If you’re in the mood for some fast-paced old-school 90s FPS action, solo developer James Dornan might have just what you need with CRUEL, which was recently released to Steam. Mixing in roguelike elements with run and gun gameplay, CRUEL echoes the look of Blood, as well as having a similar vein of twisted dark humour.
Plus, in Evil Dead fashion, you get to wield a chainsaw and shotgun simultaneously.
Seeing as it’s a homage to the height of 90s shooters, there’s not much here for the story, which doesn’t take itself too seriously. You find yourself disoriented next to a lifeless body in an elevator, trapped in a bizarre hotel. Without hesitation, you grab the weapon from the corpse’s cold grip, bracing yourself for the horrors ahead.
Those horrors involve you battling your way through the hotel’s 10 ever-changing levels, filled with bloodthirsty enemies who won’t stop until you’re dead. The building itself is your enemy—time is running out, and it’s trying to consume you.
Speed is your only ally as you race against the hotel’s constantly shifting environment. Keep an eye out for soda cans, which serve as both health boosts and currency for powerful upgrades. Stack them up and unleash a devastating attack when you need it most.
The action in CRUEL is set to a hard-hitting electronic soundtrack that serves to keep you on edge, thanks to the relentless beats and aggressive synths mirroring the intensity of the gameplay.