The original Quake engine is something of legend, and today comes the news that it is being utilised fully in order to deliver something of a spiritual successor, with WRATH: Aeon of Ruin for Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PS4 and PC.
The dark fantasy horror first-person shooting experience of WRATH: Aeon of Ruin is something that many a gamer will find hugely appealing, especially seeing as the original Quake engine will be powering it. This should ensure that the creation from the development team at KillPixel, along with work from 1C Entertainment and 3D Realms, will ensure that homage is paid to the classic era of gaming.
Coming to Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch in early 2020, with a PC release before it, WRATH: Aeon of Ruin, will be infused by the DNA of some of the most revered ’90s shooters, embracing the timeless elements of classic titles such as Doom, Quake, Duke Nukem 3D and more, pulling the genre into the 21st century. But that isn’t where the similarities end, and with Quake Champions composer Andrew Hulshult and Cyberpunk 2077 Senior Audio Engineer Bjørn Jacobsen on board, the ethereal atmosphere fuelled by ghostly ambience and heavy metal, will certainly help.
WRATH sees you thrown into proceedings as the Old World has passed away. Amidst the ruins lurks an ageless fear, and an 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.
This will then see you needing to traverse ancient crypts, sunken ruins, corrupted temples and howling forests with nine weapons and ten artifacts of dreadful might. Traditional firearms such as the double-barreled shotgun will be found laying waste to foes, particularly when the alternate fire abilities come into play, with the Retcher and the Fangspitter transforming the cysts and teeth ripped from the corpses of enemies into death-dealing projectiles.
WRATH’s hub world will have been designed to inspire those intent on exploration-heavy non-linear play. In fact, only the first two realms will be open at first, but keys lay hidden throughout the five worlds of WRATH will ensure access to other doors. Secrets will lay scattered in the shadows, with these rewarding the explorer with both lore and desperately-needed armaments. Beware though, as WRATH’s hardcore monsters will make the whole prospect of survival grim. Even saving the game can be terrifying — Soul Tethers allow saving anywhere, but they’re finite, so you’ll need to play aggressively, but strategically.
“WRATH’s dark fantasy horror, core gameplay and classic feel, is something we feel is often imitated, but rarely matched. It’s something sorely missing from today’s games,” said Frederik Schreiber, Vice President of 3D Realms and Producer on WRATH. “Alongside our team of Quake scene developers who are masters of their craft, and the game visionary, Jeremiah ‘KillPixel’ Fox, the haunting journey they are creating is going to be incredible.”
“With the POWER of the legendary original Quake engine, WRATH brings back good memories while at the same time creates greater new ones,” said Nikolay Baryshnikov, CEO of 1C Entertainment.
If you’re interested in what WRATH brings than your first taste of the action will come in the summer of 2019 when a PC, Mac and Linux release drops. An Xbox One, PS4 and Nintendo Switch release will arrive in early 2020.
