How Retro-Style FPS Graven Appeals To Old-School RPG Fans

RPGs and first-person shooters share a long history. Early party-based dungeon crawlers inspired early FPS titles, leading to the legendary shooters of developers like id Software and 3D Realms. Graven, a dark fantasy FPS from the modern iteration of 3D Realms, certainly has what it takes to please fans of these retro shooters. A spiritual successor to Hexen 2, the game casts players as an exiled priest taking on eldritch horrors in a strange new land. But Graven also borrows plenty from classic RPGs and immersive sims, letting it appeal to a wide swath of the PC gaming audience.

While it may look like any other modern DOOM clone, Graven has a more nuanced narrative than its peers and a whole host of NPCs to talk to. The priest protagonist arrives on unknown shores without much of a sense of direction, but he quickly discovers an aqueduct full of revived dead that need clearing out. This goes right into the game’s quest log, which provides guidance as players arrive in Graven‘s first hub town. Players also have access to a contently updated journal of the priest’s thoughts and concerns, exploring his regretful use of unholy magic against the attacking hordes.

Though the magic Graven‘s priest learns throughout the game does help in his adventure, it’s not in the way many FPS fans would expect. In magic-themed shooters like Hexen, spells replace the usual assortment of shotguns and sniper rifles with mystic equivalents. In Graven, spells can serve that purpose, but they’re sometimes more useful as puzzle-solving implements than as weapons. The first such spell sets things on fire, but enemies seem immune to it. Players have to instead use the spell on rotting piles of corpses in the environment to clear out enemies (although they can also position explosive barrels near enemies if they really want them to blow up).

Graven Sets Up A Lived-In Fantasy World

Graven‘s setting that is less abstract than a typical retro FPS. It depicts towns with busy citizens and boarded up businesses. There’s less activity in the streets because of the evil forces at work, but it’s still a far cry from abandoned bases on Mars or the depths of Hell. It’s not a perfect fit, especially since the title character can shatter any attempts at realism by utilizing a Duke Nukem-esque kick to open barrels and boxes whenever he pleases. However, there is roleplaying potential here for anyone willing to delve deep.

All of this means Graven appeals to fans of old-school RPGs, FPS games, and computer games in general. For DOOM fans, it’s another beautifully pixelated 3D world of zombies to bash on the head. For RPG fans, it has the mood of something like Thief and ongoing storytelling that’s immediately gripping. 3D Realms and developer Slipgate Ironworks have created a fantastical first-person experience that looks to only get better as it emerges from Early Access, and retro fans of all types should take notice.

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