Graven (PC/PS5/XSX/PS4/XB1/NSW) - Hexen-Like First Person Puzzler - 2021

[6souls]

Developed by Slipgate Ironworks (Kingpin Reloaded/SiN Reloaded)

Spoiler: show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpjeOih2CHA[/video]

Action, mystery, and a chance for redemption await you in the gritty action first person puzzler GRAVEN. Explore a dark fantasy world as a wrongly convicted man of faith. Battle the horrors of humanity, the wilds, and beyond using the environment, magic, and armaments.

A faithful priest of the Orthogonal order, exiled unto death for a crime in defense of another, you live again in a small boat, adrift in a swamp. A stranger ferries you to solid ground and bestows upon you vague instructions, along with a mysterious staff and book. Go forth, pious priest, alleviate suffering, uncover deceptions, and smash the eldritch perversions encroaching upon reality itself.

A marriage between modern development tools and techniques with a stark late 90s aesthetic bring the action first person puzzler GRAVEN to life, featuring character designs by Chuck Jones (Duke Nukem 3d, Half-Life) and the voice talent of Stephan Weyte (Blood, Fire Emblem, Dusk) in a dark yet distinct medieval fantasy experience.

Features

• Solve puzzles and scour lore to uncover the motives of the foul heretical sects behind the plagues and seasons undermining the land.
• Alter your environment with all that surrounds you, wielding spells and crystals to adjust as you see fit in your pursuit.
• Discover new weapons and upgrade them at blacksmiths and alchemists to customize your capability.
• Expand your horizons by returning to old stomping grounds with new abilities and seeing how far down the chasms go.
• Slay over thirty distinct enemies in an ever broadening world across numerous biomes.
• Walk the parallel path, lest you stumble into the recesses of the world, where the fog knows no light, and creatures beyond time roam free.
• Earn your peace.

https://slipgate-studios.com/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1371690/GRAVEN/

[6souls]

GRAVEN, the dark-fantasy action-adventure FPS co-published by 3D Realms and 1C Entertainment with development by , launches on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC in 2021.

Revealed at Realms Deep 2020, GRAVEN delves into a gruesome medieval world of deities and monstrosities as a disgraced Priest of the Orthogonal Order. When a heretical member of the Order sacrifices the Priest’s adoptive daughter, the Priest lethally retaliates in a bout of righteous fury. Tried and found guilty by his brothers and now exiled to the burning sands, he closes his eyes for one last prayer, for peace. The Creator speaks to him directly: “You will have to earn your peace.”

Heed the Creator by hunting down the foul heretical sects responsible for conjuring plagues and twisting the natural order of the seasons. Blending action, exploration, and puzzle-solving, GRAVEN takes cues from classic shooters, immersive sims, and action RPGs alike. Journey across three expansive, open-ended regions, and scour the lands to purge evil.

Carefully observe a reactive world to find the way: with a journal, the player drives the exploration instead of following waypoints. Listen to townsfolks’ woes and slay the monsters responsible for their torment. Banish over thirty distinct enemies from plagued madmen to swamp beasts with powerful sorceries such as wild blasts of lightning and scorching rays of flame. Solve environmental puzzles with those same powers, altering the world with spells.

Wield destructive conventional weaponry, including magic staves and wrist-mounted crossbows. Find hidden gold to upgrade weapons and spells at blacksmiths and alchemists. Return to previously-plundered areas with new abilities to uncover secrets and entirely new areas. With more than 30 weapons and spells, GRAVEN encourages experimentation. Play solo, with one friend in split-screen co-op, or even in a party of four online for complete arcane chaos.

“GRAVEN began as a game we had often dreamed of,” said Frederik Schreiber, vice president of 3D Realms and Game Director on Graven. “‘What would a spiritual successor to a Dark Fantasy series such as Hexen, have looked like if it was made in 1998 in the original Unreal engine?’ We think the answer is GRAVEN. We hope you do too.”

[Mayareira]

I was going to open a thread for this, you beat me to it. Hexen and Hexen II are my all time favorite FPSs

Unfortunately I don't think I liked the idea of going retro with Graven though. Late 90s style is all good but Hexen II, when it came out was stunning technically and definitely distinguished itself through that aspect. I would've preferred an ambitious sequel/spiritual successor like that.

[6souls]

[Mayareira]

Played demo for a bit and I am both surprised and pleased to see that they've been extremely loyal to the Hexen style, from the game itself to the HUD and menus. it is as if I was playing a sequel from early 2000s.

Optimization is sadly not impressive as I got a poor performance from my laptop.

Looks like a Switch buy for me, I just can't pass anything related to Hexen.