Apparently “RomanPunk” is a thing now. I’m not so sure about that but it does somewhat describe the vibe of DieselDome: Oil & Blood, the new retro-futuristic first-person arena shooter by a new indie developer by the name of GHST Studios.
The use of DOOM in the headline wasn’t just to catch your attention; this classically trained FPS is made very much in the spirit of those vintage shooters. Here you’re armed with an absurd gun and then set you free in an arena filled with oddly proportioned gladiators.
It’s not just about blasting away at strange creatures with a minigun, as traversal is important, too. It won’t be long before you’re double jumping, running on the walls, and sliding about the place. Combat has you taking down advancing enemy minions that come at you on foot and from the air.
During my time with the demo I certainly sensed the influence of the survivors-like, and you’ll immediately feel at home picking out your skills whenever you level up. However, the outrageous surroundings of the arena and the constant supply of angry targets means that even with regular upgrades, you’re constantly fighting to stay alive and the gameplay doesn’t feel stale.
This demo version of DieselDome: Oil & Blood gives a good account of itself with explosive combat, a silly but memorable setting, and clever environmental traversal. The trailer below does a better job of explaining things than I’ve done, so watch that and then hit the link if you want to strafe into the arena yourself.
