Project Warlock

Project Warlock is a retro first-person shooter that was lots of fun despite a primitive 3d engine similar to Wolfenstein 3d that doesn't really do slopes or non-perpendicular walls. No jumping either but there was mouse look for up and down. I say that but midway through the Industrial world (the next-to-last world), it started doing stuff like Doom with diagonal walls and shooting at enemies below, but very minimally. There were simple RPG mechanics with upgradable stats and weapons, perks too, which I liked. I wish there had been a map like Doom as the mini-map in the corner was basically useless. The music was quite appealing, even though the Egypt level tracks were poor. I really liked the designs of the enemies and their animations, especially when they had a second form before they died. The weapons felt satisfying. Every world had a different theme with completely new enemies and items, so it was a bit like five different games. Actually more like four since the last one, Hell, was a bit of a mash-up of previous levels, but not completely. Skyscraper was the best level with that great music and that final battle at the top.
Bonus tip: Get the Student perk asap. You need to have a total of 10 stat points over your 4 stats to unlock it.

mogs the actual boomer shooters combat-wise, but fails to move past the inane ''make rainbow flags out of keycards'' gameplay loop

Project Warlock is one of those games that I think is the definition of a mixed bag and kind of hard to review. The best I could say is that this game does have appeal to a limited audience but it has a lot of elements that don't always mesh well together.
I liked the large array of weapons and how you are able to choose to upgrade your arsenal or magical spells to aid you in killing the hordes. I also liked the level design was quite more linear than other boomer shooters like Doom 2, Wolf 3D or Duke 3D, since I'm not a fan of "where the heck do i go to find this cryptic lever" type of games. The secrets are also relatively easy to stumble upon which here is a good thing since you're going to be needing all the resources you can get to acquire upgrade points for you gear. The melee combat (for me) is deeply satisfying, and if you are like me who always loves melee options that aren't useless in these kinds of games your sword and axe can become quite powerful, by the end of the game I had a berserker build focusing on upgrading my vitality and strength, and getting a perk that recovered health with each sword hit I landed, this build can kind of break the game in your favor even on hard, as I even mowed down the bosses mostly using my melee weapons.
There's things I don't like much about the game too, it seems the gunplay and magic play here is a little bit stilted and clunky, not quite as responsive and snappy as a game like this should be. Some of the weapons seem a lot more limited in use that others and I found myself ignoring magic and guns for the most part and just using my sword. The visual design is a pretty mixed bag, I liked a lot of the creature designs but some of them are hideous to look at in a bad way, even the layouts of some maps use an eye bleeding array of colors, I really think the designers should have thought of a better way to streamline the visual design because it's often painful to look at these environments for more than 20 minutes, especially with dozens of mobs and colors from attacks flashing on the screen.
The level layout is a pretty mixed bag and it definitely seemed to get lazier as the game went on, the quality seemed to take a dip after the Egypt levels, with layouts and enemy spawns that didn't seem to have much thought put into them. Very few levels create any spectacle like other boomer shooters. I also noticed some glitches in the game, which many others have noted falling through the maps several times through no fault of my own and dying, considering people are still complaining about this and Warlock 2 has already come out it's disappointing and I wonder if they'll ever go back and fix them. The game provides some visceral gorey fun but ultimately can feel tired and a bit sloggish by the end, especially when you occasionally struggle to figure out what the game wants you to do, sometimes things blend in with the background in such a way it's almost like the objectives are sometimes hidden for the player. The bosses though interesting and providing a cool experience weren't really challenging in my opinion, they can all be killed by diagonally running and slashing your sword in a circle and I wonder if this was intentionally or my fault for abusing this kind of play style.
At any rate the gunplay is serviceable and there are some interesting weapons and spells, if you wanted a melee/magic/gun hybrid in the form of a boomer shooter I can't think of anything else that would cure that itch well, but at the same time I'm left with a slightly mixed feeling that if the glitches and visual style were cleaned up and it was polished a bit more this would be an overwhelmingly praised gem but unfortunately some of its issues hold it back from GREATNESS. If you're hungry for a boomer shooter that's pretty different you may find some sword slashing demon slaying fun here but know you may take issues with the level design, visuals and glitches.

Pros:
- retro graphics that really feel like from '80-90
- wide range of all types of weapons, from swords through rocket launchers to laser beams guns
- a lot of monsters, varying in every episode
- great music, like every level has different track. Bonus: while paused, you can check the title of the track, nice add on
- You can upgrade your weapons and make them into something completely new, changing their appearance and functionality
- a lot of classic retro shooters references, it's so good
- mana system and using spells - there is only a few of them, but it doesn't matter, it still makes the gameplay fresh and gives the opportunity to choose a right one for your playstyle
- cool fight bosses, however...

Cons:
- ... they are just too easy to get through. Like, with right weapons upgrade you can beat most of them in a minute, in a first try
- life system - on normal you have limited lifes, so you better not die - after losing all of the lives you are made to start the game from scratch. Yep, you heard me right - you lose all unlocked weapons, skills, spells etc, and start from the first level. Main creator states it's for the sake of retro gameplay and to make every death painful, just like in Doom or Wolfenstein 3D. But, here is another huge disappointment:
- no saves - This is the thing that concerns me somehow. 'cause even in Doom or Wolfenstein 3D you could SAVE. Like, you didn't have to, you could have just play without saving and being dependent from gained lifes through gameplay (thus starting almost everything from scratch - ALMOST, cause you could play from your desired episode, not from the first episode) but there was an option to do that. Nevertheless, game is most of the time a cakewalk, so there is only a very small chance you would start from the beginning, but STILL.
- Some levels are starting with a group of enemies shooting at you all at once, which is kinda unfair when it comes to limited lives.

In conclusion, it has it flaws - but it's a love letter to old shooters and with it's smooth gameplay it's a must play.

Project Warlock
Project Warlock is a retro-inspired first-person pixel shooter released in 2018 by Buckshot Software. At first glance, it looks like a love letter to classic 90s shooters like DOOM, Hexen, and Wolfenstein, but after spending time with it, it becomes clear that this game isn’t just borrowing nostalgia; it understands why those games worked.
From the very first launch, one thing immediately stood out: the menu soundtrack. Absolute banger. Heavy, aggressive, and perfectly setting the tone for the chaos ahead.
Go ahead and have a listen; it’s a proper headbanger.
Playlist
It’s the kind of track that makes you sit in the menu longer than necessary, just to let it play.
Project Warlock wastes no time throwing you into its dark, demon-infested world, armed with melee weapons as a starter, fast movement, and zero hand-holding. It respects the player and trusts them to survive through reflexes, positioning, and smart upgrades.
The Plot of Project Warlock
The story in Project Warlock is intentionally minimal, and that’s precisely how it should be. You play as a warlock fighting against waves of monsters, demons, and supernatural horrors across multiple dimensions and time periods.
There’s no excessive exposition, no cinematic interruptions. The plot exists to give context, not to slow you down.
You’re here to kill monsters, uncover dark secrets, and push forward through increasingly hostile environments, and the game never pretends to be anything else.
Gameplay
This is where Project Warlock shines.
The gameplay is fast, responsive, and brutally satisfying. Movement feels sharp, weapons pack a punch (after upgrade) , and enemies demand constant attention. Combat rewards aggression but punishes recklessness, striking a great balance between classic run-and-gun chaos and modern mechanical depth.
The upgrade system adds surprising depth, allowing players to improve weapons, magic, and stats in meaningful ways. This keeps the experience fresh across levels and encourages different playstyles rather than relying on a single dominant strategy.
Visually, the pixel-art aesthetic is well executed. Environments are readable, enemy silhouettes are clear, and visual effects never get in the way of gameplay. The soundtrack, especially during combat, keeps the adrenaline high and complements the pace perfectly.
That said, my playthrough wasn’t entirely flawless. I encountered a couple of instances where I clipped through the map, along with some minor texture artifacts. Nothing game-breaking, but noticeable. Also worth mentioning: the shotgun sound effect on the opening screen is absurdly loud, borderline ear-shattering (for the first time).
Positives:
Excellent fast-paced FPS gameplay.
Fantastic weapon variety and upgrade system.
Banger menu soundtrack and strong overall music.
Responsive controls and satisfying combat loop.
Retro visuals done right.
Respects player skill; no hand-holding.
Good performance on lower-end PCs.
Fair pricing for the amount of content.
Negatives:
Occasional clipping through the map.
Minor texture artifacts.
Project Warlock is a confident, no-nonsense throwback that understands its roots and executes them with care. It’s fast, loud, brutal, and unapologetically old-school, exactly what a retro FPS should be.
9/10
Here are some more of my Reviews if you're interested...

Project Warlock
pros:
//fast game with modern day graphics with easy controls that moves from location A to B to C and so on
//good amount of action and special effects
cons:
//some difficult battles/boss battles
//some difficult mazes
//some overpowered enemies
//some enemies have unfair attacks
//sometimes not enough ammo/health
//sometimes too many enemies
//some lack of directions
//lack of way-points
//sometimes the game is too dark to see
//upgrades cost a lot of resources
//touching lava hazard will insta-kill your character
//somewhat repetitive getting through mazes
//good game
Personal Suggested Purchase Price: $0.99 Or Less During Sale
extra notes:
//You play a gunblazing warlock and fight your way through a DOOM looking mod story
//Various weapons and spells will aid you in your fight against evil
//Spend upgrade points to better your character stats, unlock perks, unlock powerful weapon upgrades, and get spells

Cool and fast game. Pick it up on a sale. Only used sword the entire playthough. Its is OP AF.