Some of us remember the days when gamers were talking about good old fashioned 3D shooters. Games like Doom II, Duke Nukem 3D, Blood, and more, were on the covers of every gaming magazine, and for good reason. These games popularized the 3D shooter genre, and now, over two decades later, we've been surprised by a game that took everything we loved about them, mixed it with a healthy dose of nostalgia, and showcased it. with retro-3D graphics to create something extraordinary. . That something is Ion Fury, and if you enjoyed playing with the pioneers of 3D shooting games, or even just heard great stories about them, you are going to love it!
Development and reception
Ion Fury was developed by Voidpoint, LLC and published by 3D Realms. Yes, the same 3D realms that brought us gems like Duke Nukem 3D and Shadow Warrior. About two decades later, they decided to use the good old build engine again to create a game that will make all those 3D shooter games we remember and love proud. Initially, the game was to be called Ion Maiden, but heavy metal band Brittish Iron Maiden threatened to sue 3D Realms. The name of the game has therefore been changed to become Ion Fury.
The game was released on August 15, 2019 on Steam and GoG, and so far it has been very well received. On his Steam page, Ion Fury (currently August 17) is posting 96% extremely positive results with over 1 reviews. On GoG, Ion Fury currently has an overall rating of 400 / 4,5. The publishers have also announced plans to release the game later on on PS5, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
story
The Ion Fury story follows explosives expert Shelly "Bombshell" Harrison, who earned him his nickname bomb defusing for Global Defense Force. She must use her "explosive" skills to eliminate members of the demonic cybernetic cult, unleashed on the streets of Neo DC by the evil mastermind named Dr. Jadus Heskel. It is worth noting that Heskel is voiced by none other than Jon St. John, the lead actor known for playing the legendary Duke Nukem.
Ion Fury is a direct sequel to Bombshell's 3D game Realms, released in 2016. However, this game has not been very well received by audiences and has received mixed reviews. Still, you don't need to play to familiarize yourself with the story and the setting since Ion Fury fits quite well as a standalone title.
gameplay
Now for the interesting part. Besides the campaign, Ion Fury offers several different bonus missions, such as the Preview campaign titled Crisis in Columbia; Queen of the Hill - a mode in which you have to survive waves of enemies for as long as possible; and a trial of Bombardier - a mode in which you play with endless bowling bombs. Still, the campaign is pretty much the main focus of Ion Fury, and certainly the most entertaining part of it.
Shelly can use a variety of weapons to take out opponents. Each of these has two modes of fire. It starts off with a rapid-fire revolver named Loverboy that you'll use to take down major enemies quickly. You will also be able to use Electrifryer, a close range weapon used to shock your enemies. The Disperser is a shotgun type weapon that can also be used as a grenade launcher with its alternate fire mode. Penetrator is an SMG type weapon that can set enemies on fire with its ammo. Its alternate fire mode allows you to wield two of these babies. You will also be able to find many other cool weapons including Chaingun, Ion Bow, Bowling Bombs, and more.
The gameplay itself is very reminiscent of Duke Nukem 3D. The feel is quite similar, and right off the bat, you'll feel like you're playing a 3D shooter straight out of the 90s. Still, the developers have taken most of the old 3D shooter games and added nice modern features like improved controls, headshots, auto saves, and more. Ion Fury's main campaign features around ten hours of content. of $ 24,99, is a pretty decent bang for your buck. And make no mistake, these ten hours are only for the first part. Ion Fury features four different difficulty levels and tons of secrets scattered across the maps. As a result, you will get many more hours of fun and excitement.
Graphic
If the old school retro style isn't appealing to everyone, if you like games like Duke Nukem 3D, Blood or Shadow Warrior, you are going to love this game. Ion Fury seems to have been developed in the 90s and buried in a time capsule for twenty years. All low resolution textures give Ion Fury a unique feel. It's something really special that can't be described in words. Also, if you change the settings and the resolution, you will definitely feel like you are playing a long lost cousin of Duke Nukem 3D.
The levels are beautifully designed. There's no procedural build, which means every level is created by hand, which is honestly an amazing thing, and hats off to the developers for doing it. Overall, Ion Fury was designed to look like '90s games, without any fancy effects or realistic graphics, and frankly, that's perfect.
Atmosphere
This is perhaps the best part of the game. The bloody, thrilling and thrilling action of Ion Fury will captivate you from the start. Every time you shoot a bullet, throw a bomb, or electrocute an enemy, you will feel the thrilling sensation run through your body. He managed to replicate all the incredible excitement of Duke Nukem 3D and gave it to us with a modern twist.
Music and sound effects also contribute to the general atmosphere. Simply put, they are fantastic and will immerse you incredibly in the game world. Every sound of weapons or howls of evil cultists being shredded by your murderous weapon will give you a thrilling sense of satisfaction. Plus, the music playing in the background is the icing on the cake and will really bring back that '90s feeling.
Every now and then, Shelly will add a few cheesy one-liners, which will further increase that retro aspect of the game. Additionally, while playing you will come across tons of Easter eggs referencing some of the game titles inspired by Ion Fury.
Verdict
All in all, Ion Fury is a must-have for all shooting enthusiasts, whether old school or modern. The developers took a bit of every good '90s shooter, mixed it up, and added a modern twist to create this gem. Go try it, you won't regret it!
Atmosphere 10
Graphics 7
Gameplay 9
