DaRmaZat Sometimes, a game doesn’t ask for your attention — it kicks the door open and demands it with a shotgun blast. Darkenstein 3D is one of those games. Developed and published by solo dev Rowye, this unapologetic love letter to Wolfenstein and its pixel-pumping peers throws you into the chaos of 1940s Germany, where gory vengeance, gritty humor, and a kidnapped dog set the tone. The release date is still under wraps, but even in its alpha state, this retro FPS already oozes personality — the loud, bloody, slightly unhinged kind.
A Man With A Mission (And A Missing Dog)
You play as Hobo — not quite a soldier, not quite a hero, but definitely angry enough to shoot first and never ask questions. When your faithful mutt Gunther is snatched away during a Nazi raid, there’s only one thing to do: load up, bust through bunkers, and paint the walls red. It’s a classic revenge tale, told with a wink and a whole lot of shrapnel.
That mix of absurdity and brutality defines the game’s identity. One moment you’re mourning a fallen comrade; the next, you’re stealing his boots and punching crates into splinters. Even difficulty selection doesn’t escape the madness — you pick your challenge level by walking through a tunnel and hitting a button that responds with a cheerful chicken cluck. No grim introspection here: just carnage, secrets, and beer-powered healing.
Old School Bloodbath
Gameplay is as raw as it gets. There’s no cover system or aim assist, and that’s the point. Dodging projectiles, timing your attacks, and managing stamina is the only way to stay alive. Levels are short but stuffed with things to explore — colored keys to collect, destructible items hiding treasure or cheeky surprises, and branching paths that reward the observant. Secrets are everywhere, and power-ups are earned through curiosity, not handholding.
Shooting feels punchy and frantic, especially once you graduate from pistol to machine gun, with grenades that feel hilariously overpowered in just the right way. Crouching tightens your aim and lets you nail the smaller (but no less deadly) enemies, like zombified soldiers or aggressive German shepherds. It’s silly. It’s satisfying. It’s fun.
Just don’t expect mercy. Some rooms throw an overwhelming number of enemies at you with no warning. Checkpoints are your only safety net — no manual saving here. And if you were hoping to uncover every secret in one go, tough luck: levels sometimes end the moment you step into a tunnel, cutting the hunt short without so much as a warning.
Glorious Pixels and Pounding Drums
Visually, Darkenstein 3D nails the retro shooter aesthetic. Chunky sprites, bold color palettes, and just enough visual grime to make the whole thing feel grimy and lived-in. The framerate is butter-smooth — no surprise, given the low system demands — and while a few alpha-stage glitches expose parts of the map you weren’t meant to see, none of it breaks the experience.
Lighting plays a surprisingly big role: many areas are pitch black without a flashlight, and not all weapons let you equip one. That can get frustrating in dark underground sections, especially when your trusty torch vanishes between levels. Still, it’s more of a rough edge than a dealbreaker. The same goes for certain crates that refuse to break, even when you’ve got stamina to spare. Just alpha things.
On the audio front, the soundtrack absolutely slaps. Thundering drums and wild guitar riffs fuel the tempo of combat, especially in those crowded ambush rooms where everything’s exploding and your rat companion is biting ankles left and right. Yes, there’s a rat too — and he’s vicious.
Preliminary Thoughts
Darkenstein 3D may still be in alpha, but it already hits harder than many finished shooters. It’s fast, messy, and packed with charm — a game that knows exactly what it wants to be and doesn’t apologize for it. Sure, it has rough edges. Some progression quirks and lighting hiccups could use polish. But there’s something undeniably exciting about a game this confident in its chaos. If you’ve ever longed for the days when shooters were just about you, a shotgun, and a room full of bad guys, Darkenstein 3D might be your next obsession. Keep your eyes peeled — and your boots looted.
Additional Information
Release Date: 2025
Reviewed On: PC. Download code provided by the developer and publisher.
Developer: Rowye
Publisher: Rowye
Relevant Links: Darkenstein 3D on STEAM
