Fans of retro ’90s shooters have an interesting new addition to the genre with the official release of prodeus a game that pays homage to the era itself rather than a specific FPS. Developer Bounding Box Software openly wears his influences with obvious references to them sinking, Wolfstein, quakeand more, but at no time prodeus ever commit to cloning a game.
Instead, it simply tries to fit into the same playing field as these other games, while giving its players something unique in the process. While some tactics that worked in 90’s shooters are translated here, some new tricks must be learned in order to conquer the many levels set in this boomer shooter’s alien hellscape. Here are the top tips to get you started.
10/10 Don’t stop moving
Take a cue from demise – both old and new – prodeus requires players to fight on the move, enemies are numerous and accurate, and standing still or even taking cover will prompt several of them to land a hit or four. This run-and-gun style can make aiming a little more difficult, but the weapons are powerful enough to be a minor inconvenience, and the power of modern gaming gear means the graphics can keep up with the frenetic gameplay.
The levels are also designed for this constant movement. Each battle arena features numerous obstacles to run behind, platforms to jump onto or duck under, and different elevations to break up the enemy horde into smaller, more manageable groups. Players should use all of this to their advantage.
9/10 Don’t get cocky
prodeus has a fantastic opening level. It does a great job of teaching all the basics of the game (of which there aren’t many), throwing the player into unarmed combat, and then giving them a weapon so they can dive straight into the meat of the gameplay. The whole thing takes about five minutes, but gives an excellent first impression.
One thing the opening level isn’t is overly difficult. This can give players a false sense of confidence that is quickly shattered by the rapidly escalating difficulty of the following levels. In other words, be prepared to learn more and learn fast as the game progresses, and definitely don’t expect Fist Attacks to remain as usable throughout the game as they were when it was introduced.
8/10 Decide between sprites and models
Something that immediately catches your eye prodeus is his art style. A cross between old-school 16-bit graphics and modern lighting and effects, it’s a surprisingly compelling combination of artistic ideas that would seem to clash on paper but work beautifully in practice.
However, players may need to tinker with the game’s settings to get the visuals feeling just right. This will be primarily due to the game’s enemies, which have both 16-bit sprites and 3D models that can be implemented. For some, the 3D models will look wrong in the game’s pixelated environments. For others, the sprites will be distracting due to their low resolution. prodeus makes it easy to switch between the two, so try both and choose what feels most natural.
7/10 Experiment with weapons
There is a lot of of available weapons in prodeus. Right off the bat, players get a pistol, followed by a shotgun, plasma rifle, and two-handed SMGs. The arsenal only expands from there, and includes energy weapons, rocket launchers, and more.
Each weapon is also equipped with an alternate fire to supplement its standard ammo. Both standard and alternate fire are essential for survival as the game progresses. Players shouldn’t be afraid to try new weapons as they become available, as ammo is rarely limited, and knowing which weapons best suit your playstyle will make it easier to select your next tool of destruction in the heat of battle.
6/10 Pick up some ore fragments
In the game’s levels, players will come across ore fragments, a resource that they can use to unlock new weapons if they later find a shop. It doesn’t take long for ore fragments to start accumulating, and when the first store finally appears, players should have enough to pick up the shotgun, and retro shooter fans might be inclined to do so.
However, it’s advisable to save up a little more Ore Fragments and buy the Plasma Rifle first instead. The main reason is that the shotgun, pistol and SMGs use the same ammo type while the plasma rifle uses plasma ammo. For versatility alone, save up a little more and get the Plasma Rifle first to avoid situations where players accidentally burn all their ammo while a stash of Plasma Ammo lies useless.
5/10 Backtrack often
While the game features numerous levels, it doesn’t take too long for players to finish. They can usually expect five to 15 minutes from start to finish, but that’s just for slogging your way through the enemies to the finish line. There is many more to be found at the edges of each area.
On the level selection screen, each level displays its total number of secrets as well as how many the player has discovered so far. Rarely will the first run through a level end with all these mysteries. As such, players should be prepared to double down frequently and collect any secrets they may have missed along the way.
4/10 Get used to the auto map
Prodeus’ Auto Map is exceptional. It’s probably better than it needs to be, to be honest. The game’s level design is of high quality, so players don’t often have to rely on the environment map to find their way forward. However, it becomes extremely useful when you are looking for secrets and this is where familiarity will come in handy.
The extremely detailed 3D representation of each stage is not only easy to navigate from above, but also prodeus actually allows players to see the map from a “drone perspective” by flying down into each corridor and exploring it without having to jump or face enemies in their way. There is a learning curve associated with all of these tools, so it’s well worth spending a little more time getting used to all of the options available on the map screen.
3/10 Play with headphones
This is less of a tactical tip and more of a tip for appreciating the underlying aspects of Prodeus’ Draft. The sound of the game is consistently top notch. Guns are punchy and satisfying, discharging lead with satisfactory reports or emitting air-firing lasers with a well-known “charge-and-fire” effect. Similarly, each enemy type has their own unique vocalizations, and more importantly, they all explode in a glorious, squirting mess.
Then there’s the soundtrack. Take a cue from demise, heavy guitar riffs and bass drums drive the playing tempo. not how sinking, however, the heavy metal in prodeus is less experimental and more traditional, contributing more to the sense of being an epic killing machine than to the sense of foreshadowing the evil that surrounds its better-known boomer-shooter cousin.
2/10 Activate the minimal HUD
As a description, “Minimal HUD” does a disservice to what this setting actually offers the player. From the start of the game, the main character is essentially wearing a super suit, represented by overlaying a visor effect as part of the HUD. This effect hardly obstructs the player’s view of the battlefield.
Turning on the “Minimum HUD” setting does nothing other than remove this “visor” effect. Health, ammo, and weapons are still clearly displayed, as is the crosshair. The setting makes it easier to see moment-to-moment gameplay, which is almost essential given how fast some fights are.
1/10 Complete test missions
As they progress through the level selection screen, players will notice that occasionally a “trial” level will pop up off the beaten path. They may seem trivial, but they’re worth playing for a number of reasons.
For one, completing a Trial will reward Ore Fragments, leading to more weapon unlocks, which is always a good thing. Second, they allow practice with a specific weapon in an enclosed area specifically designed for its use, increasing player comfort with that weapon outside of the main levels. And third, the exams are great. They are very well designed and each adds its own twist to the game’s combat systems while offering unique ways to obliterate enemies not found on other levels.
prodeuswas released on September 23, 2022 and is available for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC and macOS, with a Nintendo Switch release planned in the near future.
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