Review code provided by the publisher
Gods Will Fall is a vibrant game that ensnares you with its beauty and then constricts you with its enemies. It’s both parts Roguelike and Soulslike game that pits an 8 person team of Vikings against 5 gods and their armies of zealots. The combat is fun, the baddies are plentiful, and the challenge is high. It hits the points that it aimed for and only misses the mark by an inch or two.
Story
The game’s story is told to us by a narrator as he explains to us a world dominated by the gods. They’re demanding, cruel, and ruthless to those they rule over and need to be taken down. In order to defeat these gods and bring peace back to mankind, a colony of what appear to be Viking-like people voyage out on a hunt. The Vikings are attacked at sea and only 8 out of thousands make it out alive. These 8 warriors bound together to continue their journey to set the world free.
Gameplay
As I said above, Gods Will Fall is a bit of a mixed bag in terms of gameplay. It’s a really good thing and helps to make playthroughs feel new and challenging. The core of the game revolves around your 8 warriors and how you decide to use them in order to finish dungeons and fulfill your mission. Each dungeon asks you to choose one of your warriors to venture into it. If your warrior fails, then it’s time to send in another. Rinse and repeat.
You can choose to leave the dungeon after a warrior fails but they will be trapped there. You can, however, save your fallen warriors by eventually completing the dungeons, thus setting them free and returning them to your team. Choosing which character to send into dungeons takes a bit of strategy. Each one has their own set of stats and weapons that give them better advantages during their dungeon run. Some will also react to certain dungeons differently as you approach them which may either lower or raise their stats for that specific one.
Combat is extremely important in this game because timing is everything. All of the warriors fight differently because of their stats and weapons which can make fights bend more in your favor. Light, heavy, and combinations too will differ from character to character as well. Finding my favorite warriors was imperative to getting my team further into the game. The various kinds of enemies also do a fine job of making my mission even tougher as they too differ in fighting styles and the stats that they hold. Some are quicker but have lean health while slower enemies hit harder and need a bit more hits to take down.
Though taking enemy blows may have gotten me worried at times, they would also build my warriors’ bloodlust which would heal their injuries and make them let out a ferocious roar that would send enemies back. There are also the occasional buffs and such littered throughout each dungeon to shake up gameplay and offer some kind of edge in your favor. Traversing the dungeons have their own dangers that they place the player in as well. There are a lot of places that a player could misjudge and mistakenly walk their warrior off of a cliff. I would continuously use these in my favor to knock harder enemies right out of my way. That’s not to say that I didn’t stumble off of one of these myself at times.
Now, there is a decision that players can make when venturing into these dungeons. You can opt to fight every single enemy that you come across which actually affects the dungeon’s god by depleting its health as you slay its zealots. While this was my preferred method, you could also go another route in strategy. One might choose to just dash past enemies and run straight to the god and fight them head-on. While they will be stronger, you might find yourself with more health when you take them on. Having the choice of how to carry out the mission is extremely satisfying. As always, the bosses are difficult and will not only destroy your warriors when given the chance but can also change up your arena. There’s nothing worse than having a god on the ropes but losing because you fell through a hole that they created.
The roguelike portion really comes into play after you’ve depleted your team of Vikings. You’ll get the iconic “Game Over” screen but will get the chance to come back to the mysterious island with a new crew of shipwrecked Vikings. This time, you may think you know what to expect but will be sadly mistaken. The world’s dungeons themselves really don’t change in structure but the enemies may be in more abundance in certain dungeons that may have been easier before and vice-versa. It makes it a game of heavy decision making because once a warrior goes in, they can’t come out until the dungeon is finished.
Visuals
The island and realms of Gods Will Fall call out to be explored and it’s extremely evident in the way that each area is crafted. Each one has its own set-pieces, color palette, and theme that it abides by through and through to match its god. I was blown away at times by just how looming some of these worlds and characters would really bring them full-circle. It’s a real adventure.
Audio
There isn’t much in audio in terms of voice or really music but the background sounds and weapons make for a fantastic soundscape. I appreciated the simplicity and really embraced it to its fullest.
Replayability
Because of the game’s mechanics and mysterious world, it’s definitely worth multiple playthroughs. I can guarantee that most players will not finish every dungeon on their first go. I didn’t mind sacrificing warriors here and there just to see the other dungeons as I went along. I think that’s where the game shines because of its sense of mystery and wonder that it puts into its players within the world around them.
What It Could Have Done Better
There really aren’t any big qualms that I have with this title. I do think that it would’ve been cool to have more to it besides just crawling dungeons and fighting baddies. Maybe some customization options would’ve helped it shake the gameplay up a little bit more and possibly even some survival aspects. These are Vikings that are stranded on an island after all. The pickups that are found throughout the dungeons were fickle at best during my playthroughs and I barely ever even looked for them because of it. There also aren’t many instructions on what some of these pickups even do.
Verdict
Gods Will Fall is a great time to be had in just about every way. It does enough to set itself apart from other titles in its genres while still feeling familiar. There’s something about mashing up roguelike and soulslike games together that just feels so right. Even in its simple form, it still has quite enough challenge within to make every move feel like a heavy choice. It’s also one of the most polished games I’ve played in recent memory. If this seems even remotely like something you’d enjoy playing, it’s definitely worth a shot.
