Prodeus is a first-person shooter game developed by Bounding Box Software and published by Humble Games.[1] The game was crowdfunded by a Kickstarter campaign in April 2019. An early access version was released on November 9, 2020.[2] The full game was released on macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in September 2022.[3] A DLC was announced for the game in 2023.
| Prodeus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Bounding Box Software[1] |
| Publisher(s) | Humble Games |
| Composer(s) | Andrew Hulshult James Paddock |
| Engine | Unity |
| Platform(s) | macOS Microsoft Windows Nintendo Switch PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5 Xbox One Xbox Series X/S |
| Release | September 23, 2022 |
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Gameplay
editThe developers describe Prodeus as "the first-person shooter of old, re-imagined using modern rendering techniques."[1] The gameplay resembles that of classic 1990s first-person shooters such as Doom and Quake.[4] The player must explore complex levels, sometimes searching out keys to progress, while engaging enemies in fast-paced combat using a variety of weapons. To help the player find their way, and to aid in discovering secrets, the game features an automap similar in function to those featured in games such as Doom, Duke Nukem 3D, and Metroid Prime.
Prodeus employs a modern game engine to extend the experience of classic shooters with visuals such as dynamic lighting and particle effects, interactive levels, a gore system, and a dynamic soundtrack.[5] Though the game may be played entirely with modern visuals, the game allows the player to apply shaders that give the game a pixelated look, simulating resolutions down to 360p or even 216p.
Plot
editThe player assumes control of a corrupted agent of Prodeus, the mysterious creator of the player and the game world. The only goal is to destroy Prodeus and anything that gets in the way.[citation needed]
Development
editDevelopers Mike Voeller and Jason Mojica met while working together at Raven Software on Singularity. By 2017, Voeller had decided to leave the industry to pursue an idea for a retro first-person shooter (that would become Prodeus). Around that time, Mojica reconnected with Voeller and decided to leave his job at Starbreeze Studios to join the project.[4][6] Later, the two recruited Andrew Hulshult for the soundtrack and Josh "Dragonfly" O'Sullivan from the Doom modding community to work on level design.[7]
Prodeus was announced in November 2018.[8] The launch trailer and later gameplay demos[9] were created with a pre-alpha version of the game showcasing a typical level.
The developers have stated that community engagement was considered a core principle of the game from the beginning.[6] Thus, Prodeus includes an integrated level editor from day one.[10] Anyone who owns the game on a PC will have the same tools used by the developers to make levels from scratch. The level editor is built specifically for Prodeus and is designed for speed and ease of use.[citation needed]
Despite originally promising a native Linux version,[11] it was announced on September 5, 2022 that the game would instead merely be tailored for the Proton compatibility layer, citing issues with platform support from the Unity game engine.[12]
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | (NS) 81/100[13] (PC) 84/100[14] (PS5) 75/100[15] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| Eurogamer | Recommended[16] |
| Jeuxvideo.com | 15/20[17] |
| Nintendo Life |   [18] |
| Nintendo World Report | 7.5/10[19] |
| NME |  [20] |
| Push Square | [21] |
| TouchArcade | 4.5/5[22] |
Prodeus received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator Metacritic.[13][14][15]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Prodeus on Steam". Steam. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ^ "In development: Prodeus". November 9, 2020.
- ^ Romano, Sal (September 16, 2022). "Prodeus launches September 23 for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC". Gematsu. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
- ^ a b Newman, Ben (March 26, 2019). "Prodeus is Distinctly Old School, But its Developers Are Not Interested in Repeating the Past". Only Single Player. Archived from the original on August 29, 2021. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
- ^ Papadopoulos, John (March 28, 2019). "Kickstarter campaing [sic] launched for Prodeus; old-school first-person retro shooter using modern rendering techniques". Dark Side of Gaming. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
- ^ a b "Quakecast #22: Jason Mojica of Bounding Box & Prodeus". QuakeCast (Podcast). Podbean. April 16, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
- ^ "Prodeus - A New Retro-FPS In Development". Dragonfly's Doomworks. April 6, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
- ^ Morse, Blake (November 26, 2018). "Prodeus reveal trailer mixes modern and classic FPS styles". Shacknews. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
- ^ Prodeus : Pre-Alpha 12 mins of Gameplay. Prodeus Game. April 10, 2019. Retrieved April 26, 2019 – via YouTube.
- ^ Tarason, Dominic (March 29, 2019). "Retro FPS Prodeus summons the demons of crowdfunding". Rock Paper Shotgun. Retrieved April 26, 2019.
- ^ Dawe, Liam (April 26, 2019). "Retro-inspired bloody shooter Prodeus fully funded and coming to Linux". GamingOnLinux.
- ^ Dawe, Liam (September 6, 2022). "Prodeus cancels the Native Linux version, focusing on Proton compatibility (updated)". GamingOnLinux.
- ^ a b "Prodeus for Switch Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ a b "Prodeus for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ a b "Prodeus for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ Lane, Rick (October 6, 2022). "Prodeus review – a fearsome hybrid of old and new FPS ideas". Eurogamer. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ Jiikaa (March 7, 2021). "Prodeus, le FPS rétro qui ressuscite l'esprit du Doom de 1993". Jeuxvideo.com. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ Vogel, Mitch (November 3, 2022). "Review: Prodeus - An Excellent DOOM-Style Shooter For Old-School FPS Fans". Nintendo Life. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ Rairdin, John (December 7, 2022). "Prodeus (Switch) Review Mini". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
- ^ Tucker, Jake (October 10, 2022). "Prodeus review: faster, more intense". NME. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ Ramsey, Robert (October 5, 2022). "Mini Review: Prodeus (PS5) - Old School Shooter Is Derivative But So Damn Good". Push Square. Retrieved October 13, 2022.
- ^ Musgrave, Shaun (November 4, 2022). "SwitchArcade Round-Up: Reviews Featuring Prodeus & Ghost Song, Plus the Latest Releases and Sales". TouchArcade. Retrieved June 6, 2023.