Developer Counterplay Games has described Godfall and its mixture of action RPG-style loot progression and third-person melee combat as a new type of genre: the looter-slasher. After spending five hours with Godfall–which included an abundance of loot and plenty of things to slash (or stab, crush, and beat to a pulp)–it’s clear that this modest twist on the looter-shooter holds up, even if there’s little about it that feels intrinsically “new.”
Godfall’s influences are apparent from the get-go, ranging from games like Diablo and Borderlands to Monster Hunter and Warframe. So far, after fighting my way through the opening few missions, Godfall doesn’t yet feel derivative of any one of these influences. Familiar as many of its elements may be, Counterplay presents them in such a way that it never imitates any one game, instead combining all of these facets with some original ideas to create something almost singular.
As with any game like this, however, Godfall will still live and die on the quality of its combat and loot progression. Although you start the game equipped with a basic longsword, your arsenal eventually grows as you loot chests, defeat enemies, and complete missions. Godfall has the usual assortment of gear rarities, from common up to legendary, while your collection of weapon types includes a rangey polearm, rapid dual blades, and a hefty warhammer, among others. Each weapon type dictates your playstyle, although they all share the same basic combos and an array of abilities that can be unlocked via a skill tree.
Want to know how much of a difference a PS5’s optimization patch adds to your PS4 games? Check out this comparison of Days Gone, running on PS4 Pro and PS5 with the latest patches.