifle bullet can kill most enemies. This makes the rifle a powerful and efficient weapon.
- Headshot mechanic with pistol (weight 0.09): The pistol includes a headshot mechanic, rewarding precise aiming. This adds a skill-based element to gunplay.
- Male or female character choice (weight 0.09): Players can choose between a male or female protagonist, affecting only the HUD portrait and voice grunts. This option adds a small degree of personalization.

Performance notes:
- Framerate stutters and jitter (weight 0.25): Many players report inconsistent, jerky framerates and stuttering during gameplay. This includes jittery performance, frame-pacing problems, and choppy frame rates.
- Poor optimization on capable hardware (weight 0.11): The game struggles to run well even on an RTX 4050, and players note it seems unoptimized for high refresh rate monitors. This indicates widespread optimization issues.
- Freezes and crashes (weight 0.11): Players experienced occasional freezes, mostly in early levels, and multiple crashes during playthroughs. These stability issues disrupt the experience.
- V-Sync and performance issues (weight 0.1): V-Sync causes framerate problems and aiming issues, and some players fixed stuttering by disabling V-Sync and capping FPS. This suggests V-Sync is a common cause of performance problems.
- Enemy AI pathfinding bugs (weight 0.1): Enemies walk through walls and get stuck out of bounds, breaking immersion and gameplay. These AI bugs are clearly noticeable.
- General performance lags and map dips (weight 0.1): Minor lags occur throughout maps, and performance is bad on some maps, with frame dips reported. These issues suggest uneven optimization across levels.
- Minimap and automap performance impact (weight 0.1): Opening the minimap causes jerky micro-stutters in the camera, and the automap severely kills performance. This indicates UI elements are poorly optimized.
- Texture pop-in (weight 0.06): Textures pop in during gameplay, causing visual inconsistencies. This is a common graphical issue.
- Low FPS in first level (weight 0.06): The first level ran at only 130 fps, which is low for some players, indicating performance issues from the start. This sets a poor first impression.
- Dead dogs barking after reload (weight 0.05): After reloading a save, dead dogs constantly bark, which is an audio bug that persists. This is a specific but annoying issue.
- Various bugs encountered (weight 0.05): Players encountered a few bugs during play, though specifics are not detailed. This suggests general bugginess beyond the reported issues.

Recommendations:
- High recommendation for boomer shooter fans (weight 0.52): A large number of reviews highly recommend the game to fans of boomer shooters and retro FPS, calling it a must-play and absolutely worth the time. Positive feedback emphasizes its appeal to those who enjoy classic-style shooters.
- Niche appeal for retro fans (weight 0.46): Many reviews highlight that the game is not for everyone and appeals to a specific subset of old-school shooter enthusiasts, especially fans of Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM, and similar classics. It is often recommended to try the demo or adjust expectations before purchasing.
- Comparisons to classic shooters (weight 0.33): Reviewers frequently compare the game to classic shooters like Wolfenstein 3D, DOOM, and Rise of the Triad, recommending it to fans of those titles. Some suggest alternatives like Cultist or Warlock for a proper retro experience.
- Technical issues hinder recommendation (weight 0.27): Several reviewers cannot recommend the game due to unresolved technical issues, severe bugs, and lack of developer support or polish. They suggest waiting for future patches before considering a purchase.
- Worth buying on discount (weight 0.23): Many users recommend purchasing the game only on sale or at a discount, as they feel the full price is not justified given its flaws or short length. Some suggest trying the demo first.
- Positive general recommendations (weight 0.23): Many users simply recommend the game without specific caveats, often indicating it is fun and worth playing. Some express strong approval and encourage others to give it a try.
- Mixed feelings and conditional recommendations (weight 0.22): Some reviewers offer mixed recommendations, stating that the game is worth the price and fun for one playthrough, but not as enjoyable as other retro shooters. Others recommend it only if specific issues are fixed or if players can tolerate the flaws.
- Not recommended for everyone (weight 0.21): Several negative reviews explicitly state that the game cannot be recommended to anyone, often citing poor variety, high price relative to quality, or lack of appeal. Some advise a hard pass.
- Low expectations advised (weight 0.18): Some reviewers suggest going into the game with low expectations to maximize enjoyment, and note that it may only appeal to those who appreciate old-school conventions and are willing to overlook flaws.
- Appeal to specific audiences (weight 0.18): The game is particularly recommended for fans of alternate history, Spaniards, or those interested in the historical context, while it is not for players who only play AAA titles or dislike 90s BUILD engine games.

Other player notes:
- Wolfenstein 3D inspiration and comparisons (weight 0.91): Many players note strong similarities to Wolfenstein 3D, often calling it a clone or spiritual successor. Some feel it lacks innovation compared to the original, while others praise it as one of the best clones.
- Unique Spanish Civil War setting (weight 0.47): The game's Spanish Civil War setting is widely highlighted as a standout feature, providing a fresh backdrop rarely seen in FPS games. It adds historical flavor and helps the game stand out.
- Comparison to HROT, Cultic, and DUSK (weight 0.22): The game is often compared to HROT, Cultic, and DUSK in terms of style and themes. Some see it as a fusion of Wolf 3D and Cultic, though others consider those games superior.
- Positive reception and quality (weight 0.2): Players generally enjoy the game, praising its fun factor, detailed levels, and ambition despite some flaws. It is considered a solid addition to the boomer shooter genre.
- Unfavorable comparisons to other shooters (weight 0.2): Some reviewers find it mediocre compared to similar games like Ion Fury, Amid Evil, DUSK, and HROT. They cite limited replay value and note that many better boomer shooters exist.
- Spanish cultural and historical elements (weight 0.2): The game incorporates Spanish culture and cuisine references, uses historically accurate weapons like the Astra 600, and includes Falange party markings. It features heavy anti-fascist imagery.
- Demo and custom content (weight 0.18): A demo is available, and the game includes a level editor and ability to play custom levels. However, some players note the absence of community-created maps in the menu.
- Short length and replay value (weight 0.16): The game is relatively short, with playtimes ranging from 3 to 12 hours. Some players feel it lacks replay value, while achievement hunters may need to invest extra time.
- Technical issues and controls (weight 0.16): Issues include lack of gamepad support outside menus and default vertical mouselook requiring manual adjustment. Some note the developer seems to have abandoned fixing issues since January.
- Occult and fantasy story elements (weight 0.16): The story mixes the Spanish Civil War with occult and fantasy elements, including a dragon as the final boss. Some find the blend of sci-fi and fantasy unusual.
- Levels and episodes structure (weight 0.16): The game features three episodes with three dozen levels, including secret levels. Levels are more detailed and expansive compared to Wolfenstein 3D.
- Developer information and release status (weight 0.15): The game is developed by Spanish studio Warcry Interactive, a single developer, and published by a publisher. According to the developer, it is not an early access game.
- Music and audio praise (weight 0.12): The soundtrack is compared favorably to classic Rise of the Triad, and each level appears to have a unique track. The music enhances the overall experience.
- Weapon variety (weight 0.09): The arsenal includes a flamethrower, dynamite, SMG, rifle, and shotgun, among others. Some weapons are historically inspired, adding to the setting.
- Niche appeal and price value (weight 0.09): The game is considered niche and not for everyone, but its low price is seen as a great value by some. It offers guaranteed fun for fans of the genre.
- Achievements and completion (weight 0.08): The game has achievements for completing episodes on different difficulties and finding all secrets. One specific secret achievement requires replaying a level via level select.
- Platform support and performance (weight 0.08): The game has been played on Steam Deck and Linux via Proton. Some players report issues with controls on these platforms.
- Player character and gender choice (weight 0.08): Players can choose the character's gender, which does not affect gameplay. The developer noted that a female protagonist is appropriate given women's roles in the Spanish Civil War.
- Randomly generated dungeon mode (weight 0.05): The game includes a randomly generated dungeon maze mode, adding replayability and variety. This feature is noted as a positive addition.
- Interface and localization (weight 0.04): A Japanese interface is available via a flag icon in the main menu. This provides additional language support for players.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.23): Players report widespread bugs including soft locks, achievements not unlocking, and enemies phasing through walls. Technical problems such as poor hit detection, erratic mouse controls, and inconsistent input registration make combat feel unfair. High difficulty with one-hit kills and lack of healing items further compounds the frustration.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.19): The core shooting mechanics, retro style, and unique Spanish Civil War setting provide simple fun. A strong soundtrack, wide weapon roster, and nostalgic Wolfenstein 3D vibe keep players engaged despite rough edges.
- Disappointment (weight 0.18): The game feels half-baked and lacks polish, with sluggish movement, empty level design, and technical flaws that overshadow its potential. Many expected a better boomer shooter experience, comparing it unfavorably to classics like Ion Fury and Amid Evil.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.05): Powerful weapons, satisfying gunplay, and enemy death animations make killing fascists feel rewarding. Solid old-school gameplay and a good weapon roster deliver exactly what boomer shooter fans expect.
- Annoyance (weight 0.04): Issues like lack of gamepad support, weak weapon sounds, and numerous bugs such as dogs not dying or rage mode being stuck cause irritation. The horrible final boss and annoying music add to the annoyance.
- Excitement (weight 0.04): Varied enemy types, interesting bosses, and suspenseful encounters generate excitement. The unique setting, cultural details, and satisfying chaingun feel appeal to retro shooter fans.
- Appreciation (weight 0.04): The authentic 90s feel, unique Spanish Civil War theme, and well-done retro graphics are appreciated. Diverse graphics options and fun weapon variety make it recommendable to retro FPS fans.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Monotonous maze maps, lack of innovation, and repetitive gameplay become boring by the second episode. Enemies and weapons all appearing early contribute to the tedium.
- Enthusiasm (weight 0.02): Great art, guns, enemies, and level design with secrets spark enthusiasm. Excellent soundtrack, weapon selection, and speedrunning potential make it a new favorite boomer shooter.
- Admiration (weight 0.02): Incredible immersion through Spanish cultural references, beautiful graphics, and pixel art animations earn admiration. The homage to Wolfenstein 3D and historical theme are highly praised.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Unexpectedly great music tracks and a killer soundtrack catch players off guard. A great final boss and more fun than anticipated add to the surprise.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Recreating the Wolfenstein 3D engine and spirit evokes nostalgia for the good old days. The blend of classic and modern elements reminds players of classic shooters.
- Mild frustration (weight 0.01): Bugs like non-solid walls and barking dead dogs, along with frame dips and janky controls, cause mild frustration.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Silly elements like Catholic wizards and dragon bosses, as well as delicious-looking healing items, provide amusement.
- Concern (weight 0.01): Bugs such as falling through walls and getting stuck raise concern about game stability.
- Dissatisfaction (weight 0.01): Bad aiming without vertical aim and slipping movements lead to dissatisfaction with the controls.
- Relaxation (weight 0.01): Combat, art style, music, and design create a cozy and relaxing experience.
- Gratitude (weight 0.01): The developer included the option to play as a girl, which players are grateful for.
- Mild annoyance (weight 0.01): Too many guns clutter the game, causing mild annoyance.
- Fascination (weight 0.01): The Spanish Civil War setting with minimalist but exquisite enemy design fascinates players.}