(Image credit: Bounding Box Software)

Gloriously Destroying Pixel Count Expectations

Pixelated demons have taken over the space station, and no one else is left. Luckily there is a shotgun nearby and shells everywhere. That is how ProDeus starts, and it never lets up from there. Bounding Box Software’s first game gives it all to the player in a Doom-style gameplay with a mix of old-school graphics and hard-rocking rhythms. This self-described Boomer shooter is currently in early access, and not all parts of the game are available. However, The Load Screen finds more than 5 hours of gameplay worth $24.99, and it gets even cheaper when played on the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Usually, a game in early access does not get reviewed until it gets released since not all the title’s features are available yet, which is valid for ProDeus. However, the game offers enough playable content to garner a proper review. Also, many titles get full releases where not all functions work at the start but still are reviewable; look at Watch Dogs: Legion. The game from Ubisoft did not have a multiplayer feature at launch and delayed its release, as noted in this Ubisoft state of game for Watch Dogs: Legion post. In contrast, ProDeus has all its core components working, including level editing and community sharing. Only the entire campaign and several weapons are not yet available.

The story for ProDeus fits the space isolation mixed with a demonic take-over horror theme and pulls heavily from Doom’s setting. Demons have overrun the space station, and the player is the only one left to end the nightmare. It starts with possessed former comrades wander the halls looking for anyone left alive and will hunt them down with fists and guns. The game expands from there and includes hidden sections cleverly layered throughout the hellscape. I missed many bonuses while rushing through several levels, but the designers often left clues to their presence through powerful upgrades left just out of reach behind bars, doors, or windows.

Unlike Doom, the game is not directly linear, meaning players can complete levels in a different order. The level selection is on an overworld map system that shows all available levels, green section warps, and locked areas. The player is free to move about the map and replay any level, which is good since there is a level reward for having no deaths. There are thirteen significant zones with three challenges and a bonus section called the Ammo Cache. Each level has unique areas and secrets that can take over 25 minutes to complete while individualizing themselves despite the limited enemy types and pixel count.

Although the weapons found throughout the game are formidable, that Ammo Cache secret called the Bandolier doubles player ammo when acquired. The guns for the Early Access version of ProDeus mirror Doom’s selection with fists, pistol, shotgun, rocket launcher, and more if the player finds them. Most weapon types have multiple versions, with varying degrees of slaying. The only problematic weapon was the grenade launcher since I tended to blow myself up with it more than the enemies. Most of the guns have alternative firing modes, and the grenade launcher fires sticky projectiles, which sounded cool until I forgot to release the right trigger for lethal detonation. Shambling zombies became mad bombers armed with my own charges that ended any hope of a quick playthrough.

The animations that accompanied each weapon and the gore they caused was pixelated brutality. Exploding a group of enemies left gallons upon gallons of blood on the floor, and in tight sections, viscera would drop from the ceiling. The animations for each monster and effect are flat 2D sprites with an artist rendering 3D perspectives of the model. The team at Bounding Box Software replicated every angle of characters they used with intense detail. ProDeus is a modern Doom with some of the graphical limitations of the original. Even the corpses do the weird shifting poses depending on player positioning. The varying angles the bodies would flop to depending on where I was looking were mesmerizing.

(Image credit: Bounding Box Software)

The levels have low poly textures for walls and floors to go with the character animations, but the skies overhead had more depth and dimension. Despite the graphical differences, the tones of the distant views did not clash with the less complex objects but made them pop instead. Some levels consist mainly of tight corridors full of hellspawn, but others had plenty of open areas with galactic views of faraway planets.

Those open spaces were to show off the level design and allow for decent platform puzzles. Doom itself did not have a jump function, but ProDeus does and makes excellent use of it. Many secrets unlock through jumping to the proper platform series, but even primary sections require traversing through well-placed platforms. None of the platforming felt overwhelming, and it adds great depth to the level design and puzzle mechanics.

Another area where ProDeus excels is music usage. Bounding Box Software did not blast your ears off with a nonstop soundtrack but used its hard-rocking tunes only for significant battles. I was never afraid when battling a couple of zombies alone until the ProDeus music kicked in. Since the battle intensity grew with stage progression, I jumped to the edge of my seat every time I heard the music change. While some of the weapon and enemy sound effects are not earth-shattering, the original music perfectly suits a proper Doom tribute.

Despite the title not having all levels and weapons available yet, it does include an extensive level editor. A player can create and share their challenging hellscapes since there is only a slight learning curve for building within the editor. Gamers have made some extensive levels that rival challenges found within the campaign. However, some of the player creations have broken functionality, especially if they fail to protect the respawn points from extremely distant enemies adequately. The editor levels also have the one powerhouse weapon that is not in the campaign, and creators take full advantage of it.

(Image credit: Bounding Box Software)

The game does suffer some issues from the chosen graphic style. Since everything close to the player has visible pixilation, it can strain the eyes. Adding to some of the eye strain was the dynamic use of lighting, which lead to dark sections blindingly illuminated by bright flashes of gunfire and energy attacks. The visual layering is excellent but forced me to play the game in shorter sessions than initially wanted. However, other modern titles have similar visual effects that cause this issue for me, like Destiny II and the original Doom title.

ProDeus is for anyone who loves action-packed shooters about fragging cursed demons off the planet. Every inch of the new title oozes that classic Doom-style with a unique take that focuses on gameplay and attitude. The game mixes modern graphics with classic flat enemies well and uses the techniques to complement each other. The visual effects would not matter without decent gameplay, and the Early Access version has it all. Expect The Load Screen team to compare and review ProDeus again when it gets fully published.

ProDeus

• Platforms: PC, Xbox One

• Developer: Bounding Box Software Inc

• Publisher: Bounding Box Software Inc, Humble Bundle

• Release Date: Nov 9, 2020 (Early Access)