Graven (2024)

My initial anticipation for Graven leaned towards the likes of Hexen 2 or even Heretic 2, yet it veered more towards the essence of Strife, boasting a detailed town to traverse akin to Arx Fatalis, complete with the ability to manipulate objects and wield fire spells for tactical advantage.

Survival in Graven is a delicate balance; a mere few strikes can lead to your downfall. While reminiscent of Unreal's unforgiving nature, the absence of a save/load feature intensified the challenge. Learning the hard way, I perished due to unforeseen explosive elements—beyond the typical red barrels, even seemingly innocuous red crates and obscure altars turned out to be hazardous, with each death denting my purse.

The menace of airborne adversaries is a staple in FPS games, yet Graven's diminutive, elusive foes with devastating area-of-effect attacks posed a formidable threat, frustratingly difficult to dispatch.

My frustration peaked during encounters with the Archivist boss, whose ability to phase through obstacles and unleash lethal ranged assaults, alongside an enigmatic health-draining mechanic, left me bewildered and exasperated. The absence of clear explanations exacerbated the ordeal, compounded by the peril of instant demise upon respawn.

Backtracking sans map amidst resurrected adversaries proved a tedious ordeal, exacerbated by the absence of a once-promised map feature and the relentless onslaught of foes.

Completing the first episode yielded little satisfaction, as progression into subsequent quests felt abrupt and unearned. Despite the commendable art style, Graven's deficiencies—lack of saves, navigational aids, and a dissonance between enemy abundance and ammunition scarcity, compounded by technical glitches—ultimately soured the experience, prompting an unprecedented decision to abandon the game.