GRAVELORD Review

Gravelord, developed and published by Fatbot Games, is the kind of game that leans unapologetically into its absurdity. Featuring a protagonist described as “dumb as hell, but strong as a horse,” this action-packed adventure follows Queedo the Gravedigger on his quest to beat the living daylights out of the oncoming hordes of darkness. Armed with his mighty Total Uber Shovel and an arsenal of ludicrously powerful weapons, Queedo’s journey is less about solemnly tending to graves and more about ensuring that the undead stay buried—permanently.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnlYMvxAsv4

With a tone that’s equal parts dark fantasy and slapstick comedy, Gravelord doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s precisely where its charm lies. The game blends fast-paced hack-and-slash combat with over-the-top weaponry and an irreverent sense of humour that embraces the chaos. Think Doom meets Army of Darkness, but with more dirt and a lot more digging.

But is Gravelord just another mindless brawler, or does it dig deeper (pun intended) to offer a genuinely engaging experience? Let’s unearth the details and find out.

Setting and Story: A Gravedigger’s Absurd Quest for Mayhem

The world of Gravelord is as ridiculous as its protagonist, Queedo the Gravedigger. Set in a grim yet bizarrely comical dark fantasy realm, the game wastes no time in establishing its premise: the dead aren’t staying buried, and it’s up to Queedo—who is more muscle than mind—to fix that problem with extreme prejudice. There’s no prophecy, no chosen one—just a guy with a shovel and an unshakable enthusiasm for whacking things into submission.

The story unfolds across haunted cemeteries, cursed battlegrounds, and eerie catacombs, each teeming with hordes of reanimated corpses, grotesque creatures, and other unfortunate souls who didn’t quite make it to the afterlife. The enemies aren’t just your standard shambling zombies—there are grotesque necromantic abominations, skeleton warriors, and eldritch horrors that seem ripped straight from a heavy metal album cover. The deeper Queedo digs (literally and figuratively), the more he uncovers about the source of the undead plague, leading to encounters with necromancers, corrupted knights, and even otherworldly beings who would rather see him join the ranks of the grave than manage it.

While Gravelord doesn’t take itself seriously, the game still manages to drip-feed lore through environmental storytelling, cryptic NPCs, and scattered notes that hint at a larger, darker force at play. But let’s be real—players aren’t here for a deep and meaningful narrative. The game’s true focus is on delivering a blend of mindless fun and just enough world-building to keep things interesting.

Queedo himself is a standout element of the story. His dumb-but-determined personality shines through in cutscenes, where he approaches each new undead threat with the same amount of subtlety as a wrecking ball. His dialogue (or, more often, his grunts and quips) keeps the tone light and absurd, making him one of the more entertaining protagonists in recent memory.

At its core, Gravelord is a game that knows exactly what it is: a gloriously unhinged, undead-smashing power fantasy wrapped in a darkly comedic package. The setting and story serve as the perfect backdrop for Queedo’s rampage, ensuring that every step forward leads to more carnage, more chaos, and more reasons to keep swinging that Total Uber Shovel.

Gameplay and Mechanics: Smash, Dig, and Conquer

At its core, Gravelord is a fast-paced, hack-and-slash action game that thrives on sheer brutality and comedic absurdity. Armed with his legendary Total Uber Shovel, Queedo the Gravedigger isn’t here for subtle tactics—he’s here to break bones, scatter undead limbs, and turn graveyards into warzones. The game combines fluid combat, weapon variety, and unique mechanics that keep each battle feeling fresh and hilariously chaotic.

Combat: Brutal, Fast, and Hilariously Over-the-Top

The combat in Gravelord is a glorious spectacle of destruction. Every swing of Queedo’s shovel sends enemies flying, and the weighty, satisfying attacks make every hit feel impactful. The game offers a blend of light and heavy attacks, with combos that allow for creative enemy disposal. Think God of War meets Doom Eternal, but with a shovel that can decapitate skeletons and dig massive holes in the middle of battle.

Beyond the shovel, Queedo acquires a variety of outlandish weapons, each with unique effects. Some are brutal melee weapons that cleave through hordes with ease, while others—like an unholy flamethrower forged from the bones of a forgotten necromancer—bring ranged devastation. The game rewards experimentation, as each weapon handles differently and offers distinct advantages in certain fights.

The Power of the Shovel: More Than Just a Weapon

The Total Uber Shovel isn’t just for bashing skulls—it’s also a key mechanic for traversing the world and discovering secrets. Players can dig into the ground to uncover hidden passages, secret loot, and even new enemy encounters. This mechanic adds an extra layer of depth to exploration, encouraging players to tear up the landscape in search of buried rewards.

Some enemies even require the shovel to defeat—certain undead monstrosities must be unearthed before they can be killed, while others can be buried mid-battle to immobilize them temporarily. The game creatively incorporates this mechanic into puzzles and environmental challenges, making the shovel feel like an extension of Queedo’s chaotic personality.

Progression and Customization

As Queedo plows through the undead, he gains experience that can be used to upgrade abilities, weapons, and even unlock absurd new skills. Players can tailor their playstyle by investing in different combat techniques—whether it’s boosting shovel damage, unlocking brutal execution moves, or gaining access to special abilities like launching zombies into orbit with an uppercut.

Armor sets and trinkets also play a role, offering passive buffs and unique perks that enhance Queedo’s survivability and damage output. Some gear even grants comedic effects, like a cursed helmet that makes enemies run away in terror—or a belt that increases digging speed but causes random explosions when Queedo jumps.

Boss Battles: The Ultimate Undead Showdowns

No action game would be complete without memorable boss battles, and Gravelord delivers in spades. Each major encounter pits Queedo against grotesque monstrosities, from towering necromantic abominations to cursed warriors who wield ancient, dark magic. These fights demand strategy, pattern recognition, and quick reflexes, ensuring that players can’t just button-mash their way to victory.

Bosses also inject a healthy dose of humor, often taunting Queedo or engaging in ridiculous banter before the fight begins. The combination of thrilling action and comedic undertones makes each battle feel like a high-stakes showdown—one where victory is as satisfying as it is hilarious.

With its relentless combat, creative use of the shovel, and rewarding progression system, Gravelord succeeds in making every moment of gameplay an exhilarating, skull-crushing joyride.

Multiplayer and Replayability: Digging Up Fun Again and Again

While Gravelord thrives as a single-player experience, its design encourages repeated playthroughs thanks to its roguelike elements, multiple difficulty settings, and unlockable content. The game’s absurd, over-the-top combat and dynamic enemy encounters make every run feel unique, ensuring that players have plenty of reasons to keep returning to the battlefield.

Endless Horde Mode and Challenge Runs

For those who can’t get enough of smashing undead skulls, Gravelord offers an Endless Horde mode. This mode drops players into progressively difficult waves of enemies, tasking them with surviving as long as possible while racking up high scores. The ever-increasing difficulty, combined with randomized enemy placements and environmental hazards, keeps this mode fresh and unpredictable.

In addition to Horde mode, the game features challenge runs with unique modifiers. Some runs restrict players to specific weapons or abilities, while others introduce environmental effects that force players to adapt on the fly. These challenges provide an extra layer of replayability for those looking to test their mastery of the game’s mechanics.

New Game+ and Adaptive Difficulty

Once players complete the main campaign, Gravelord unlocks a New Game+ mode, increasing enemy aggression, introducing new enemy types, and adding more difficult versions of existing bosses. This mode isn’t just about higher health bars—it actively changes enemy behaviors, requiring players to rethink their strategies. For those who relish a challenge, the game offers several difficulty settings, with the hardest mode turning Gravelord into a relentless, brutal gauntlet.

Multiplayer Mayhem: Co-op and Competitive Play

While primarily a solo experience, Gravelord also features a cooperative multiplayer mode where two players can team up to take on the undead horde together. In co-op, players can revive each other, combine special attacks for devastating combo moves, and even engage in chaotic team-based shovel duels if things get a little too competitive.

On the PvP side, Gravelord introduces an arena-style multiplayer mode where players can pit their skills (and shovels) against each other in fast-paced one-on-one or team-based battles. With environmental hazards, destructible terrain, and a variety of weapons and upgrades at play, these fights are as chaotic as they are entertaining.

Unlockables and Hidden Secrets

A key component of Gravelord’s replayability is its unlockable content. Players can discover secret weapons, absurd outfits (like a full suit of armor made entirely of bones), and even hidden Easter eggs that reference classic action games. Finding all of the game’s secrets requires thorough exploration and multiple playthroughs, ensuring that completionists have plenty to dig into.

With its blend of challenging modes, cooperative gameplay, and hidden content, Gravelord offers a compelling reason to keep coming back for more. Whether it’s mastering new weapons, surviving endless hordes, or taking on a friend in shovel-based combat, the game ensures that the fun doesn’t end after the credits roll.

Graphics and Sound: A Metal Album Cover Brought to Life

Gravelord leans hard into its over-the-top aesthetic, delivering a world that feels like it was ripped straight from a heavy metal fever dream. The game’s art direction blends gothic horror with exaggerated comic-book brutality, creating an experience that is equal parts grim and hilarious. Fatbot Games has crafted a visually striking world filled with gory combat, creepy yet charismatic enemies, and richly detailed environments that keep the action engaging.

A Gritty Yet Playful Art Style

The game’s visuals strike a perfect balance between dark fantasy and absurd comedy. The character designs, from the hulking, shovel-wielding Queedo to the grotesquely animated undead, exude personality. Enemies are gnarled, twisted creatures, some of which seem genuinely horrifying—until you knock their heads off with a perfectly timed shovel swing, sending their skulls flying across the battlefield. The world itself is a mix of eerie graveyards, dilapidated crypts, and massive, crumbling fortresses, each filled with small visual details that add charm and depth.

One standout element is the game’s destructible environments. Graves crumble under the force of battle, enemy corpses ragdoll hilariously after being launched, and secret areas can be unearthed by digging in the right places. This level of interactivity makes the world feel dynamic, ensuring that no two battles play out exactly the same.

Fluid Animations and Over-the-Top Effects

Combat in Gravelord is an explosive spectacle, with highly detailed animations that add to the game’s chaotic energy. Queedo’s movements are weighty yet fluid, making every shovel strike feel impactful. Special attacks are accompanied by exaggerated effects—giant shockwaves, fiery explosions, and comedic slow-motion sequences when landing a particularly brutal finisher. The game embraces visual excess in the best way possible, reinforcing its tone as a love letter to classic action games.

A Soundtrack That Screams Carnage

Backing up the intense action is a pulse-pounding soundtrack that blends heavy metal riffs with eerie gothic melodies. The music dynamically shifts based on combat intensity, transitioning from atmospheric dungeon themes to full-blown metal madness during boss fights. Each battle feels like it’s part of a brutal, blood-pumping arena concert, making it impossible not to get caught up in the sheer energy of the game.

The game’s sound design complements the action perfectly. Every swing of the Total Uber Shovel lands with a satisfying THWACK, enemy screams and groans add to the battlefield chaos, and environmental destruction is underscored by deep, crunchy sound effects. Even the quieter moments, like wandering through an abandoned graveyard, are filled with subtle ambient noises—rustling leaves, distant howls, and the occasional growl of an unseen threat lurking just off-screen.

Voice Work and Dialogue

Queedo may not be the most articulate hero, but his grunts, laughs, and occasional one-liners bring plenty of personality to his grave-digging rampage. The NPCs, from scheming necromancers to terrified villagers, deliver their lines with just the right mix of humor and dread. While the voice acting leans into campiness, it fits the game’s tone perfectly—adding to its charm without ever feeling out of place.

With its striking visuals, energetic soundtrack, and immersive sound design, Gravelord delivers an audiovisual experience that is as ridiculous as it is intense. Whether you’re cleaving through hordes of undead, unearthing hidden treasures, or just enjoying the game’s metal-fueled mayhem, the presentation ensures that every moment feels like a wild, chaotic adventure.

Final Thoughts: A Shovel-Smashing, Undead-Crushing Power Fantasy

Gravelord is a game that knows exactly what it wants to be: an over-the-top, action-packed brawler with a healthy dose of absurdity and chaotic fun. Fatbot Games has crafted a brutal yet hilarious experience that embraces the best elements of hack-and-slash combat, fluid physics, and creative destruction. With a hero as ridiculous as Queedo the Gravedigger and a world packed with grotesque enemies, secrets, and humor, Gravelord delivers on its promise of non-stop mayhem.

What Gravelord Gets Right

The game’s strongest aspect is its incredibly satisfying combat. Whether you’re pulverizing skeletons with the Total Uber Shovel, juggling enemies with absurd special attacks, or launching zombies into the air with explosive finishers, Gravelord ensures that every battle feels like an epic heavy metal album cover come to life. The responsive controls, diverse weapon choices, and fluid combo system make each encounter a joy to play.

Beyond combat, the game’s creative use of the shovel mechanic for both fighting and exploration adds a layer of depth not typically seen in hack-and-slash titles. Digging up secrets, uncovering new weapons, and even using the terrain to your advantage makes the world feel interactive and rewarding to explore.

Where It Could Dig a Little Deeper

While Gravelord excels in combat and style, it does have a few areas where it could improve. The lack of cooperative multiplayer beyond the occasional PvP battle mode feels like a missed opportunity. The game would shine even brighter with a full-fledged co-op campaign where players could team up for undead-smashing mayhem.

Additionally, while the humor and chaotic energy are part of its charm, some players may find the game’s relentless pace overwhelming. A bit more variety in mission objectives beyond combat-driven challenges could help break up the action and provide moments of respite.

Why Gravelord is Worth Playing

Despite its minor shortcomings, Gravelord is an absolute blast from start to finish. Its combination of fast-paced combat, interactive environments, and laugh-out-loud moments make it a must-play for fans of action games. The roguelike replayability, unlockable content, and endless horde battles ensure that the game never loses its appeal, and the sheer ridiculousness of Queedo’s journey keeps things entertaining throughout.

If you’re looking for a game that ditches the pretension and focuses purely on delivering high-energy, physics-driven combat with a shovel-wielding, undead-crushing antihero, then Gravelord is a no-brainer. It’s a game built for fun, chaos, and spectacle—exactly what you’d want from a hack-and-slash brawler with a protagonist who specializes in putting the undead back where they belong.

“We prepared this review with a digital copy of Gravelord for the PC version provided by Evolve PR”